SB 158 VA

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Became Law

Maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit; study to examine organization and boundaries of certain judicial districts; report. Increases by one the maximum number of authorized general district court judges in the Twelfth and Twenty-sixth Judicial Districts. The bill also increases by one the maximum number of authorized juvenile and domestic relations district court judges in the Twelfth and Fifteenth Judicial Districts. The bill further increases by one the maximum number of authorized circuit court judges in the Twentieth and Twenty-seventh Judicial Circuits. Under the bill, the provisions relating to increasing the number of judges in the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.Finally, the bill directs the Judicial Council of Virginia to study the organization and boundaries of the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits and to submit an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than November 30, 2026.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and the Judicial Council of Virginia. This bill incorporates SB 780.

• Russet Perry Democratic · primary

1. Jan 7, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100733D · upper
2. Jan 7, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · upper
3. Jan 23, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158) · upper
4. Jan 28, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
5. Jan 28, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) · upper
6. Jan 30, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26105622D-S1 · upper
7. Feb 3, 2026 Incorporates SB780 (Obenshain) · upper
8. Feb 11, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) · upper
9. Feb 12, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
10. Feb 12, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
11. Feb 12, 2026 Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) · upper
12. Feb 13, 2026 Read second time · upper
13. Feb 13, 2026 Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) · upper
14. Feb 13, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
15. Feb 13, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
16. Feb 13, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
17. Feb 13, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
18. Feb 18, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
19. Feb 18, 2026 Read first time · lower
20. Feb 18, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · lower
21. Feb 20, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158) · upper
22. Mar 2, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) · lower
23. Mar 3, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108033D-H1 · lower
24. Mar 3, 2026 Read second time · lower
25. Mar 4, 2026 Read third time · lower
26. Mar 4, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
27. Mar 4, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
28. Mar 4, 2026 Passed House with substitute (97-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
29. Mar 4, 2026 Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House · lower
30. Mar 4, 2026 Passed House with substitute Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
31. Mar 6, 2026 House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) · upper
32. Mar 9, 2026 House insisted on substitute · lower
33. Mar 9, 2026 House requested conference committee · lower
34. Mar 10, 2026 Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
35. Mar 10, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
36. Mar 10, 2026 Senate Conferees: Perry, Deeds, Stuart · upper
37. Mar 11, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
38. Mar 11, 2026 House Conferees: Hope, Maldonado, Ballard · lower
39. Mar 11, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
40. Mar 11, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
41. Mar 11, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (99-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
42. Mar 23, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158) · upper
43. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · upper
44. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB158ER) · upper
45. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
46. Mar 31, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158) · upper
47. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
48. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · upper
49. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
50. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 880 (effective 7/1/2026) · 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.

• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Conference Report · HTML
• Conference Report Substitute · PDF
• Conference Report Substitute · HTML
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML