VA HB 1237
enactedCemeteries; maintenance of abandoned or neglected graveyards, owner unknown.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower
Quick answers
Did VA HB 1237 pass?
Yes. VA HB 1237 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-06. Latest recorded action (2026-04-06): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0278)
What is VA HB 1237 about?
Cemeteries; maintenance of abandoned or neglected graveyards; owner unknown. Permits the owner of adjacent land or an incorporated nonprofit entity to petition the circuit court for an exclusive license to maintain a graveyard that has been abandoned, is unused and neglected by the owner, and the owner of such graveyard is unknown, or cannot with reasonable diligence be found. The bill requires the petitioner to (i) demonstrate a good faith effort to identify and contact an owner of record of the graveyard and (ii) publish in a newspaper having general circulation in the locality in which the graveyard is located, once a week for two consecutive weeks, notice that a petition for a maintenance license has been filed. The bill allows a court to grant a petitioner an exclusive license for the maintenance of an abandoned graveyard not to exceed five years. Such petitioner may, by petition of the court, renew such license indefinitely. After the court grants a petitioner a license to maintain the property, the owner of such graveyard may petition the circuit court of the county or city in which the graveyard is located to terminate the license.
Who sponsors VA HB 1237?
Briana D. Sewell is the primary sponsor of VA HB 1237, joined by 5 cosponsors.
Description
Cemeteries; maintenance of abandoned or neglected graveyards; owner unknown. Permits the owner of adjacent land or an incorporated nonprofit entity to petition the circuit court for an exclusive license to maintain a graveyard that has been abandoned, is unused and neglected by the owner, and the owner of such graveyard is unknown, or cannot with reasonable diligence be found. The bill requires the petitioner to (i) demonstrate a good faith effort to identify and contact an owner of record of the graveyard and (ii) publish in a newspaper having general circulation in the locality in which the graveyard is located, once a week for two consecutive weeks, notice that a petition for a maintenance license has been filed. The bill allows a court to grant a petitioner an exclusive license for the maintenance of an abandoned graveyard not to exceed five years. Such petitioner may, by petition of the court, renew such license indefinitely. After the court grants a petitioner a license to maintain the property, the owner of such graveyard may petition the circuit court of the county or city in which the graveyard is located to terminate the license.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-14
- Latest action
- 2026-04-06 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0278)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Briana D. Sewellprimary
- Jackie H. Glasscosponsor
- Nadarius E. Clarkcosponsor
- Luke E. Toriancosponsor
- Michelle Lopes Maldonadocosponsor
- Gretchen M. Bulovacosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2026-01-14
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102487D
filing,introduction
2026-01-14
Referred to Committee on General Laws
referral-committee
2026-01-26
Assigned HGL sub: ABC/Gaming
referral-committee
2026-01-27
Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)
2026-01-29
Reported from General Laws (21-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-02
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-03
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1237)
2026-02-03
Read second time and engrossed
reading-2
2026-02-04
Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage
2026-02-04
Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House
2026-02-04
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 1-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-05
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-05
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
referral-committee
2026-03-04
Reported from General Laws and Technology (15-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-03-06
Rules suspended
2026-03-06
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-06
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-09
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-09
Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-14
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-14
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1237ER)
passage
2026-03-14
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-14
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-16
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1237)
2026-03-25
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-25
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-04-06
Approved by Governor-Chapter 278 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
2026-04-06
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0278)
Versions
Documents
Votes
Subcommittee recommends reporting
2026-01-27 · pass · 9-0
Member-level votes (10)
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- James W. Morefield: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
Reported from General Laws
2026-01-29 · pass · 21-0
Member-level votes (22)
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- James W. Morefield: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- Bill Wiley: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
H VOTE:
2026-02-04 · pass · 97-1
Member-level votes (100)
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: yes
- Nadarius E. Clark: yes
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: not voting
- Mitchell Cornett: yes
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Will Davis: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Margaret A. Franklin: yes
- Debra D. Gardner: yes
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: yes
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Timothy P. Griffin: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Karen Hamilton: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: yes
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
- Joseph P. McNamara: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: yes
- May Nivar: yes
- Delores Oates: yes
- Israel D. O'Quinn: yes
- Justin Pence: yes
- Eric Phillips: yes
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Sam Rasoul: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Chris S. Runion: yes
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Don Scott: yes
- Phillip A. Scott: yes
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Irene Shin: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- JJ Singh: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes
- Wendell S. Walker: yes
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- R. Lee Ware: yes
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Michael J. Webert: yes
- Madison Whittle: yes
- Bill Wiley: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Wren M. Williams: yes
- Tony O. Wilt: yes
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: yes
- Scott A. Wyatt: yes
- Eric R. Zehr: no
Reported from General Laws and Technology
2026-03-04 · pass · 15-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)
2026-03-06 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: not voting
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Passage R
2026-03-09 · pass · 40-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
Use this data
Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=VA&identifier=HB 1237. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.
Known limitations
- Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
- Committee referrals are not yet captured.
See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.