SB 276 VA

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State correctional facilities; visitation policies; work group. Sets additional visitation standards for visitors to state correctional facilities. The bill requires the Department of Corrections (the Department) to provide extended or additional visitation access for long-distance visitors. The bill provides that each in-person visit shall last a minimum of two hours unless shortened at the request of either the visitor or the incarcerated individual, or in response to an active security event. The bill also provides that visitation privileges may be suspended only for conduct occurring during visitation that presents a direct and substantial threat to the physical safety of participants or the security of the correctional facility. The bill provides a timeline and process for appealing any suspension of visitation rights. Finally, the bill directs the Department to convene a work group to consider and develop practical policy and legislative recommendations regarding visitation. The work group is required to report its findings and specific legislative and policy recommendations to the General Assembly by October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 173.

• Angelia Williams Graves Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104960D · upper
2. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services · upper
3. Jan 23, 2026 Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 7-N) · upper
4. Jan 28, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB276) · upper
5. Feb 4, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N) · upper
6. Feb 5, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107155D-S1 · upper
7. Feb 5, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
8. Feb 5, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
9. Feb 5, 2026 Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) · upper
10. Feb 6, 2026 Read second time · upper
11. Feb 6, 2026 Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to · upper
12. Feb 6, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) · upper
13. Feb 9, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB276) · upper
14. Feb 9, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
15. Feb 12, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
16. Feb 12, 2026 Read first time · lower
17. Feb 12, 2026 Referred to Committee on Rules · lower
18. Mar 1, 2026 Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee · lower
19. Mar 2, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (4-Y 1-N) · lower
20. Mar 2, 2026 Reconsidered by Rules (Voice Vote) · lower
21. Mar 2, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (4-Y 1-N) · lower
22. Mar 6, 2026 Reported from Rules with substitute (13-Y 5-N) · lower
23. Mar 6, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108953D-H1 · lower
24. Mar 6, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB276) · upper
25. Mar 10, 2026 Read second time · lower
26. Mar 11, 2026 Read third time · lower
27. Mar 11, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
28. Mar 11, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
29. Mar 11, 2026 Passed House with substitute (64-Y 34-N 0-A) · lower
30. Mar 12, 2026 House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
31. Mar 12, 2026 Reconsideration of House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
32. Mar 12, 2026 House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) · upper
33. Mar 12, 2026 House insisted on substitute · lower
34. Mar 12, 2026 House requested conference committee · lower
35. Mar 12, 2026 Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
36. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
37. Mar 12, 2026 Senate Conferees: Williams Graves, Carroll Foy, DeSteph · upper
38. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
39. Mar 12, 2026 House Conferees: Anthony, Gardner, McLaughlin · lower
40. Mar 12, 2026 Senate acceded to request · upper
41. Mar 13, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
42. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A) · lower
43. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) · upper
44. Mar 18, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB276) · upper
45. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · upper
46. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB276ER) · upper
47. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
48. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
49. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · upper
50. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
51. Apr 1, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB276) · upper
52. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 572 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
53. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0572) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Conference Report · HTML
• Conference Report Substitute · PDF
• Conference Report Substitute · HTML
• Rules Substitute · PDF
• Rules Substitute · HTML
• Studies Subcommittee Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Studies Subcommittee Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Finance and Appropriations Substitute · PDF
• Finance and Appropriations Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML