KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Virginia

HB1235 • 2026

Clerks of circuit court; fees, restitution, online payment systems, report.

An Act to amend and reenact § 17.1-222.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to clerks of circuit court; fees; restitution; online payment systems; report.

Crime
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Delaney
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about the creation of a work group which is not directly supported by the provided official source material. The bill text does mention convening a work group, but this detail was removed as it was not part of the summary or main provisions described in the plain language title and one sentence summary.

Clerks of Circuit Court; Fees, Restitution, Online Payment Systems

This act requires clerks of circuit court who use online payment systems for fines and fees to also offer these systems for restitution payments.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that if a clerk's office uses an existing online system for paying court fines, fees, or costs, they must also allow people to pay restitution through this same system.
  • Does not require clerks to create new online payment systems if none exist already.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Clerks of circuit courts in Virginia
  • People who need to pay restitution, fines, fees, or costs

Terms To Know

restitution
Money paid by someone found guilty of a crime to the victim as part of their punishment.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not require clerks to create new online payment systems if they do not already have them.
  • It is unclear how many clerk's offices currently use online payment systems for fines, fees, or costs.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 759 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0759)

  3. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  4. 2026-03-10 Governor

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

  5. 2026-03-10 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1235)

  6. 2026-03-09 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-09 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-09 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1235ER)

  10. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  11. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  12. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Rules suspended

  13. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  14. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

  15. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  16. 2026-02-25 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N)

  17. 2026-02-19 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1235)

  18. 2026-02-18 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  19. 2026-02-18 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  20. 2026-02-17 House

    Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

  21. 2026-02-16 House

    Read second time

  22. 2026-02-16 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  23. 2026-02-16 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  24. 2026-02-13 House

    Read first time

  25. 2026-02-11 Courts of Justice

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

  26. 2026-02-11 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26107365D-H1

  27. 2026-02-09 Civil

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)

  28. 2026-02-02 Civil

    Assigned HCJ sub: Civil

  29. 2026-01-14 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102508D

  30. 2026-01-14 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Official Summary Text

Clerks of circuit court; restitution; fees; online payment systems; report.
Provides that if a clerk's office allows payment to occur via an already established online payment system for the collection of court fines and fees or costs, it shall offer such payment method for all restitution payments.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
17.1-222.1
of the Code of Virginia, relating to clerks of circuit court; fees; restitution; online payment systems; report.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
17.1-222.1
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
17.1-222.1
. Collection of fees, etc., by court clerks in lieu of money.
A.
The clerks of the several courts of the Commonwealth may, in lieu of money, collect or secure all fees, and fines and penalties collected for offenses committed against the Commonwealth or against any county, city or town, and for payment of spousal or child support, by any means provided in §
2.2-614.1
. Such clerks shall not by virtue of acceptance of any such payment be held to be guarantors of the payment thereof, but they shall exercise ordinary care in such acceptance.
B. If a clerk's office allows payment to occur via an already established online payment system for collection of court fines and fees or costs, it shall offer such payment method for all restitution payments. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to require a clerk's office to create an online payment system if one does not currently exist.
2. That the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia shall convene a work group with all relevant stakeholders, to study the accessibility and modernization of court payment systems for any and all transactions conducted by and for the general district and circuit courts. The work group shall submit an executive summary and report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2026.