# Virginia HB306: Wills and estates; claims to exempt property and allowances.

Virginia HB306, Wills and estates; claims to exempt property and allowances., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0381)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB306-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB306
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Wills and estates; claims to exempt property and allowances.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-09
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0381)
- Sponsor: Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (221 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Wills and estates; claims to exempt property and allowances; title to real estate of a bona fide purchaser. Directs that any election to take a family allowance, exempt property, or homestead allowance be made one year after the (i) time of admission of a decedent's will to probate or (ii) qualification of an administrator of the decedent's intestate estate, whichever is later. Current law requires such election of exempt property or allowances to be made within one year of the decedent's death. The bill also provides that the title to real estate of a bona fide purchaser acquired without notice of such election shall not be affected by such election unless such election is recorded in the appropriate circuit court clerk's office within one year after the decedent's death.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Estate claim deadlines and property buyer protections: mixed, low. Virginia law sets a one-year deadline to claim a family allowance, exempt property, or homestead allowance from an estate. The clock starts after the later of the will entering probate or an administrator qualifying for an estate without a will. Claimants must appear before the court handling the e…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 19 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-26 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0381) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 381 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 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 (HB306ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Reported from Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-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 Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-02: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-02: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-02: Read second time (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-28: Committee substitute printed 26106133D-H1 (House)
- 2026-01-28: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (19-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-26: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-26: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) (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 26103487D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217751.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217750.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210672.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210671.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100110.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100109.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096813.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096817.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096812.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096816.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083789.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083788.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/1217751.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217750.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210672.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210671.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100110.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100109.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096813.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096817.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096812.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096816.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083789.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083788.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-HB306-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).