# Virginia HB1715: Mail theft; definitions, penalty.

Virginia HB1715, Mail theft; definitions, penalty., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Vivian E. Watts (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-19 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0128)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1715-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1715
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Mail theft; definitions, penalty.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-04
- Last action: 2025-03-19, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0128)
- Sponsor: Vivian E. Watts (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 8 (326 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## 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.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Vivian E. Watts (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 35 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 12 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 20 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-31 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (34)

- 2025-03-19: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0128) (Governor)
- 2025-03-19: Approved by Governor-Chapter 128 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (House)
- 2025-02-22: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1715) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1715ER) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-02-19: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-14: Passed Senate (35-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1715) (House)
- 2025-02-05: Impact statement from VCSC (HB1715) (House)
- 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-02-03: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-02: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-31: Committee substitute printed 25106577D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-31: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-31: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (20-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-28: Assigned Courts sub: Criminal (House)
- 2025-01-07: Impact statement from VCSC (HB1715) (House)
- 2025-01-04: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-01-04: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25102652D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071347.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071346.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054509.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054508.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-01: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038050.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038049.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-31: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037468.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037847.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037467.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037846.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012752.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012751.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071347.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071346.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054509.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054508.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038050.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1038049.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037468.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037847.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037467.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037846.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012752.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012751.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [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-HB1715-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).