# Virginia HB1728: Child victims and witnesses; using two-way closed-circuit television.

Virginia HB1728, Child victims and witnesses; using two-way closed-circuit television., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Karrie K. Delaney (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-21 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0191)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1728-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1728
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Child victims and witnesses; using two-way closed-circuit television.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-04
- Last action: 2025-03-21, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0191)
- Sponsor: Karrie K. Delaney (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 10 (334 yes, 26 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Child victims and witnesses using two-way closed-circuit television or other securely encrypted two-way audio and video technology; standard. Allows the court to order that the testimony of a child be taken by two-way closed-circuit television or other securely encrypted two-way audio and video technology if it finds that the child is unavailable to testify in open court in the presence of the defendant, the jury, the judge, and the public if the court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, based upon expert opinion testimony, that the child will suffer at least moderate emotional trauma that is more than nervousness or excitement or some reluctance to testify as a result of testifying in the defendant's presence and not in the courtroom generally where such trauma would impair the child's ability to communicate.Under current law, the court may order such testimony be taken by two-way closed-circuit television if it finds that (i) the child has a substantial inability to communicate about the offense or (ii) there is a substantial likelihood, based upon expert opinion testimony, that the child will suffer severe emotional trauma from so testifying.The bill also extends the application window for the party seeking such order from seven to 14 days before the trial date or such other preliminary proceeding to which such order is to apply.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karrie K. Delaney (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-18 | House | Senate Amendments agreed to by House | pass | 92 | 4 |   |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendments | pass | 32 | 4 |   |
| 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 | 13 | 2 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 12 | 3 |   |
| 2025-01-28 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 89 | 10 |   |
| 2025-01-22 | House | Reported from Appropriations with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-17 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and referred to Appropriations | pass | 19 | 3 |   |
| 2025-01-15 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting and referred to Appropriations | pass | 7 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (40)

- 2025-03-21: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0191) (Governor)
- 2025-03-21: Approved by Governor-Chapter 191 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-05: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-05: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 5, 2025 (House)
- 2025-02-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1728) (House)
- 2025-02-23: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1728ER) (House)
- 2025-02-20: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-02-20: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-18: Senate Amendments agreed to by House (92-Y 4-N) (House)
- 2025-02-14: Passed Senate with amendments (32-Y 4-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Reading of amendments waived (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 (13-Y 2-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 3-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-01-28: Read third time and passed House (89-Y 10-N) (House)
- 2025-01-27: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-01-27: Appropriations Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-01-27: Courts of Justice Substitute rejected (House)
- 2025-01-27: Read second time (House)
- 2025-01-25: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1728) (House)
- 2025-01-24: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-22: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-22: Committee substitute printed 25105399D-H2 (House)
- 2025-01-21: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1728) (House)
- 2025-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-18: Assigned Approps sub: General Government and Capital Outlay (House)
- 2025-01-17: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and referred to Appropriations (19-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2025-01-17: Committee substitute printed 25105207D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-15: Subcommittee recommends reporting and referred to Appropriations (7-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-14: Assigned Courts sub: Criminal (House)
- 2025-01-04: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-01-04: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25100100D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072053.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072052.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060095.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060094.PDF)
- Amendment, 2025-02-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1053201.HTML)
- Amendment, 2025-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046293.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046386.HTML)
- Substitute, 2025-01-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024170.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024169.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022479.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022478.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012888.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012887.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/1072053.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072052.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060095.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1060094.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1053201.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046293.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046386.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024170.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024169.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022479.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022478.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012888.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1012887.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-HB1728-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).