# Virginia HB445: Debtor's disposable earnings; exemptions from garnishment, exemptions in bankruptcy proceedings.

Virginia HB445, Debtor's disposable earnings; exemptions from garnishment, exemptions in bankruptcy proceedings., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marcus B. Simon (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0143)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB445-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB445
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Debtor's disposable earnings; exemptions from garnishment, exemptions in bankruptcy proceedings.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0143)
- Sponsor: Marcus B. Simon (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (219 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

Exemptions from garnishment; exemptions in bankruptcy proceedings; disposable earnings. Provides that the exemption provided for a debtor's disposable earnings, defined by current law, that are subject to garnishment also applies to disposable earnings for the purposes of a bankruptcy proceeding.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Limits on wage garnishment for workers: benefit, medium. The law limits how much of your pay can be taken each workweek. The most that can be garnished is the lesser of 25% of your disposable earnings, or the amount above 40 times the higher of the federal or Virginia minimum hourly wage in effect when you are paid. For non‑weekly pay periods, the State…
- Wage protections also apply in bankruptcy: benefit, medium. The same wage exemptions in this law also protect your disposable earnings during bankruptcy. These protections apply unless another rule in this section says otherwise.
- Stronger protection for exempt wages: benefit, low. Courts and state agencies cannot make or enforce orders that break these garnishment limits. If you qualify for an exemption, it is granted without extra steps. Any assignment, sale, or pledge of the exempt part of your wages is void and cannot be enforced.
- Job protection for one garnishment: benefit, low. Your employer cannot fire you just because your pay was garnished for one debt. This protects your job when you face a single garnishment.
- Special rules for support and tax debts: mixed, high. Different limits apply when a garnishment enforces a support order. Up to 60% of disposable earnings can be taken, or 50% if you support another spouse or dependent child. If you are more than 12 weeks behind, those caps rise to 65% and 55%. State and federal tax debts and Chapter XIII bankruptcy o…
- Banks don't calculate garnishable deposits: mixed, low. A bank that holds your deposited earnings does not have to decide what share can be garnished. Others must figure out the garnishable amount.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

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

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 37 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 15 | 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 | pass | 19 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-21 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (24)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0143) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 143 (effective 7/1/2026) (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)
- 2026-03-05: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB445ER) (House)
- 2026-03-05: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-05: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-02: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Reported from Courts of Justice (15-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: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-28: Reported from Courts of Justice (19-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-21: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HCJ sub: Civil (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101046D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216654.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216653.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1193811.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1193810.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084476.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084475.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/1216654.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216653.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1193811.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1193810.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084476.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084475.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-HB445-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).