# Virginia HB520: Clerk fees; secure remote access to nonconfidential court records by certain attorneys.

Virginia HB520, Clerk fees; secure remote access to nonconfidential court records by certain attorneys., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0159)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB520-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB520
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Clerk fees; secure remote access to nonconfidential court records by certain attorneys.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0159)
- Sponsor: Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (224 yes, 15 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

Clerk fees; secure remote access to nonconfidential court records by certain attorneys. Provides that no clerk shall charge a fee to an attorney for secure remote access to nonconfidential court records when such attorney is certified by the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission in the jurisdiction served by such clerk, provided that such attorney is currently appointed to represent a defendant in such jurisdiction and agrees to continue accepting appointments in such jurisdiction. The bill also provides that if, after receiving secure remote access for nonconfidential court records, such attorney (i) is found to have abused such privilege of such secure remote access; (ii) is removed from the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission's court-appointed attorney list; or (iii) ceases to accept appointments for representation from the granting court, the clerk may terminate the agreement granting such secure remote access. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission. This bill is identical to SB 82.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- No clerk fees for records and liens: benefit, low. Clerks do not charge fees for several record and lien tasks. Examples include publishing court notices, keeping and indexing judgment records, recording or releasing certain liens, docketing forfeitures, and filing appraiser reports. Veterans also get free recording and certified copies of their di…
- No fees for small officer bonds: benefit, low. Clerks do not charge fees for bonds, oaths, or related orders when you qualify for certain public offices and the bond penalty is $1,000 or less. This covers judges, magistrates, sheriffs, treasurers, commissioners of the revenue, their deputies, escheators, supervisors, guardians, and conservators.
- Corrections get free certified criminal orders: benefit, low. Clerks do not charge the Virginia Department of Corrections or federal probation officers for certified copies of criminal judgments or sentencing orders.
- Free remote access for appointed defenders: mixed, low. Attorneys certified by the Virginia Indigent Defense Commission in the clerk’s area get free secure remote access to nonconfidential court records. The attorney must be currently appointed in that court and agree to keep taking appointments there. The clerk can end access for abuse, removal from th…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 31 | 9 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 11 | 4 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 12 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (31)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0159) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 159 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB520) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB520ER) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-11: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate (31-Y 9-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 4-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 2-N) (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 Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-09: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-09: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB520) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Committee substitute printed 26106770D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-04: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-02: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-02: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-30: Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103953D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216873.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216872.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200695.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200694.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127349.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127348.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107941.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108101.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107940.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108100.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084785.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084784.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/1216873.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216872.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200695.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1200694.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127349.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127348.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107941.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108101.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1107940.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108100.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084785.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084784.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB520-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).