Courts of Justice - Criminal Subcommittee Agenda
Chair: Watts, Vivian E.
Last Updated: 02/02/2026 09:23 AM
Meeting Date & Time: 02/02/2026 15 minutes after adjournment of Finance Subcommittee #1 Add to Calendar
Meeting Time Updated
Location: House Committee Room C - 206
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Active item: Meeting Adjourned
Video: Archived
Committee Clerk: Avery McDaniel (804) 698-1544
DLS Contact: Troy Hatcher (804) 698-1829
Block 1
| Bill(s) | Patron | Title |
|---|---|---|
| HB46 | Reid | Judges; maximum number in each judicial circuit. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 17.1-507 of the Code of Virginia, relating to maximum number of judges in each judicial circuit.
Subcommittee recommends incorporating (Voice Vote) Last actions:
Related Bills: HB443 (Hope) SB158 (Perry) Criminal Subcommittee recommends incorporating (Voice Vote) |
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| HB194 | McQuinn | Judges; maximum number of judges in each judicial district. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 16.1-69.6:1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to maximum number of judges in each judicial district.
Subcommittee recommends incorporating (Voice Vote) Last actions:
Criminal Subcommittee recommends incorporating (Voice Vote) |
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| HB441 | Hope | Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; reform, increases membership. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 17.1-100, 17.1-901, 17.1-902, 17.1-903, 17.1-913, and 17.1-914 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 17.1-902.1, relating to the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; reform. Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 2/18/2026 - Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) • 2/18/2026 - Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice • 3/5/2026 - Placed on Courts of Justice docket for Mar 05, 2026 • 3/5/2026 - Continued to next session in Courts of Justice (13-Y 0-N) Criminal Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) |
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| HB443 | Hope | Judicial district and circuit courts; maximum number of judges. |
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Summary: An Act to amend and reenact §§ 16.1-69.6:1, 17.1-400, 17.1-402, and 17.1-507 of the Code of Virginia, relating to maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit; maximum number of judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia; hearing en banc; study to examine organization and boundaries of certain judicial circuits; report. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)Yeas (10): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Williams, Davis, Whittle Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 3/4/2026 - Read third time • 3/4/2026 - Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to • 3/4/2026 - Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute • 3/4/2026 - Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) • 3/4/2026 - Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) Related Bills: HB46 (Reid) SB158 (Perry) Criminal Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N) |
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| HB520 | Hernandez | Clerk fees; secure remote access to nonconfidential court records by certain attorneys. |
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Summary: An Act to amend and reenact § 17.1-267 of the Code of Virginia, relating to clerk fees; secure remote access to nonconfidential court records by certain attorneys. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)Yeas (10): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Williams, Davis, Whittle Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 3/3/2026 - Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) • 3/3/2026 - Passed by for the day • 3/4/2026 - Read third time • 3/4/2026 - Read third time • 3/4/2026 - Passed Senate (31-Y 9-N 0-A) Related Bills: SB82 (Salim) Criminal Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) |
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| HB1485 | Hope | Court of Appeals of Virginia; maximum number of judges, summary disposition of certain civil cases. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 17.1-400 and 17.1-402 of the Code of Virginia, relating to maximum number of judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia; hearings en banc. Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)Yeas (10): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Williams, Davis, Whittle Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 2/11/2026 - Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice • 2/23/2026 - Placed on Courts of Justice docket for Feb 23, 2026 • 2/23/2026 - Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N) • 2/23/2026 - Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations • 2/23/2026 - Committee substitute printed 26108371D-S1 Criminal Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N) |
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Block 2
| Bill(s) | Patron | Title |
|---|---|---|
| HB240 | Gardner | Admission to bail; fixing terms of bail, mental health considerations. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 19.2-120 and 19.2-121 of the Code of Virginia, relating to admission to bail; fixing terms of bail; mental health considerations. Last actions:
Criminal Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote) |
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| HB246 | Watts | Mental illness, neurocognitive disorder, etc.; affirmative defense or reduced penalty. |
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Summary: An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-57 of the Code of Virginia, relating to affirmative defense or reduced penalty for mental illness, neurocognitive disorder, or intellectual or developmental disability. Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)Yeas (7): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt Nays (3): Williams, Davis, Whittle Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 3/10/2026 - Read third time • 3/10/2026 - Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to • 3/10/2026 - Engrossed by Senate as amended • 3/10/2026 - Passed Senate with amendments (22-Y 18-N 0-A) • 3/30/2026 - Signed by President Related Bills: SB335 (Boysko) Transportation and Public Safety Subcommittee Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 3-N) |
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| HB247 | Watts | Deferred dispos. in criminal case; persons with autism, intellectual, or developmental disabilities. |
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Summary: An Act to amend and reenact § 19.2-303.6 of the Code of Virginia, relating to deferred disposition in a criminal case; persons with autism, intellectual disabilities, or developmental disabilities; expungement. Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (8-Y 2-N)Yeas (8): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Whittle Nays (2): Williams, Davis Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 2/25/2026 - Read third time • 2/25/2026 - Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to • 2/25/2026 - Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute • 2/25/2026 - Passed Senate with substitute (32-Y 8-N 0-A) • 3/4/2026 - Signed by President Related Bills: SB416 (Boysko) General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 1-N) |
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| HB648 | Kent | Nitrous oxide; sale, distribution, etc., prohibited, penalties. |
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Summary: An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-264 of the Code of Virginia, relating to sale, distribution, etc. of nitrous oxide prohibited; penalties. Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 3/3/2026 - Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) • 3/3/2026 - Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) • 3/3/2026 - Passed by for the day • 3/4/2026 - Read third time • 3/4/2026 - Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) Related Bills: SB360 (Stuart) Housing/Consumer Protection Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N) |
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| HB875 | Kent | Kratom; manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing, penalties. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 59.1-200 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 18.2-251.6, relating to manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent kratom; Virginia Consumer Protection Act; penalties. Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (10-Y 0-N)Yeas (10): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Williams, Davis, Whittle Last actions:
Criminal Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (10-Y 0-N) |
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| HB885 | Hope | Court Date Reminder Program; established, report. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-388 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 2 of Title 17.1 an article numbered 9, consisting of sections numbered 17.1-296, 17.1-297, and 17.1-298, relating to Court Date Reminder Program established; work group; report. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)Yeas (10): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Williams, Davis, Whittle Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 2/23/2026 - Placed on Courts of Justice docket for Feb 23, 2026 • 2/23/2026 - Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N) • 2/23/2026 - Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations • 3/3/2026 - Placed on Finance and Appropriations docket for Mar 03, 2026 • 3/3/2026 - Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N) |
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| HB1105 | Kilgore | Misdemeanor proceedings; competency treatment. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 19.2-169.1, 19.2-169.2, and 19.2-169.3 of the Code of Virginia, relating to competency treatment in misdemeanor proceedings. Last actions:
Related Bills: SB528 (Stanley) Criminal Subcommittee recommends striking from the docket (10-Y 0-N) |
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| HB1411 | Schmidt | Defendant; evidence of mental condition admissible. |
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Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 19.2-271.6 of the Code of Virginia, relating to evidence of defendant's mental condition admissible. Last actions:
Senate Committee Actions: • 2/18/2026 - Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice • 3/4/2026 - Placed on Courts of Justice docket for Mar 04, 2026 • 3/4/2026 - Senate committee offered • 3/4/2026 - Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) • 3/4/2026 - Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 1-N) |
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