# Virginia SB301: Exemptions from garnishment; minimum protected account balance, certain benefit payments.

Virginia SB301, Exemptions from garnishment; minimum protected account balance, certain benefit payments., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0638)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB301-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB301
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Exemptions from garnishment; minimum protected account balance, certain benefit payments.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0638)
- Sponsor: Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (183 yes, 44 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Exemptions from garnishment; minimum protected account balance; certain benefit payments; procedure for financial institutions. Requires certain financial institutions to automatically exempt from garnishment (i) a minimum protected account balance, defined in the bill as the combined total of not more than $1,000 in a judgment debtor's account or across multiple accounts in the same financial institution, and (ii) a protected amount of certain benefit payments, defined in the bill, that have been deposited into the account via direct deposit or electronic deposit within the two months immediately preceding the day before a financial institution commences an account review. The bill describes an account review as a process of examining an account of a judgment conducted by a financial institution upon such financial institution's receipt of a garnishment summons to determine if any eligible benefit payments have been deposited within the applicable time period and, if so, to calculate the total sum of such benefit payments and establish the total as a protected amount that shall be automatically exempt from garnishment. The bill provides that such procedure to automatically exempt such funds shall not apply if the debt arises from a child support or spousal support obligation or if an exemption is otherwise prohibited by law.The bill further provides that a judgment debtor is not required to claim nor request a hearing for such automatic exemptions. Finally, the bill makes updates to the relevant provisions governing garnishment proceedings, notices to the garnishee and judgment debtor, and the form of a garnishment summons consistent with the provisions of the bill. This bill is identical to HB 601.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Account holders keep $1,000 from creditors: benefit, medium. When a bank receives a garnishment summons, it must leave up to $1,000 available across your accounts at that bank. This protection applies automatically, and you can use the money through the bank’s usual services. Starting April 1, 2027, the limit adjusts every three years using the Consumer Pric…
- Benefit recipients keep recent deposits automatically: benefit, medium. If your combined bank balances exceed the protected minimum, the bank must review each account for recent benefit deposits. Covered payments include Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, veterans’ benefits, federal civil service retirement, Railroad Retirement, unemployment, public assista…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-23 | House | Passed House | pass | 81 | 15 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 18 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments | pass | 8 | 6 |   |
| 2026-01-26 | Senate | Rereferred from Commerce and Labor to Courts of Justice | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (27)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0638) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 638 (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)
- 2026-02-24: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB301ER) (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-23: Passed House (81-Y 15-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-23: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-20: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-18: Reported from Courts of Justice (18-Y 4-N) (House)
- 2026-02-17: Read first time (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 (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by Senate 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: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (8-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Rereferred from Commerce and Labor to Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105000D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221680.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221679.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-02-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177066.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177065.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139625.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139624.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1138163.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133988.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088873.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088872.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/1221680.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221679.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177066.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177065.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139625.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139624.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1138163.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133988.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088873.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088872.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-SB301-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).