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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
2026-04-23
Official status
Awaiting Governor's Action
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify the exact conditions under which courthouse employees or law-enforcement officers bypass security screenings, only that attorneys may do so under similar circumstances.

Courthouse Security and Correctional Facility Operations

This law allows attorneys to bypass security screenings in courthouses if they show a Virginia State Bar card and government ID, sets penalties for suspended or revoked lawyers trying to do the same, and requires jails to provide confidential ways for prisoners to communicate with their lawyers.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows attorneys who display a valid Virginia State Bar-issued bar card and a government-issued identification to bypass security screenings in courthouses if courthouse employees or law-enforcement officers are allowed to do the same.
  • Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any attorney whose license has been suspended or revoked and who displays a Virginia State Bar-issued bar card to bypass security screenings.
  • Requires jails to offer confidential means for prisoners to communicate with their attorneys using telephonic, electronic, or web-based systems at regular and reasonable times.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Lawyers and attorneys
  • Courthouse employees and police officers
  • 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 law will not take effect unless it is passed again during the 2027 session of the General Assembly.
  • It does not specify how often prisoners can communicate with their attorneys or what qualifies as 'regular and reasonable times'.

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. 2026-04-23 House

    Communicated to Governor

  2. 2026-04-23 Governor

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

  3. 2026-04-23 House

    Passed by for the day

  4. 2026-04-22 House

    Passed by for the day

  5. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  6. 2026-04-01 House

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

  7. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  8. 2026-03-31 Governor

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

  9. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  10. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  11. 2026-03-31 Governor

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

  12. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  13. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  14. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1392ER)

  15. 2026-03-24 House

    Passed House

  16. 2026-03-24 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate

  17. 2026-03-11 House

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

  18. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  19. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  20. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  21. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended

  22. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute as amended

  23. 2026-03-10 Courts of Justice

    Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

  24. 2026-03-10 Finance and Appropriations

    Finance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to

  25. 2026-03-10 Senate

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

  26. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Read third time

  27. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  28. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  29. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  30. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  31. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  32. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  33. 2026-03-05 Courts of Justice

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

  34. 2026-03-05 Senate

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

  35. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  36. 2026-03-04 Finance and Appropriations

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

  37. 2026-02-27 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26108386D-S1

  38. 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)

  39. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  40. 2026-02-20 Rehabilitation and Social Services

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

  41. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  42. 2026-02-13 Rehabilitation and Social Services

    Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services

  43. 2026-02-13 House

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

  44. 2026-02-12 House

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

  45. 2026-02-11 House

    Read second time

  46. 2026-02-11 House

    committee amendments agreed to

  47. 2026-02-11 House

    Engrossed by House as amended

  48. 2026-02-10 House

    Read first time

  49. 2026-02-06 Public Safety

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

  50. 2026-02-05 Subcommittee #2

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

  51. 2026-02-05 Subcommittee #2

    House subcommittee offered

  52. 2026-02-05 Subcommittee #2

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

  53. 2026-02-03 Subcommittee #2

    Assigned HMPPS sub: Subcommittee #2

  54. 2026-01-21 House

    Presented and ordered printed 26105053D

  55. 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 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.