Bill Commons

VA HB 942

enacted

Custody and visitation of a child; possession or consumption of authorized substances.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 942 pass?

Yes. VA HB 942 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-13. Latest recorded action (2026-04-13): Approved by Governor-Chapter 711 (effective 7/1/2026)

What is VA HB 942 about?

Custody and visitation; possession or consumption of authorized substances. Provides that no person shall be denied custody or visitation of a child, based only on the fact that the child's parent or other person responsible for his care, or the person petitioning for custody or visitation of the child, possessed or consumed legally authorized substances. The bill directs the Board of Social Services to amend its regulations, guidance documents, and other instructional materials to ensure that such regulations, documents, and materials comply with, and that investigations and family assessments are conducted by local departments of social services in accordance with, the provisions of the bill.

Who sponsors VA HB 942?

Nadarius E. Clark is the primary sponsor of VA HB 942, joined by 1 cosponsor.

Description

Custody and visitation; possession or consumption of authorized substances. Provides that no person shall be denied custody or visitation of a child, based only on the fact that the child's parent or other person responsible for his care, or the person petitioning for custody or visitation of the child, possessed or consumed legally authorized substances. The bill directs the Board of Social Services to amend its regulations, guidance documents, and other instructional materials to ensure that such regulations, documents, and materials comply with, and that investigations and family assessments are conducted by local departments of social services in accordance with, the provisions of the bill.

Introduced
2026-01-13
Latest action
2026-04-13 — Approved by Governor-Chapter 711 (effective 7/1/2026)
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Nadarius E. Clarkprimary
  • Virgil Thorntoncosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-13

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101866D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-13

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-26

    Assigned HCJ sub: Civil

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-01-28

    House subcommittee offered

  5. 2026-01-28

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 3-N)

  6. 2026-02-04

    Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N)

    committee-passage

  7. 2026-02-06

    Read first time

    reading-1

  8. 2026-02-09

    Read second time

    reading-2

  9. 2026-02-09

    committee amendment agreed to

    amendment-passage

  10. 2026-02-09

    Engrossed by House as amended

  11. 2026-02-09

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB942)

  12. 2026-02-10

    Read third time and passed House (62-Y 36-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. 2026-02-17

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB942)

  16. 2026-03-02

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (8-Y 6-N 1-A)

    committee-passage

  17. 2026-03-03

    Committee substitute printed 26108970D-S1

    substitution

  18. 2026-03-03

    Rules suspended

  19. 2026-03-03

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  20. 2026-03-03

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  21. 2026-03-04

    Read third time

    reading-3

  22. 2026-03-04

    Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

  23. 2026-03-04

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    substitution

  24. 2026-03-04

    Passed Senate with substitute (22-Y 17-N 0-A)

    passage

  25. 2026-03-04

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB942)

  26. 2026-03-06

    Senate substitute agreed to by House (62-Y 34-N 0-A)

    substitution

  27. 2026-03-13

    Enrolled

    enrolled

  28. 2026-03-13

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB942ER)

    passage

  29. 2026-03-13

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB942)

  30. 2026-03-13

    Signed by Speaker

    passage

  31. 2026-03-13

    Signed by President

    passage

  32. 2026-03-14

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    enrolled,executive-receipt

  33. 2026-03-14

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

    executive-receipt

  34. 2026-04-13

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 711 (effective 7/1/2026)

    executive-signature

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)

    2026-01-28 · pass · 5-3

    Member-level votes (10)
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: not voting
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Virgil Thornton: not voting
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
    • Jason S. Ballard: no

  • Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s)

    2026-02-04 · pass · 15-7

    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: no
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Wren M. Williams: no
    • Will Davis: no
    • Madison Whittle: no
    • Justin Pence: no

  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-10 · pass · 62-36

    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: no
    • 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: 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

  • S VOTE:

    2026-02-18 · pass · 13-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: not voting
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: not voting
    • Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
    • Russet Perry: yes
    • Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes

  • Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute

    2026-03-02 · pass · 8-6

    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: abstain
    • 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)

    2026-03-03 · 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

  • Passage R

    2026-03-04 · pass · 22-17

    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: 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: not voting
    • 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: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
    • Angelia Williams Graves: yes

  • H VOTE:

    2026-03-06 · pass · 62-34

    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.: not voting
    • 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: not voting
    • 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: not voting
    • 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/HB942

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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