VirginiaHB17152025 Regular SessionHouse

Mail theft; definitions, penalty.

Sponsored By: Vivian E. Watts (Democratic)

To Governor

Summary

Mail theft; penalty. Creates the offense of mail theft, punishable as a Class 6 felony, for any person who (i) knowingly, willfully, and with the intent to deprive, injure, damage, or defraud another (a) takes, destroys, hides, or embezzles mail or (b) obtains any mail by fraud or deception; (ii) buys, receives, conceals, or possesses (a) mail and knows or reasonably should know that the mail was unlawfully taken or obtained; (b) any key he knows or reasonably should know is suited to any lock adopted by the United States Postal Service that provides access to any mail receptacle located in a cluster mailbox unit or other mailbox panel used for the purpose of centralized mail in any neighborhood, including any condominium or apartment complex; or (c) a counterfeit device or key designed to provide access to any lock described in clause (b); or (iii) knowingly, willfully, and with the intent to steal any mail inside damages, opens, removes, injures, vandalizes, or destroys any mail receptacle. This bill is identical to SB 939.

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Bill Overview

No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Vivian E. Watts

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 326 • No: 2

Senate vote • 2/14/2025

Passed Senate

Yes: 35 • No: 1

Senate vote • 2/13/2025

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/12/2025

Reported from Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Senate vote • 2/10/2025

Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 12 • No: 1

House vote • 2/4/2025

Read third time and passed House Block Vote

Yes: 97 • No: 0

House vote • 2/4/2025

Passed House Block Vote

Yes: 99 • No: 0

House vote • 1/31/2025

Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute

Yes: 20 • No: 0

House vote • 1/31/2025

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

Yes: 8 • No: 0 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0128)

    3/19/2025Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 128 (Effective 07/01/25)

    3/19/2025Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025

    3/3/2025Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025

    3/3/2025House
  5. Signed by President

    2/22/2025Senate
  6. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1715)

    2/19/2025House
  7. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1715ER)

    2/19/2025House
  8. Enrolled

    2/19/2025House
  9. Signed by Speaker

    2/19/2025House
  10. Passed Senate (35-Y 1-N)

    2/14/2025Senate
  11. Read third time

    2/14/2025Senate
  12. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N)

    2/13/2025Senate
  13. Passed by for the day

    2/13/2025Senate
  14. Rules suspended

    2/13/2025Senate
  15. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

    2/12/2025Senate
  16. Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 1-N)

    2/10/2025Senate
  17. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1715)

    2/7/2025House
  18. Impact statement from VCSC (HB1715)

    2/5/2025House
  19. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

    2/5/2025Senate
  20. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/5/2025Senate
  21. Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N)

    2/4/2025House
  22. Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House

    2/4/2025House
  23. Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N)

    2/4/2025House
  24. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    2/3/2025House
  25. Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

    2/3/2025House

Bill Text

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