# Virginia SB444: Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties.

Virginia SB444, Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Lamont Bagby (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0197)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB444-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB444
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0197)
- Sponsor: Lamont Bagby (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 10 (364 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

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.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Stronger fraud protections for gift cardholders: benefit, low. In Virginia, taking or keeping gift cards or their redemption details with intent to defraud is grand larceny. This applies when done without consent from the holder, issuer, or seller. Tampering with a gift card or its packaging with intent to defraud is a Class 5 felony. For covered card offenses…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Lamont Bagby (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 38 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 38 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (36)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0197) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 197 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 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 (SB444ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-03: Read second time (House)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-02-18: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-18: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-13: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB444) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/4/2026 5:36 pm) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Committee substitute printed 26106708D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB444) (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/20/2026 1:47 pm) (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103315D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216729.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216728.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199688.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199687.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115982.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115981.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105620.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105619.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090291.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090290.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/1216729.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216728.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199688.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199687.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115982.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115981.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105620.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105619.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090291.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090290.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB444-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).