Criminal Justice

passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 3, 2026

HB 885: Court Date Reminder Program; established, report.

Court Date Reminder Program established. Establishes a Court Date Reminder Program, to be developed or procured by the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, for the purpose of reminding criminal defendants to appear at each of their scheduled court appearances. The bill directs the Program to send a text message notification to any defendant with a criminal case in general district court or circuit court for whom the court has a telephone number prior to any scheduled hearing that requires his appearance and allows a defendant to opt out of participating in the Program. The Program has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.The bill also directs the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court to convene a Court Date Reminder Program work group to advise on the implementation and expansion of the Program and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice by December 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProgram reduces missed court appearances, potentially lowering unnecessary arrests and supporting court efficiency within criminal justice system.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 412: Court appearance of a person not free on bail; changes to provisions regarding hearings.

Court appearance of a person not free on bail. Makes various changes to provisions regarding bail hearings, including (i) the appointment of counsel for the accused; (ii) the information provided to counsel for the accused; (iii) a requirement that counsel for the accused, when practicable, be provided with adequate time to confer with the accused prior to any bail hearing; and (iv) the compensation of counsel for the accused. The bill provides that, effective in due course, the chief judge in each circuit shall create a plan to be completed by November 1, 2026, that establishes the means by which the jurisdiction will meet such provisions. The remaining provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates counsel appointment, information access, and preparation time for defendants in bail hearings, strengthening defendant rights and aligning with criminal justice reform principles.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 798: Boyd-Graves Conference, et al.; work group to address legal deserts within the Commonwealth, report.

Boyd-Graves Conference and Virginia Criminal Justice Conference; work group to address legal deserts within the Commonwealth; report. Directs the Boyd-Graves Conference, in conjunction with the Virginia Criminal Justice Conference, to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to make recommendations for legislative solutions to address the disparities in the geographical distribution of available legal services within the Commonwealth. The bill directs the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice by November 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAddresses legal deserts by directing work group to recommend solutions for equitable legal service access, supporting criminal justice reform through improved access to legal resources.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 739: Virginia Youth Empowerment and Mentoring Grant Fund and Program; created and established.

Virginia Youth Empowerment and Mentoring Grant Fund and Program; established. Establishes the Virginia Youth Empowerment and Mentoring Grant Fund and Program, to be administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, for the purpose of awarding grants to community-based organizations for the purpose of placing mentors with high-risk youth in an effort to transition such youth into careers in certified high-wage trades.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds mentoring program for high-risk youth to transition into trades, reducing recidivism through rehabilitation under Criminal Justice Services administration.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates grant program to mentor high-risk youth into certified high-wage trades careers, directly advancing workforce development and employment pathways for vulnerable populations.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 472: Court fines and fees; waiver of fees for indigent defendant.

Court fines and fees; indigent defendant; waiver of fees. Provides that in any criminal or traffic case, the court may waive the assessment of certain fees specified in the bill, either wholly or in part, if the court determines the defendant to be indigent pursuant to the financial criteria set forth in relevant law and unable to pay such fee. The bill provides that the court may make such determination sua sponte or upon motion of the defendant at any time prior to the entry of an order for which such fee is assessed or the final order has been entered.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeWaives court fees for indigent defendants, reducing financial barriers in criminal cases and aligning with criminal justice reform principles by protecting defendant rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 185: Fines, costs, forfeitures, etc.; collection fees, assessment against incarcerated defendant.

Fines, costs, forfeitures, penalties, and restitution; collection fees; assessment against incarcerated defendant; deferred payment agreement. Extends from 90 days without payment to 180 days without payment the period of delinquency necessary for an account to be included on the required monthly report of delinquent accounts made by the clerk of the circuit court and district court.The bill also provides that for any defendant sentenced to an active term of incarceration and ordered to pay any fine, cost, forfeiture, or penalty related to the charge that such defendant is incarcerated for, or any other charge for which such defendant was sentenced on the same day, the court shall enter such defendant into a deferred payment agreement for such fines, costs, forfeitures, or penalties. The bill requires the due date for such deferred payment agreement to be set no earlier than the defendant's scheduled release from incarceration on the charge for which such defendant received the longest period of active incarceration. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill was incorporated into SB 180.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExtends payment deadline for fines from 90 to 180 days, reducing immediate penalties for incarcerated defendants and aligning with reform goals to prevent debt-driven recidivism.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 762: Local correctional facilities; reimbursements for housing convicted state felons.

Local correctional facilities; reimbursements for housing convicted state felons. Provides that, notwithstanding the quarterly installment payments the Compensation Board is required to provide for reimbursements to localities, the Compensation Board shall ensure that it provides reimbursement to localities for the entirety of the costs incurred by such locality arising from housing convicted state felons in any local or regional correctional facility.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates full reimbursement to local facilities housing state felons, ensuring funding for correctional infrastructure, supporting system stability and operational capacity.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 810: Deferred or installment payment agreements; outstanding court-assessed fines, fees, taxes, or costs.

Deferred or installment payment agreements; outstanding court-assessed fines, fees, taxes, or costs. Provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth or the clerk of the circuit court shall not require an individual to pay any outstanding court-assessed fines, fees, taxes, or costs arising from a criminal proceeding during the 180-day period following an individual's release from a term of imprisonment. This bill was incorporated into SB 180.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves immediate financial barriers for formerly incarcerated individuals post-release, reducing recidivism risk and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 442: Court Date Reminder Program; established.

Court Date Reminder Program established. Establishes a Court Date Reminder Program, to be developed or procured by the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia, for the purpose of reminding criminal defendants to appear at each of their scheduled court appearances and to provide any related information. The bill directs the Program to send a text message notification to any defendant with a criminal case or traffic infraction in general district court or circuit court, allows a defendant to opt out of participating in the Program, and allows the Program administrator or his designee to use other communication methods to contact a defendant when such defendant is unable to receive text messages, including telephone, email, or other internet-based technology.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes court reminder program for criminal defendants to improve appearance rates, reducing avoidable warrants and detentions, supporting efficient criminal justice operations.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 618: Executive Secretary, Office of; annual trauma-informed education for certain court personnel.

Office of the Executive Secretary; annual trauma-informed education for certain court personnel. Requires the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia to provide annual continuing legal education on trauma-informed practices in proceedings involving sexual abuse or abuse of a family or household member to magistrates, clerks, judges of juvenile and domestic relations district courts, general district courts, and circuit courts, and other court employees.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates trauma-informed training for court personnel handling abuse cases, promoting victim-centered justice practices and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Criminal Justice

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