# Virginia HB35: Restorative housing and isolated confinement; restrictions on use.

Virginia HB35, Restorative housing and isolated confinement; restrictions on use., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Joshua G. Cole (Democratic); status passed house, last action 2026-03-06 (Senate committee offered) (as of 2026-10-13).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB35-2026
- As of: 2026-10-13
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB35
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Restorative housing and isolated confinement; restrictions on use.
- Status: passed house
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-12-23
- Last action: 2026-03-06, Senate committee offered
- Sponsor: Joshua G. Cole (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Rehabilitation and Social Services
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (121 yes, 49 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Restorative housing and isolated confinement; restrictions on use. Prohibits the use of isolated confinement, defined in the bill, in state correctional facilities, subject to certain exceptions. The bill requires that before placing an incarcerated person in restorative housing or isolated confinement for his own protection, the facility administrator shall place an incarcerated person in a less-restrictive setting, including by transferring such person to another institution or to a special-purpose housing unit for incarcerated persons who face similar threats. The bill requires that if an incarcerated person is placed in restorative housing or isolated confinement, such placement shall be reviewed every two business days and the facility administrator shall ensure that the incarcerated person receives a medical and mental health evaluation from certified medical and mental health professionals within one working day of placement in restorative housing or any form of isolated confinement. The bill also requires the facility administrator to notify the regional administrator in writing that an incarcerated person was placed in restorative housing or isolated confinement within 24 hours of such placement. Finally, the bill requires that formal reviews of an incarcerated person's placement in any form of isolated confinement shall be held in such person's presence, inform him of any reasons administrative officials believe isolated confinement remains necessary, and give the incarcerated person an opportunity to respond to those reasons, and a formal ruling shall be provided to the incarcerated individual within 24 hours.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Joshua G. Cole (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Continued to 2027 in Rehabilitation and Social Services | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 66 | 31 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Appropriations with amendment(s) | pass | 15 | 7 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 5 | 2 |   |
| 2026-01-23 | House | Reported from Public Safety and referred to Appropriations | pass | 15 | 7 |   |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations | pass | 5 | 2 |   |

## Actions (20)

- 2026-03-06: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Continued to 2027 in Rehabilitation and Social Services (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB35) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed House (66-Y 31-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-11: committee amendment agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-11: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from Appropriations with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-02-04: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-04: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB35) (House)
- 2026-01-26: Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety (House)
- 2026-01-23: Reported from Public Safety and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-01-22: Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (5-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-01-16: Assigned HPS sub: Subcommittee #2 (House)
- 2025-12-23: Referred to Committee on Public Safety (House)
- 2025-12-23: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101905D (House)

## Bill text

- Substitute, 2026-03-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197594.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197593.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134205.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134204.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133545.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127217.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127220.HTML)
- Introduced, 2025-12-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082050.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082049.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
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197594.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197593.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134205.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134204.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133545.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127217.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127220.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082050.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082049.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB35-2026 (as of 2026-10-13).