# Virginia HB294: Malicious bodily injury to correctional officers; penalties.

Virginia HB294, Malicious bodily injury to correctional officers; penalties., is a 2027 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mitchell Cornett (Republican); status passed house, last action 2026-07-21 (Continued from last session) (as of 2026-10-13).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB294-2027
- As of: 2026-10-13
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB294
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2027 Regular Session
- Title: Malicious bodily injury to correctional officers; penalties.
- Status: passed house
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-09
- Last action: 2026-07-21, Continued from last session
- Sponsor: Mitchell Cornett (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Finance and Appropriations
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Malicious bodily injury to correctional officers; penalties. Provides that if any person maliciously causes bodily injury to another by any means, including the means set out in existing law, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill, and knowing or having reason to know that such other person is a correctional officer, as defined in relevant law, engaged in the performance of his public duties as a correctional officer, such person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than five years nor more than 30 years and, subject to existing law, a fine of not more than $100,000; upon conviction, the sentence of such person shall include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of two years. The bill also provides that if any person unlawfully, but not maliciously, with the intent aforesaid, causes bodily injury to another by any means, knowing or having reason to know such other person is a correctional officer engaged in the performance of his public duties as a correctional officer, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony, and upon conviction, the sentence of such person shall include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mitchell Cornett (Republican), House

## Actions (15)

- 2026-07-21: Continued from last session (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Continued to 2027 in Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 7-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House (88-Y 8-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-02-15: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Reported from Courts of Justice (13-Y 8-N) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal (House)
- 2026-01-14: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB294) (House)
- 2026-01-09: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/9/2026 4:50 pm) (House)
- 2026-01-09: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-01-09: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103868D (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced, 2026-01-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1231115.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1231114.PDF)

## Related bills

- SB844: Licensed clinical psychologists; prescriptive authority, report. (in committee)
- HB1535: Individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities; admissibility of statements. (introduced)
- HB1534: School service providers; deletion of student and family personal information. (introduced)
- SB843: Data centers; state permitting, local approval, moratorium, sunset. (in committee)
- SB842: High school student athletes; eligibility, enrollment. (in committee)
- SB840: Corrections, Director of the Department of; placement of inmates, Red Onion State Prison. (in committee)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1231115.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1231114.PDF)

## Related
- [SB844: Licensed clinical psychologists; prescriptive authority, report.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB844-2027)
- [HB1535: Individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities; admissibility of s…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1535-2027)
- [HB1534: School service providers; deletion of student and family personal information.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1534-2027)
- [SB843: Data centers; state permitting, local approval, moratorium, sunset.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB843-2027)
- [SB842: High school student athletes; eligibility, enrollment.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB842-2027)
- [SB840: Corrections, Director of the Department of; placement of inmates, Red Onion Sta…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB840-2027)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB294-2027 (as of 2026-10-13).