Virginia 2018 Regular Session Status: In Committee

SB 895 — Punitive damages; raises cap from $350,000 to $500,000.

Last action — Left in Courts of Justice

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

This bill died with 2018 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Raises the punitive damages cap from $350,000 to $500,000 for any action accruing on or after July 1, 2018.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

19 added · 19 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to Bill SB 895 increase the cap on punitive damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice cases. The limit has been raised from $500,000 to $600,000 for actions occurring on or after July 1, 2018. This change matters because it allows for potentially higher compensation for victims seeking punitive damages, which can serve as a stronger deterrent against wrongful conduct by defendants.

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895 Offered January 19, 2018 A BILL to amend and reenact § 8.01-38.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to punitive damages cap.
895 Senate Amendments in [ ] -- January 29, 2018 A BILL to amend and reenact § 8.01-38.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to punitive damages cap.
---------- Patron-- Petersen ---------- Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice ---------- Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
---------- Patron Prior to Engrossment--Senator Petersen ---------- Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice ---------- Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
In any action accruing on or after July 1, 2018, including an action for medical malpractice under Chapter 21.1 (§ 8.01-581.1 et seq.), the total amount awarded for punitive damages against all defendants found to be liable shall be determined by the trier of fact and shall not exceed $600,000.
In any action accruing on or after July 1, 2018, including an action for medical malpractice under Chapter 21.1 (§ 8.01-581.1 et seq.), the total amount awarded for punitive damages against all defendants found to be liable shall be determined by the trier of fact and shall not exceed  [ $600,000 $500,000  ] .
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Action History

  1. Left in Courts of Justice

  2. Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #2

  3. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  4. Read first time

  5. Placed on Calendar

  6. Printed as engrossed 18105038D-E

  7. Engrossed by Senate as amended SB895E

  8. Committee amendment agreed to

  9. Reading of amendment waived

  10. Read second time

  11. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  12. Presented and ordered printed 18105038D

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.

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"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
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 SB 895 do?
Raises the punitive damages cap from $350,000 to $500,000 for any action accruing on or after July 1, 2018.
Who sponsors SB 895?
SB 895 is sponsored by Petersen, J. Chapman.
What is the current status of SB 895?
This bill died with 2018 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 895?
Track SB 895 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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