SB 847 Virginia Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Reckless driving; improper driving as a lesser included offense.

Summary
Improper driving as a lesser included offense of reckless driving. Permits a jury to find an accused, where the degree of culpability is slight, not guilty of reckless driving but guilty of improper driving. Current law only permits the trial court to do so or the attorney for the Commonwealth to reduce a charge of reckless driving to improper driving at any time prior to the court's decision.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 2, 2025 Signed Mar 21, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled Chaptered · 1 edit
MINOR
This bill converts a legislative bill into an official chapter of Virginia law. The substantive content of the law regarding improper driving as a lesser offense of reckless driving remains unchanged, with only formatting and layout adjustments made to comply with official publication standards.
TECHNICAL

Formatting and layout changes were made to convert the bill from enrolled draft form to official chapter form, including adding chapter number (357), approval date (March 21, 2025), and adjusting text alignment and spacing.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 31, 2025 · House of Delegates Feb 19, 2025

How they voted

390
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 40
Jan 31, 2025
D Democratic21
21 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
18 Yea 1
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
33
Key actions
11
Committee
8
Amendments
3
Mar 21, 2025
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 357 (Effective 07/01/25)
executive
Mar 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB847ER)
upper
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed House (97-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Committee
Assigned Courts sub: Criminal
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Committee
Referred from Transportation and referred to Courts of Justice (Voice Vote)
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
Reading of amendment waived
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Jan 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 16, 2025
Committee
Rereferred from Transportation to Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Jan 2, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Jennifer Carroll Foy
Jennifer Carroll Foy
DDemocratic
VA
33