Probationer; requiring fines, costs, restitution for damages, etc., failure to pay.
Summary
Requiring fines, costs, restitution for damages, support, or community services from probationer; failure to pay. Provides that a failure of the defendant to pay any fines or costs imposed on him at the time of being placed on probation as a condition of his probation shall not, by itself, be deemed a breach of such probation unless the court finds, after notice to the defendant and his counsel and a hearing, that the defendant has willfully refused to pay. The bill provides that in assessing such failure to pay, the court shall presume that a defendant who is indigent pursuant to relevant law, or who has been deemed indigent during the pendency of a criminal or traffic case, is unable to pay such fines and costs. The bill requires the court to order such defendant relief from any alleged breach of probation, absent any specific finding to the contrary.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 22, 2026
Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Engrossed
→
Enrolled
·
2 edits
·
Mar 12, 2026
MINOR
The bill was converted from an Engrossed version to an Enrolled version, which is the final legislative text ready for the Governor's signature. The substantive legal text remains largely the same, but the Enrolled version includes a critical clarification: if a court dismisses a probation breach due to a defendant's inability to pay, the outstanding fines and costs are not erased; they remain due and can still be collected through existing methods.
ENFORCEMENT
Clarified that dismissing a probation violation for inability to pay does not eliminate the debt; fines and costs remain due and collectible.
TECHNICAL
Removed editorial marks and formatting placeholders from the Engrossed version to create the clean, final Enrolled text.
Floor votes · Senate Feb 3, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026
How they voted
38–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 39
Feb 3, 2026
D
Democratic20
100% Yea
R
Republican19
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
32
Key actions
15
Committee
6
Amendments
5
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 953 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB776ER)
upper
Mar 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
House amendments agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House with amendments (99-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House with amendments (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by House as amended
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
committee amendments agreed to
lower
Mar 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (34-Y 6-N 0-A)
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to Block Vote
upper
Feb 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Feb 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (12-Y 3-N)
upper
Jan 22, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
upper
Jan 22, 2026
Introduced
Presented and ordered printed 26102472D
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Tammy Mulchi
RRepublican
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