# Virginia SB18: Children; adjudication of delinquency, orders of disposition. Virginia SB18, Children; adjudication of delinquency, orders of disposition., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mamie E. Locke (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0873)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB18-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB18 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Children; adjudication of delinquency, orders of disposition. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-11-17 - Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0873) - Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 10 (195 yes, 71 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary Children; adjudication of delinquency. Specifies that "delinquent child" means a child 11 years of age or older who has committed a delinquent act. Currently, there is no minimum age for a child to be adjudicated delinquent. The bill provides that if a child younger than 11 years of age is found to have committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older, the child shall not be proceeded upon as delinquent and the court shall (i) dismiss any petition alleging such child has committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older and (ii) order that the court records pertaining to such petition be expunged pursuant to relevant law. The bill allows the attorney for the Commonwealth to file a petition alleging that such child is in need of services and if such child is found to be in need of services, the court may make any orders of disposition authorized under relevant law. The bill also provides that any funding that is available to provide services to a child 11 years of age or older who is proceeded upon as delinquent shall also be made available to a child younger than 11 years of age who is found to have committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older in order to provide such child with the same services. The bill includes in the definition of "child in need of services" a child younger than 11 years of age who has committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older.The bill adds that a child may be taken into immediate custody when such child is alleged to be in need of services or supervision and there is a clear and substantial danger to the safety of the child's family or the safety of the public. Currently, a child may be taken into immediate custody when such child is alleged to be in need of services or supervision and there is a clear and substantial danger to the child's life or health. Finally, the bill includes in the offense of causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent, abused, etc., any person 18 years of age or older, including the parent of any child, who willfully contributes to, encourages, or causes any act, omission, or condition that (a) causes a child younger than 11 years of age to commit an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older or (b) causes any child to participate in or become a member of a criminal street gang in violation of existing law. Under the bill, any person who commits such offense is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Children under 11 get protection and services: benefit, high. Children under 11 cannot face delinquency cases for acts that count as delinquent at age 11 or older. Courts must dismiss these petitions and erase related court records. Prosecutors can instead seek court-ordered services when the conduct poses a clear and substantial danger to someone's life or h… - Adults face penalties for encouraging child offenses: cost, low. Adults age 18 or older, including parents, face expanded Class 1 misdemeanor liability for influencing children under 11. The penalty covers willfully contributing to, encouraging, or causing conduct that leads a younger child to commit a qualifying act. That act must count as delinquent when commi… - Police gain custody powers for certain children: cost, low. Police can take a child into immediate custody for three misdemeanor offenses without witnessing the alleged offense. These are shoplifting, assault and battery, and carrying a weapon on school property. The officer must have probable cause based on a reasonable complaint from someone who saw the a… - Juveniles owe restitution; victims gain repayment: mixed, medium. Juveniles age 11 or older found delinquent of offenses listed in § 16.1-278.8(B) must make at least partial restitution or reparation. This also applies to local ordinance violations adopted under § 15.2-1812.2. Repayment covers property damage or loss, or the victim's actual medical expenses. Cour… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-06 | Senate | House Amendments agreed to by Senate | pass | 23 | 17 | | | 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House with amendments | pass | 65 | 34 | | | 2026-03-02 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) | pass | 16 | 6 | | | 2026-02-18 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 8 | 2 | | | 2026-01-22 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 29 | 11 | | | 2026-01-21 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-21 | Senate | Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-20 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-20 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-01-19 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment | pass | 14 | 1 | | ## Actions (33) - 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0873) (Governor) - 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 873 (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 (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB18) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB18ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-06: House Amendments agreed to by Senate (23-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Passed House with amendments (65-Y 34-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-04: Engrossed by House as amended (House) - 2026-03-04: committee amendments agreed to (House) - 2026-03-04: Read third time (House) - 2026-03-03: Read second time (House) - 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (16-Y 6-N) (House) - 2026-02-18: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 2-N) (House) - 2026-02-17: Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal (House) - 2026-02-03: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House) - 2026-02-03: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-03: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-01-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB18) (Senate) - 2026-01-22: Read third time and passed Senate (29-Y 11-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-20: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-20: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-20: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-01-19: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment (14-Y 1-N) (Senate) - 2026-01-08: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB18) (Senate) - 2025-11-17: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate) - 2025-11-17: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100547D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223276.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223275.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202354.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202353.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194115.HTML) - Amendment, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189514.HTML) - Amendment, 2026-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169660.HTML) - Engrossed, 2026-01-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092668.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092667.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-01-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091858.HTML) - Introduced, 2025-11-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081286.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081285.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/1223276.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1223275.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202354.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202353.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194115.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189514.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169660.HTML) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092668.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092667.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091858.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081286.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081285.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-SB18-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).