# Virginia HB1244: Absentee voting; emergency application for absentee ballot.

Virginia HB1244, Absentee voting; emergency application for absentee ballot., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Bonita G. Anthony (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0761)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1244-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1244
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Absentee voting; emergency application for absentee ballot.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0761)
- Sponsor: Bonita G. Anthony (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (199 yes, 23 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Absentee voting; emergency application for absentee ballot. Provides that a qualified voter may apply for an emergency absentee ballot if he has applied to receive an absentee ballot by the deadline but has not received his ballot within 10 days of the election and will be unable to vote on election day due to his hospitalization or illness, the hospitalization, illness, or death of a spouse, child, or parent, or other emergency found to justify receipt of an emergency absentee ballot.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More emergency voting options for Virginia voters: benefit, low. Virginia law lets registered, qualified voters get an emergency absentee ballot through a designated representative. You qualify if an emergency kept you from applying by the regular deadline or arose afterward and prevents election-day voting. Covered emergencies include your hospitalization or il…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bonita G. Anthony (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 24 | 16 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections | pass | 13 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 92 | 5 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 0 |   |

## Actions (34)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0761) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 761 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1244) (House)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-09: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1244ER) (House)
- 2026-03-09: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-09: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-02: Passed Senate (24-Y 16-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Reported from Privileges and Elections (13-Y 2-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1244) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Read third time and passed House (92-Y 5-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-02: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-02: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-02: Read second time (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-30: Committee substitute printed 26106468D-H1 (House)
- 2026-01-30: Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-29: House committee offered (House)
- 2026-01-28: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1244) (House)
- 2026-01-28: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-26: Assigned HPE sub: Voting Rights (House)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (House)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104319D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222579.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222578.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194170.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194169.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103930.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103929.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101253.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101252.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088471.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088470.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222579.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222578.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194170.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194169.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103930.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103929.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101253.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101252.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088471.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088470.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1244-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).