# Virginia HB248: Interjurisdictional law-enforcement agreements; development of behavioral health co-response teams. Virginia HB248, Interjurisdictional law-enforcement agreements; development of behavioral health co-response teams., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Vivian E. Watts (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-10 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0535)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB248-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB248 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Interjurisdictional law-enforcement agreements; development of behavioral health co-response teams. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-08 - Last action: 2026-04-10, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0535) - Sponsor: Vivian E. Watts (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (221 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Interjurisdictional law-enforcement agreements; behavioral health co-response teams. Provides that interjurisdictional law-enforcement agreements may allow for the development of co-response teams staffed by one or more law-enforcement agencies that respond to behavioral health-related calls in multiple jurisdictions. This bill is a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission. This bill is identical to SB 317. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Localities can share behavioral health response teams: benefit, low. Virginia localities can include behavioral health response teams in agreements to share police services. One or more law-enforcement agencies can staff these teams to respond to behavioral health calls across local boundaries. The law allows this cooperation but does not require teams or set fundin… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Vivian E. Watts (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-25 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-24 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-02-24 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-23 | Senate | Reported from Local Government Block Vote | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2026-01-29 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 | | | 2026-01-23 | House | Reported from Public Safety | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2026-01-22 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 7 | 0 | | ## Actions (26) - 2026-04-10: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0535) (Governor) - 2026-04-10: Approved by Governor-Chapter 535 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB248) (House) - 2026-03-02: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB248ER) (House) - 2026-03-02: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-02: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-02-25: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-02-24: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-24: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-24: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Reported from Local Government Block Vote (14-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB248) (House) - 2026-01-30: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate) - 2026-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-01-28: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-01-27: Read first time (House) - 2026-01-23: Reported from Public Safety (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-22: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-16: Assigned HPS sub: Subcommittee #2 (House) - 2026-01-08: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House) - 2026-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102852D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218310.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218309.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182486.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182485.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083258.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083257.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218310.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218309.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182486.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182485.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083258.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083257.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [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-HB248-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).