Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 283: Penalties for failure to appear; definition, contempt.

Penalties for failure to appear; contempt. Provides that a court shall consider certain mitigating factors to determine whether the failure of any person to appear before any court or judicial officer as required was willful. Under current law, no mitigating factors are specified for a court or judicial officer to consider in determining whether a person willfully failed to appear. This bill is identical to HB 933.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces penalties from felony to misdemeanor for failure to appear, aligning with reform goals of reducing harsh sentencing and unnecessary incarceration.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 329: Va. Sexual & Domestic Violence Victim fund; fee for offenses related to solicitation of minors, etc.

Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund; additional fee for certain offenses. Provides that the clerk shall assess a fee of $500 for conviction of certain offenses outlined in the bill. The bill requires such fees to be credited to the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund and designated for funding support services for eligible victims. This bill is identical to HB 1233.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds child victim services via $100 fee for specific offenses, aligning with victim protection in criminal justice reform.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 608: Peer recovery specialists; VDH & DOC to develop guidelines for hiring.

Department of Health; Department of Corrections; peer recovery specialists. Directs the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections to develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists with previous criminal convictions for compensated employment. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to HB 209.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeDirects VDH & DOC to develop hiring guidelines for peer recovery specialists with criminal convictions, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism through employment opportunities in recovery programs.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnables hiring of peer recovery specialists with criminal convictions, expanding employment opportunities for a historically marginalized group in state agencies.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 357: Person arrested for a felony; release of accused on secured or unsecured bond.

Release of accused on secured or unsecured bond. Removes the conditions requiring that any person arrested for a felony who (i) has previously been convicted of a felony, (ii) is presently on bond for an unrelated arrest in any jurisdiction, or (iii) is on probation or parole be released only upon a secure bond. Additionally, the bill adds to the factors a judicial officer shall consider in making a bail determination (a) the person's current bond status for an unrelated arrest in any jurisdiction and (b) whether the person is on probation or parole.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill removes mandatory secured bond for certain felons, allowing unsecured bond instead, reducing pretrial detention and aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing financial barriers and promoting community reintegration.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 933: Penalties for failure to appear; definition, contempt.

Penalties for failure to appear; contempt. Provides that a court shall consider certain mitigating factors to determine whether the failure of any person to appear before any court or judicial officer as required was willful. Under current law, no mitigating factors are specified for a court or judicial officer to consider in determining whether a person willfully failed to appear. This bill is identical to SB 283.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces penalties from felony to misdemeanor for failure to appear, aligning with less punitive criminal justice reform principles.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 342: Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; magistrates, availability of complaint forms in courthouses.

Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; magistrates; availability of complaint forms in courthouses. Requires that paper copies of any standardized form developed and utilized by the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission and any standardized form developed and utilized by the Department of Magistrate Services in the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia for the filing of a complaint be made available to the public in the clerk's office in all state courts of the Commonwealth. The bill also requires that a sign be posted in all such courts, in a location accessible to the public, that notes the availability and location of such forms.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill requires complaint forms for judicial oversight in courthouses, enhancing accountability in court processes, a core component of criminal justice.80% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 149: Probation; decreasing period.

Decreasing probation period. Establishes criteria for which a defendant's supervised probation period shall be reduced, including completing educational activities, maintaining employment, completing treatment, or obtaining housing. The bill provides that a court may decrease a defendant's probation period if warranted by the defendant's conduct upon receipt of a request from the Department of Corrections and requires the Department of Corrections to request termination of a defendant's supervised probation period after 12 months in certain situations. This bill is identical to SB 136.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces probation periods for rehabilitation completion (education, treatment, housing), aligning with reform goals to lower recidivism and support reintegration.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 126: Local, regional, and community correctional facilities; access to counsel for inmates.

Local, regional, and community correctional facilities; access to counsel for inmates. Requires the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to establish additional standards no later than January 1, 2027, to ensure access to legal counsel for inmates held in any local, regional, or community correctional facility and enumerates the standards that the Board shall include in such additional standards.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires standards ensuring inmate access to legal counsel in correctional facilities, advancing civil rights and criminal justice reform.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 223: Public defender; local funding for positions.

HB 223 allows counties and cities to fund public defender positions using local resources. It directly affects local governments and public defender offices by giving them the option to establish or expand these roles through municipal budgets. The bill's key provision is enabling governing bodies (like city councils or county commissions) to allocate funds for public defender staffing without requiring state financial support. The bill passed the House unanimously and is now under review by the Committee for Courts of Justice.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables local funding for public defenders, strengthening defense access and aligning with criminal justice reform goals like fair representation.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 671: Jurors; exemptions from jury service upon request, competency to perform jury duty.

Jurors; exemptions from jury service upon request; competency to perform jury duty. Provides that no person shall be deemed incompetent to serve on any jury on the basis of disability if the person would otherwise be competent to serve if provided with reasonable accommodation. The bill also provides that any person under a disability that substantially impairs the person's ability to perform jury duty shall be exempt from jury duty upon such person's request.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnsures disability accommodations for jury service, promoting equal access to court participation and civil rights within criminal justice system.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice