# Virginia SB391: Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP), Commission on; structure and responsibilities.

Virginia SB391, Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP), Commission on; structure and responsibilities., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Richard H. Stuart (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0687)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB391-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB391
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP), Commission on; structure and responsibilities.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0687)
- Sponsor: Richard H. Stuart (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (269 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 23

## Summary

Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP). Restructures the existing governance structure and responsibilities of the Commission on VASAP and expands its oversight authority over local alcohol safety action programs. The provisions of the bill related to a fiscal agent locality have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2028. The bill also directs the Commission on VASAP to convene a work group with relevant stakeholders to review the sustainability of the structure and funding model for VASAP and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Commission on VASAP and the Chairs of the House Committees on Appropriations and for Courts of Justice and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations and for Courts of Justice by October 1, 2026. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on VASAP and is identical to HB 862.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Device cost help for low-income drivers: benefit, medium. A Commission fund can cover all or part of interlock or remote alcohol monitor costs when a court finds a person indigent. Speed-system assistance is available to VASAP participants found indigent by a court or the Commission. The funds use a share of fees received by device manufacturers or distri…
- Pretrial drivers gain early device access: benefit, medium. People charged with a first or second covered commercial-driver DUI offense may enter an alcohol safety program before trial. They may pre-qualify for and install an interlock on a vehicle they own or operate. Pretrial installation time counts toward later court-ordered interlock or restricted-lice…
- Workers can request employer-vehicle interlock exceptions: benefit, medium. A court may allow an interlock-restricted driver to use an employer-owned or employer-provided vehicle without an interlock for work. The employer must request the exception, and the court must expressly approve it. It applies only while driving for work, not to other vehicles. School buses, school…
- Required services continue after program closure: benefit, low. The Commission must keep mandatory services available when a local program's certification is suspended, revoked, or not renewed. It can arrange interim services through direct administration, neighboring certified programs, or qualified public or private providers. Temporary administration ends wh…
- Device tampering brings criminal driving penalties: cost, medium. Tampering with or bypassing covered interlocks, court-ordered remote alcohol monitors, or installed speed assistance systems is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Trying to bypass a covered speed system is also prohibited and may be prosecuted where the act occurred. Starting or trying to start an interlock ve…
- DUI offenders must complete safety programs: cost, medium. People with a first or second qualifying DUI conviction must enter and successfully complete a certified alcohol safety program. Covered convictions include Virginia DUI offenses, similar local offenses, and the specified commercial-driver DUI offense. Local program fees are $250–$300. A person may…
- Interlock rules limit driving after convictions: cost, medium. Covered drivers must use a working, certified ignition interlock under a restricted license; courts have discretion for specified first offenses. Specified injury and repeat DUI cases require devices on every vehicle owned or registered, even partly, and 12 consecutive violation-free months. The pe…
- Commercial-driver violations carry $105 reinstatement fee: cost, low. Drivers pay $105 to reinstate a license suspended or revoked for a qualifying commercial-driver violation. Similar local, federal, and out-of-state violations also qualify. DMV keeps $40, the VASAP Commission receives $40, and the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund receives $25. The pro…
- Local programs face financial reporting deadlines: cost, low. Local programs must keep records under generally accepted accounting principles and undergo local, state, and federal audits. Monthly financial reports are due by the next month's 15th day, and annual income statements are due August 1. Annual budgets and supporting records must reach the Commissio…
- Local safety programs face stronger oversight: cost, low. Local alcohol safety programs need certification at least every three years and a valid locality to handle their finances. Noncompliant programs must submit a correction plan within 10 days after notice. The Commission can condition or end certification, merge or reorganize programs, and impose fin…
- Localities handle program money and payroll: cost, low. Each local alcohol safety program must designate a locality it serves as fiscal agent by January 1, 2028. This designation is a certification requirement; joint programs need written approval from each participating governing body, filed with the Commission. The fiscal agent handles money, serves a…
- Court-ordered speed systems restrict drivers: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Commission runs Virginia's Intelligent Speed Assistance Program. A court enrollment order requires DMV to suspend the driver's license and issue a restricted license tied to participation. Drivers must complete the court-ordered period before getting another license. The…
- Drivers pay program and monitoring fees: mixed, medium. The covered alcohol safety program entry fee is $250–$300; a court can reduce or waive it after finding indigency. The Commission sets a uniform service-fee schedule and rules for collecting and using fees. VASAP participants generally pay enrollment and participation costs, with an exemption when…
- First-time adult offenders get interlock options: mixed, medium. For a qualifying first DUI offense, the court makes an ignition interlock the only restricted-license condition. This applies only to people who were adults when the offense occurred. They must complete at least 12 consecutive months without alcohol-related interlock violations. At the person's req…
