# Virginia SB273: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program, eligibility.

Virginia SB273, Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program, eligibility., 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 (CHAP0818)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB273-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB273
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program, eligibility.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0818)
- Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (165 yes, 47 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program; eligibility. Requires any general district court that implements the Eviction Diversion Program to attach information about the Program, including eligibility criteria, to any summons for unlawful detainer. The bill also alters eligibility requirements for a tenant to participate in the Program. This bill is identical to HB 837.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Lower upfront payment for Virginia renters: benefit, medium. Virginia renters facing eviction for unpaid rent can enter eviction diversion with a 10% upfront payment, down from 25%. Payment goes to the landlord or court at the first docket call, based on the amount due as amended then. Renters must explain under oath why they missed rent and show income or o…
- Renters get installments but fewer safeguards: mixed, medium. Courts must place eligible renters and landlords in a court-ordered plan and postpone the eviction case to allow full payment. The negotiated plan uses the Executive Secretary's form, with three 30% installments due by the fifth of the first, second, and third months after the initial hearing. Paym…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-24 | House | Passed House | pass | 65 | 33 |   |
| 2026-02-19 | House | Reported from General Laws | pass | 17 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 31 | 9 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | General Laws and Technology Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute | pass | 13 | 1 |   |

## Actions (31)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0818) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 818 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB273) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB273ER) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-24: Passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB273) (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-19: Reported from General Laws (17-Y 4-N) (House)
- 2026-02-13: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2026-02-13: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read third time and passed Senate (31-Y 9-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: General Laws and Technology Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Committee substitute printed 26105884D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (13-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Senate subcommittee offered (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Assigned GL&T sub: Housing (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104378D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222904.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222903.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178928.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178927.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127953.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127952.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100455.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100454.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087059.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087058.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/1222904.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222903.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178928.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178927.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127953.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1127952.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100455.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100454.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087059.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087058.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-SB273-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).