VirginiaHB172026 Regular SessionHouse

Fines and costs; period of limitations on collection, responsibility for collections.

Sponsored By: Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Fines and costs; period of limitations on collection; deferred payment agreement. Changes the period of limitations for the collection of court fines and costs from within 60 years from the date of the offense or delinquency giving rise to imposition of such penalty if imposed by a circuit court or within 30 years if imposed by a general district court to within 10 years from the date of the judgment whether imposed by a circuit court or general district court. The bill provides that upon the expiration of the period of limitations, no action shall be brought to collect the debt.The bill extends the time period for commencing collection activity from 90 days to 180 days after judgment, but provides that no collection activity shall be commenced while a defendant is incarcerated on an active term of imprisonment and subject to a deferred payment agreement.The bill also provides that for any defendant sentenced to an active term of incarceration and ordered to pay any fine, cost, forfeiture, or penalty related to the charge that such defendant is incarcerated for, or any other charge for which such defendant was sentenced on the same day, the court shall enter such defendant into a deferred payment agreement for such fines, costs, forfeitures, or penalties. The bill requires the due date for such deferred payment agreement to be set no earlier than 180 days after the defendant's scheduled release from incarceration on the charge for which such defendant was sentenced on the same day. This bill is identical to SB 180. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

New limits and delays on court debt collection

Beginning January 1, 2027, Virginia sets clearer time limits and waiting periods for collecting court debts. For monetary penalties from circuit courts (not fines), the state has 10 years from the offense or delinquency to sue. General district court judgments keep a 30-year limit. Clerks and collectors generally must wait 180 days after judgment before reporting or starting collection. If you are sentenced to jail, the court enters a deferred payment plan. Your first due date is no earlier than 180 days after your scheduled release. For those debts, the time limit to collect starts on that due date, and collection does not start while you are incarcerated and on the plan.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Marcia S. "Cia" Price

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 258 • No: 106

House vote 3/6/2026

Senate substitute agreed to by House

Yes: 65 • No: 33

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Passed Senate with substitute

Yes: 21 • No: 19

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Courts of Justice Substitute rejected

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute

Yes: 10 • No: 5

Senate vote 2/25/2026

Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 9 • No: 6

House vote 2/6/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 66 • No: 32

House vote 2/2/2026

Reported from Appropriations

Yes: 17 • No: 5

House vote 1/30/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting

Yes: 5 • No: 1 • Other: 1

House vote 1/28/2026

Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations

Yes: 16 • No: 4

House vote 1/21/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations

Yes: 9 • No: 1 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0355)

    4/8/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter355 (Effective 1/1/2027)

    4/8/2026Governor
  3. Fiscal Impact statement From DPB (3/26/2026 10:21 am)

    3/26/2026House
  4. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/14/2026Governor
  5. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    3/14/2026House
  6. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB17ER)

    3/13/2026House
  7. Enrolled

    3/13/2026House
  8. Signed by President

    3/13/2026Senate
  9. Signed by Speaker

    3/13/2026House
  10. Senate substitute agreed to by House (65-Y 33-N 0-A)

    3/6/2026House
  11. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    3/4/2026Senate
  12. Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

    3/4/2026Senate
  13. Courts of Justice Substitute rejected

    3/4/2026Senate
  14. Committee substitute printed 26109052D-S2

    3/4/2026Senate
  15. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    3/4/2026Senate
  16. Read third time

    3/4/2026Senate
  17. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/3/2026Senate
  18. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/3/2026Senate
  19. Rules suspended

    3/3/2026Senate
  20. Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N)

    3/3/2026Senate
  21. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB17)

    3/2/2026House
  22. Committee substitute printed 26108696D-S1

    2/27/2026Senate
  23. Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)

    2/25/2026Senate
  24. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

    2/9/2026Senate
  25. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/9/2026Senate

Bill Text

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