HB 173 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 SB 276.

• Bonita G. Anthony Democratic · primary

1. Jan 6, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101239D · lower
2. Jan 6, 2026 Referred to Committee on Public Safety · lower
3. Jan 16, 2026 Assigned HPS sub: Subcommittee #2 · lower
4. Jan 29, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
5. Jan 29, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N) · lower
6. Feb 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB173) · lower
7. Feb 6, 2026 House committee offered · lower
8. Feb 6, 2026 Reported from Public Safety with substitute and referred to Appropriations (17-Y 4-N 1-A) · lower
9. Feb 6, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107327D-H1 · lower
10. Feb 6, 2026 Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety · lower
11. Feb 11, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N) · lower
12. Feb 11, 2026 Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N) · lower
13. Feb 13, 2026 Read first time · lower
14. Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · lower
15. Feb 16, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
16. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
17. Feb 17, 2026 Read third time and passed House (65-Y 31-N 0-A) · lower
18. Feb 18, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
19. Feb 18, 2026 Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services · upper
20. Feb 27, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
21. Feb 27, 2026 Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 1-N) · upper
22. Feb 27, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108760D-S1 · upper
23. Mar 2, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB173) · lower
24. Mar 4, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N) · upper
25. Mar 5, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26109174D-S2 · upper
26. Mar 5, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
27. Mar 5, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
28. Mar 5, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
29. Mar 6, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB173) · lower
30. Mar 6, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
31. Mar 9, 2026 Read third time · upper
32. Mar 9, 2026 Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote) · upper
33. Mar 9, 2026 Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to · upper
34. Mar 9, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute · upper
35. Mar 9, 2026 Passed Senate with substitute (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
36. Mar 10, 2026 Senate substitute rejected by House (2-Y 97-N 0-A) · lower
37. Mar 11, 2026 Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
38. Mar 11, 2026 Senate requested conference committee · upper
39. Mar 12, 2026 House acceded to request · lower
40. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
41. Mar 12, 2026 House Conferees: Anthony, Gardner, McLaughlin · lower
42. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
43. Mar 12, 2026 Senate Conferees: Carroll Foy, Jones, DeSteph · upper
44. Mar 13, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
45. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (65-Y 31-N 0-A) · lower
46. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) · upper
47. Mar 18, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB173) · lower
48. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · lower
49. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB173ER) · lower
50. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
51. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
52. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · lower
53. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
54. Apr 1, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB173) · lower
55. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 571 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
56. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0571) · 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
• Finance and Appropriations Substitute · PDF
• Finance and Appropriations Substitute · HTML
• Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute · PDF
• Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute · HTML
• Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute · PDF
• Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute · HTML
• Public Safety Substitute · PDF
• Public Safety Substitute · HTML
• Public Safety Substitute · PDF
• Public Safety Substitute · HTML
• Public Safety Substitute · PDF
• Public Safety Substitute · HTML
• Public Safety Substitute · PDF
• Public Safety Substitute · HTML
• Subcommittee #2 Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Subcommittee #2 Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML