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HB1392 • 2026

Correctional facilities, local and regional, and courthouse security; powers & duties for operation.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 18.2-469.1, 53.1-120.1, and 53.1-127.2:1, relating to powers and duties for operation of local and regional correctional facilities and courthouse security; attorney access to courthouses and communication and visitation with incarcerated clients; penalty.

Budget Crime Labor
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Keys-Gamarra
Last action
2026-05-19
Official status
Governor's Veto
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was vetoed by the Governor due to concerns about public safety without clear evidence of benefits.

Courthouse Security and Correctional Facility Operations

This act amends Virginia law to allow attorneys with valid identification to bypass security screenings at courthouses if the sheriff allows it and requires correctional facilities to provide secure communication methods for prisoners to talk to their lawyers.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows attorneys who show a valid Virginia State Bar card and government ID to skip courthouse security checks if the sheriff permits it.
  • Makes it against the law for suspended or disbarred lawyers to use a Virginia State Bar card to avoid security screenings at courthouses.
  • Requires local and regional correctional facilities to offer secure ways for prisoners to talk to their attorneys using phones, email, or web-based systems.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Attorneys with valid Virginia State Bar cards
  • Prisoners in local and regional correctional facilities

Terms To Know

Class 1 misdemeanor
A serious crime that can lead to jail time or fines.
Virginia State Bar card
An identification card given by the Virginia State Bar to licensed lawyers in Virginia.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill was vetoed by the Governor due to concerns about public safety without clear evidence of benefits.
  • It does not specify how often prisoners can communicate with their attorneys using secure methods.
  • The bill's requirements for bypassing courthouse security screenings depend on local sheriffs allowing it.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB1392G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB1392) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.

  • (HB1392) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.
  • After line 34, enrolled insert 2.
  • That the provisions of this act shall not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.
HB1392AHC1

2026-02-05

Public Safety Amendment

Plain English: OFFERED FOR CONSIDERATION 2/05/2026 HB 1392 SUBCOMMITTEE 1.

  • OFFERED FOR CONSIDERATION 2/05/2026 HB 1392 SUBCOMMITTEE 1.
  • Line 70, introduced, after employees strike or law-enforcement officers, or both, SUBCOMMITTEE 2.
  • Line 78, introduced strike all of lines 78, 79, and 80 insert When a sheriff or jail superintendent who operates a local correctional facility provides a telephonic, electronic, or web-based communication system for prisoners, such system shall include a confidential means for a prisoner to communicate with his attorney at regular and reasonable times.
HB1392AHC2

2026-02-05 • Committee

Subcommittee #2 Subcommittee Amendment

Plain English: 2/05/2026 HB 1392 SUBCOMMITTEE 1.

  • 2/05/2026 HB 1392 SUBCOMMITTEE 1.
  • Line 70, introduced, after employees strike or law-enforcement officers, or both, SUBCOMMITTEE 2.
  • Line 78, introduced strike all of lines 78, 79, and 80 insert When a sheriff or jail superintendent who operates a local correctional facility provides a telephonic, electronic, or web-based communication system for prisoners, such system shall include a confidential means for a prisoner to communicate with his attorney at regular and reasonable times.
HB1392AH1

2026-02-06 • Committee

Public Safety Amendment

Plain English: 2/06/2026 HB 1392 PUBLIC SAFETY 1.

  • 2/06/2026 HB 1392 PUBLIC SAFETY 1.
  • Line 70, introduced, after employees strike or law-enforcement officers, or both, PUBLIC SAFETY 2.
  • Line 78, introduced strike all of lines 78, 79, and 80 insert When a sheriff or jail superintendent who operates a local correctional facility provides a telephonic, electronic, or web-based communication system for prisoners, such system shall include a confidential means for a prisoner to communicate with his attorney at regular and reasonable times.
HB1392AS1

2026-03-05 • Committee

Finance and Appropriations Amendment

Plain English: 3/05/2026 (HB1392) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE FINANCE AND APPROPRIATIONS 1.

