# Virginia HB845: Unlawful detainer; bifurcation of case, contested rent and damages. Virginia HB845, Unlawful detainer; bifurcation of case, contested rent and damages., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Rae Cousins (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0432)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB845-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB845 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Unlawful detainer; bifurcation of case, contested rent and damages. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0432) - Sponsor: Rae Cousins (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 7 (176 yes, 48 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary Unlawful detainer; bifurcation of case; contested rent and damages. Provides that, at an initial hearing on an unlawful detainer, if the defendant contests the amount of rent and damages alleged to be due and owing to the plaintiff, the court shall not bifurcate the unlawful detainer case. Under current law, at the initial hearing, upon request of the plaintiff, the court is required to bifurcate the unlawful detainer case and set a continuance date no later than 120 days from the date of the initial hearing to determine final rent and damages. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Faster possession, rent later in evictions: mixed, medium. The court can enter a final, appealable possession order at the first hearing if the plaintiff presents evidence, and any appeal of possession brings up the entire case. If the plaintiff asks, the court splits the case and sets a date within 120 days to decide rent and damages. If the tenant contes… - Judgment covers possession, rent, damages: mixed, medium. If the plaintiff proves a forcible or unlawful entry or detention, the court awards possession of the property. The court also awards any proven damages from the entry or detention and any rent that is owed. A judgment in the case does not block a separate or later lawsuit for rent or damages that… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Rae Cousins (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-09 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 9 | 6 | | | 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 74 | 23 | | | 2026-02-11 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2026-02-04 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 10 | 0 | | ## Actions (27) - 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0432) (Governor) - 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 432 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB845) (House) - 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB845ER) (House) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Reported from Courts of Justice (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House (74-Y 23-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-17: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House) - 2026-02-16: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-02-13: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-11: Reported from Courts of Justice (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-02-04: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-02-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB845) (House) - 2026-02-02: Assigned HCJ sub: Civil (House) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101054D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217807.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217806.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212278.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212277.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086183.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086180.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/1217807.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217806.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212278.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212277.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086183.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086180.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) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB845-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).