VA SB 261
Status unknownCruelty to animals; malicious killing of a dog or cat, penalty.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · upper
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Quick answers
Did VA SB 261 pass?
The current status of VA SB 261 is not known from the official record. Latest recorded action (2026-03-10): Left in Appropriations
What is VA SB 261 about?
Cruelty to animals; malicious killing of a dog or cat; penalty. Creates, under the animal cruelty provisions, a Class 6 felony for any person who maliciously kills any dog or cat that is a companion animal whether belonging to him or another. Currently, such felony applies only to a person who (i) tortures, willfully inflicts inhumane injury or pain not connected with bona fide scientific or medical experimentation, or cruelly and unnecessarily beats, maims, or mutilates any dog or cat that is a companion animal whether belonging to him or another and (ii) as a direct result causes serious bodily injury to such dog or cat that is a companion animal, the death of such dog or cat that is a companion animal, or the euthanasia of such animal on the recommendation of a licensed veterinarian upon determination that such euthanasia was necessary due to the condition of the animal.
Who sponsors VA SB 261?
William M. Stanley, Jr. is the primary sponsor of VA SB 261.
Description
Cruelty to animals; malicious killing of a dog or cat; penalty. Creates, under the animal cruelty provisions, a Class 6 felony for any person who maliciously kills any dog or cat that is a companion animal whether belonging to him or another. Currently, such felony applies only to a person who (i) tortures, willfully inflicts inhumane injury or pain not connected with bona fide scientific or medical experimentation, or cruelly and unnecessarily beats, maims, or mutilates any dog or cat that is a companion animal whether belonging to him or another and (ii) as a direct result causes serious bodily injury to such dog or cat that is a companion animal, the death of such dog or cat that is a companion animal, or the euthanasia of such animal on the recommendation of a licensed veterinarian upon determination that such euthanasia was necessary due to the condition of the animal.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-12
- Latest action
- 2026-03-10 — Left in Appropriations
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- William M. Stanley, Jr.primary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-03-10
Left in Appropriations
2026-03-09
Rereferred to Appropriations
referral-committee
2026-03-09
Motion to rerefer to Appropriations agreed to
2026-03-06
Read second time
reading-2
2026-03-04
Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-03-03
Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety
referral-committee
2026-03-02
Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 2-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-20
Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (9-Y 0-N)
2026-02-18
Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
referral-committee
2026-02-12
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
referral-committee
2026-02-12
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-12
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-09
Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-06
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
2026-02-06
Read second time
reading-2
2026-02-05
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
2026-02-05
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-05
Rules suspended
2026-02-04
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-01-27
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 0-N 1-A)
committee-passage
2026-01-23
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB261)
2026-01-20
Assigned HACNR sub: Companion Animals
referral-committee
2026-01-14
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/14/2026 6:34 pm)
2026-01-12
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
referral-committee
2026-01-12
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101240D
filing,introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
2026-01-27 · pass · 12-0
Member-level votes (15)
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: not voting
- Angelia Williams Graves: abstain
- Russet Perry: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: not voting
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
Reported from Finance and Appropriations
2026-02-04 · pass · 15-0
Member-level votes (15)
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed R
2026-02-05 · 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
2026-02-09 · 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
Subcommittee recommends reporting
2026-02-20 · pass · 9-0
Member-level votes (10)
- 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: yes
- Will Davis: yes
- Madison Whittle: yes
Reported from Courts of Justice
2026-03-02 · pass · 20-2
Member-level votes (22)
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: no
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: no
- 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
Reported from Appropriations
2026-03-04 · 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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