VA HB 775
Status unknownRemoval hearings; foster care, termination of parental rights, status as an Indian child, etc.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did VA HB 775 pass?
The current status of VA HB 775 is not known from the official record. Latest recorded action (2026-02-18): Left in Committee Appropriations
What is VA HB 775 about?
Removal hearings; foster care; termination of parental rights; status as an Indian child; reasonable efforts; definition; services to families. Adds a definition of reasonable efforts for the purposes of hearings relating to the foster care of and petitions for the termination of parental rights over those children who are not determined to be a member of a Virginia-recognized or federally recognized tribe. The bill further requires that, at a preliminary removal hearing, or as soon as possible thereafter, and prior to any adjudicatory hearing, the court shall make a finding as to whether diligent efforts have been made to determine whether the child is an Indian child as defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act or a member of, or eligible for membership in, a tribe recognized by the Commonwealth. Under the bill, any such children would receive the protections of the Indian Child Welfare Act, including the federal standard of active efforts. The bill further directs the Department of Social Services to promulgate new regulations defining types of abuse and neglect, specifying that in situations where neglect is the result of family poverty and there are no outside resources available to the family, the parent or caretaker shall not be determined to have neglected the child, but the local department of social services shall provide appropriate and timely services to the family.
Who sponsors VA HB 775?
Virgil Thornton is the primary sponsor of VA HB 775, joined by 3 cosponsors.
Description
Removal hearings; foster care; termination of parental rights; status as an Indian child; reasonable efforts; definition; services to families. Adds a definition of reasonable efforts for the purposes of hearings relating to the foster care of and petitions for the termination of parental rights over those children who are not determined to be a member of a Virginia-recognized or federally recognized tribe. The bill further requires that, at a preliminary removal hearing, or as soon as possible thereafter, and prior to any adjudicatory hearing, the court shall make a finding as to whether diligent efforts have been made to determine whether the child is an Indian child as defined in the Indian Child Welfare Act or a member of, or eligible for membership in, a tribe recognized by the Commonwealth. Under the bill, any such children would receive the protections of the Indian Child Welfare Act, including the federal standard of active efforts. The bill further directs the Department of Social Services to promulgate new regulations defining types of abuse and neglect, specifying that in situations where neglect is the result of family poverty and there are no outside resources available to the family, the parent or caretaker shall not be determined to have neglected the child, but the local department of social services shall provide appropriate and timely services to the family.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-13
- Latest action
- 2026-02-18 — Left in Committee Appropriations
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Virgil Thorntonprimary
- Sam Rasoulcosponsor
- Nadarius E. Clarkcosponsor
- Bonita G. Anthonycosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-02-18
Left in Committee Appropriations
2026-02-13
Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (7-Y 0-N)
2026-02-13
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB775)
2026-02-05
Assigned HAPP sub: Health & Human Resources
referral-committee
2026-02-04
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-04
Committee substitute printed 26106743D-H1
substitution
2026-02-02
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 1-N)
substitution
2026-01-26
Assigned HCJ sub: Civil
referral-committee
2026-01-13
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
referral-committee
2026-01-13
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104981D
filing,introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute
2026-02-02 · pass · 7-1
Member-level votes (10)
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: not voting
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: not voting
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: no
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute
2026-02-04 · pass · 22-0
Member-level votes (22)
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: yes
- Wren M. Williams: yes
- Will Davis: yes
- Madison Whittle: yes
- Justin Pence: yes
Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
2026-02-13 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: 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
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