VirginiaHB7562026 Regular SessionHouse

Death certificates; petitions to the court to amend, service upon State Registrar of Vital Records.

Sponsored By: Chris S. Runion (Republican)

Became Law

Summary

Amending death certificates; petitions to the court to amend; Electronic Death Registration System; service upon State Registrar of Vital Records. Requires funeral service licensees requesting an order to amend a death certificate through the Electronic Death Registration System to upload the required petition to the Electronic Death Registration System instead of serving such petition upon the State Registrar of Vital Records.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Court orders to correct death certificates

If a requested change is beyond the Registrar’s authority after 45 days, eligible people may ask a circuit court to order it. Eligible petitioners include the surviving spouse, immediate family (per Board rules), the funeral service licensee, or another reporting source. File where the decedent lived or in Richmond. Serve the State Registrar and any listed informant, unless that informant gave a supporting affidavit. A funeral service licensee may upload the petition and order in the Electronic Death Registration System. If the Registrar refuses to amend for lack of proof, you may also petition the circuit court where you live or in Richmond. If you live outside Virginia, you may file in any Virginia circuit court. The judge may issue an order without a hearing. The Registrar must amend the record to match the order.

Easier affidavit fixes to death certificates

Submit an affidavit and proof within 45 days of filing. The State Registrar updates the death certificate. After 45 days, the Registrar still corrects many facts with an affidavit and proof. These include name spellings; sex; age; race; birth date or place; citizenship; Social Security number; education; job; military status; date or place of death; Virginia residence; institution name; locality; and street or place of death.

Clear rules and labels for death‑certificate changes

Only the procedures in this law and Board of Health rules can change a death certificate. The Board sets the minimum proof required. Any changed death certificate is marked “amended,” with the amendment date. A short note about the supporting evidence is placed on or attached to the certificate.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Chris S. Runion

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 431 • No: 0

House vote 3/6/2026

Senate amendment agreed to by House

Yes: 97 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to

Yes: 0 • 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

Senate vote 3/2/2026

Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment

Yes: 15 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/19/2026

Rereferred from Education and Health to Courts of Justice

Yes: 13 • No: 0

House vote 2/11/2026

Passed House Block Vote

Yes: 98 • No: 0

House vote 2/11/2026

Read third time and passed House Block Vote

Yes: 96 • No: 0

House vote 2/5/2026

Reported from Health and Human Services with substitute

Yes: 22 • No: 0

House vote 2/3/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

Yes: 10 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0215)

    4/6/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 215 (effective 7/1/2026)

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

    3/14/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    3/14/2026House
  5. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB756)

    3/13/2026House
  6. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB756ER)

    3/13/2026House
  7. Enrolled

    3/13/2026House
  8. Signed by President

    3/13/2026Senate
  9. Signed by Speaker

    3/13/2026House
  10. Senate amendment agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/6/2026House
  11. Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/4/2026Senate
  12. Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to

    3/4/2026Senate
  13. Engrossed by Senate as amended

    3/4/2026Senate
  14. Read third time

    3/4/2026Senate
  15. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/3/2026Senate
  16. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/3/2026Senate
  17. Rules suspended

    3/3/2026Senate
  18. Senate committee offered

    3/2/2026Senate
  19. Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment (15-Y 0-N)

    3/2/2026Senate
  20. Rereferred from Education and Health to Courts of Justice (13-Y 0-N)

    2/19/2026Senate
  21. Referred to Committee on Education and Health

    2/12/2026Senate
  22. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/12/2026Senate
  23. Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/11/2026House
  24. Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House

    2/11/2026House
  25. Read third time and passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/11/2026House

Bill Text

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