Criminal Justice

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 662: Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties.

Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties. Adds the offenses of gift card theft, gift card forgery, gift card fraud, and criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained to the existing provisions of law related to credit cards. This bill is identical to SB 444.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offenses (theft, fraud) with penalties, expanding criminalization rather than advancing reform or protections.90% confidence

passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026

HB 294: Malicious bodily injury to correctional officers; penalties.

Malicious bodily injury to correctional officers; penalties. Provides that if any person maliciously causes bodily injury to another by any means, including the means set out in existing law, with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill, and knowing or having reason to know that such other person is a correctional officer, as defined in relevant law, engaged in the performance of his public duties as a correctional officer, such person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than five years nor more than 30 years and, subject to existing law, a fine of not more than $100,000; upon conviction, the sentence of such person shall include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of two years. The bill also provides that if any person unlawfully, but not maliciously, with the intent aforesaid, causes bodily injury to another by any means, knowing or having reason to know such other person is a correctional officer engaged in the performance of his public duties as a correctional officer, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony, and upon conviction, the sentence of such person shall include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases felony penalties for harming correctional officers, aligning with 'oppose' indicators of harsher sentencing and expanded criminalization.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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passed · Virginia · Senate Feb 27, 2026

SB 538: Parole; investigation prior to release, input from the attorney for the Commonwealth.

Parole; investigation prior to release; input from the attorney for the Commonwealth. Requires the Parole Board to notify the attorney for the Commonwealth in each jurisdiction in which an offense occurred for which a prisoner is incarcerated as part of the required investigation to determine if such prisoner will be released on parole. The bill further provides that the attorney for the Commonwealth may submit his input to the Board regarding the impact the release of the prisoner will have on the jurisdiction. The bill requires that any such input received shall be considered by the Board but shall not infringe on the Board's authority to exercise its decision-making authority.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRequires Parole Board to seek prosecutor input before release, potentially restricting parole eligibility and increasing incarceration duration, opposing reform efforts to reduce prison populations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 875: Kratom; manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing, penalties.

Manufacturing, selling, giving, distributing, or possessing with intent kratom; Virginia Consumer Protection Act; penalties. Provides that any person who knowingly manufactures, sells, gives, distributes, or possesses with the intent to manufacture, sell, give, or distribute kratom, when intended for human consumption, is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill defines kratom as any part of the leaf of the plant Mitragyna speciosa or any extract thereof. The bill also amends the existing provisions related to kratom in the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to prohibit selling or offering for sale (i) any kratom product to a person younger than 21 years of age or (ii) any kratom product intended for human consumption. Under current law, the Act prohibits selling or offering for sale (a) any kratom product to a person younger than 21 years of age or (b) any kratom product that does not include a label listing all ingredients and specific guidance about such product.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill criminalizes kratom possession/sale as misdemeanor, expanding criminalization without reform context.92% confidence

Track

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 444: Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties.

Offenses relating to gift cards; penalties. Adds the offenses of gift card theft, gift card forgery, gift card fraud, and criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained to the existing provisions of law related to credit cards. This bill is identical to HB 662.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new criminal offenses (theft, fraud) for gift cards, expanding criminalization beyond existing laws without reform elements.90% confidence

in committee · Virginia · Senate Jan 28, 2026

SB 145: Marijuana field test; testimony as to the results; consuming, etc., while in a motor vehicle.

Marijuana field test; testimony as to the results; consuming or possessing marijuana or marijuana products while in a motor vehicle or on public school grounds. Allows a law-enforcement officer to testify as to the results of any marijuana field test approved as accurate and reliable by the Department of Forensic Science regarding whether or not any plant material at issue is marijuana in a trial for a violation of using or consuming marijuana or marijuana products while in a motor vehicle being driven upon a public highway or consuming or possessing marijuana or marijuana products in or on public school grounds, provided the defendant has been given written notice of his right to request a full chemical analysis. Current law allows a law-enforcement officer to testify as to the results of a marijuana field test in a trial for underage possession or consumption of marijuana.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill facilitates prosecution for marijuana consumption in vehicles/schools by allowing field test testimony, expanding enforcement of existing laws rather than advancing reform.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026

HB 1070: Prior conviction; procedure for use as element of offense charged.

Procedure for use of prior conviction as element of offense charged. Establishes a procedure for using a defendant's prior conviction to prove an element of an offense charged or to enhance the punishment for the offense charged.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill establishes procedure to use prior convictions for enhanced sentencing, increasing penalties and reducing defendant rights per summary.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing

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signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 144: Assault and battery; adds district court temporary recall judge, penalty.

Assault and battery; district court temporary recall judge; penalty. Adds a judge of a district court under temporary recall to the definition of "judge" as it relates to the crime of assault and battery, which is a Class 1 misdemeanor that is enhanced to a Class 6 felony with a mandatory minimum term of confinement of six months if such judge is engaged in his public duties at the time of the offense. This bill is a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and is identical to HB 124.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeUpgrades assault on temporary recall judges to Class 6 felony with mandatory 6-month sentence, increasing severity of penalties per criminal justice indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Judges Sentencing

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 1159: Oral threat to kill or to do bodily harm; employees of local or state dept. of social serv. penalty.

Oral threat to kill or to do bodily harm; employees of local or state department of social services; penalty. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who orally makes a threat to kill or do bodily injury to any call-center contractor or employee of the Department of Social Services or a local department of social services, as those terms as defined in relevant law, who is engaged in the performance of his duties.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeCreates new misdemeanor for threats against social services staff, expanding criminalization without reform or accountability measures.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects social services employees from workplace threats, enhancing safety standards for workers as defined in Labor & Employment topic.95% confidence

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signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 778: Display of obscene material to a minor unlawful; penalty.

Display of obscene material to a minor unlawful; penalty. Makes it a Class 6 felony for any person 18 years of age or older to display obscene material, as defined in relevant law, to a minor younger than 13 years of age with lascivious intent. Current law only prohibits the display of child pornography or a grooming video or materials to a child younger than 13 years of age by a person 18 years of age or older.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeExpands criminalization by creating new felony for displaying obscene material to minors, increasing penalties beyond current child pornography laws.95% confidence