# Virginia SB189: Consumer debt collection proceedings; signing of pleadings, motions, and other papers.

Virginia SB189, Consumer debt collection proceedings; signing of pleadings, motions, and other papers., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Angelia Williams Graves (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0489)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB189-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB189
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Consumer debt collection proceedings; signing of pleadings, motions, and other papers.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-09
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0489)
- Sponsor: Angelia Williams Graves (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 13 (365 yes, 8 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Consumer debt collection proceedings; signing of pleadings, motions, and other papers. Requires the attorney of record in any civil action to collect or enforce a consumer debt, as defined in the bill, to include in the initial pleading or any subsequent filing such attorney's (i) full name; (ii) business address; and (iii) business telephone number. The bill provides that any such pleading, motion, or other paper not in compliance with such provisions is defective and provides that if such defect is not properly cured within 21 days after it is brought to the attention of the pleader or movant, such pleading, motion, or other paper is invalid and shall be stricken. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Clear lawyer contact in debt cases: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, in any civil case to collect or enforce a consumer debt, the attorney of record must list their name, business address, and a business phone number that reaches them directly. This contact must appear in the first pleading and every later filing. The phone number must let…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Angelia Williams Graves (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | House amendments agreed to by Senate | pass | 37 | 3 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House with amendments Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House with amendments Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 10 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 36 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Senator Williams Graves Amendment agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 10 | 1 | 3 |
| 2026-01-21 | Senate | Rereferred from General Laws and Technology to Courts of Justice | pass | 14 | 0 |   |

## Actions (39)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0489) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter489 (Effective 1/1/2027) (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)
- 2026-03-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB189) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB189ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB189) (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: House amendments agreed to by Senate (37-Y 3-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed House with amendments Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed House with amendments Block Vote (97-Y 0-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) (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-18: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-17: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-17: Assigned HCJ sub: Civil (House)
- 2026-02-17: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-02-17: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed Senate (36-Y 4-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Floor offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Senator Williams Graves Amendment agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Committee substitute printed 26107486D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (10-Y 1-N 3-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Rereferred from General Laws and Technology to Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-09: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101335D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218051.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218050.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202623.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202622.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194148.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189018.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169404.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141868.HTML)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141881.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141880.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136319.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136318.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134050.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134049.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083556.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083555.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/1218051.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218050.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202623.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202622.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194148.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189018.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169404.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141868.HTML)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141881.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141880.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136319.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1136318.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134050.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1134049.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083556.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083555.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-SB189-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).