APPROVED​​​

APPR

HB454 DCJS; removes requirement to develop model addiction recovery program
Introduced by: Rodney T. Willett (Chief Patron) [D]

View the bill here. Removes the requirement that the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, develop a model addiction recovery program that may be administered by sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, jail officers, administrators, or superintendents in any local or regional jail. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and identical to SB 690.

1/22/2026 House-PS Subcommittee #2 recommends reporting (7‑Y 0‑N)

1/23/2026 Reported from H-Public Safety committee (22‑Y 0‑N)

1/29/2026 Read third time and passed House Block Vote (99‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)

2/18/2026 Rereferred from Senate-Courts of Justice committee to Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote (12‑Y 0‑N)

2/20/2026 Reported from Senate-Rehabilitation and Social Services committee and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14‑Y 1‑N)

3/02/2026 Passed Senate (39‑Y 1‑N 0‑A)

3/05/2026 Senate. Signed by President
3/05/2026 House. Signed by Speaker

4/13/2026 Approved by Governor‑Chapter 798 (effective 7/1/2026)

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HB209 Peer recovery specialists; VDH & DOC to develop guidelines for hiring.
Introduced by: Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Chief Patron) [D]

View the bill here.Directs the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Corrections to develop agency guidelines for hiring peer recovery specialists with previous criminal convictions for compensated employment. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care. This bill is identical to SB 608.

2/12/2026 Reported from H-Health and Human Services committee with amendment(s) (21‑Y 0‑N)

2/17/2026 Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)

2/26/2026 Senate. Rereferred from S-Education and Health committee to Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote (13‑Y 0‑N)​

3/03/2026 Passed Senate Block Vote (40‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)​​​​​​​​​​​​​

3/10/2026 Senate. Signed by President

3/10/2026 House. Signed by Speaker​​​

4/06/2026 Approved by Governor‑Chapter 90 (effective 7/1/2026)

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HB860 Local & Reg. Jails, St. Bd.; standards, etc., regarding lactation policies for incarcerated persons.
Introduced by: Rae Cousins (Chief Patron) [D]

View the bill here. Directs the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to set minimum standards and regulations regarding lactation policies for incarcerated persons and their infants by December 1, 2028. In developing such regulations and standards, the Board is directed to consider best practices related to lactation and how to incorporate such practices into the regulations and standards set by the Board.

2/02/2026 Read third time and passed House Block Vote (99‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)

3/03/2026 Senate Rules committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)

3/03/2026 Passed Senate Block Vote (40‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)

3/05/2026 Senate substitute agreed to by House (98‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)

3/12/2026 Senate. Signed by President

3/12/2026 House. Signed by Speaker

4/08/2026 Approved by Governor‑Chapter 434 (effective 7/1/2026)

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HB861 Pregnant & postpartum inmates; reporting requirements of state, regional, & local correctional fac
Introduced by: Rae Cousins (Chief Patron) [D]

View the bill here.

. Requires the warden or other official in charge of a state correctional facility that houses women prisoners to compile a monthly summary and the sheriff in charge of a local correctional facility, or his designee, or the jail superintendent of a regional correctional facility, or his designee, to compile a quarterly summary of all of the following and submit such summary to the Director of the Department of Corrections or State Board of Local and Regional Jails, as applicable: (i) the number of prisoners known to be pregnant in the facility, (ii) the number of prisoners in postpartum recovery in the facility, (iii) the number of women prisoners in the facility, (iv) the total number of prisoners in the facility, (v) the number of deaths of prisoners known to be pregnant in the facility, and (vi) the number of deaths of prisoners in postpartum recovery in the facility. The bill also requires such summary to be submitted to the Maternal Mortality Review Team and the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice.

Lastly, the bill requires the sheriff in charge of a local correctional facility, or his designee, or the jail superintendent of a regional correctional facility, or his designee, to compile a quarterly summary of all written reports received pursuant to relevant law regarding use of restraints on any prisoner known to be pregnant or any prisoner who is in postpartum recovery and any body cavity search of a pregnant prisoner and submit such summary to the Board each quarter.

