All Roll Calls
Yes: 225 • No: 38
Sponsored By: Bill DeSteph (Republican)
Became Law
Mechanics and storage liens; abandoned vehicles; vehicle records. Removes the requirement that the Department of Motor Vehicles, when searching for owner or lienholder information for a vehicle titled in another jurisdiction for (i) the enforcement of a mechanic's or storage lien or (ii) determining ownership of an abandoned vehicle, ascertain such information by contacting the other jurisdiction. The bill retains the requirement that the Department ascertain such information upon initiation of a search by the bailee or person in possession of an abandoned vehicle.
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.
6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.
The DMV now mails owners and lienholders when a bailee starts lien enforcement. For abandoned-vehicle cases, the DMV sends certified mail with return receipt. Owners have 15 days to reclaim most vehicles, or 120 days for manufactured or mobile homes. If not reclaimed and the debt is unpaid, owners and lienholders lose rights to the vehicle except any sale surplus. The DMV also posts sale details online for at least 21 days and places a hold on the title record during the process. Buyers can use a DMV certification to get a title free of prior liens.
Shops holding a valid lien can auction a vehicle worth $12,500 or less for cash after required notices. Surplus money must be claimed within 30 days, or the shop may keep it if no one can be found. Vehicles worth over $12,500 and up to $25,000 require a general district court order; over $25,000 require a circuit court order, and the sheriff conducts the sale. If no owner or lienholder is found, a vehicle at least six model years old and worth $4,500 or less can be titled to the shop (or given a nonrepairable certificate) after 30 days in custody and then sold.
The DMV uses a recognized pricing guide and trade‑in value to set vehicle value. A bailee may submit an independent appraisal that meets the Commissioner’s rules, and the DMV updates the record to that value. If the guide lacks a trade‑in value, the DMV can accept other approved valuation documents. Independent appraisers must have proper licenses and no financial ties to the bailee.
Before enforcing a lien, a bailee must start a DMV record search. The DMV checks Virginia records, a national crime database, and a national title database, alerts police if the vehicle is stolen, and contacts other jurisdictions. If you make more than five searches in 12 months, you must use the DMV’s electronic request system. The DMV gives you a receipt when the search is done. If no record exists or another state will not share info, the DMV does not send notice; you may proceed but you assume full liability if a record is later found. Businesses that provide title data from national databases for insurer total‑loss cases must indemnify and defend the DMV if claims arise from that data.
If the owner is on active duty, the bailee must follow the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. A DMV active‑duty marker is evidence the law applies, but the bailee must still verify service status and comply.
A person holding an abandoned vehicle must pay a $40 DMV search fee; local agencies with a written DMV agreement are exempt. A bailee must pay $40 when filing an intent to sell; the DMV then repeats its search. If a bailee fails to report a paid reclamation within five business days and the DMV must remove a hold, the DMV may charge the bailee $40. Out‑of‑state requesters pay $25 for owner/lienholder searches to enforce similar lien or abandoned‑vehicle laws; the DMV also mails notices but this does not replace that state’s notice rules. All these fees go into a special, nonreverting fund to cover DMV costs.
Bill DeSteph
Republican • Senate
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 225 • No: 38
House vote • 3/3/2026
Passed House
Yes: 81 • No: 17
House vote • 2/26/2026
Reported from Transportation
Yes: 18 • No: 3
House vote • 2/24/2026
Subcommittee recommends reporting
Yes: 6 • No: 4
Senate vote • 2/6/2026
Read third time and passed Senate
Yes: 29 • No: 11
Senate vote • 2/5/2026
Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/5/2026
Engrossment reconsidered by Senate
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/5/2026
Senator DeSteph Substitute agreed to
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/3/2026
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/2/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/2/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 1/29/2026
Reported from Transportation
Yes: 11 • No: 3
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0826)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 826 (effective 7/1/2026)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB595)
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB595ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Signed by Speaker
Passed House (81-Y 17-N 0-A)
Read third time
Read second time
Reported from Transportation (18-Y 3-N)
Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 4-N)
Assigned HTRAN sub: Department of Motor Vehicles
Referred to Committee on Transportation
Read first time
Placed on Calendar
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB595)
Read third time and passed Senate (29-Y 11-N 0-A)
Senator DeSteph Substitute agreed to
Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
Engrossment reconsidered by Senate
Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Voice Vote)
Reading of substitute waived
Chaptered
4/13/2026
Enrolled
3/9/2026
Substitute
2/4/2026
Introduced
1/14/2026
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.