All Roll Calls
Yes: 364 • No: 0
Sponsored By: Lamont Bagby (Democratic)
Became Law
Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties. Adds the offenses of gift card theft, gift card forgery, gift card fraud, and criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained to the existing provisions of law related to credit cards. This bill is identical to HB 662.
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.
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Prosecutors can bring cases where any part of the crime happened, where an issuer, acquirer, gift card issuer, or gift card holder (or their agent) lost money, or where the cardholder or gift card holder lives. For theft of cards, numbers, or gift card data, cases may also be brought where the item is used, tried to be used, or possessed with bad intent. If you buy a discounted travel ticket from someone who is not an apparent agent and you do not make a reasonable check, the law presumes you knew it was illegally obtained. This is a rebuttable presumption, and you can show evidence to the contrary.
The law bans making, embossing, altering, or using a forged credit card or sales draft with intent to defraud. It also bans altering or tampering with a gift card or its package to defraud. Credit card or gift card forgery is a Class 5 felony.
The law punishes using a card or number gotten illegally, pretending to be the cardholder, taking a card as debt security, or getting advances beyond your available credit. It also punishes furnishing money or value on a number gotten illegally and related false claims about issuing a card. If the value involved is under $1,000 in any six-month period, it is a Class 1 misdemeanor. If the value is $1,000 or more in any six-month period, it is a Class 6 felony. Knowingly receiving money, goods, or services from such card fraud carries the same $1,000 six-month thresholds, and conspiracy is a Class 6 felony.
The law makes it a crime to take, keep, buy, or sell a credit card or card number without consent. It covers receiving a card or number you know is lost or misdelivered, or dealing in cards not from the issuer. It also covers getting cards in two or more names within 12 months under illegal circumstances. Taking a gift card or its redemption information to defraud is also a crime. These offenses are grand larceny and are punishable under § 18.2-95.
The law sets clear definitions for credit cards and gift cards. It covers issuers, cardholders, sellers, and acquirers. It defines closed-loop and open-loop gift cards and “payment device numbers.” It says “value” means the greatest likely loss, including the full face or load value of a gift card, even if not activated. Courts and police use these terms across all card theft, forgery, fraud, and venue rules.
Lamont Bagby
Democratic • Senate
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 364 • No: 0
House vote • 3/4/2026
Passed House Block Vote
Yes: 99 • No: 0
House vote • 3/4/2026
Passed House Block Vote
Yes: 97 • No: 0
House vote • 3/2/2026
Reported from Courts of Justice
Yes: 22 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading)
Yes: 38 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2026
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote
Yes: 38 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/12/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/12/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/11/2026
Reported from Finance and Appropriations
Yes: 15 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/2/2026
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
Yes: 15 • No: 0
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0197)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 197 (effective 7/1/2026)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
Signed by Speaker
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB444ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A)
Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House
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 (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
Rules suspended
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Read second time
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Chaptered
4/6/2026
Enrolled
3/30/2026
Substitute
2/4/2026
Substitute
2/2/2026
Introduced
1/13/2026
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.