# Virginia SB83: District or circuit court; possession of portable electronic devices.

Virginia SB83, District or circuit court; possession of portable electronic devices., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic); status vetoed, last action 2026-05-19 (Vetoed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB83-2026
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB83
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: District or circuit court; possession of portable electronic devices.
- Status: vetoed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-12-29
- Last action: 2026-05-19, Vetoed by Governor
- Sponsor: Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 10 (329 yes, 38 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Security policies for courthouses and local or regional correctional facilities; penalty. Adds several provisions relating to courthouse and courtroom security. The bill requires the chief judge of each general district court, juvenile and domestic relations district court, and circuit court to set a policy regarding the use and possession of portable electronic devices by visitors to the court. The bill authorizes such chief judge to condition the use and possession of portable electronic devices upon certain limitations. The bill also provides that if a sheriff allows courthouse employees to bypass any security screening required to enter a courthouse, such sheriff shall also exempt from the security screening any attorney who displays a valid Virginia State Bar-issued bar card and a government-issued identification. The bill creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any attorney who has had his license to practice law in the Commonwealth suspended or revoked and who displays a Virginia State Bar-issued bar card in an effort to be exempt from the security screening. Finally, the bill requires the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to develop and establish minimum standards to ensure that attorneys have sufficient opportunities to have confidential visits with their clients and requires sheriffs or jail superintendents to provide a telephonic, electronic, or web-based communication method for prisoners in local correctional facilities to communicate with attorneys.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | House amendments agreed to by Senate | pass | 26 | 14 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House with amendments Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Passed House with amendments Block Vote | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 26 | 13 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 |   |

## Actions (40)

- 2026-05-19: Vetoed by Governor (Governor)
- 2026-05-19: Governor's Veto Received by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-04-22: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-04-22: Communicated to Governor (Senate)
- 2026-04-22: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-04-11: Governor's recommendation received by Senate (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 (SB83) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB83ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-06: House amendments agreed to by Senate (26-Y 14-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed House with amendments 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 with amendments Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-03-04: committee amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-03: Read second time (House)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB83) (Senate)
- 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 (26-Y 13-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Committee substitute printed 26105369D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB83) (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2025-12-29: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2025-12-29: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100784D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Veto Explanation, 2026-05-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225820.HTML)
- Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219199.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202401.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202400.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194129.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188721.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-02-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108112.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108111.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096384.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096383.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-12-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082155.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082154.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
- [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225820.HTML)
- [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219199.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202401.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1202400.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1194129.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188721.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108112.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1108111.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096384.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096383.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082155.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1082154.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-SB83-2026 (as of 2026-10-11).