*** There have been NO changes to the 2020 Enhanced Earned Sentence Credit bill. Advocates/legislators were able to defend multiple repeal attempts in 2025. There is no new ESC bill. 

HB 2222 (Cousins/Sewell) & SB 1255 (Bagby) prohibits youth shackling while in court to ensure fairness, due process rights, and our children’s well-being in our courts. Virginia was one of eleven remaining states that allowed the indiscriminate shackling of children in court. 

HB 2242 (Callsen/Will Davis) requires VADOC to inform the court when someone is in their custody. Until 7/1/25, probation officers could arrest someone and put them in jail without informing anyone, leaving people sitting in jail for weeks without anyone knowing they were there. 

HB2235 (Cousins) prohibits the use of restraints on pregnant prisoners unless under some limited circumstances

SB1193 (Deeds) requires prosecuting attorneys to provide copies of a defendants criminal history to defense counsel as part of discovery going forward, a step towards improving fairness and due process. 

SB 901 (Russet-Perry) & HB 1757 (Hernandez/Bennett-Parker) fixes a 2024 bill by capping fees for indigent clients, recognizing that punishing people with excessive fees doesn’t help public safety. In 2024, Russet-Perry championed a bill to increase compensation for court appointed counsel. 

SB 965 (Carroll-Foy) allows an audio recording of proceedings in a district court—which includes both general district and juvenile & domestic relations district court—to be made their counsel. Under current law, such recordings are only allowed in a general district court.

HB1955 (Gardner/Convirs-Fowler) /SB888 (Russet-Perry) fixes crack/powder sentencing disparities

SB847 (Carroll-Foy) makes improper driving a lesser offense of reckless

HB1643 (Hayes) allows courts to dismiss driving w/o a license or suspended/revoked license

SB1466 (Surovell) / HB2723 (Herring) pushed the effective date for the expungement/record sealing bill to July 1, 2026

SB936 (Craig) / HB2252 (Williams/Callsen)  – Decreasing probation period; criteria for mandatory reduction, effective clause, report. 

SB1460 (Locke/Emily Jordan) / HB2393 (Mundon-King/Willett) Human trafficking; issuance of writ of vacatur for victims

HB2328 (Cousins) Admission to bail; pregnant person who has recently given birth

HB1661(Jones) Establishes guidelines for court payment plans based on the defendant’s ability to pay

HB1665 (Jones/Cherry) Requires the clerk of court to provide an itemized statement of all fines and costs imposed on a defendant found guilty of a crime or traffic infraction

HB2657 (Thomas) / SB746 (McDougle) Allows involuntary manslaughter charges to be brought against manufacturers and distributors of drugs containing fentanyl if the drugs cause a death

SJ249 (Ebbin/Boysko) / HJ9 (Sickles/Laura Jane Cohen) Constitutional amendment; marriage between two adult persons

SJ248 (Locke/Carroll Foy) / HJ2 (Bennett-Parker/Clark)  Constitutional amendment; right to vote

SJ247 (Boysko/Locke) Constitutional amendment; right to reproductive freedom

HB2116 (Keys-Gamarra/Bonita Anthony) Driver’s licenses and identification cards; indication of non-apparent disability

HB1877 (Callsen/Rasoul) Barrier crimes; peer recovery specialists; screening requirements

HB2692 (Glass/Clark) Custodial interrogations; false statements to a child prohibited, inauthentic replica documents. Officers are now prohibited from making false statements or using fake documents to secure confessions from minors.

HB2560 (Lopez/Simonds) Requires courts to advise defendants that the outcome of their criminal case may have federal immigration consequences

Here is a link to see all of the 2025 bills that have passed. Additionally, the Division of Legislative Services (DLS) puts together “In Due Course,” a selection of laws going into effect. You can find the publication here.