HB 444 VA

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Became Law

Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act established. Creates the Uniform Consumer Debt Default Judgments Act for the award of a default judgment in actions for the collection of certain consumer debts, defined in the bill as an obligation or alleged obligation of an individual to pay money that arises out of a transaction in which the money, property, insurance, or service that is the subject of the transaction is primarily for a personal, family, or household purpose. The bill provides that a default judgment in such actions shall only be entered if the warrant in debt or civil action to recover a consumer debt includes certain statements and the required notice to the consumer, as described in the bill. Finally, the bill directs the Office of the Executive Secretary to promulgate a form for the consumer notice provisions created by the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

• Marcus B. Simon Democratic · primary

1. Jan 12, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101027D · lower
2. Jan 12, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · lower
3. Jan 23, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB444) · lower
4. Feb 2, 2026 Assigned HCJ sub: Civil · lower
5. Feb 4, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
6. Feb 4, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 1-N) · lower
7. Feb 11, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (20-Y 2-N) · lower
8. Feb 11, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107114D-H1 · lower
9. Feb 12, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB444) · lower
10. Feb 13, 2026 Read first time · lower
11. Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · lower
12. Feb 16, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
13. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
14. Feb 17, 2026 Read third time and passed House (76-Y 21-N 0-A) · lower
15. Feb 18, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
16. Feb 18, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · upper
17. Feb 25, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
18. Feb 25, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (14-Y 0-N 1-A) · upper
19. Feb 27, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
20. Feb 27, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
21. Feb 27, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
22. Mar 2, 2026 Read third time · upper
23. Mar 2, 2026 Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to · upper
24. Mar 2, 2026 Engrossed by Senate as amended · upper
25. Mar 2, 2026 Passed Senate with amendments (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
26. Mar 4, 2026 Senate amendments agreed to by House (75-Y 21-N 0-A) · lower
27. Mar 11, 2026 Enrolled · lower
28. Mar 11, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB444ER) · lower
29. Mar 11, 2026 Signed by President · upper
30. Mar 12, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
31. Mar 14, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 · lower
32. Mar 14, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
33. Mar 17, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB444) · lower
34. Apr 8, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter395 (Effective 7/1/2027) · executive
35. Apr 8, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0395) · 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
• Senate Amendments · HTML
• Courts of Justice Amendment · HTML
• Courts of Justice Amendment · HTML
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Civil Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Civil Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML