# Virginia SB999: Appeals; procedure on appeal, payment of expenses.

Virginia SB999, Appeals; procedure on appeal, payment of expenses., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Scott A. Surovell (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 1-N)) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB999-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB999
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Appeals; procedure on appeal, payment of expenses.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-01-07
- Last action: 2025-04-02, Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 1-N)
- Sponsor: Scott A. Surovell (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (351 yes, 15 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Appeals; procedure on appeal. Provides an appellate court with discretion in assessing attorney fees, costs, and necessary expenses against an indigent defendant when the conviction of the defendant is upheld on appeal. Under current law, the appellate court must assess such fees, costs, and expenses against an indigent defendant when the conviction of the defendant is upheld on appeal.Finally, the bill also provides that a panel of the Court of Appeals may dispense with oral argument if such panel unanimously decides that such oral argument is unnecessary because the facts and legal arguments are adequately presented in the briefs and the record such that the decisional process would not be significantly aided by oral argument and provides that this provision shall expire on June 30, 2027, unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Scott A. Surovell (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-02 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 94 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-02 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 39 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-19 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-14 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-02-03 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 32 | 8 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-29 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 11 | 3 |   |
| 2025-01-22 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 3 | 1 |

## Actions (37)

- 2025-04-02: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0612) (Governor)
- 2025-04-02: Reenrolled bill text (SB999ER2) (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Reenrolled (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Enacted, Chapter 612 (Effective 07/01/2025 - see bill) (House)
- 2025-04-02: Signed by Speaker as reenrolled (House)
- 2025-04-02: Signed by President as reenrolled (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Governor's recommendation adopted (Governor)
- 2025-04-02: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (94-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-03-24: Governor's substitute printed (SB999S1) (Senate)
- 2025-03-24: Governor's recommendation received by Senate (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB999) (Senate)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB999ER) (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-19: Passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Read third time (House)
- 2025-02-18: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-14: Reported from Courts of Justice (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-10: Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2025-02-07: Assigned Courts sub: Civil (House)
- 2025-02-06: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2025-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2025-02-06: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read third time and passed Senate (32-Y 8-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-31: Read second time and engrossed (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N) (Senate)
- 2025-01-22: Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 3-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB999) (Senate)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104339D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2025-04-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079172.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079171.PDF)
- Reenrolled, 2025-04-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075551.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075550.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-03-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074748.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074747.PDF)
- Gov Recommendation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073898.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062248.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062247.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014755.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014754.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
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079172.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1079171.PDF)
- [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075551.HTML)
- [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1075550.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074748.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1074747.PDF)
- [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073898.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062248.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062247.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014755.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014754.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-SB999-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).