2/04/2026 Engrossed by House ‑ H-Public Safety committee substitute

2/05/2026 Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)

2/20/2026 Reported from Senate-Rehabilitation and Social Services committee with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15‑Y 0‑N)

3/03/2026 Senate. Reported from S-Finance and Appropriations committee (14‑Y 0‑N)

3/06/2026 House Senate amendments agreed to by House (95‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)

3/13/2026 Senate. Signed by President

3/13/2026 House. Signed by Speaker

4/13/2026 Approved by Governor‑Chapter 685 (effective 7/1/2026)​​

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GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION RECEIVED

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HB455 Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund; grant procedures.
Introduced by: Rodney T. Willett (Chief Patron) [D]

View the bill here.
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 SB 599.

1/12/2026 Referred to Committee on House-Public Safety

1/23/2026 Reported from H-Public Safety committee (22‑Y 0‑N)

1/26/2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB455)

1/29/2026 Read third time and passed House Block Vote (99‑Y 0‑N 0‑A)

1/30/2026 Senate. Referred to Committee for S-Courts of Justice

2/18/2026 Rereferred from S-Courts of Justice committee to Rehabilitation and Social Services Block Vote (12‑Y 0‑N)

2/20/2026 Senate. Reported from S-Rehabilitation and Social Services committee Block Vote (15‑Y 0‑N)​​

2/26/2026 House. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB455ER)

2/26/2026 Senate. Signed by President
2/26/2026 House. Signed by Speaker​​​

4/11/2026 Governor's recommendation received by House

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HB553 Department of Corrections; language services for offenders.
Introduced by Jessica L. Anderson (Chief Patron) [D]

View the bill here.

Provides that the Department of Corrections shall take reasonable steps to provide offenders with limited English proficiency meaningful access to Department facilities, services, programs, and activities to ensure that language does not prevent Department employees from communicating effectively with such offenders.

1/30/2026 Reported from House-Public Safety committee with amendment(s) (16‑Y 5‑N)

2/04/2026 Read third time and passed House (68‑Y 30‑N 0‑A)

2/20/2026Senate Reported from S-Rehabilitation and Social Services committee (11‑Y 4‑N)

2/24/202 Passed Senate (23‑Y 16‑N 0‑A)

2/26/2026 Senate. Signed by President

2/26/2026 House. Signed by Speaker

4/11/2026 Governor's recommendation received by House

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​PENDING GOVERNOR'S ACTION

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SB218 Inmates; Director of Dept. of Corrections, shall continue to accept applications for confinement.

Introduced by: Michael J. Jones (Chief Patron) [D]

Directs the Director of the Department of Corrections to continue accepting and reviewing applications for the confinement of inmates from a state party to the Interstate Corrections Compact entered into pursuant to relevant law, but prohibits any placement of any such inmate at the Red Onion State Prison until such time as the General Assembly reauthorizes such placement by act of assembly.

View the bill here.

2/03/2026 Senate-Rehabilitation and Social Services committee Amendments agreed to

2/04/2026 Read third time and passed Senate (21‑Y 19‑N 0‑A)

3/04/2026 Passed House (63‑Y 36‑N 0‑A)

3/10/2026 Senate. Signed by President

3/10/2026 House. Signed by Speaker

3/14/2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

 

​CONTINUED TO 2027

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HB81 State agencies; amendment of regulations pertaining to the maximum temperature at which certain rooms may be kept.

Introduced by: Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Chief Patron) [D]
View the bill here.

State agencies; amendment of regulations pertaining to the maximum temperature at which certain rooms may be kept. Directs the Department of Social Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Department of Health, and the Department of Corrections to amend their regulations to provide that the maximum temperature at which certain rooms in facilities regulated by such agencies may be kept shall be no more than 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

12/31/2025 Referred to Committee on House-Health and Human Services

01/16/2026 House. House-Assigned sub: Health

​1/27/2026 House. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB81)

2/3/2026 Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote)

2/5/2026 Continued to next session in House-Health and Human Services committee (Voice Vote)

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