# Virginia SB55: Sex offenses; prohibiting proximity to children on premises of state parks, penalty.

Virginia SB55, Sex offenses; prohibiting proximity to children on premises of state parks, penalty., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by J.D. "Danny" Diggs (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0480)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB55-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB55
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Sex offenses; prohibiting proximity to children on premises of state parks, penalty.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-11-26
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0480)
- Sponsor: J.D. "Danny" Diggs (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 11 (257 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Sex offenses prohibiting proximity to children; state parks; penalty. Provides that every adult who is convicted of an offense prohibiting proximity to children, when the offense occurred on or after July 1, 2026, shall as a part of his sentence be forever prohibited from going, for the purpose of having any contact whatsoever with children who are not in his custody, within 100 feet of a playground, athletic field or facility, or gymnasium he knows or has reason to know is located on the premises of a state park. A violation is a Class 6 felony.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Same bans for out-of-state convictions: cost, low. People with a similar conviction from another state or country face the same lifetime rules. You may not loiter within 100 feet of any primary, secondary, or high school or child day program you know or should know. You are also banned from going within 100 feet of local playgrounds, athletic field…
- Sex offenders: 100-foot bans near child areas: cost, low. The law defines who is covered. It includes certain registry violations tied to those crimes, starting July 1, 2006. Adults convicted of the listed offenses are permanently banned from loitering within 100 feet of any primary, secondary, or high school for offenses on or after July 1, 2000. For off…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: J.D. "Danny" Diggs (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-09 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | Senate | Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-19 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 |   |

## Actions (39)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0480) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 480 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB55) (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB55ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-09: Passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-09: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-06: Read second time (House)
- 2026-03-04: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety (House)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-18: Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal (House)
- 2026-02-05: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-02-05: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-05: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-02: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB55) (Senate)
- 2026-01-21: Committee substitute printed 26105714D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-01-19: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-01-19: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB55) (Senate)
- 2025-12-05: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (12/5/2025 4:12 pm) (Senate)
- 2025-12-05: Fiscal Impact statement From VSCC (12/5/2025 4:08 pm) (Senate)
- 2025-11-26: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2025-11-26: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100464D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218171.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218170.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1207001.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1207000.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092899.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091365.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092898.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091364.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-11-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081769.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081768.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/1218171.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218170.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1207001.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1207000.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092899.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091365.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092898.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091364.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081769.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1081768.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-SB55-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).