Courts of Justice - Criminal Subcommittee Agenda

Chair: Watts, Vivian E.

Last Updated: 01/26/2026 04:00 PM

Meeting Date & Time: 01/28/2026 15 minutes after adjournment of full committee Add to Calendar

Meeting Time Updated

Location: House Committee Room C - 206

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Additional Resource(s):

Video: Archived

Committee Clerk: J. Avery McDaniel (804) 698-1544

DLS Contact: Troy Hatcher (804) 698-1829

Block 1

Bill(s) Patron Title
HB127 Callsen Person not free on bail; court appearance, right to counsel.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 19.2-158 and 19.2-159 of the Code of Virginia, relating to court appearance of a person not free on bail.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 0-N)

Yeas (9): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Davis, Whittle

Not Voting (1): Williams

Last actions:

  • 2/12/2026 - Engrossed by House - committee substitute as amended
  • 2/12/2026 - Printed as engrossed 26106177D-EH1
  • 2/13/2026 - Read third time and passed House (84-Y 10-N 0-A)
  • 2/19/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB127)
  • 3/2/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB127)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/23/2026 - Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

• 2/23/2026 - Committee substitute printed 26108450D-S1

• 3/3/2026 - Placed on Finance and Appropriations docket for Mar 03, 2026

• 3/3/2026 - Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N 1-A)

• 7/21/2026 - Continued from last session

General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (7-Y 0-N)

HB357 Callsen Person arrested for a felony; release of accused on secured or unsecured bond.

Summary: An Act to amend and reenact §§ 19.2-120 and 19.2-123 of the Code of Virginia, relating to release of accused on secured or unsecured bond.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N)

Yeas (8): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Davis

Nays (1): Whittle

Not Voting (1): Williams

Last actions:

  • 2/25/2026 - Enrolled
  • 2/25/2026 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB357ER)
  • 2/25/2026 - Signed by Speaker
  • 2/25/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB357)
  • 3/10/2026 - Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/20/2026 - Rules suspended

• 2/20/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 2/23/2026 - Read third time

• 2/23/2026 - Passed Senate (20-Y 18-N 0-A)

• 2/25/2026 - Signed by President

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N)

HB567 Carnegie Court records; aggregated case data, request by attorney for the Commonwealth exempted.

Summary: An Act to amend and reenact §§ 16.1-69.54:1 and 17.1-208 of the Code of Virginia, relating to court records; aggregated case data; request by attorney for the Commonwealth exempted.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N)

Yeas (9): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Davis, Whittle

Not Voting (1): Williams

Last actions:

  • 2/18/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB567)
  • 2/25/2026 - Enrolled
  • 2/25/2026 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB567ER)
  • 2/25/2026 - Signed by Speaker
  • 2/27/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB567)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/20/2026 - Rules suspended

• 2/20/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 2/23/2026 - Read third time

• 2/23/2026 - Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 2/25/2026 - Signed by President

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N)

HB933 Simon Penalties for failure to appear; definition, contempt.

Summary: An Act to amend and reenact §§ 18.2-456 and 19.2-128 of the Code of Virginia, relating to penalties for failure to appear; contempt.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 2-N)

Yeas (7): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt

Nays (2): Davis, Whittle

Not Voting (1): Williams

Last actions:

  • 2/10/2026 - Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
  • 2/25/2026 - Senate substitute agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A)
  • 3/2/2026 - Enrolled
  • 3/2/2026 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB933ER)
  • 3/2/2026 - Signed by Speaker

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/23/2026 - Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

• 2/23/2026 - Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

• 2/23/2026 - Passed Senate with substitute (20-Y 18-N 0-A)

• 2/23/2026 - Engrossed by Senate

• 3/2/2026 - Signed by President

Related Bills:

SB283 (Aird)

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 2-N)

HB950 Lopez Unmanned aircraft systems; use by public bodies, search warrant required, exceptions.

Summary: An Act to amend and reenact § 19.2-60.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to use of unmanned aircraft systems by public bodies; search warrant required; exceptions.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 3-N)

Yeas (6): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta

Nays (3): Schmidt, Davis, Whittle

Not Voting (1): Williams

Last actions:

  • 2/9/2026 - committee amendments agreed to
  • 2/9/2026 - Engrossed by House as amended
  • 2/9/2026 - Printed as engrossed 26102887D-E
  • 2/10/2026 - Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)
  • 2/16/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB950)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 3/2/2026 - Read third time

• 3/2/2026 - Read third time

• 3/2/2026 - Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 3-N)

HB1159 Cherry Oral threat to kill or to do bodily harm; employees of local or state dept. of social serv. penalty.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-60 of the Code of Virginia, relating to oral threat to kill or to do bodily harm; employees of local or state department of social services; penalty.

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 2-N)

Yeas (7): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt

Nays (2): Davis, Whittle

Not Voting (1): Williams

Last actions:

  • 1/14/2026 - Committee Referral Pending
  • 1/14/2026 - Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
  • 1/23/2026 - Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
  • 1/26/2026 - Placed on Courts of Justice Agenda
  • 1/28/2026 - Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 2-N)

Related Bills:

SB689 (Mulchi)

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 2-N)

HB1219 Sewell Unmanned aircraft systems; use by law-enforcement officers, search warrants.

Summary: An Act to amend and reenact §§ 9.1-102 and 19.2-60.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to use of unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement officers; search warrants; model policy.

Fiscal Impact

Last actions:

  • 2/16/2026 - Read second time
  • 2/16/2026 - committee substitute agreed to
  • 2/17/2026 - Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
  • 2/17/2026 - Engrossed by House - committee substitute
  • 2/17/2026 - Fiscal Impact statement From DPB (2/17/2026 3:20 pm)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 3/5/2026 - Rules suspended

• 3/5/2026 - Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

• 3/5/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 3/6/2026 - Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

• 3/6/2026 - Passed by for the day

Related Bills:

SB647 (Pillion)

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)

HB1286 Walker Assault and battery; employees of state or local department of social services, penalty.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 18.2-57 of the Code of Virginia, relating to assault and battery; employees of state or local department of social services; penalty.

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 2-N)

Yeas (7): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt

Nays (2): Davis, Whittle

Not Voting (1): Williams

Last actions:

  • 1/14/2026 - Committee Referral Pending
  • 1/14/2026 - Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
  • 1/24/2026 - Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
  • 1/26/2026 - Placed on Courts of Justice Agenda
  • 1/28/2026 - Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 2-N)

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 2-N)