HB244Introduced in the House of Delegates
Robbery; conforms certain provisions of Code to degrees of robbery offenses.
Introduced by Vivian Watts, District 14
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
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Official description
Robbery. Conforms certain provisions of the Code referencing robbery to the degrees of robbery offenses established by Chapter 534 of the Acts of Assembly of 2021, Special Session I. These changes include: (i) limiting to the three higher degrees of robbery certain non-robbery crimes for which committing such crime with the intent to commit a robbery is an element of the offenses, (ii) limiting the types of robbery that are included in the definition of "acts of violence" to the two higher degrees of robbery, (iii) clarifying how robbery offenses will be scored on the sentencing guidelines, (iv) allowing persons convicted of the two lesser degrees of robbery to be eligible for conditional release if they are terminally ill and for enhanced earned sentence credits, (v) allowing persons who are ineligible for parole as a result of being convicted of three of certain enumerated offenses to be eligible for parole if convicted of an offense that would constitute robbery by presenting of firearms, and (vi) limiting the application of the three-strikes law to the two higher degrees of robbery and making persons convicted under the three-strikes law eligible for parole if one of the three convictions resulting in the mandatory life sentence would constitute one of the two lesser degrees of robbery. The bill leaves unchanged the current law making all degrees of robbery predicate criminal acts by adding the two lesser degrees of robbery to the definition of "predicate criminal act" and specifying that the two higher degrees of robbery are included in the definition of "act of violence." The bill requires the changes made to the eligibility for conditional release of terminally ill prisoners and enhanced earned sentence credits to apply retroactively if certain criteria are met.
Where it stands
Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)
March 9, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
2 recorded votes · each counted separately
SenateStage: Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N) · March 9, 2026
10
Yes
4
No
1
Absent or Not Voting
15 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.
What do people think?
Citizen Voice
How would you vote on this bill?
An unofficial public opinion poll. It does not affect the bill or the official vote.
One response per device. Location is self-reported and not verified. Results are informal and not a scientific survey.
See how each senator voted
| Senator | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Obenshain | 2 | Yes |
| Todd Pillion | 6 | Yes |
| Creigh Deeds | 11 | Yes |
| Lashrecse Aird | 13 | No |
| Lamont Bagby | 14 | No |
| Louise Lucas | 18 | Yes |
| Aaron Rouse | 22 | No |
| Mamie Locke | 23 | Yes |
| Richard Stuart | 25 | Absent |
| Ryan McDougle | 26 | Yes |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102503D
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
House subcommittee offered
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (7-Y 3-N)
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (14-Y 6-N)
Read first time
Read second time
committee amendments agreed to
Engrossed by House as amended
Read third time and passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A)
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB244)
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 7-N)
Committee substitute printed 26108969D-S1
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB244)
Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations
Senate committee offered
Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)
Verify the information
- Official page on the Virginia Legislature website
- Courts of Justice Amendment (amendment)
- Criminal Subcommittee Amendment (amendment)
- Courts of Justice Amendment (amendment)
- Fiscal Note/Analysis (supplement)
- Fiscal Note/Analysis (supplement)
- Introduced (text)
- Engrossed (text)
- Comm Sub (text)
- Comm Sub (text)
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