HB 1414 Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Children; certain injuries to be reported by physicians, etc., penalties for failure to report.

Summary
Requirement that certain injuries to children be reported by physicians, nurses, teachers, etc.; penalties for failure to report. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person required to file a report, pursuant to relevant law, who fails to do so as soon as possible, but not longer than 24 hours after having reason to suspect a reportable offense of child abuse or neglect where such reportable offense is alleged to have occurred at a private or state-operated hospital, institution, or facility to which children have been committed or where children have been placed for care and treatment. The bill also provides that a second or subsequent conviction is a Class 6 felony. The bill further expands the mandatory reporting requirements for certain enumerated persons in their professional or official capacities to include certain offenses related to children and certain obscenity and related offenses and applies all such mandatory reporting requirements to all public and private school athletics program coaches, directors, and adult volunteers, including those associated with interscholastic teams and clubs. Under current law, the mandatory reporting requirements apply to such enumerated persons who suspect that a child is an abused or neglected child and to public or private sports organization or team athletic coaches, directors, or adult volunteers.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 22, 2026 Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

Criminal Subcommittee Substitute Senator Perry Substitute · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill amends Virginia's mandatory child abuse reporting laws to clarify that suspected sexual offenses against children are automatically included in the definition of abuse requiring a report. It also expands the list of mandatory reporters to include school athletics coaches and volunteers, while removing a specific exemption for hospital administrators. The penalties for failing to report are reorganized, and the estimated funding impact for juvenile justice commitment is adjusted to zero.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of mandatory reporting to explicitly include suspected violations of specific child sexual abuse statutes and extends the list of required reporters to include school athletics programs.
DEFINITION

Added a specific definition stating that suspected violations of child sexual abuse statutes (Sections 18.2-370 through 18.2-370.6 and 18.2-374.3) are automatically considered 'reason to suspect' abuse, ensuring these cases are reported.

ELIGIBILITY

Expanded the list of mandatory reporters to include athletic coaches, directors, and volunteers working with public or private sports organizations, teams, or school athletics programs.

Removed a clause that previously exempted hospital administrators and chief executive officers from the mandatory reporting requirement if they were informed of suspicions by other staff.

ENFORCEMENT

Reorganized the penalty structure for failing to report. The specific exemption for hospital settings regarding misdemeanor charges was removed and replaced with a general rule that failing to report in a hospital setting is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with subsequent violations becoming a Class 6 felony.

FISCAL

Changed the estimated fiscal impact for periods of commitment to the Department of Juvenile Justice from an unspecified amount to exactly $0.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 11, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 17, 2026

How they voted

390
Passed
Total votes 39
Mar 11, 2026
D Democratic20
20 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
52
Key actions
15
Committee
7
Amendments
2
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 845 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1414ER)
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with substitute (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reconsideration of Passed by for the day agreed to (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Mar 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with substitute (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (91-Y 5-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Delegate McQuinn Floor amendments agreed to
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Introduced
Floor offered Delegate McQuinn Amendments
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (19-Y 2-N)
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee offered
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Committee
Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Introduced
Presented and ordered printed 26105664D
lower
1 primary · 16 co-sponsors

Sponsors