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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia SB 83

District or circuit court; possession of portable electronic devices.

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

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED

Security policies for courthouses and local or regional correctional facilities; penalty. Adds several provisions relating to courthouse and courtroom security. The bill requires the chief judge of each general district court, juvenile and domestic relations district court, and circuit court to set a policy regarding the use and possession of portable electronic devices by visitors to the court. The bill authorizes such chief judge to condition the use and possession of portable electronic devices upon certain limitations. The bill also provides that if a sheriff allows courthouse employees to bypass any security screening required to enter a courthouse, such sheriff shall also exempt from the security screening any attorney who displays a valid Virginia State Bar-issued bar card and a government-issued identification. The bill creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any attorney who has had his license to practice law in the Commonwealth suspended or revoked and who displays a Virginia State Bar-issued bar card in an effort to be exempt from the security screening. Finally, the bill requires the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to develop and establish minimum standards to ensure that attorneys have sufficient opportunities to have confidential visits with their clients and requires sheriffs or jail superintendents to provide a telephonic, electronic, or web-based communication method for prisoners in local correctional facilities to communicate with attorneys.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:04 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 6, 2026
Senate		Concur House Amendments RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 4, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 4, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 2, 2026
House		Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 13, 2026
Senate		Passage RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 11, 2026
Senate		Constitutional reading dispensed RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 10, 2026
Senate		Reported from Finance and AppropriationspassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 2, 2026
Senate		Reported from Courts of Justice with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see

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