# Virginia HB2117: Experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence; arrest and prosecution.

Virginia HB2117, Experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence; arrest and prosecution., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Karen Keys-Gamarra (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-24 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0396)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2117-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB2117
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence; arrest and prosecution.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-07
- Last action: 2025-03-24, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0396)
- Sponsor: Karen Keys-Gamarra (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (316 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Arrest and prosecution when experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence. Provides that no individual shall be subject to arrest or prosecution for the unlawful purchase, possession, or consumption of alcohol or marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, intoxication in public, or possession of controlled paraphernalia if the individual, in good faith, seeks or obtains assistance for himself or another individual from emergency medical services personnel, a health care provider, or a law-enforcement officer, as those terms are defined in relevant law, and seeks to report an act of sexual violence committed against himself or another individual, so long as (i) such individual identifies himself to the law-enforcement officer who responds to the report of the act of sexual violence and (ii) the evidence for the prosecution of such an offense was obtained as a result of the individual seeking or obtaining medical attention, rendering care or assistance, or reporting to law enforcement. However, such immunity shall not apply to an individual who is alleged to have committed the act of sexual violence or if the emergency medical attention was sought or obtained during the execution of a search warrant or during the conduct of a lawful search or a lawful arrest.The bill also provides that no individual immune to arrest or prosecution when experiencing or reporting an overdose or act of sexual violence shall have his bail, probation, furlough, supervised release, suspended sentence, or parole revoked for the behavior immune from arrest or prosecution under the provisions of applicable law.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karen Keys-Gamarra (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-20 | House | Senate Amendment agreed to by House | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-17 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-24 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |

## Actions (31)

- 2025-03-24: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0396) (Governor)
- 2025-03-24: Approved by Governor-Chapter 396 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2117ER) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-20: Senate Amendment agreed to by House (96-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Reading of amendment waived (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment (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 Block Vote (96-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-29: Printed as engrossed 25104517D-E (House)
- 2025-01-29: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2025-01-29: Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to (House)
- 2025-01-29: Read second time (House)
- 2025-01-28: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-24: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-01-18: Assigned Courts sub: Criminal (House)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25104517D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074066.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074065.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066969.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066968.PDF)
- Amendment, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062420.HTML)
- Amendment, 2025-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1055140.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054417.HTML)
- Engrossed, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1030221.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1030220.PDF)
- Amendment, 2025-01-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024012.HTML)
- Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015174.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015173.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/1074066.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074065.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066969.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066968.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062420.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1055140.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054417.HTML)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1030221.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1030220.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024012.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015174.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015173.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-HB2117-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).