# Virginia SB778: Juveniles; adjudication of delinquency, when and how child may be taken into immediate custody.

Virginia SB778, Juveniles; adjudication of delinquency, when and how child may be taken into immediate custody., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mamie E. Locke (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (Senate sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB778-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB778
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Juveniles; adjudication of delinquency, when and how child may be taken into immediate custody.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2024-12-24
- Last action: 2025-04-02, Senate sustained Governor's veto
- Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (138 yes, 81 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Juveniles; adjudication of delinquency; penalty. Specifies that a delinquent child is a child 11 years of age or older who has committed a delinquent act. Currently, there is no minimum age for a child to be adjudicated delinquent. The bill provides that if a juvenile younger than 11 years of age is found to have committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older, the juvenile shall not be proceeded upon as delinquent; however, the court may make any orders of disposition authorized for a child in need of services or a child in need of supervision. The bill also provides that any funding that is available to provide services to a child 11 years of age or older who is proceeded upon as delinquent shall also be made available to a child younger than 11 years of age who is found to have committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older in order to provide such child the same services. The bill includes in the definition of "child in need of services" a child younger than 11 years of age who has committed an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older. The bill adds that a child may be taken into immediate custody when such child is alleged to be in need of services or supervision and there is a clear and substantial danger to the child's life or health or the safety of the child's family or the public. Finally, the bill includes in the offense of causing or encouraging acts rendering children delinquent, abused, etc., any person 18 years of age or older, including the parent of any child, who willfully contributes to, encourages, or causes any act, omission, or condition that (i) causes a child younger than 11 years of age to commit an act that would be delinquent if committed by a child 11 years of age or older or (ii) causes any child to participate in or become a member of a criminal street gang in violation of existing law. Under the bill, any person who commits such offense is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mamie E. Locke (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-13 | House | Passed House | pass | 51 | 46 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 12 | 9 |   |
| 2025-02-05 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025-01-22 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 18 | 1 |
| 2025-01-17 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2025-01-15 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | 9 | 5 |   |

## Actions (36)

- 2025-04-02: Senate sustained Governor's veto (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-03-25: Vetoed by Governor (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB778) (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB778ER) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-13: Passed House (51-Y 46-N) (House)
- 2025-02-13: Read third time (House)
- 2025-02-12: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-10: Reported from Courts of Justice (12-Y 9-N) (House)
- 2025-02-05: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2025-02-04: Read first time (House)
- 2025-02-04: Assigned Courts sub: Criminal (House)
- 2025-02-04: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-02-04: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2025-01-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB778) (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Floor substitute printed 25105475D-S2 (Locke) (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Engrossed by Senate - floor substitute (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Senator Locke, Mamie E. Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Reading of substitute waived (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Courts of Justice Substitute rejected (Senate)
- 2025-01-21: Read second time (Senate)
- 2025-01-20: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-01-17: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Committee substitute printed 25105018D-S1 (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB778) (Senate)
- 2024-12-24: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2024-12-24: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25103184D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074004.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051044.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051043.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024974.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024973.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1020889.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1020888.PDF)
- Introduced, 2024-12-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1011865.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1011864.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074004.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051044.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051043.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024974.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024973.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1020889.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1020888.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1011865.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1011864.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB778-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).