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HB16Introduced in the House of Delegates

Community service work in lieu of payment of fines and costs; work performed while incarcerated.

Passed

Introduced by Marcia Price, District 85

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Community service work in lieu of payment of fines and costs; work performed while incarcerated. Requires a court to establish a program and allow any person upon whom a fine and costs have been imposed to discharge all or part of the fine or costs by earning credits for the performance of (i) community service work performed before or after imprisonment or (ii) work performed while incarcerated, defined in the bill as any work done on or after July 1, 2023, by a person confined in any local, regional, or state correctional facility who is paid a wage that is less than the Virginia minimum wage.The bill requires such program to be available during such person's imprisonment in a local, regional, or state correctional facility. The bill provides that a person who is performing work while incarcerated shall be credited at the same rate as the community service work rate less any wages received. Under current law, a court is required to establish a program for providing an option for community service work in lieu of payment of fines and costs but offering such option is not mandatory. The bill also requires the local, regional, or state correctional facility to provide confirmation of the hours worked and the credits earned for such work upon request of any person who has performed work while incarcerated or his representative.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0544)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

6 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: Senate amendments agreed to by House (79-Y 20-N 0-A) · March 10, 2026

79

Yes

20

No

0

Absent or Not Voting

99 delegates recorded in this House of Delegates vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each delegate voted

DelegateDistrictVote
Patrick Hope1Yes
Adele McClure2Yes
Alfonso Lopez3Yes
Charniele Herring4Yes
Kirk McPike5Yes
Richard Sullivan6Yes
Karen Keys-Gamarra7Yes
Irene Shin8Yes
Karrie Delaney9Yes
Dan Helmer10Yes

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102053D

  2. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  3. Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

  4. Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)

  5. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB16)

  6. Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (19-Y 1-N)

  7. Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay

  8. Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N)

  9. Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)

  10. Read first time

  11. Read second time

  12. committee amendment agreed to

  13. Engrossed by House as amended

  14. Read third time and passed House (72-Y 25-N 0-A)

  15. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  16. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  17. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB16)

  18. Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)

  19. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

  20. Rules suspended

  21. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  22. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  23. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  24. Read third time

  25. Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to

  26. Engrossed by Senate as amended

  27. Passed Senate with amendments (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  28. Senate amendments agreed to by House (79-Y 20-N 0-A)

  29. Enrolled

  30. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB16ER)

  31. Signed by President

  32. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB16)

  33. Signed by Speaker

  34. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  35. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  36. Approved by Governor-Chapter 544 (effective 7/1/2026)

  37. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0544)

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