Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia SB 158
Judicial district and circuit courts; maximum number of judges.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Russet Perry (Democratic)
Cosponsors (1)
- Mark D. Obenshain (Republican)
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED
Maximum number of judges in each judicial district and circuit; study to examine organization and boundaries of certain judicial districts; report. Increases by one the maximum number of authorized general district court judges in the Twelfth and Twenty-sixth Judicial Districts. The bill also increases by one the maximum number of authorized juvenile and domestic relations district court judges in the Twelfth and Fifteenth Judicial Districts. The bill further increases by one the maximum number of authorized circuit court judges in the Twentieth and Twenty-seventh Judicial Circuits. Under the bill, the provisions relating to increasing the number of judges in the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.Finally, the bill directs the Judicial Council of Virginia to study the organization and boundaries of the Fifteenth and Twentieth Judicial Circuits and to submit an executive summary and a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than November 30, 2026.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Committee on District Courts and the Judicial Council of Virginia. This bill incorporates SB 780.
Text versions
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 14, 2026, 8:01 AM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2026 Senate | Adopt Conference Committee Report R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 11, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 10, 2026 Senate | Accede Conference Committee R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 6, 2026 Senate | Concur House Substitute R | fail | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 4, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 4, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 2, 2026 House | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 13, 2026 Senate | Passage R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 13, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 12, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 11, 2026 Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 28, 2026 Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Apr 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 880 (effective 7/1/2026) - Mar 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026 · Senate
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 31, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158) - Mar 30, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 30, 2026 · Senate
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB158ER) - Mar 30, 2026 · Senate
Enrolled - Mar 23, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158) - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Conference report agreed to by House (99-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 11, 2026 · Senate
Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 11, 2026 · Legislature
Conference Report released - Mar 11, 2026 · House
House Conferees: Hope, Maldonado, Ballard - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Conferees appointed by House - Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Senate Conferees: Perry, Deeds, Stuart - Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Conferees appointed by Senate - Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 9, 2026 · House
House requested conference committee - Mar 9, 2026 · House
House insisted on substitute - Mar 6, 2026 · Senate
House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) - Mar 4, 2026 · House
Passed House with substitute Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 4, 2026 · House
Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House - Mar 4, 2026 · House
Passed House with substitute (97-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 4, 2026 · House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute - Mar 4, 2026 · House
committee substitute agreed to - Mar 4, 2026 · House
Read third time - Mar 3, 2026 · House
Read second time - Mar 3, 2026 · House
Committee substitute printed 26108033D-H1 - Mar 2, 2026 · House
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) - Feb 20, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158) - Feb 18, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice - Feb 18, 2026 · House
Read first time - Feb 18, 2026 · House
Placed on Calendar - Feb 13, 2026 · Senate
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 13, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 13, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Feb 13, 2026 · Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote) - Feb 13, 2026 · Senate
Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) - Feb 13, 2026 · Senate
Read second time - Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) - Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Feb 12, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) - Feb 3, 2026 · Senate
Incorporates SB780 (Obenshain) - Jan 30, 2026 · Senate
Committee substitute printed 26105622D-S1 - Jan 28, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) - Jan 28, 2026 · Senate
Senate committee offered - Jan 23, 2026 · Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158) - Jan 7, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice - Jan 7, 2026 · Senate
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100733D