Courts of Justice - Criminal Subcommittee Agenda

Chair: Watts, Vivian E.

Meeting Date & Time: 01/23/2026 15 minutes after adjournment of House Add to Calendar

Location: House Committee Room C - 206

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Additional Resource(s):

Active item: Meeting Adjourned

Video: Archived

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

DLS Contact: Troy Hatcher (804) 698-1829

Block 1

Bill(s) Patron Title
HB16 Price Community service work in lieu of payment of fines and costs; work performed while incarcerated.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 19.2-354 of the Code of Virginia, relating to community service work in lieu of payment of fines and costs; work performed while incarcerated.

Fiscal Impact

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:

  • 2/5/2026 - Engrossed by House as amended
  • 2/5/2026 - Printed as engrossed 26102053D-E
  • 2/6/2026 - Read third time and passed House (72-Y 25-N 0-A)
  • 2/16/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB16)
  • 3/10/2026 - Senate amendments agreed to by House (79-Y 20-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 3/9/2026 - Read third time

• 3/9/2026 - Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to

• 3/9/2026 - Engrossed by Senate as amended

• 3/9/2026 - Engrossed by Senate as amended

• 3/9/2026 - Passed Senate with amendments (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee

Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N)

HB26 Henson Marijuana-related offenses; modification of sentence, sunset.

Summary: A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 19.2-303.03, relating to modification of sentence for marijuana-related offenses.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (8-Y 2-N)

Yeas (9): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Williams, Hope

Nays (2): Davis, Whittle

Last actions:

  • 2/16/2026 - committee substitute agreed to
  • 2/16/2026 - Engrossed by House - committee substitute
  • 2/17/2026 - Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)
  • 3/6/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB26)
  • 3/12/2026 - Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 96-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 3/12/2026 - Read third time

• 3/12/2026 - Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

• 3/12/2026 - Senate receded from amendment (27-Y 13-N 0-A)

• 3/12/2026 - Reconsider receding from amendment agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 3/12/2026 - Senate receded from amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

Related Bills:

SB62 (Lucas)

General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee

Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 1-N)

HB118 Keys-Gamarra Discovery materials or evidence; accused may request to copy or photograph any materials.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 19.2-265.4 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 15 of Title 19.2 an article numbered 4.3, consisting of a section numbered 19.2-264.15, relating to discovery; methods of delivery; report.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 1-N)

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

Nays (1): Whittle

Last actions:

  • 3/3/2026 - Senate substitute rejected by House (4-Y 94-N 0-A)
  • 3/6/2026 - House acceded to request
  • 3/10/2026 - Conferees appointed by House
  • 3/10/2026 - House Conferees: Keys-Gamarra, Carnegie, Griffin
  • 3/12/2026 - Conference report agreed to by House (81-Y 14-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 3/5/2026 - Senate requested conference committee

• 3/9/2026 - Conferees appointed by Senate

• 3/9/2026 - Senate Conferees: Carroll Foy, Perry, McDougle

• 3/13/2026 - Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 3/13/2026 - Conference report agreed to by both chambers

Related Bills:

SB24 (Carroll Foy)

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 1-N)

HB223 Hope Public defender; local funding for positions.

Summary: An Act to amend and reenact § 19.2-163.01:1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to public defender; local funding for positions.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

Yeas (10): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Williams, Davis, Whittle

Last actions:

  • 3/11/2026 - Enrolled
  • 3/11/2026 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB223ER)
  • 3/11/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB223)
  • 3/12/2026 - Signed by Speaker
  • 3/14/2026 - Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

Senate Committee Actions:

• 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 (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 3/11/2026 - Signed by President

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

HB754 Runion Emergency custody, involuntary temp. detention, & commitment hearings; special justice & judge fees.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 37.2-804 of the Code of Virginia, relating to emergency custody, involuntary temporary detention, and commitment hearings; special justice and judge fees.

Fiscal Impact

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:

  • 1/28/2026 - Reported and Referred by Committee
  • 1/29/2026 - Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay
  • 1/29/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB754)
  • 1/29/2026 - Placed on Appropriations Agenda
  • 1/30/2026 - Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 0-N)

General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 0-N)

Block 2

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

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 - Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N)

• 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)

General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee

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

HB128 Callsen Ancillary traffic infractions; certification.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 16.1-123.1, 16.1-241, 17.1-513, and 19.2-190.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to certification of ancillary traffic infractions.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

Yeas (11): Watts, Delaney, Hernandez, Cousins, Callsen, Mehta, Schmidt, Williams, Davis, Whittle, Hope

Last actions:

  • 1/30/2026 - Read first time
  • 2/2/2026 - Read second time and engrossed
  • 2/3/2026 - Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
  • 3/10/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB128)
  • 3/12/2026 - Senate substitute agreed to by House (97-Y 1-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 3/11/2026 - Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

• 3/11/2026 - Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

• 3/11/2026 - Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 3/11/2026 - Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 3/11/2026 - Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

HB244 Watts Robbery; conforms certain provisions of Code to degrees of robbery offenses.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 16.1-309.1, 16.1-330.1, 17.1-805, 18.2-50.3, 19.2-297.1, 53.1-40.02, 53.1-131.2, 53.1-165.1, and 53.1-202.3 of the Code of Virginia, relating to robbery.

Fiscal Impact

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (7-Y 3-N)

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

Nays (3): Williams, Davis, Whittle

Last actions:

  • 2/2/2026 - Engrossed by House as amended
  • 2/2/2026 - Printed as engrossed 26102503D-E
  • 2/3/2026 - Read third time and passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A)
  • 2/11/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB244)
  • 3/5/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB244)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 3/3/2026 - Committee substitute printed 26108969D-S1

• 3/9/2026 - Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations

• 3/9/2026 - Senate committee offered

• 3/9/2026 - Placed on Finance and Appropriations docket for Mar 09, 2026

• 3/9/2026 - Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)

Criminal

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (7-Y 3-N)