VA SB 198
Status unknownIndividuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities; admissibility of statements.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · upper
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Quick answers
Did VA SB 198 pass?
The current status of VA SB 198 is not known from the official record. Latest recorded action (2026-03-09): Tabled in Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
What is VA SB 198 about?
Admissibility of statements by individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities in certain cases. Prohibits admission of any evidence from an individual with developmental disabilities or intellectual disabilities, as defined in relevant law, in certain criminal prosecutions unless the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that such individual's decision to speak to law enforcement was not caused by and did not have a direct and substantial relationship to such individual's disability. The bill requires notice be given to the attorney for the Commonwealth if a defendant intends to introduce expert testimony regarding his disability. The bill prohibits any statements made by a defendant during an examination by an expert witness from being used against him except for impeachment or perjury. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by a subsequent regular or special session of the General Assembly.
Who sponsors VA SB 198?
Barbara A. Favola is the primary sponsor of VA SB 198.
Description
Admissibility of statements by individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities in certain cases. Prohibits admission of any evidence from an individual with developmental disabilities or intellectual disabilities, as defined in relevant law, in certain criminal prosecutions unless the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that such individual's decision to speak to law enforcement was not caused by and did not have a direct and substantial relationship to such individual's disability. The bill requires notice be given to the attorney for the Commonwealth if a defendant intends to introduce expert testimony regarding his disability. The bill prohibits any statements made by a defendant during an examination by an expert witness from being used against him except for impeachment or perjury. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by a subsequent regular or special session of the General Assembly.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-09
- Latest action
- 2026-03-09 — Tabled in Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Barbara A. Favolaprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-03-09
Tabled in Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
deferral
2026-03-02
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-25
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB198)
2026-02-20
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)
2026-02-20
House subcommittee offered
2026-02-19
Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
referral-committee
2026-02-19
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
referral-committee
2026-02-19
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-19
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-16
Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 17-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-13
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended (Voice Vote)
substitution
2026-02-13
Finance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to
amendment-passage
2026-02-13
Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to
2026-02-13
Read second time
reading-2
2026-02-12
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-12
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-12
Rules suspended
2026-02-11
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment (13-Y 2-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-10
Committee substitute printed 26105843D-S1
substitution
2026-02-09
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-09
Senate committee offered
2026-02-06
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB198)
2026-01-09
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
referral-committee
2026-01-09
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104790D
filing,introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute
2026-02-09 · pass · 10-5
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.: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Mark J. Peake: no
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment
2026-02-11 · pass · 13-2
Member-level votes (15)
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: no
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed R
2026-02-12 · pass · 40-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: 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
- Adam P. Ebbin: 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
2026-02-16 · pass · 21-17
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: not voting
- 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
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- 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.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: no
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
- David R. Suetterlein: not voting
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)
2026-02-20 · pass · 7-3
Member-level votes (11)
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Katrina Callsen: not voting
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Wren M. Williams: no
- Will Davis: no
- Madison Whittle: no
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s)
2026-03-02 · 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
Tabled in Appropriations
2026-03-09 · pass · 22-0
Member-level votes (22)
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- James W. Morefield: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: yes
- Scott A. Wyatt: yes
- Bill Wiley: 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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Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:
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