# Virginia HB1854: Persons with legitimate interest; parent whose rights have previously been terminated, custody, etc.

Virginia HB1854, Persons with legitimate interest; parent whose rights have previously been terminated, custody, etc., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jonathan "Jed" Arnold (Republican); status to governor, last action 2025-03-19 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0143)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1854-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1854
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Persons with legitimate interest; parent whose rights have previously been terminated, custody, etc.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-06
- Last action: 2025-03-19, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0143)
- Sponsor: Jonathan "Jed" Arnold (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (214 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Party with legitimate interest; parent whose rights have previously been terminated. Allows a parent whose rights previously have been terminated to be considered a party with a legitimate interest for the purposes of filing a custody or visitation petition, provided that the child whose custody or visitation is at issue (i) is at least 14 years of age, (ii) has had a permanency goal previously achieved by adoption, (iii) has had his adoptive parents die or each of such child's adoptive parents has permanently been relieved of custody of such child and each adoptive parent has had his parental rights terminated, and (iv) is in the custody of a local board of social services, and provided that the parent whose rights had previously been terminated has (a) complied with the terms of any written post-adoption contact and communication agreement entered into and (b) maintained a positive, continuous relationship with the child since termination. Under current law, a party with a legitimate interest does not include any person whose parental rights have been terminated by court order, either voluntarily or involuntarily.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jonathan "Jed" Arnold (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-17 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 36 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-24 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 21 | 1 |   |
| 2025-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 7 | 1 | 1 |

## Actions (30)

- 2025-03-19: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0143) (Governor)
- 2025-03-19: Approved by Governor-Chapter 143 (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 (HB1854) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1854ER) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-02-19: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-17: Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (36-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Read third time and passed House (96-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-29: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-01-29: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-01-29: Read second time (House)
- 2025-01-28: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-25: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1854) (House)
- 2025-01-24: Committee substitute printed 25105463D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-24: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (21-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2025-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2025-01-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1854) (House)
- 2025-01-17: Assigned Courts sub: Civil (House)
- 2025-01-06: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-01-06: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25102024D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071439.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071438.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057229.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057228.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024009.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024008.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013508.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013507.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/1071439.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1071438.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057229.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1057228.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024009.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024008.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013508.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1013507.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1854-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).