VA SB 686
enactedHolding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · upper
Subscribe in a feed reader. The feed covers recorded actions from the last 30 days; Bill Commons may record an action after it happened at the legislature.
Quick answers
Did VA SB 686 pass?
Yes. VA SB 686 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-04-08): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0518)
What is VA SB 686 about?
Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic. Clarifies that a court may order, for a first violation of texting and driving, the satisfactory completion of a driver improvement clinic in lieu of a conviction.
Who sponsors VA SB 686?
David R. Suetterlein is the primary sponsor of VA SB 686.
Description
Holding a handheld personal communications device while driving; driver improvement clinic. Clarifies that a court may order, for a first violation of texting and driving, the satisfactory completion of a driver improvement clinic in lieu of a conviction.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-14
- Latest action
- 2026-04-08 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0518)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- David R. Suetterleinprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-04-08
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0518)
2026-04-08
Approved by Governor-Chapter 518 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
2026-03-14
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-03-14
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-12
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-12
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-12
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB686)
2026-03-12
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB686ER)
passage
2026-03-12
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-06
Passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-06
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-05
Read second time
reading-2
2026-03-03
Reported from Transportation (21-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-25
Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)
2026-02-20
Assigned HTRAN sub: Highway Safety and Policy
referral-committee
2026-02-10
Referred to Committee on Transportation
referral-committee
2026-02-10
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-10
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-09
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB686)
2026-02-04
Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-03
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
2026-02-03
Read second time
reading-2
2026-02-02
Passed by for the day
2026-02-02
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-02
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-02
Rules suspended
2026-01-29
Reported from Transportation (14-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-01-14
Referred to Committee on Transportation
referral-committee
2026-01-14
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100678D
filing,introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from Transportation
2026-01-29 · pass · 14-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: not voting
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed R
2026-02-02 · 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
2026-02-04 · 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
2026-02-25 · pass · 9-0
Member-level votes (9)
- David A. Reid: yes
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: yes
- Eric Phillips: yes
Reported from Transportation
2026-03-03 · pass · 21-0
Member-level votes (21)
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Scott A. Wyatt: yes
- Bill Wiley: yes
- Israel D. O'Quinn: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: yes
- Eric Phillips: yes
H VOTE:
2026-03-06 · pass · 97-0
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: 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
- 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: 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
- 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
- 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: not voting
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:
Use this data
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=SB 686. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.
Known limitations
- Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
- Committee referrals are not yet captured.
See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.