Bill Commons

VA HB 872

vetoed

Portable electronic devices; possession in district or circuit court, policies set by chief judge.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 872 pass?

No. VA HB 872 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 872 about?

Possession of portable electronic device in district or circuit court. Requires the chief judge of each general district court, juvenile and domestic relations district court, and circuit court to set a policy regarding the use and possession of portable electronic devices by visitors to the court. The bill authorizes such chief judge to condition the use and possession of portable electronic devices upon certain limitations. The bill also requires that any such policy be conspicuously posted at the entrance of the courthouse and available on the Virginia Judicial System's website, the district or circuit court's individual website, or a local government website that also has information about such district or circuit court.

Who sponsors VA HB 872?

Rae Cousins is the primary sponsor of VA HB 872, joined by 4 cosponsors.

Description

Possession of portable electronic device in district or circuit court. Requires the chief judge of each general district court, juvenile and domestic relations district court, and circuit court to set a policy regarding the use and possession of portable electronic devices by visitors to the court. The bill authorizes such chief judge to condition the use and possession of portable electronic devices upon certain limitations. The bill also requires that any such policy be conspicuously posted at the entrance of the courthouse and available on the Virginia Judicial System's website, the district or circuit court's individual website, or a local government website that also has information about such district or circuit court.

Introduced
2026-01-13
Latest action
2026-04-11 — Governor's recommendation received by House
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Rae Cousinsprimary
  • Lamont Bagbycosponsor
  • R. Lee Warecosponsor
  • Marcia S. "Cia" Pricecosponsor
  • Marty Martinezcosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-13

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103145D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-13

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-29

    Assigned HCJ sub: Civil

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-02-02

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB872)

  5. 2026-02-02

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 1-N)

    substitution

  6. 2026-02-04

    Committee substitute printed 26106903D-H1

    substitution

  7. 2026-02-04

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N)

    committee-passage

  8. 2026-02-06

    Read first time

    reading-1

  9. 2026-02-09

    Read second time

    reading-2

  10. 2026-02-09

    committee substitute agreed to

    substitution

  11. 2026-02-09

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    substitution

  12. 2026-02-10

    Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  13. 2026-02-11

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  14. 2026-02-11

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

    referral-committee

  15. 2026-02-23

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB872)

  16. 2026-02-25

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 6-N)

    committee-passage

  17. 2026-02-25

    Senate committee offered

  18. 2026-02-27

    Rules suspended

  19. 2026-02-27

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

  20. 2026-02-27

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  21. 2026-02-27

    Committee substitute printed 26108387D-S1

    substitution

  22. 2026-03-02

    Read third time

    reading-3

  23. 2026-03-02

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB872)

  24. 2026-03-02

    Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

  25. 2026-03-02

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    substitution

  26. 2026-03-02

    Passed Senate with substitute (23-Y 17-N 0-A)

    passage

  27. 2026-03-04

    Senate substitute agreed to by House (88-Y 6-N 0-A)

    substitution

  28. 2026-03-11

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  29. 2026-03-11

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB872ER)

    passage

  30. 2026-03-11

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB872)

  31. 2026-03-11

    Signed by President

    passage

  32. 2026-03-12

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  33. 2026-03-14

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  34. 2026-03-14

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

    executive-receipt

  35. 2026-04-11

    Governor's recommendation received by House

    executive-veto-line-item

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

    2026-02-02 · pass · 9-1

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Virgil Thornton: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: yes

  • 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

  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-10 · pass · 98-0

    Member-level votes (100)
    • 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
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: yes
    • Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: not voting
    • 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: yes
    • 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
    • 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: 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

  • Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute

    2026-02-25 · pass · 9-6

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: no
    • Ryan T. McDougle: no
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: no
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: no
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
    • Kannan Srinivasan: yes
    • Michael J. Jones: yes

  • Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)

    2026-02-27 · pass · 37-0

    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: not voting
    • 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: not voting
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Danica A. Roem: not voting
    • 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

    2026-03-02 · pass · 23-17

    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: yes
    • 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: yes
    • 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:

    2026-03-04 · pass · 88-6

    Member-level votes (99)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: yes
    • Jason S. Ballard: 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: not voting
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: yes
    • Karrie K. Delaney: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: not voting
    • 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.: not voting
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Timothy P. Griffin: yes
    • 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: yes
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: yes
    • 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
    • Kirk McPike: 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: not voting
    • 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: 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: no
    • Vivian E. Watts: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Madison Whittle: no
    • Bill Wiley: yes
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: yes
    • Tony O. Wilt: yes
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: not voting
    • Scott A. Wyatt: yes
    • Eric R. Zehr: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB872

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 872. 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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