HB 601 VA

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Became Law

Exemptions from garnishment; minimum protected account balance; certain benefit payments; procedure for financial institutions. Requires certain financial institutions to automatically exempt from garnishment (i) a minimum protected account balance, defined in the bill as the combined total of not more than $1,000 in a judgment debtor's account or across multiple accounts in the same financial institution, and (ii) a protected amount of certain benefit payments, defined in the bill, that have been deposited into the account via direct deposit or electronic deposit within the two months immediately preceding the day before a financial institution commences an account review. The bill describes an account review as a process of examining an account of a judgment conducted by a financial institution upon such financial institution's receipt of a garnishment summons to determine if any eligible benefit payments have been deposited within the applicable time period and, if so, to calculate the total sum of such benefit payments and establish the total as a protected amount that shall be automatically exempt from garnishment. The bill provides that such procedure to automatically exempt such funds shall not apply if the debt arises from a child support or spousal support obligation or if an exemption is otherwise prohibited by law.The bill further provides that a judgment debtor is not required to claim nor request a hearing for such automatic exemptions. Finally, the bill makes updates to the relevant provisions governing garnishment proceedings, notices to the garnishee and judgment debtor, and the form of a garnishment summons consistent with the provisions of the bill. This bill is identical to SB 301.

• Phil M. Hernandez Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104988D · lower
2. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · lower
3. Jan 26, 2026 Assigned HCJ sub: Civil · lower
4. Jan 28, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
5. Jan 28, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (9-Y 1-N) · lower
6. Feb 4, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (21-Y 1-N) · lower
7. Feb 6, 2026 Read first time · lower
8. Feb 9, 2026 Read second time · lower
9. Feb 9, 2026 committee amendments agreed to · lower
10. Feb 9, 2026 Engrossed by House as amended · lower
11. Feb 10, 2026 Read third time and passed House (92-Y 6-N 0-A) · lower
12. Feb 11, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
13. Feb 11, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · upper
14. Feb 18, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice (9-Y 5-N) · upper
15. Feb 20, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
16. Feb 20, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
17. Feb 20, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
18. Feb 23, 2026 Read third time · upper
19. Feb 23, 2026 Passed Senate (20-Y 18-N 0-A) · upper
20. Feb 25, 2026 Enrolled · lower
21. Feb 25, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB601ER) · lower
22. Feb 25, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
23. Feb 25, 2026 Signed by President · upper
24. Mar 10, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 · lower
25. Mar 10, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
26. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 637 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
27. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0637) · 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
• Engrossed · PDF
• Engrossed · HTML
• Courts of Justice Amendment · HTML
• Courts of Justice Amendment · HTML
• Civil Subcommittee Amendment · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML