Virginia 2026 Session Status: Introduced

HB852 — Indigent defendant; abolition of fees, legal representation, jury trial costs, report.

Last action — Continued from last session

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

This bill has been introduced in the House of Delegates. Introduced January 13, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Stalled 26% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • Introduced

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 7 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

This bill eliminates fees for legal representation and jury trial costs for indigent defendants.

The bill aims to abolish fees associated with legal representation and jury trials for individuals who cannot afford them. It focuses on reducing financial barriers in the legal system for indigent defendants.

What this means for you
  • Workers: If you are a worker facing financial hardships, this legislation could help you access legal representation without incurring additional costs.

Summary

Indigent defendant; abolition of fees, legal representation, jury trial costs, report.

Bill Text

We don't have the full text on file for this bill yet.

Read HB852 on the official Virginia source →

Action History

  1. S Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  2. S Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

  3. S Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)

  4. H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB852)

  5. S Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  6. S Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  7. H Read third time and passed House (60-Y 35-N 0-A)

  8. H Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  9. H committee substitute agreed to

  10. H Read second time

  11. H Read first time

  12. H Committee substitute printed 26107499D-H1

  13. H Reported from Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 7-N)

  14. H Placed on Appropriations Agenda

  15. H House subcommittee offered

  16. H Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 1-N)

  17. H Placed on Appropriations Agenda

  18. H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB852)

  19. H Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay

  20. H Referred to Committee on Appropriations

  21. H Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)

  22. H Placed on Courts of Justice Agenda

  23. H Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)

  24. H Placed on Courts of Justice Agenda

  25. H Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

  26. H Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  27. H Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104806D

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 147 not signed on · 40 voted No

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

Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Passed 9 Yea · 5 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 9501
Total 9501
% of votes cast 60%33%0%7%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Barbara A. Favola — Yea
Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr. — Nay
Jennifer B. Boysko — Yea
Jennifer D. Carroll Foy — Yea
Kannan Srinivasan — Yea
Mark D. Obenshain — Nay
Mark J. Peake — Nay
Michael J. Jones — Yea
R. Creigh Deeds — Yea
Richard H. Stuart — Not Voting
Russet Perry — Yea
Ryan T. McDougle — Nay
Saddam Azlan Salim — Yea
Scott A. Surovell — Yea
William M. Stanley, Jr. — Nay

Official roll call →

Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations

Passed 7 Yea · 3 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 7301
Total 7301
% of votes cast 64%27%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Charlie Schmidt — Yea
Karrie K. Delaney — Yea
Katrina Callsen — Yea
Leslie Chambers Mehta — Yea
Madison Whittle — Nay
Patrick A. Hope — Not Voting
Phil M. Hernandez — Yea
Rae Cousins — Yea
Vivian E. Watts — Yea
Will Davis — Nay
Wren M. Williams — Nay

Official roll call →

Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations

Passed 14 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 14001
Total 14001
% of votes cast 93%0%0%7%
How each member voted (15)
Member Party Vote
Aaron R. Rouse — Yea
Barbara A. Favola — Yea
Bryce E. Reeves — Yea
Jennifer B. Boysko — Yea
Jeremy S. McPike — Yea
L. Louise Lucas — Yea
Lamont Bagby — Not Voting
Lashrecse D. Aird — Yea
Mamie E. Locke — Yea
Mark D. Obenshain — Yea
R. Creigh Deeds — Yea
Richard H. Stuart — Yea
Ryan T. McDougle — Yea
Scott A. Surovell — Yea
Todd E. Pillion — Yea

Official roll call →

Read third time and passed House

Passed 60 Yea · 35 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 603505
Total 603505
% of votes cast 60%35%0%5%
How each member voted (100)
Member Party Vote
Adele Y. McClure — Yea
Alex Q. Askew — Yea
Alfonso H. Lopez — Yea
Amy J. Laufer — Yea
Anne Ferrell Tata — Nay
Atoosa R. Reaser — Yea
Barry D. Knight — Not Voting
Betsy B. Carr — Yea
Bill Wiley — Nay
Bonita G. Anthony — Yea
Briana D. Sewell — Yea
C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr. — Yea
Charlie Schmidt — Yea
Charniele L. Herring — Yea
Chris S. Runion — Nay
Dan I. Helmer — Yea
David A. Reid — Yea
Debra D. Gardner — Yea
Delores L. McQuinn — Yea
Delores Oates — Nay
Destiny LeVere Bolling — Yea
Don Scott — Yea
Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker — Yea
Elizabeth R. Guzman — Yea
Ellen H. McLaughlin — Nay
Eric Phillips — Nay
Eric R. Zehr — Nay
Garrett McGuire — Yea
Gretchen M. Bulova — Yea
H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr. — Nay
Hillary Pugh Kent — Nay
Holly M. Seibold — Not Voting
Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr. — Nay
Irene Shin — Yea
Israel D. O'Quinn — Nay
JJ Singh — Yea
Jackie H. Glass — Yea
James A. "Jay" Leftwich — Nay
James W. Morefield — Nay
Jason S. Ballard — Nay
Jeion A. Ward — Yea
Jessica L. Anderson — Not Voting
John Chilton McAuliff — Yea
Joseph P. McNamara — Nay
Joshua E. Thomas — Yea
Joshua G. Cole — Yea
Justin Pence — Nay
Karen Hamilton — Nay
Karen Keys-Gamarra — Yea
Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie — Yea
Karrie K. Delaney — Yea
Kathy K.L. Tran — Yea
Katrina Callsen — Yea
Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler — Not Voting
Kimberly Pope Adams — Yea
Laura Jane Cohen — Yea
Leslie Chambers Mehta — Yea
Lily V. Franklin — Yea
Lindsey Dougherty — Yea
Luke E. Torian — Yea
M. Keith Hodges — Nay
Madison Whittle — Nay
Marcia S. "Cia" Price — Yea
Marcus B. Simon — Yea
Margaret A. Franklin — Yea
Mark C. Downey — Yea
Marty Martinez — Yea
May Nivar — Yea
Michael B. Feggans — Yea
Michael J. Webert — Nay
Michelle Lopes Maldonado — Yea
Mike A. Cherry — Nay
Mitchell Cornett — Nay
Nadarius E. Clark — Not Voting
Nicole Cole — Yea
Patrick A. Hope — Yea
Paul E. Krizek — Yea
Phil M. Hernandez — Yea
Phillip A. Scott — Nay
R. Lee Ware — Nay
Rae Cousins — Yea
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Yea
Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — Nay
Rodney T. Willett — Yea
Rozia A. Henson, Jr. — Yea
Sam Rasoul — Yea
Scott A. Wyatt — Nay
Shelly A. Simonds — Yea
Stacey Annie Carroll — Yea
Terry G. Kilgore — Nay
Terry L. Austin — Nay
Thomas A. Garrett, Jr. — Nay
Thomas C. Wright, Jr. — Nay
Timothy P. Griffin — Nay
Tony O. Wilt — Nay
Virgil Thornton — Yea
Vivian E. Watts — Yea
Wendell S. Walker — Nay
Will Davis — Nay
Wren M. Williams — Nay

Official roll call →

Reported from Appropriations with substitute

Passed 15 Yea · 7 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 15700
Total 15700
% of votes cast 68%32%0%0%
How each member voted (22)
Member Party Vote
Alex Q. Askew — Yea
Amy J. Laufer — Yea
Betsy B. Carr — Yea
Bill Wiley — Nay
Briana D. Sewell — Yea
C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr. — Yea
Charniele L. Herring — Yea
David A. Reid — Yea
Delores L. McQuinn — Yea
Ellen H. McLaughlin — Nay
James W. Morefield — Nay
Joshua E. Thomas — Yea
Kathy K.L. Tran — Yea
Luke E. Torian — Yea
M. Keith Hodges — Nay
Marcia S. "Cia" Price — Yea
Paul E. Krizek — Yea
Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — Nay
Rodney T. Willett — Yea
Scott A. Wyatt — Nay
Shelly A. Simonds — Yea
Terry L. Austin — Nay

Official roll call →

Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations

Passed 15 Yea · 7 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 15700
Total 15700
% of votes cast 68%32%0%0%
How each member voted (22)
Member Party Vote
Atoosa R. Reaser — Yea
Charlie Schmidt — Yea
James A. "Jay" Leftwich — Nay
Jason S. Ballard — Nay
Justin Pence — Nay
Karen Keys-Gamarra — Yea
Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie — Yea
Karrie K. Delaney — Yea
Katrina Callsen — Yea
Leslie Chambers Mehta — Yea
Madison Whittle — Nay
Marcus B. Simon — Yea
Michelle Lopes Maldonado — Yea
Patrick A. Hope — Yea
Phil M. Hernandez — Yea
Rae Cousins — Yea
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Yea
Terry G. Kilgore — Nay
Virgil Thornton — Yea
Vivian E. Watts — Yea
Will Davis — Nay
Wren M. Williams — Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights education
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

What does HB852 do?
Indigent defendant; abolition of fees, legal representation, jury trial costs, report.
Who sponsors HB852?
HB852 is sponsored by Rae Cousins.
What is the current status of HB852?
This bill has been introduced in the House of Delegates. Introduced January 13, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB852?
Track HB852 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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