# Virginia SB686: Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic.

Virginia SB686, Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by David R. Suetterlein (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0518)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB686-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB686
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0518)
- Sponsor: David R. Suetterlein (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 8 (221 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic. Clarifies that a court may order, for a first violation of texting and driving, the satisfactory completion of a driver improvement clinic in lieu of a conviction.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- DMV test covers distracted driving: benefit, medium. The Virginia DMV includes distracted driving on the driver’s license knowledge test. All applicants are tested on these safety rules.
- No holding phones while driving: mixed, medium. The law bans holding a handheld phone while driving a moving vehicle on Virginia highways. Exceptions apply for emergency workers on duty, drivers who are lawfully parked or stopped, and anyone calling to report an emergency. Amateur and Citizens Band radio use is allowed. DOT safety patrol and tra…
- Fines for phone use while driving: mixed, low. A first offense carries a $125 fine. For a first violation, a court may assign a driver improvement clinic instead of a conviction. A second or later offense carries a $250 fine. If it happens in a marked highway work zone, the fine is a mandatory $250. A highway work zone is a signed construction…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: David R. Suetterlein (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | House | Reported from Transportation | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 9 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | Senate | Reported from Transportation | pass | 14 | 0 |   |

## Actions (29)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0518) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 518 (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)
- 2026-03-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB686) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB686ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-06: Passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-06: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-05: Read second time (House)
- 2026-03-03: Reported from Transportation (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-25: Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-20: Assigned HTRAN sub: Highway Safety and Policy (House)
- 2026-02-10: Referred to Committee on Transportation (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB686) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Reported from Transportation (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100678D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218275.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218274.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202793.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202792.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091949.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091948.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/1218275.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218274.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202793.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202792.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091949.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091948.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-SB686-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).