# Virginia HB273: Law-enforcement officers; duty to render aid upon danger to life or limb, civil immunity.

Virginia HB273, Law-enforcement officers; duty to render aid upon danger to life or limb, civil immunity., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Dan I. Helmer (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0583)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB273-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB273
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Law-enforcement officers; duty to render aid upon danger to life or limb, civil immunity.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-09
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0583)
- Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (217 yes, 101 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Law-enforcement officers; duty to render aid upon danger to life or limb; civil immunity. Provides that a law-enforcement officer, while engaged in the performance of his duties, has a duty to render aid to any person that he observes suffering from a serious bodily injury or life-threatening condition, as circumstances objectively permit and provided that such aid may be rendered without endangering the law-enforcement officer, the person, or others. The bill also immunizes a law-enforcement officer from civil liability for any personal injury or wrongful death resulting from such rendering or withholding of such aid absent gross negligence or willful misconduct. The bill directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services to adopt regulations to provide law-enforcement officers with basic medical training, including emergency first aid training.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Lawsuit shield for officers giving aid: benefit, low. Officers are protected from civil lawsuits over giving or not giving aid under this law. This protection does not apply if the officer is grossly negligent or acts with willful misconduct. Immunity applies only when the aid decision follows this section’s rules.
- Police must give emergency aid: benefit, low. Law-enforcement officers must give aid when they see someone with a serious injury or life-threatening condition. They must help only when it can be done safely and the situation allows it. The Department of Criminal Justice Services sets minimum medical and first-aid training standards for officer…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-12 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 62 | 35 |   |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 9 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 64 | 34 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 14 | 6 |   |
| 2026-01-26 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 7 | 3 |   |

## Actions (32)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0583) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 583 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB273) (House)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB273ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Senate substitute agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB273) (House)
- 2026-03-10: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Committee substitute printed 26109443D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 4-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Read third time and passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-02: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-28: Reported from Courts of Justice (14-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2026-01-26: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-01-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB273) (House)
- 2026-01-22: Assigned HCJ sub: Civil (House)
- 2026-01-09: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-01-09: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104658D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218894.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218893.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213400.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213399.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199122.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200557.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200556.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083350.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083349.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/1218894.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218893.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213400.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1213399.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199122.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200557.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200556.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083350.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083349.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB273-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).