# Virginia HB17: Fines and costs; period of limitations on collection, responsibility for collections.

Virginia HB17, Fines and costs; period of limitations on collection, responsibility for collections., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0355)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB17-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB17
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Fines and costs; period of limitations on collection, responsibility for collections.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-12-22
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0355)
- Sponsor: Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 13 (258 yes, 106 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## 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.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Delayed court-debt payments for incarcerated defendants: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, courts must set up delayed payment agreements for defendants sentenced to an active term of incarceration. Covered fines, costs, forfeitures, or penalties must relate to that charge or another charge sentenced the same day. Payments cannot be due earlier than 180 days aft…
- More time and court-debt collection limits: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, Virginia and localities must start collection cases for covered fines, penalties, and related costs within 10 years of judgment. After that, cases are barred; partial payments, acknowledging the debt, or changing collection methods cannot extend or restart the deadline. M…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 65 | 33 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute rejected | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 10 | 5 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 66 | 32 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 17 | 5 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 5 | 1 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations | pass | 16 | 4 |   |
| 2026-01-21 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations | pass | 9 | 1 |   |

## Actions (40)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0355) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter355 (Effective 1/1/2027) (Governor)
- 2026-03-26: Fiscal Impact statement From DPB (3/26/2026 10:21 am) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-13: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB17ER) (House)
- 2026-03-13: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-06: Senate substitute agreed to by House (65-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Courts of Justice Substitute rejected (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Committee substitute printed 26109052D-S2 (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB17) (House)
- 2026-02-27: Committee substitute printed 26108696D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB17) (House)
- 2026-02-06: Read third time and passed House (66-Y 32-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-05: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-05: committee amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-05: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-04: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-02: Reported from Appropriations (17-Y 5-N) (House)
- 2026-01-30: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-01-29: Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay (House)
- 2026-01-28: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (16-Y 4-N) (House)
- 2026-01-21: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-21: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-01-20: Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal (House)
- 2025-12-22: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-12-22: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102055D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217635.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217634.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203353.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203352.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191936.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191935.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186476.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186475.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108366.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108365.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101087.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-01-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093316.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093044.HTML)
- Introduced, 2025-12-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081993.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081992.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/1217635.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217634.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203353.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203352.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191936.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191935.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186476.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186475.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108366.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108365.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101087.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093316.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093044.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081993.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081992.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB17-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).