VirginiaHB4592026 Regular SessionHouse

Hate crimes; crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information.

Sponsored By: Laura Jane Cohen (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information; hate crimes. Prohibits a law-enforcement agency from disclosing to the public information that directly or indirectly identifies the victim of a hate crime, defined in relevant law, except to the extent that disclosure is (i) of the site of the crime, (ii) required by law, (iii) necessary for law-enforcement purposes, or (iv) permitted by the court for good cause unless such victim, or his next of kin if he is a minor and his death results from any crime, provides written consent. The bill also prohibits, at the request of the victim, the Court of Appeals of Virginia and the Supreme Court of Virginia from listing the first or last name of the victim of a hate crime in an appellate decision.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Stronger privacy for crime victims

The law limits what police, prosecutors, defense lawyers, courts, and Corrections can share about victims and witnesses. If you are a victim, or a witness in certain listed prosecutions or any violent felony, and you ask, they cannot release your home address, phone, email, or workplace, or that of your family. They may still share the crime location, information required by law or court rules, details needed for law‑enforcement or court preparation, or what a judge allows for good cause. For hate‑crime and sexual or family‑violence victims, police cannot publicly release information that directly or indirectly identifies you without your written consent (or your next of kin’s if you were a minor and died), except for those same narrow reasons. At your request, appellate opinions omit your first or last name in sexual assault or abuse cases decided on or after July 1, 2007, and in hate‑crime cases decided on or after July 1, 2026. These privacy rules do not limit questioning of witnesses in court.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Laura Jane Cohen

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 217 • No: 4

Senate vote 2/23/2026

Passed Senate

Yes: 38 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/20/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/20/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/18/2026

Reported from Courts of Justice

Yes: 14 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote 2/10/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 93 • No: 4

House vote 2/4/2026

Reported from Courts of Justice

Yes: 22 • No: 0

House vote 1/30/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting

Yes: 10 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0147)

    4/6/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 147 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/6/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/10/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    3/10/2026House
  5. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB459)

    2/25/2026House
  6. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB459ER)

    2/25/2026House
  7. Enrolled

    2/25/2026House
  8. Signed by President

    2/25/2026Senate
  9. Signed by Speaker

    2/25/2026House
  10. Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/23/2026Senate
  11. Read third time

    2/23/2026Senate
  12. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    2/20/2026Senate
  13. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/20/2026Senate
  14. Rules suspended

    2/20/2026Senate
  15. Reported from Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N 1-A)

    2/18/2026Senate
  16. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

    2/11/2026Senate
  17. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/11/2026Senate
  18. Read third time and passed House (93-Y 4-N 0-A)

    2/10/2026House
  19. Read second time and engrossed

    2/9/2026House
  20. Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar

    2/9/2026House
  21. Read first time

    2/6/2026House
  22. Reported from Courts of Justice (22-Y 0-N)

    2/4/2026House
  23. Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

    1/30/2026House
  24. Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

    1/29/2026House
  25. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB459)

    1/21/2026House

Bill Text

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