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HB149 • 2026

Probation; decreasing period.

An Act to amend and reenact § 19.2-304 of the Code of Virginia, relating to decreasing probation period.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Williams
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify an effective date for the enactment of this bill.

Reducing Probation Time

This act allows courts to reduce the time someone is on probation if they follow rules and do well.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows a court to decrease a defendant's probation period based on their behavior upon receipt of a request from the Department of Corrections.
  • Requires the Department of Corrections to submit a request for early termination of supervised probation after one year if certain conditions are met.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People on probation who follow rules and do well can have their probation time reduced.
  • Courts that handle probation cases will be able to shorten probation periods based on new criteria.
  • The Department of Corrections must review and request early termination for those meeting certain conditions.

Terms To Know

Probation
A period after a criminal sentence where the person is allowed to stay in the community instead of going to jail, as long as they follow rules set by the court.
Department of Corrections
The government agency responsible for overseeing prisons and probation programs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act does not apply to people sentenced under specific laws requiring a minimum three-year period of supervised probation.
  • It is unclear how this will affect victims who are notified about changes in the defendant's probation status.

Amendments

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

HB149AHC1

2026-01-22 • Committee

Criminal Subcommittee Amendment

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement for courts to consider a request from the Department of Corrections when deciding probation terms.

  • Adds language requiring courts to take into account a request from the Department of Corrections when determining probation conditions.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect existing probation procedures and what specific criteria the Department of Corrections might use in making requests.
HB149AH1

2026-01-29 • Committee

Courts of Justice Amendment

Plain English: The amendment adds language that allows the Department of Corrections to request changes to probation terms.

  • Adds new text allowing the Department of Corrections to make requests for modifications to probation conditions.
  • The exact nature and scope of these modifications are not specified in the amendment text, so it's unclear what specific changes can be requested.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 76 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 76 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0076)

  4. 2026-03-25 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026

  5. 2026-03-25 Governor

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

  6. 2026-03-17 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB149)

  7. 2026-03-14 House

    Signed by Speaker

  8. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Signed by President

  9. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled

  10. 2026-03-14 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB149ER)

  11. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed Senate (26-Y 14-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  14. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  15. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  16. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  17. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  18. 2026-03-05 Senate

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

  19. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  20. 2026-03-04 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)

  21. 2026-02-23 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 4-N)

  22. 2026-02-06 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB149)

  23. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  24. 2026-02-04 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  25. 2026-02-03 House

    Read third time and passed House (87-Y 11-N 0-A)

  26. 2026-02-02 House

    Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar

  27. 2026-02-02 House

    Read second time

  28. 2026-02-02 House

    committee amendment agreed to

  29. 2026-02-02 House

    Engrossed by House as amended

  30. 2026-01-30 House

    Read first time

  31. 2026-01-28 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (20-Y 0-N)

  32. 2026-01-22 Criminal

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB149)

  33. 2026-01-21 Criminal

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N)

  34. 2026-01-20 Criminal

    Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

  35. 2026-01-05 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102518D

  36. 2026-01-05 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Official Summary Text

Decreasing probation period.
Establishes criteria for which a defendant's supervised probation period shall be reduced, including completing educational activities, maintaining employment, completing treatment, or obtaining housing. The bill provides that a court may decrease a defendant's probation period if warranted by the defendant's conduct upon receipt of a request from the Department of Corrections and requires the Department of Corrections to request termination of a defendant's supervised probation period after 12 months in certain situations. This bill is identical to SB 136.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
19.2-304
of the Code of Virginia, relating to decreasing probation period.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
19.2-304
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
19.2-304
. Increasing or decreasing probation period and modification of conditions.
A.
The court may subsequently increase
or decrease
the probation period and may revoke or modify any condition of probation, but only upon a hearing after reasonable notice to both the defendant and the attorney for the Commonwealth.
After fixing the probation period, the court may subsequently decrease the probation period without a hearing if warranted by the defendant's conduct

upon receipt of a request from the Department of Corrections pursuant to subsection B.
B. Termination of the defendant's supervised probation period shall serve as a case management tool to encourage and reward successful behavior and positive adjustment, which may include (i) maintaining employment, (ii) completing an educational development activity or vocational training, (iii) securing housing, or (iv) completing a treatment program. Unless ordered by a court or otherwise prohibited by law, when a defendant is placed on supervised probation for more than one year, the Department of Corrections shall submit a request to the court for termination of such supervised probation after 12 months if the Department:
1. Deems the defendant compliant with all court-ordered conditions, subject to the provisions of subsection C of §
19.2-305
and §
19.2-305.1
; and
2. Determines that the defendant has demonstrated adherence to his individualized case plan and poses minimal risk to the community.
C. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person sentenced (i) to a mandatory period of at least three years of supervised probation pursuant to §
19.2-303
or (ii) pursuant to §
19.2-303.3
and subject to supervised probation by a local community-based probation services agency established pursuant to Article 9 (§
9.1-173
et seq.) of Chapter 1 of Title 9.1.
D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the court's ability to reduce a defendant's period of probation or discharge such defendant from probation under any other provision of law.
E. The Department of Corrections shall make reasonable efforts to notify the victim, as defined in subsection B of §
19.2-11.01
, of a defendant's termination from supervised probation pursuant to this section.