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

HB350 • 2026

Jury service; exemption for fire marshals.

An Act to amend and reenact § 8.01-341 of the Code of Virginia, relating to exemption from jury service; fire marshals.

Enacted

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Fire Marshals Exempt from Jury Duty

This act adds state and appointed fire marshals to the list of people who do not have to serve on juries.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds the State Fire Marshal to the list of people exempt from jury duty.
  • Includes any officer appointed as a fire marshal in the exemption from jury service.
  • Updates Virginia's Code of Virginia, Section 8.01-341, to reflect these changes.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State Fire Marshal
  • Officers appointed as fire marshals

Terms To Know

Exempt from jury service
Not required or allowed to serve on a jury.
Fire marshal
A person responsible for enforcing fire safety laws and regulations.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how many fire marshals are exempt from jury duty.
  • It is unclear if this change affects only state-level courts or all Virginia courts.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 117 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 117 (effective 7/1/2026)

  3. 2026-04-06 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0117)

  4. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  5. 2026-03-10 Governor

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

  6. 2026-02-25 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-02-25 House

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-02-25 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB350ER)

  10. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Read third time

  11. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  12. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Rules suspended

  13. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  15. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  16. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  17. 2026-02-18 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N)

  18. 2026-02-04 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  19. 2026-02-04 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  20. 2026-02-03 House

    Read third time and passed House (97-Y 1-N 0-A)

  21. 2026-02-02 House

    Read second time

  22. 2026-02-02 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  23. 2026-02-02 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  24. 2026-01-30 House

    Read first time

  25. 2026-01-28 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (19-Y 1-N)

  26. 2026-01-28 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26106284D-H1

  27. 2026-01-26 Civil

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 1-N)

  28. 2026-01-22 Civil

    Assigned HCJ sub: Civil

  29. 2026-01-12 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102326D

  30. 2026-01-12 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Official Summary Text

Exemption from jury service; fire marshals.
Adds the State Fire Marshal and any officer appointed as a fire marshal to the list of persons automatically exempt from jury service.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
8.01-341
of the Code of Virginia, relating to exemption from jury service; fire marshals.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
8.01-341
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
8.01-341
. Who are exempt from jury service.
The following shall be exempt from serving on juries in civil and criminal cases:
1. The President and Vice President of the United States,
2. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General of the Commonwealth,
3. The members of both houses of Congress,
4. The members of the General Assembly, while in session or during a period when the member would be entitled to a legislative continuance as a matter of right under §
30-5
,
5. Licensed practicing attorneys,
6. The judge of any court, members of the State Corporation Commission, members of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, and magistrates,
7. Sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, state police, and police in counties, cities and towns,
8. The superintendent of the penitentiary and his assistants and the persons composing the guard,
9. Superintendents and jail officers, as defined in §
53.1-1
, of regional jails,
10. The elected clerk of any circuit court and such clerk's deputies
,
11. The State Fire Marshal as described in §
9.1-206
and any officer appointed as a fire marshal pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 3 (§
27-30
et seq.) of Title 27
.