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HB872 • 2026

Portable electronic devices; possession in district or circuit court, policies set by chief judge.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 16.1-69.35:4 and 17.1-128.2, relating to possession of a portable electronic device in district or circuit court.

Children
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Cousins
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
Awaiting Governor's Action
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify that chief judges have the power to set conditions for using portable electronic devices, only that they can create policies regarding their use and possession.

Rules for Portable Electronic Devices in Court

This law allows chief judges to create rules about using portable electronic devices by visitors in district and circuit courts.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows chief judges to set policies regarding the use of portable electronic devices by visitors in court.
  • Requires these policies to be posted at courthouse entrances.
  • Makes sure that the policies are also available online on official websites.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Visitors who bring portable electronic devices to district and circuit courts.
  • Chief judges of general district, juvenile and domestic relations district, and circuit courts.

Terms To Know

Portable Electronic Device
Any handheld device that can connect to the internet or make calls, like a smartphone or tablet.
Chief Judge
The main judge in charge of setting policies for a court.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law will not take effect unless it is passed again by the General Assembly in 2027.

Amendments

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

HB872G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB872) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.

  • (HB872) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.
  • After line 103, enrolled insert 2.
  • That the provisions of this act shall not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 House

    Communicated to Governor

  2. 2026-04-22 Governor

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

  3. 2026-04-22 House

    Governor's recommendation passed by

  4. 2026-04-22 House

    Governor's recommendation passed by

  5. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  6. 2026-03-14 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  7. 2026-03-14 Governor

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

  8. 2026-03-12 House

    Signed by Speaker

  9. 2026-03-11 Senate

    Signed by President

  10. 2026-03-11 House

    Enrolled

  11. 2026-03-11 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB872ER)

  12. 2026-03-11 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB872)

  13. 2026-03-04 House

    Senate substitute agreed to by House (88-Y 6-N 0-A)

  14. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  15. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Read third time

  16. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  17. 2026-03-02 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB872)

  18. 2026-03-02 Courts of Justice

    Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to

  19. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Passed Senate with substitute (23-Y 17-N 0-A)

  20. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Rules suspended

  21. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  22. 2026-02-27 Senate

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

  23. 2026-02-27 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  24. 2026-02-27 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26108387D-S1

  25. 2026-02-25 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 6-N)

  26. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  27. 2026-02-23 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB872)

  28. 2026-02-11 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  29. 2026-02-11 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  30. 2026-02-10 House

    Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  31. 2026-02-09 House

    Read second time

  32. 2026-02-09 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  33. 2026-02-09 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  34. 2026-02-06 House

    Read first time

  35. 2026-02-04 Courts of Justice

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

  36. 2026-02-04 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26106903D-H1

  37. 2026-02-02 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB872)

  38. 2026-02-02 Civil

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

  39. 2026-01-29 Civil

    Assigned HCJ sub: Civil

  40. 2026-01-13 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103145D

  41. 2026-01-13 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Official Summary Text

Possession of portable electronic device in district or circuit court.
Requires the chief judge of each general district court, juvenile and domestic relations district court, and circuit court to set a policy regarding the use and possession of portable electronic devices by visitors to the court. The bill authorizes such chief judge to condition the use and possession of portable electronic devices upon certain limitations. The bill also requires that any such policy be conspicuously posted at the entrance of the courthouse and available on the Virginia Judicial System's website, the district or circuit court's individual website, or a local government website that also has information about such district or circuit court.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
(HB872)
GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION
1. After line 103, enrolled
insert
2. That the provisions of this act shall not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.