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SB158Introduced in the Senate

Judicial district and circuit courts; maximum number of judges.

Passed

Introduced by Russet Perry, District 31

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

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.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0880)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

8 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: Conference report agreed to by House (99-Y 0-N 0-A) · March 11, 2026

99

Yes

0

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 26100733D

  2. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158)

  4. Senate committee offered

  5. Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  6. Committee substitute printed 26105622D-S1

  7. Incorporates SB780 (Obenshain)

  8. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

  9. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  10. Rules suspended

  11. Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  12. Read second time

  13. Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)

  14. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  15. Rules suspended

  16. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  18. Placed on Calendar

  19. Read first time

  20. Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  21. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158)

  22. Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N)

  23. Committee substitute printed 26108033D-H1

  24. Read second time

  25. Read third time

  26. committee substitute agreed to

  27. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  28. Passed House with substitute (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

  29. Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House

  30. Passed House with substitute Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

  31. House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)

  32. House insisted on substitute

  33. House requested conference committee

  34. Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  35. Conferees appointed by Senate

  36. Senate Conferees: Perry, Deeds, Stuart

  37. Conferees appointed by House

  38. House Conferees: Hope, Maldonado, Ballard

  39. Conference Report released

  40. Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  41. Conference report agreed to by House (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

  42. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158)

  43. Enrolled

  44. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB158ER)

  45. Signed by President

  46. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB158)

  47. Signed by Speaker

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

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

  50. Approved by Governor-Chapter 880 (Effective 7/1/2027)

  51. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0880)

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