All Roll Calls
Yes: 212 • No: 0
Sponsored By: David R. Suetterlein (Republican)
Became Law
Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; petitions for relief of care and custody; custodians. Allows the custodian of a child to file a petition for relief of the care and custody of such child in a juvenile and domestic relations district court. Current law only authorizes the parent or parents of a child to file such petition for relief of care and custody. The bill also requires the petitioning parent or custodian to cooperate with any services provided by a local department of social services during the initial investigation by such local department of social services after such petition for relief of care and custody has been filed. This bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth and is identical to HB 73.
Personalized for You
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
6 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
If the court transfers custody to social services, it must find no less drastic option, that reasonable efforts were made to avoid removal, and that staying home would be contrary to the child’s welfare. A nonparent can get custody only if the court finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, they can care for the child, keep a positive relationship, provide a permanent home, and protect the child. If no final order was entered, a dispositional hearing must be held within 60 days after the court finds good cause or that permanent relief is in the child’s best interest. The court must give notice to social services, the guardian ad litem, the child age 12 or older, and the parents or custodian, and may proceed if a properly served person does not appear. Agencies allowed to place a child for adoption must file a progress report every six months until a final adoption; these orders are final and can be appealed. Sheriffs cannot charge fees to serve papers in the listed juvenile cases.
A physician cannot perform an abortion on an unemancipated minor without notarized parental consent or a court order. Care is allowed in a medical emergency, and when the minor reports abuse or neglect and the doctor files the report. A minor may ask a judge; the judge must approve if she is mature and well informed or if it is in her best interest. Hearings and records are confidential and quick: a decision comes within 4 days; any appeal is decided within 5 days. If approval is based on best interest, the order usually requires notice to a parent or other authorized person, unless the judge finds notice would harm the minor. The court charges no filing fees; doctors must document emergencies; doctors who violate the rules and people who knowingly sign false consents face a Class 3 misdemeanor.
Juvenile and domestic relations (JDR) courts handle custody, visitation, support, and child‑welfare cases in their area and up to one mile beyond. People with a legitimate interest, including relatives, may file petitions. The court may keep jurisdiction until age 21 to enter findings needed for Special Immigrant Juvenile status.
When a child is in court custody and an activity needs a parent’s permission, a judge can give consent. A judge can also approve emergency medical care for an unmarried minor when a parent cannot be found, reached quickly, lives out of state, or refuses. This helps children get timely care while separated from parents.
When a juvenile is accused of listed violent felonies, the juvenile court holds only a probable‑cause and age hearing. If the charge is certified to the grand jury, the juvenile court loses that case and related charges. For some offenses, the prosecutor must give the required notice before certification.
Some people cannot file for custody or visitation. This includes people whose parental rights were ended, those whose claim comes through a person whose rights were ended after adoption, and people convicted of certain sexual crimes tied to the child’s conception. A narrow exception lets a formerly terminated parent participate when the child is 14 or older, the adoption has failed, the child is in local social services custody, and the parent followed contact terms and kept a positive, ongoing relationship.
David R. Suetterlein
Republican • Senate
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 212 • No: 0
House vote • 2/23/2026
Passed House Block Vote
Yes: 97 • No: 0
House vote • 2/18/2026
Reported from Courts of Justice
Yes: 22 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/27/2026
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote
Yes: 39 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/26/2026
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/23/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/23/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)
Yes: 39 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/21/2026
Reported from Courts of Justice
Yes: 15 • No: 0
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0059)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 59 (effective 7/1/2026)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 59 (effective 7/1/2026)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB206)
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB206ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Signed by Speaker
Passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
Read third time
Read second time
Reported from Courts of Justice (22-Y 0-N)
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
Read first time
Placed on Calendar
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB206)
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Engrossed by Senate
Read second time
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed by for the day
Chaptered
4/6/2026
Enrolled
2/24/2026
Introduced
1/9/2026
SB767 — Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals.
Motor vehicle glass repair and replacement; emissions inspection; penalties. Establishes various notice requirements for motor vehicle glass repair shops, defined in the bill, and provides that a violation of such requirements is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill permits a motor vehicle to qualify for an emissions inspection waiver if such vehicle has failed an inspection and the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system is in a not-ready condition to be tested when presented for reinspection. This bill is identical to HB 312.
SB803 — Virginia Fair Housing Law; regulations defining terms related to unlawful conduct.
Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful conduct. Directs the Fair Housing Board to promulgate regulations defining "quid pro quo harassment," "hostile environment harassment," and other terms related to unlawful conduct under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. The bill directs the Fair Housing Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
SB731 — Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections.
Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections; report. Requires the governing body of any county or city that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services to (i) require such company to provide any employee of such company providing such services compensation and benefits that are, at a minimum, equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee, as defined in the bill, with a position requiring equivalent qualifications and years of service; (ii) provide transportation services through such company's own employees; and (iii) if such county or city subsequently elects to provide its own system of public transportation, adopt an ordinance or resolution providing for collective bargaining and ensure all employees of such private company are offered employment with such subsequent public transportation system without loss of compensation or benefits. The bill clarifies that the bill only applies to actions occurring on or after the effective date and excludes any action taken, contract signed, liability incurred, or right accrued prior to July 1, 2026, from the requirements. Finally, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to convene a work group to develop recommendations on how to implement the provisions of the bill and requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 547.
SB620 — Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc.
Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers; purchase, possession, and sale of retail tobacco products; penalties; report. Transitions and provides a more comprehensive structure for the current licensing and enforcement responsibilities related to liquid nicotine and retail tobacco products from the Department of Taxation to a permitting system administered by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The bill requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage and Control Authority to conduct an unannounced buyer operation at least once every 24 months to verify that a permittee, defined in the bill, is not selling retail tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. Portions of the bill have a delayed effective date of October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 308.
SB666 — Residential land development and construction; fee transparency, local housing development.
Department of Housing and Community Development; housing development database. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to collect from each locality and make available to the public, localities, state agencies, and other state and regional public entities in a centralized, machine-readable, screen reader compatible database various data for each new and existing housing development in each locality in the Commonwealth, including data related to the number of housing development plans submitted and approved by the locality and the average approval timeline for housing development plans.
SB599 — Va. Opioid Use Red. & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Trtmt. and Transition Fund; grant procedure.
Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund; grant procedures. Requires the grant procedure to govern funds awarded to local and regional jails for the planning or operation of substance use disorder treatment services and transition services for persons with substance use disorder who are incarcerated in local and regional jails to include requirements that (i) any grant awarded shall be made for up to three years and (ii) an applicant for a grant submit a plan demonstrating how such applicant will become independently financially viable within the time period for which the grant is awarded. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to HB 455.