Bill Commons

VA HB 1421

enacted

Local and Regional Jails, State Board of; transferring administrative and supervisory authority.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 1421 pass?

Yes. VA HB 1421 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-13. Latest recorded action (2026-04-13): Approved by Governor-Chapter 847 (effective 7/1/2026)

What is VA HB 1421 about?

State Board of Local and Regional Jails; administrative and supervisory authority. Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to convene a work group to evaluate the feasibility of transferring the administrative and supervisory authority of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the State Board) from the Department of Corrections to another state agency or an independent oversight body. The bill requires the work group to submit its plan, recommended timeline, and any legislative proposals to the General Assembly by November 1, 2026.

Who sponsors VA HB 1421?

Karen Keys-Gamarra is the primary sponsor of VA HB 1421, joined by 4 cosponsors.

Description

State Board of Local and Regional Jails; administrative and supervisory authority. Directs the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to convene a work group to evaluate the feasibility of transferring the administrative and supervisory authority of the State Board of Local and Regional Jails (the State Board) from the Department of Corrections to another state agency or an independent oversight body. The bill requires the work group to submit its plan, recommended timeline, and any legislative proposals to the General Assembly by November 1, 2026.

Introduced
2026-01-22
Latest action
2026-04-13 — Approved by Governor-Chapter 847 (effective 7/1/2026)
Bill type
bill
Last updated

Sponsors

  • Karen Keys-Gamarraprimary
  • Charlie Schmidtcosponsor
  • Patrick A. Hopecosponsor
  • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.cosponsor
  • Bonita G. Anthonycosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-22

    Presented and ordered printed 26106026D

    introduction

  2. 2026-01-22

    Referred to Committee on Public Safety

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-02-10

    Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #2

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-02-10

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1421)

  5. 2026-02-12

    House subcommittee offered

  6. 2026-02-12

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N)

    substitution

  7. 2026-02-13

    Incorporates HB482 (Hope)

  8. 2026-02-13

    Reported from Public Safety with substitute (15-Y 5-N)

    committee-passage

  9. 2026-02-13

    Committee substitute printed 26107827D-H1

    substitution

  10. 2026-02-15

    Read first time

    reading-1

  11. 2026-02-16

    Read second time

    reading-2

  12. 2026-02-16

    committee substitute agreed to

    substitution

  13. 2026-02-16

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    substitution

  14. 2026-02-17

    Read third time and passed House (65-Y 31-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  15. 2026-02-18

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  16. 2026-02-18

    Referred to Committee on Rules

    referral-committee

  17. 2026-02-27

    Reported from Rules (11-Y 4-N)

    committee-passage

  18. 2026-03-02

    Rules suspended

  19. 2026-03-02

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  20. 2026-03-02

    Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  21. 2026-03-03

    Read third time

    reading-3

  22. 2026-03-03

    Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    passage

  23. 2026-03-10

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  24. 2026-03-10

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1421ER)

    passage

  25. 2026-03-10

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  26. 2026-03-10

    Signed by President

    passage

  27. 2026-03-11

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1421)

  28. 2026-03-14

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  29. 2026-03-14

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    executive-receipt

  30. 2026-04-13

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 847 (effective 7/1/2026)

    executive-signature

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

    2026-02-12 · pass · 5-2

    Member-level votes (7)
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Holly M. Seibold: yes
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Karen Hamilton: no
  • Reported from Public Safety with substitute

    2026-02-13 · pass · 15-5

    Member-level votes (22)
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Nadarius E. Clark: not voting
    • Dan I. Helmer: yes
    • Holly M. Seibold: not voting
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Tony O. Wilt: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Delores Oates: no
    • Eric Phillips: yes
    • Eric R. Zehr: no
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Karen Hamilton: no
  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-17 · pass · 64-31

    Member-level votes (99)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: no
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
    • 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: not voting
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: no
    • Karrie K. Delaney: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Margaret A. Franklin: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Timothy P. Griffin: no
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Karen Hamilton: no
    • 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: no
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: no
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • Barry D. Knight: not voting
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Marty Martinez: yes
    • John Chilton McAuliff: not voting
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
    • Joseph P. McNamara: not voting
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
    • James W. Morefield: no
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Delores Oates: no
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: no
    • Justin Pence: no
    • 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: no
    • Charlie Schmidt: yes
    • Don Scott: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • 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: no
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Virgil Thornton: yes
    • Luke E. Torian: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: yes
    • Wendell S. Walker: no
    • Jeion A. Ward: yes
    • R. Lee Ware: no
    • Vivian E. Watts: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Madison Whittle: no
    • Bill Wiley: no
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: no
    • Tony O. Wilt: no
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
    • Scott A. Wyatt: no
    • Eric R. Zehr: no
  • Reported from Rules

    2026-02-27 · pass · 11-4

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: no
    • Todd E. Pillion: no
    • Christie New Craig: no
    • David R. Suetterlein: no
  • Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)

    2026-03-02 · 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: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: yes
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: not voting
    • 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

    2026-03-03 · pass · 21-19

    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: no
    • Christie New Craig: no
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: no
    • J.D. "Danny" Diggs: no
    • Tara A. Durant: no
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Timmy French: no
    • T. Travis Hackworth: no
    • Christopher T. Head: no
    • Michael J. Jones: yes
    • Emily M. Jordan: no
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: no
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
    • Mark D. Obenshain: no
    • Mark J. Peake: no
    • Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: no
    • Bryce E. Reeves: no
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
    • Richard H. Stuart: no
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
    • David R. Suetterlein: no
    • 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 1421. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

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  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.