Virginia 2023 Regular Session Status: Enacted

HB 1844 — Virginia Public Records Act; confidentiality of certain archived records.

Last action — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0126)

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House of Delegates
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 10, 2023. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin (Republican) on March 21, 2023.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 38% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Failed a recorded vote

    Failed 6 recorded votes so far — a real headwind.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

18 added · 20 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to HB 1844 clarify how certain archived records in Virginia are treated regarding public access and confidentiality. Specifically, it reinforces that records which are confidential by law remain protected and outlines that records at The Library of Virginia become publicly accessible after 75 years. The measure also ensures that sealed records ordered by a court will not be opened unless there is a specific court petition for those sealed before 1901. These updates are important because they strengthen the protection of sensitive information while still allowing access to historical records after a significant period.

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SESSION ENROLLED VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY –– CHAPTER E An Act to amend and reenact § 42.1-78 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Public Records Act;
VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY -- 2023 SESSION CHAPTER 126 An Act to amend and reenact § 42.1-78 of the Code of Virginia, relating to the Virginia Public Records Act;
R [H 1844] O Approved L L 1.
[H 1844] Approved March 21, 2023 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
E § 42.1-78.
§ 42.1-78.
Records that by law are required to be chapter.
Records that by law are required to be closed to the public shall not be deemed to be made open to the public under the provisions of this chapter.
No provision of this chapter shall be construed to authorize or require the opening of any records ordered to be sealed by a sealed prior to January 1, 1901.
No provision of this chapter shall be construed to authorize or require the opening of any records ordered to be sealed by a court;
however, upon a petition filed with the clerk, a judge may enter an order releasing any record sealed prior to January 1, 1901.
All records deposited in the archives that are not maHe confidential by law shall be open to public access.
All records deposited in the archives that are not made confidential by law shall be open to public access.
1 E R
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Action History

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0126)

  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 126 (effective 7/1/23)

  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 27, 2023

  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 2, 2023

  5. Impact statement from DPB (HB1844ER)

  6. Signed by President

  7. Signed by Speaker

  8. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1844ER)

  9. Enrolled

  10. Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)

  11. Read third time

  12. Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)

  13. Reported from General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)

  14. Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

  15. Constitutional reading dispensed

  16. VOTE: Passage (66-Y 34-N)

  17. Read third time and passed House (66-Y 34-N)

  18. Passed by temporarily

  19. Read second time and engrossed

  20. Read first time

  21. Reported from General Laws (15-Y 7-N)

  22. Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 1-N)

  23. Assigned GL sub: Subcommittee #4

  24. Impact statement from DPB (HB1844)

  25. Referred to Committee on General Laws

  26. Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/23 23101170D

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 147 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (147)

147 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 147 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

civil-rights elections
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 1844?
HB 1844 is sponsored by Taylor, Kim A..
What is the current status of HB 1844?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 10, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 1844?
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