VirginiaIndigent defendant; abolition of fees, legal representation, jury trial costs, report.
What it does
Abolition of fees; legal representation of indigent defendant; jury trial costs; report. Eliminates the fees for the cost of court-appointed counsel or public defender representation for persons who are determined to be indigent. The bill also eliminates fees for persons who utilize a jury trial.
More detail
The bill contains a reenactment clause for such elimination of fees.The bill also directs the Indigent Defense Commission, in consultation with the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court or his designee, to convene a work group with all relevant stakeholders, including the Attorney General or his designee, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources or his designee; representatives from the Compensation Board, the Virginia Crime Commission, the Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the Virginia Court Clerk's Association, the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, staff from the House Appropriations and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and the Virginia Probation and Parole Association; and a minimum of two criminal justice reform organizations working on fees and other financial assessments imposed in criminal prosecutions in Virginia; on several topics, including current collection practices, use of funds received as a result of such collections, and the burden of a fee assessment on indigent individuals. The bill requires the work group to submit an executive summary and report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2026, and a final report by November 1, 2027.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 3Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)Latest
- Vote recorded Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 23Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 20Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB852)
- Feb 16Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 16Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 13Read third time and passed House (60-Y 35-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 12Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 12committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Feb 12Read second timeMinor
- Feb 11Read first timeMinor
- Feb 9Committee substitute printed 26107499D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Appropriations with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 9Reported from Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 7-N)Minor
- Feb 9House subcommittee offered
- Feb 9Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 1-N)Major
- Feb 6Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB852)
- Feb 5Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital OutlayMinor
- Feb 4Reported from Courts of Justice and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 30Subcommittee recommends reporting and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29Assigned HCJ sub: CriminalMinor
- Jan 13Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 13Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104806DIntroduced
- Mar 3Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)Latest