# Virginia HB159: Va. Freedom of Information Act; proceedings for enforcement, petition for mandamus or injunction.

Virginia HB159, Va. Freedom of Information Act; proceedings for enforcement, petition for mandamus or injunction., is a 2027 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marcus B. Simon (Democratic); status passed house, last action 2026-07-21 (Continued from last session) (as of 2026-10-13).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB159-2027
- As of: 2026-10-13
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB159
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2027 Regular Session
- Title: Va. Freedom of Information Act; proceedings for enforcement, petition for mandamus or injunction.
- Status: passed house
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-06
- Last action: 2026-07-21, Continued from last session
- Sponsor: Marcus B. Simon (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: General Laws and Technology
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Virginia Freedom of Information Act; proceedings for enforcement; petition for mandamus or injunction. Specifies that service of process or a summons for a hearing shall not be required when a petition for mandamus or injunction to enforce rights granted under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act has been filed.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Marcus B. Simon (Democratic), House

## Actions (18)

- 2026-07-21: Continued from last session (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Continued to 2027 in General Laws and Technology (13-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB159) (House)
- 2026-01-28: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-01-27: committee amendment agreed to (House)
- 2026-01-27: Read second time (House)
- 2026-01-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB159) (House)
- 2026-01-26: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-22: Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-20: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HGL sub: Procurement/Open Government (House)
- 2026-01-06: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2026-01-06: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102340D (House)

## Bill text

- Substitute, 2026-02-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1229023.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1229022.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1230987.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1230986.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-01-22: [HTML](https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20271/HB159)
- Introduced, 2026-01-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1228772.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1228771.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB844: Licensed clinical psychologists; prescriptive authority, report. (in committee)
- HB1535: Individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities; admissibility of statements. (introduced)
- HB1534: School service providers; deletion of student and family personal information. (introduced)
- SB843: Data centers; state permitting, local approval, moratorium, sunset. (in committee)
- SB842: High school student athletes; eligibility, enrollment. (in committee)
- SB840: Corrections, Director of the Department of; placement of inmates, Red Onion State Prison. (in committee)

## Sources
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1229023.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1229022.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1230987.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1230986.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20271/HB159)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1228772.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1228771.PDF)

## Related
- [SB844: Licensed clinical psychologists; prescriptive authority, report.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB844-2027)
- [HB1535: Individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities; admissibility of s…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1535-2027)
- [HB1534: School service providers; deletion of student and family personal information.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1534-2027)
- [SB843: Data centers; state permitting, local approval, moratorium, sunset.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB843-2027)
- [SB842: High school student athletes; eligibility, enrollment.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB842-2027)
- [SB840: Corrections, Director of the Department of; placement of inmates, Red Onion Sta…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB840-2027)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB159-2027 (as of 2026-10-13).