HB 443 VA

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Maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit; maximum number of judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia; hearing en banc; study to examine organization and boundaries of certain judicial circuits; report. Increases from 17 to 21 the maximum number of authorized judges on the Court of Appeals of Virginia. The bill removes provisions that require the Court of Appeals to sit en banc in certain instances, making the decision of whether to sit en banc entirely discretionary. The bill requires the Court of Appeals to sit en banc with no fewer than 13 judges, three of whom shall be the three judges to whom the case was originally assigned and the remaining 10 of whom shall be assigned pursuant to a randomized rotational schedule in accordance with the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Under the bill, such provisions relating to the Court of Appeals shall become effective on September 1, 2026.The bill also 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 shall become effective on 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 any 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 HB 46 and HB 194.

• Patrick A. Hope Democratic · primary

1. Jan 12, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102580D · lower
2. Jan 12, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · lower
3. Jan 30, 2026 Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal · lower
4. Feb 2, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB443) · lower
5. Feb 2, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N) · lower
6. Feb 4, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) · lower
7. Feb 4, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26106991D-H1 · lower
8. Feb 4, 2026 Incorporates HB46 (Reid) · lower
9. Feb 4, 2026 Incorporates HB194 (McQuinn) · lower
10. Feb 6, 2026 Read first time · lower
11. Feb 9, 2026 Read second time · lower
12. Feb 9, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
13. Feb 9, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
14. Feb 10, 2026 Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
15. Feb 11, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
16. Feb 11, 2026 Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice · upper
17. Feb 18, 2026 Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N) · upper
18. Feb 19, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB443) · lower
19. Mar 3, 2026 Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N) · upper
20. Mar 3, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
21. Mar 3, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
22. Mar 3, 2026 Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) · upper
23. Mar 4, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26109166D-S1 · upper
24. Mar 4, 2026 Read third time · upper
25. Mar 4, 2026 Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to · upper
26. Mar 4, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute · upper
27. Mar 4, 2026 Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
28. Mar 6, 2026 Senate substitute rejected by House (1-Y 96-N 0-A) · lower
29. Mar 10, 2026 Senate insisted on substitute (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
30. Mar 10, 2026 Senate requested conference committee · upper
31. Mar 11, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
32. Mar 11, 2026 Senate Conferees: Perry, Deeds, Stuart · upper
33. Mar 11, 2026 House acceded to request · lower
34. Mar 11, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
35. Mar 11, 2026 House Conferees: Hope, Maldonado, Ballard · lower
36. Mar 14, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
37. Mar 14, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
38. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (91-Y 5-N 0-A) · lower
39. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) · upper
40. Mar 25, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB443) · lower
41. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · lower
42. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB443ER) · lower
43. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
44. Mar 31, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB443) · lower
45. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
46. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · lower
47. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
48. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 615 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
49. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0615) · 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
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Courts of Justice Substitute · PDF
• Courts of Justice Substitute · HTML
• Criminal Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Criminal Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML