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SB559 • 2026

Forgery or certain violations; amends venue provisions for prosecution.

An Act to amend and reenact § 19.2-245.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to forgery; venue.

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Reeves
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on when the law will take effect.

Changing Where Forgery Cases Can Be Tried

This law clarifies and amends the rules about which courts can handle forgery cases in Virginia.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies that forgery cases, including those involving public records or coins/bank notes, can be tried in any county or city where the forgery occurred, was used, found, or caused financial loss.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who commit forgery
  • Courts that handle forgery cases

Terms To Know

Forgery
Making a false writing and pretending it is real to trick someone.
Venue
The place where a legal case can be tried.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify the exact start date for these new rules.
  • Only applies to forgery cases covered by specific Virginia laws.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 507 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0507)

  3. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  4. 2026-03-14 Governor

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

  5. 2026-03-13 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB559)

  6. 2026-03-12 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB559ER)

  10. 2026-03-06 Senate

    House substitute agreed to by Senate (38-Y 2-N 0-A)

  11. 2026-03-04 House

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-04 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  13. 2026-03-04 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  14. 2026-03-04 House

    Passed House with substitute Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A)

  15. 2026-03-04 House

    Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House

  16. 2026-03-04 House

    Passed House with substitute Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

  17. 2026-03-03 Courts of Justice

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB559)

  18. 2026-03-03 House

    Read second time

  19. 2026-03-02 Courts of Justice

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

  20. 2026-03-02 Courts of Justice

    Committee substitute printed 26108692D-H1

  21. 2026-02-25 Criminal

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)

  22. 2026-02-21 Criminal

    Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

  23. 2026-02-20 House

    Placed on Calendar

  24. 2026-02-20 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

  25. 2026-02-20 House

    Read first time

  26. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Read second time

  27. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Rules suspended

  28. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Blank Action

  29. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  30. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  31. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  32. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Rules suspended

  33. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  34. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A)

  35. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  36. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A)

  37. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  38. 2026-02-11 Courts of Justice

    Reported from Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N)

  39. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB559)

  40. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100647D

  41. 2026-01-14 Courts of Justice

    Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Official Summary Text

Forgery; venue.
Clarifies that the venue provision for prosecution of forgery applies to forging public records, etc., forging coin or bank notes, and forging, uttering, etc., other writings.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
19.2-245.1
of the Code of Virginia, relating to forgery; venue.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
19.2-245.1
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
19.2-245.1
. Forgery; where prosecuted.
If any person commits forgery
, including any violation of §
18.2-168
,
18.2-170
, or
18.2-172
, that forgery
or violation
may be prosecuted in any county or city (i) where the writing was forged, or where the same was used or passed, or attempted to be used or passed, or deposited or placed with another person, firm, association, or corporation either for collection or credit for the account of any person, firm, association, or corporation; (ii) where the writing
is
was
found in the possession of the defendant; or (iii) where an issuer, acquirer, or account holder sustained a financial loss as a result of the offense.