VirginiaCommunity service work in lieu of payment of fines and costs; work performed while incarcerated.
What it does
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.
More detail
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.
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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
- Apr 13Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0544)Latest
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 544 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 31Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB16)
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB16ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 10Senate amendments agreed to by House (79-Y 20-N 0-A)Major
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9Passed Senate with amendments (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Engrossed by Senate as amended
- Mar 9Courts of Justice Amendments agreed toMajor
- Mar 9Read third timeMinor
- Mar 6Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Mar 5Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 5Rules suspended
- Mar 4Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 25Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 16Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB16)
- Feb 9Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Feb 9Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 6Read third time and passed House (72-Y 25-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 5Engrossed by House as amended
- Feb 5committee amendment agreed toMajor
- Feb 5Read second timeMinor
- Feb 4Read first timeMinor
- Feb 2Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Appropriations. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 30Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N)
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital OutlayMinor
- Jan 28Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (19-Y 1-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 26Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB16)
- Jan 23Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 21
- Vote recorded Suspend the Rules R. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 20Assigned HCJ sub: CriminalMinor
- 2025
- Dec 22Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Dec 22Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102053DIntroduced