# Virginia HB43: Suicide; abolishes common-law crime, delayed effective date, report.

Virginia HB43, Suicide; abolishes common-law crime, delayed effective date, report., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marcus B. Simon (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0785)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB43-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB43
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Suicide; abolishes common-law crime, delayed effective date, report.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-12-23
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0785)
- Sponsor: Marcus B. Simon (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (157 yes, 64 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Common-law crime of suicide. Abolishes the common-law crime of suicide. Suicide is currently a common-law crime in Virginia, although there is no statutorily prescribed punishment. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027, and also requires the Bureau of Insurance of the State Corporation Commission to review the effect and implication of abolishing the common-law crime of suicide on insurance throughout the Commonwealth and submit its findings and any recommendations by November 1, 2026, to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Suicide decriminalized in Virginia starting 2027: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2027, suicide is not a common-law crime in Virginia. Police and courts may not treat suicide as a common-law offense. The Bureau of Insurance reviews how this change affects insurance and reports to the Chairs of the House and Senate Courts of Justice Committees by November 1, 202…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Marcus B. Simon (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 22 | 16 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 63 | 35 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) | pass | 15 | 7 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 7 | 3 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0785) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 785 (Effective 7/1/2027) (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 State Corporation Commission (HB43) (House)
- 2026-02-25: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB43ER) (House)
- 2026-02-25: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-02-25: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-23: Passed Senate (22-Y 16-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Reported from Courts of Justice (10-Y 3-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-09: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-09: committee amendment agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB43) (House)
- 2026-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-04: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-01-30: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (7-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2026-01-29: Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal (House)
- 2025-12-23: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-12-23: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100450D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222900.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222899.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177823.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177822.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1129853.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1129852.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127421.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105251.HTML)
- Introduced, 2025-12-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082072.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082065.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/1222900.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222899.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177823.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177822.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1129853.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1129852.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127421.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105251.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082072.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082065.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-HB43-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).