- Monitoring offers another restricted driving route: mixed, medium. Drivers barred from a restricted license under the specified first-offense rule can ask the court for remote alcohol monitoring. Monitoring lasts as long as the applicable interlock-related driving prohibition, and the court can also require no alcohol use. The court can grant an any-purpose restri…
- More driving access with interlock conditions: mixed, medium. Restricted licenses allow added trips for court, probation, required programs, weekly worship, approved child-support appointments, and weekend or nonconsecutive jail sentences. They also allow trips to interlock facilities, documented job interviews, and Virginia Employment Commission offices. Dri…
- Outside convictions allow restricted-license requests: mixed, medium. Virginia residents with a qualifying out-of-state or federal conviction can petition the general district court where they live. They may request probation, alcohol safety program placement, and a restricted license after entering the program. The outside offense must be substantially similar to th…
- Alcohol safety funds face spending limits: mixed, low. Local alcohol safety programs may use fee revenue and other income only to run their own programs. The state Commission oversees those funds and may collect unspent revenue or reserve balances. The Commission may use payments made to the Commonwealth under these rules to cover state and local progr…
- Local alcohol programs face staffing standards: mixed, low. The Commission sets statewide operating, performance, accounting, audit, public-information, and administrative standards and reviews local program performance. Programs must employ a director and enough staff and offer public access at Commission-set times through approved methods. They need gener…
- Local programs need funding but get backup: mixed, low. Local governments that run or join alcohol safety programs must fund them through annual appropriations or another agreed method. Joint programs need a filed written agreement dividing operating costs fairly; failure to provide support can bring Commission fines. The Commission does not cover routi…
- State Commission oversees local alcohol programs: mixed, low. The law creates the VASAP Commission as a state agency in the legislative branch to oversee local alcohol safety programs. The Commission and local governments can create programs, but every locality need not create one. Each program needs an independent policy board and a Commission-approved agree…
- Certified alcohol devices add safeguards and choice: mixed, low. The Commission certifies ignition interlocks and remote alcohol monitors and sets installation, upkeep, and certification rules. Interlock standards cover safety, tampering, calibration, reliability, alcohol measurements, logs, rolling retests, provider responsibility, and insurance. Interlock user…
- Driving device sellers face certification rules: mixed, low. Covered interlocks and remote alcohol monitors need Commission certification and warning labels before sellers can offer them to covered drivers. Intelligent speed assistance systems also need certification and labels warning that tampering can bring a fine, jail, or both. Speed-system standards co…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Richard H. Stuart (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | House substitute agreed to by Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | House | Passed House with substitute Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Reported from Appropriations with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-17 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 36 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments | pass | 13 | 1 |   |

## Actions (37)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0687) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 687 (Effective - see bill) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB391) (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB391ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Passed House with substitute Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-09: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-03-09: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-03-09: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-06: Read second time (House)
- 2026-03-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB391) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Committee substitute printed 26109196D-H1 (House)
- 2026-03-04: House committee offered (House)
- 2026-03-04: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay (House)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-24: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-24: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB391) (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (13-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB391) (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102693D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222131.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222130.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209937.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209936.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195108.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194940.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194939.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195107.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1149205.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1149204.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-02-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145047.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142568.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089908.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089907.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/1222131.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222130.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209937.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1209936.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195108.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194940.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194939.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1195107.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1149205.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1149204.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145047.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142568.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089908.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089907.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-SB391-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).