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APPROVED BY THE HOUSE AND SENATE, SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR

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HB 901 Interlocutory ruling, order, or action; motion to reconsider.
Introduced by: Kannan Srinivasan [D]

Clarifies that no litigant, after making an objection or motion known to the court, shall be required to move for reconsideration to preserve his right to appeal a ruling, order, or action of the court, even if such ruling, order, or action is without prejudice to a motion to reconsider. This bill is a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference.01/09/24  House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/19/24  House: Assigned Courts sub: Civil

01/22/24  House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)

01/26/24  House: Reported from Courts of Justice (21-Y 0-N)
02/01/24  House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)

02/02/24  Senate: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

02/14/24  Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N)
02/19/24  Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)

02/22/24  House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB901ER)

02/22/24  House: Signed by Speaker
02/25/24  Senate: Signed by President
03/01/24  House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 1, 2024
03/01/24  Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 8, 2024

03/08/24  Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 57 (effective 7/1/24)

Go to bill here.

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VETOED

SB 334 Plea agreements and court orders; prohibited provisions.
Introduced by: Saddam Azlan Salim [D]

Prohibits plea agreements and court orders executed or entered on or after July 1, 2024 from containing any provision that purports to waive, release, or extinguish a defendant's (i) rights under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution of Virginia; (ii) right to file a petition requesting expungement of the police records and the court records; or (iii) right to have criminal history record information and court records sealed. The bill provides that any such prohibited provision of a plea agreement is void and unenforceable as against public policy. The bill provides that such prohibition does not apply to any plea agreements, written agreements, or court orders entered into by a defendant and the Commonwealth (i) as a condition for participation in a specialty docket or (ii) in a case involving a sexual offense where the victim is under 18 years of age. The bill further provides that any waiver, release, or extinguishment of rights under the Fourth Amendment permissible by law shall be no longer than the period of supervised probation or post-release supervision imposed against the defendant; if the defendant is not placed on supervised probation or post-release supervision, it shall be no longer than the period of suspension of sentence or post-release incarceration imposed against such defendant.

01/10/24  Senate: Moved from Judiciary to Courts of Justice due to a change of the committee name

02/12/24  Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (6-Y 4-N)
02/13/24  Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 24107679D-S1
02/13/24  Senate: Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N)
02/16/24  House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

02/21/24  House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N)

02/23/24  House: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (11-Y 10-N)
02/28/24  House: Committee substitute agreed to 24108134D-H1
02/28/24  House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB334H1
02/28/24  House: Passed House with substitute (51-Y 49-N)
02/28/24  House: VOTE: Passage (51-Y 49-N)
03/01/24  Senate: House substitute agreed to by Senate (21-Y 19-N)
03/01/24  Senate: Title replaced 24108134D-H1
03/06/24  Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB334ER)
03/06/24  House: Signed by Speaker
03/07/24  Senate: Signed by President

03/11/24  Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2024
03/11/24  Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 8, 2024

03/20/24  Governor: Vetoed by Governor

Go to bill here.

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                                                                                                                                FAILED

HB 418 Civil actions filed on behalf of multiple persons.
Introduced by: Marcus B. Simon [D]
Provides that one or more members of a class may, as representative parties on behalf of all members, bring a civil action or may be proceeded against in a civil action, provided that (i) the class is so numerous that joinder of all members or proceeding with such actions on an individual basis is impracticable or contrary to judicial economy; (ii) there are questions of law or fact common to the class; (iii) the claims or defenses of the representative parties are typical of the claims or defenses of the class; and (iv) the representative parties shall fairly and adequately protect the interests of the class. The bill further sets out the procedure to certify a class action, the duties of counsel appointed in a class action, the various orders a court may issue during the course of a class action, and the process by which a settlement, voluntary dismissal, or compromise may occur. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2025, and is identical to SB 259..
01/08/24  House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

01/23/24  House: Assigned Courts sub: Civil

01/24/24  House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N)
01/24/24  House: Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations
01/26/24  House: Assigned App. sub: General Government and Capital Outlay
01/26/24  House: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (11-Y 10-N)
01/26/24  House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
01/29/24  House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 3-N)

02/05/24  House: Reported from Appropriations (12-Y 9-N)

02/08/24  House: Committee substitute agreed to 24106134D-H1
02/08/24  House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB418H1

02/08/24  House: Committee substitute agreed to 24106134D-H1
02/09/24  House: VOTE: Passage (50-Y 46-N)
02/12/24  Senate: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
02/14/24  Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (7-Y 6-N)
02/19/24  Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 24107726D-S1
02/19/24  Senate: Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 18-N)

02/21/24  House: VOTE: Adoption (51-Y 49-N)

02/21/24  House: VOTE: Adoption (51-Y 49-N)
02/27/24  House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB418ER)
02/27/24  House: Signed by Speaker
03/01/24  Senate: Signed by President

03/11/24  House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2024
03/11/24  Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 8, 2024

03/14/24  Governor: Vetoed by Governor

Go to bill here.

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CONTINUED TO 2025

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HB 556 Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; membership; training requirements; Commission staff; JLARC.
Introduced by: Patrick A. Hope [D]

Increases the membership of the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission (the Commission) from seven to nine members and reduces from 15 to 10 years the legal practice requirement of any member of the Commission. The bill further provides for staggered term as of the members of the Commission. The bill requires that members of the Commission complete a certain amount of education on judicial misconduct and correcting implicit bias.

The bill further directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to, by November 30, 2025, (i) review (a) procedures for reviewing complaints received and adjudicating complaints, (b) processes for determining whether to conduct informal or formal hearings, and (c) any informal or established rules used to determine disciplinary action imposed on a judge or justice and provide recommendations as to the codification and publication of any such procedures, processes, or rules; (ii) research sanctions not currently used in the Commonwealth, including suspension without pay, mandatory recusal from certain cases, and payment of costs and fees associated with investigations and whether such sanctions are used in other states and their efficacy; (iii) provide recommendations on establishing a conflict of interest policy and code of conduct for the Commission and its staff; and (iv) study the potential benefits of combining the Judicial Performance Evaluation program with the tasks of the Commission.

01/09/24  House: Referred to Committee on Rules

01/25/24  House: Assigned Rules sub: Studies Subcommittee
01/29/24  House: Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2025 by voice vote
02/01/24  House: Continued to 2025 in Rules by voice vote

Go to bill here.

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SB 197 Attorney General; instituting or conducting criminal prosecutions.
Introduced by: J.D. "Danny" Diggs [R]
Attorney General; instituting or conducting criminal prosecutions for violations of criminal sexual assault and commercial sex trafficking committed against children. Authorizes the Attorney General to institute or conduct criminal prosecutions in cases involving a violation of criminal sexual assault or commercial sex trafficking when such crimes are committed against children.
01/08/24  Senate: Referred to Committee on the Judiciary

01/10/24  Senate: Moved from Judiciary to Courts of Justice due to a change of the committee name
01/15/24  Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (9-Y 6-N)
01/15/24  Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

01/15/24  Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (9-Y 6-N)
01/15/24  Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

02/07/24  Senate: Continued to 2025 in Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)

Go to bill here.

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