Bill Commons

VA HB 281

vetoed

Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; defense to action for possessions for nonpayment of rent.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 281 pass?

No. VA HB 281 passed the legislature but was vetoed on 2026-04-11. Latest recorded action (2026-04-11): Governor's recommendation received by House

What is VA HB 281 about?

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; noncompliance as defense to action for possession for nonpayment of rent. Removes the provision requiring that a tenant in possession of a dwelling unit, prior to asserting a defense against an action for rent or possession, pay into court the amount of rent found by the court to be due and unpaid and for such amount to be held by the court pending the issuance of an order. The bill also limits the discretion of the court in actions for possession based upon nonpayment of rent and actions for rent by a landlord when the tenant is in possession of a dwelling unit. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Who sponsors VA HB 281?

Katrina Callsen is the primary sponsor of VA HB 281, joined by 3 cosponsors.

Description

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; noncompliance as defense to action for possession for nonpayment of rent. Removes the provision requiring that a tenant in possession of a dwelling unit, prior to asserting a defense against an action for rent or possession, pay into court the amount of rent found by the court to be due and unpaid and for such amount to be held by the court pending the issuance of an order. The bill also limits the discretion of the court in actions for possession based upon nonpayment of rent and actions for rent by a landlord when the tenant is in possession of a dwelling unit. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Introduced
2026-01-09
Latest action
2026-04-11 — Governor's recommendation received by House
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Katrina Callsenprimary
  • Marty Martinezcosponsor
  • Jackie H. Glasscosponsor
  • Adele Y. McClurecosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-09

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101499D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-09

    Referred to Committee on General Laws

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-23

    Assigned HGL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-01-23

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB281)

  5. 2026-01-29

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N)

  6. 2026-02-03

    House committee offered

  7. 2026-02-03

    Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (15-Y 6-N)

    committee-passage

  8. 2026-02-05

    Read first time

    reading-1

  9. 2026-02-06

    Read second time

    reading-2

  10. 2026-02-06

    committee amendment agreed to

    amendment-passage

  11. 2026-02-06

    Engrossed by House as amended

  12. 2026-02-08

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB281)

  13. 2026-02-09

    Read third time and passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  14. 2026-02-10

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  15. 2026-02-10

    Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

    referral-committee

  16. 2026-02-25

    Assigned GL&T sub: Housing

    referral-committee

  17. 2026-03-03

    Senate committee offered

  18. 2026-03-04

    Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (9-Y 6-N)

    committee-passage

  19. 2026-03-06

    Rules suspended

  20. 2026-03-06

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

  21. 2026-03-06

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  22. 2026-03-09

    Passed by for the day

  23. 2026-03-10

    Read third time

    reading-3

  24. 2026-03-10

    Passed by for the day

  25. 2026-03-11

    General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed to

    amendment-passage

  26. 2026-03-11

    Engrossed by Senate as amended

  27. 2026-03-11

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

    passage

  28. 2026-03-11

    Read third time

    reading-3

  29. 2026-03-12

    Senate amendment agreed to by House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)

    amendment-passage

  30. 2026-03-30

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  31. 2026-03-30

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB281ER)

    passage

  32. 2026-03-30

    Signed by President

    passage

  33. 2026-03-31

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  34. 2026-03-31

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  35. 2026-03-31

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

    executive-receipt

  36. 2026-04-01

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB281)

  37. 2026-04-11

    Governor's recommendation received by House

    executive-veto-line-item

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting

    2026-01-29 · pass · 7-3

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Phil M. Hernandez: yes
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: no
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
    • Bill Wiley: no

  • Reported from General Laws with amendment(s)

    2026-02-03 · pass · 15-6

    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: no
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
    • Terry L. Austin: no
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
    • Bill Wiley: no
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: no

  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-09 · pass · 64-34

    Member-level votes (100)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: no
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: not voting
    • 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: no
    • Nadarius E. Clark: yes
    • 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: yes
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
    • Joseph P. McNamara: no
    • 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: no
    • 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: 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.: no
    • 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 General Laws and Technology with amendment

    2026-03-04 · pass · 9-6

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: no
    • Todd E. Pillion: no
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Christopher T. Head: no
    • Emily M. Jordan: no
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: yes
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Timmy French: no
    • Christie New Craig: no
    • 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

    2026-03-11 · 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

  • H VOTE:

    2026-03-12 · pass · 63-35

    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: no
    • 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
    • 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: yes
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
    • Joseph P. McNamara: no
    • Kirk McPike: yes
    • 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: no
    • 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.: no
    • 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

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB281

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changesStatus and relationship changes

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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 281. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

Known limitations

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  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

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