All Roll Calls
Yes: 225 • No: 0
Sponsored By: Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31 (Republican)
Became Law
Wage garnishment; state tax debt. Provides that the maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of an individual for any workweek that is subject to garnishment to collect delinquent taxes and charges owed to the state government shall not exceed the lesser of (i) 25 percent of such individual's disposable earnings for that week or (ii) the amount by which such individual's disposable earnings exceed 40 times the federal or Virginia minimum wage, whichever is greater. The bill also directs the Department of Taxation to recognize Currently Not Collectible status granted by the Internal Revenue Service and to offer taxpayers with such status a similar Virginia status with comparable protections from collection activities. The bill contains technical amendments and has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.
Personalized for You
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Beginning July 1, 2027, the law caps most wage garnishments at the smaller of 25% of disposable earnings or what you earn above 40 times the higher of the federal or Virginia minimum wage. For child or spousal support, up to 60% can be taken (50% if you support another spouse or dependent), rising by 5 points after more than 12 weeks of arrears. Bankruptcy and state or federal tax debts also follow these special rules. Courts and agencies cannot issue or enforce orders that break these limits, and the law’s exemptions apply automatically. The law also defines earnings and disposable earnings so everyone uses the same rules.
Beginning July 1, 2027, any Commonwealth officer or employee who gets pay they were not entitled to must repay it, unless they prove it was not their fault, they did not know, and they could not reasonably detect the error. The employer can recover money by payroll deduction, up to 25% of disposable earnings, for certain good‑faith errors or when a court says the employee owes it. If you leave state service or dispute the debt, the Attorney General must sue to recover it. These rules apply to all state officers and employees. Good‑faith payments to Virginia Retirement System beneficiaries are not clawed back under these rules.
Beginning July 1, 2027, the Tax Department may accept offers in compromise and settle doubtful or disputed Virginia tax claims. If the IRS places you in Currently Not Collectible status, Virginia recognizes that and offers a similar state status with collection protections. At the same time, some property exemptions do not block state or local tax levies or purchase‑price liens. The Department must publish how to apply for state CNC status.
Beginning July 1, 2027, courts use a standard garnishment form that explains in plain English how much pay can be taken and the key exceptions. Employers may rely on your tax withholding certificate to apply exemptions unless a court orders otherwise. An employer cannot fire you just because your pay was garnished for one debt. Any contract that tries to take wages the law protects is void. Banks that hold your deposited earnings do not have to calculate what part is subject to garnishment.
Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31
Republican • Senate
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 225 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/4/2026
Passed Senate Block Vote
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/3/2026
Reported from Finance and Appropriations
Yes: 15 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/3/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/3/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 2/3/2026
Read third time and passed House Block Vote
Yes: 98 • No: 0
House vote • 1/28/2026
Reported from Finance with substitute
Yes: 22 • No: 0
House vote • 1/26/2026
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute
Yes: 10 • No: 0
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0396)
Approved by Governor-Chapter396 (Effective 7/1/2027)
Fiscal Impact statement From TAX (3/23/2026 10:38 am)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
Signed by Speaker
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB488ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Read third time
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Rules suspended
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
Fiscal Impact statement From TAX (2/21/2026 3:18 pm)
Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
committee substitute agreed to
Read second time
Read first time
Committee substitute printed 26106135D-H1
Reported from Finance with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
Chaptered
4/8/2026
Enrolled
3/11/2026
Substitute
1/29/2026
Substitute
1/27/2026
Substitute
1/26/2026
Introduced
1/12/2026
SB767 — Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals.
Motor vehicle glass repair and replacement; emissions inspection; penalties. Establishes various notice requirements for motor vehicle glass repair shops, defined in the bill, and provides that a violation of such requirements is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill permits a motor vehicle to qualify for an emissions inspection waiver if such vehicle has failed an inspection and the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system is in a not-ready condition to be tested when presented for reinspection. This bill is identical to HB 312.
SB803 — Virginia Fair Housing Law; regulations defining terms related to unlawful conduct.
Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful conduct. Directs the Fair Housing Board to promulgate regulations defining "quid pro quo harassment," "hostile environment harassment," and other terms related to unlawful conduct under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. The bill directs the Fair Housing Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
SB731 — Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections.
Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections; report. Requires the governing body of any county or city that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services to (i) require such company to provide any employee of such company providing such services compensation and benefits that are, at a minimum, equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee, as defined in the bill, with a position requiring equivalent qualifications and years of service; (ii) provide transportation services through such company's own employees; and (iii) if such county or city subsequently elects to provide its own system of public transportation, adopt an ordinance or resolution providing for collective bargaining and ensure all employees of such private company are offered employment with such subsequent public transportation system without loss of compensation or benefits. The bill clarifies that the bill only applies to actions occurring on or after the effective date and excludes any action taken, contract signed, liability incurred, or right accrued prior to July 1, 2026, from the requirements. Finally, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to convene a work group to develop recommendations on how to implement the provisions of the bill and requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 547.
SB620 — Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc.
Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers; purchase, possession, and sale of retail tobacco products; penalties; report. Transitions and provides a more comprehensive structure for the current licensing and enforcement responsibilities related to liquid nicotine and retail tobacco products from the Department of Taxation to a permitting system administered by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The bill requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage and Control Authority to conduct an unannounced buyer operation at least once every 24 months to verify that a permittee, defined in the bill, is not selling retail tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. Portions of the bill have a delayed effective date of October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 308.
SB666 — Residential land development and construction; fee transparency, local housing development.
Department of Housing and Community Development; housing development database. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to collect from each locality and make available to the public, localities, state agencies, and other state and regional public entities in a centralized, machine-readable, screen reader compatible database various data for each new and existing housing development in each locality in the Commonwealth, including data related to the number of housing development plans submitted and approved by the locality and the average approval timeline for housing development plans.
SB599 — Va. Opioid Use Red. & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Trtmt. and Transition Fund; grant procedure.
Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund; grant procedures. Requires the grant procedure to govern funds awarded to local and regional jails for the planning or operation of substance use disorder treatment services and transition services for persons with substance use disorder who are incarcerated in local and regional jails to include requirements that (i) any grant awarded shall be made for up to three years and (ii) an applicant for a grant submit a plan demonstrating how such applicant will become independently financially viable within the time period for which the grant is awarded. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to HB 455.