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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia HB 127

Person not free on bail; court appearance, right to counsel.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (2)

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE

Court appearance of a person not free on bail. Makes various changes to provisions regarding bail hearings in jurisdictions having a public defender office, including (i) the appointment of counsel for the accused and (ii) a requirement that counsel for the accused, when practicable, be provided with adequate time to confer with the accused prior to any bail hearing. The bill also allows a jurisdiction that does not have a public defender office establish to implement such provisions. The bill provides that, effective in due course, the chief judge in each circuit shall create a plan to be completed by November 1, 2026, that establishes the means by which the jurisdiction will meet such provisions. The remaining provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 4:19 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 3, 2026
Senate		Continued to next session in Finance and AppropriationspassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 23, 2026
Senate		Reported from Courts of Justice with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 13, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 9, 2026
House		Reported from Appropriations with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 6, 2026
House		Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 4, 2026
House		Reported from Courts of Justice with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Jan 28, 2026
House		Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see

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