  • 3/05/2026 (HB1392) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE FINANCE AND APPROPRIATIONS 1.
  • Line 29, substitute, after local insert or regional FINANCE AND APPROPRIATIONS 2.
  • Line 33, substitute, after local insert or regional FINANCE AND APPROPRIATIONS 3.
  • Line 37, substitute strike all of lines 37 through 43
HB1392EDOC

2026-03-10 • Senate

Senate Amendments

Plain English: 3/10/2026 (HB1392) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE FINANCE AND APPROPRIATIONS 1.

  • 3/10/2026 (HB1392) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE FINANCE AND APPROPRIATIONS 1.
  • Line 29, substitute, after local insert or regional FINANCE AND APPROPRIATIONS 2.
  • Line 33, substitute, after local insert or regional FINANCE AND APPROPRIATIONS 3.
  • Line 37, substitute strike all of lines 37 through 43

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-19 House

    Governor's Veto Received by House

  2. 2026-05-19 Governor

    Vetoed by Governor

  3. 2026-04-23 House

    Communicated to Governor

  4. 2026-04-23 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026

  5. 2026-04-23 House

    Passed by for the day

  6. 2026-04-22 House

    Passed by for the day

  7. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  8. 2026-04-01 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1392)

  9. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  10. 2026-03-31 Governor

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

  11. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  12. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  13. 2026-03-31 Governor

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

  14. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  15. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  16. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1392ER)

  17. 2026-03-24 House

    Passed House

  18. 2026-03-24 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate

  19. 2026-03-11 House

    Senate Substitute with amendments agreed to by House (84-Y 13-N 1-A)

  20. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  21. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  22. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  23. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended

  24. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended

  25. 2026-03-10 Courts of Justice

    Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

  26. 2026-03-10 Finance and Appropriations

    Finance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to

  27. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute with amendments (34-Y 6-N 0-A)

  28. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Read third time

  29. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  30. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  31. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  32. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  33. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  34. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  35. 2026-03-05 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1392)

  36. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  37. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  38. 2026-03-04 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendments (13-Y 2-N)

  39. 2026-02-27 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26108386D-S1

  40. 2026-02-25 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N 1-A)

  41. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  42. 2026-02-20 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Rereferred from Rehabilitation and Social Services to Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N)

  43. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  44. 2026-02-13 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services

  45. 2026-02-13 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1392)

  46. 2026-02-12 House

    Read third time and passed House (83-Y 14-N 0-A)

  47. 2026-02-11 House

    Read second time

  48. 2026-02-11 House

    committee amendments agreed to

  49. 2026-02-11 House

    Engrossed by House as amended

  50. 2026-02-10 House

    Read first time

  51. 2026-02-06 Public Safety

    Reported from Public Safety with amendment(s) (17-Y 5-N)

  52. 2026-02-05 Subcommittee #2

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N)

  53. 2026-02-05 Subcommittee #2

    House subcommittee offered

  54. 2026-02-05 Subcommittee #2

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1392)

  55. 2026-02-03 Subcommittee #2

    Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #2

  56. 2026-01-21 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26105053D

  57. 2026-01-21 Public Safety

    Referred to Committee on Public Safety

Official Summary Text

Powers and duties for operation of local and regional correctional facilities and courthouse security; attorney access to courthouses and communication and visitation with incarcerated clients; penalty.
Provides that if a sheriff allows courthouse employees or law-enforcement officers to bypass any security screening required to enter a courthouse, such sheriff shall also exempt from the security screening any attorney who displays a valid Virginia State Bar-issued bar card and a government-issued identification. The bill creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any attorney who has had his license to practice law in the Commonwealth suspended or revoked and who displays a Virginia State Bar-issued bar card in an effort to be exempt from the security screening. The bill also requires any telephonic, electronic, or web-based communication system for prisoners that is offered by a sheriff or jail superintendent who operates a local or regional correctional facility to include a confidential means for a prisoner to communicate with his attorney at regular and reasonable times.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
(HB1392)
GOVERNOR'S VETO
Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1392.
Without additional study or a clear public safety benefit, I do not support mandating new statewide security screening exemptions at courthouses. Any such statewide changes to security protocols should be based on clear evidence that such changes would have no impact on — or ideally, improve — public safety.
Accordingly, I veto this bill.