HB303Introduced in the House of Delegates
Divorce; adultery, filing, parties living separate and apart, report.
Introduced by Richard Sullivan, District 6
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
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Official description
Divorce; adultery; filing; parties living separate and apart; work group; report. Specifies that a divorce may be decreed on the grounds of adultery, provided that such adultery occurred prior to the final separation of the parties. The bill further allows for a divorce from bed and board to be decreed on the application of either party upon the parties living separate and apart; under current law, a divorce from bed and board may only be decreed for cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt, willful desertion, or abandonment. The bill specifies that no waiting period is required for the filing for such a divorce, but the decree of such a divorce may only be decreed pursuant to certain requirements otherwise specified in the law. The bill further directs the Virginia Family Law Coalition, in conjunction with the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section, to convene a work group to consider whether to eliminate fault-based grounds for divorce in the Commonwealth and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice no later than December 1, 2026.
Where it stands
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0918)
April 13, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
4 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
House of DelegatesStage: Senate amendments agreed to by House (64-Y 34-N 0-A) · March 11, 2026
64
Yes
34
No
1
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
| Delegate | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Hope | 1 | Yes |
| Adele McClure | 2 | Yes |
| Alfonso Lopez | 3 | Yes |
| Charniele Herring | 4 | Yes |
| Kirk McPike | 5 | Yes |
| Richard Sullivan | 6 | Yes |
| Karen Keys-Gamarra | 7 | Yes |
| Irene Shin | 8 | Yes |
| Karrie Delaney | 9 | Yes |
| Dan Helmer | 10 | Yes |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101259D
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
Assigned HCJ sub: Civil
Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N)
Reported from Courts of Justice (16-Y 6-N)
Read first time
Read second time and engrossed
Read third time and passed House (67-Y 31-N 0-A)
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
Senate committee offered
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (12-Y 1-N 1-A)
Rules suspended
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Read third time
Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to
Engrossed by Senate as amended
Passed Senate with amendments (24-Y 16-N 0-A)
Senate amendments agreed to by House (64-Y 34-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB303ER)
Signed by President
Signed by Speaker
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 918 (effective 7/1/2026)
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0918)
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