Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill
HB 127: Person not free on bail; court appearance, right to counsel.
Passed one chamber Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HB 127 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 2, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Person not free on bail; court appearance, right to counsel. Primary sponsor: Katrina Callsen (Democratic). It lists 2 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (March 3, 2026): Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N 1-A).
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.
Court appearance of a person not free on bail. Makes various changes to provisions regarding bail hearings in jurisdictions having a public defender office, including (i) the appointment of counsel for the accused and (ii) a requirement that counsel for the accused, when practicable, be provided with adequate time to confer with the accused prior to any bail hearing. The bill also allows a jurisdiction that does not have a public defender office establish to implement such provisions. The bill provides that, effective in due course, the chief judge in each circuit shall create a plan to be completed by November 1, 2026, that establishes the means by which the jurisdiction will meet such provisions. The remaining provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 2
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katrina Callsen | Primary sponsor | Democratic | House | 54 |
| Rae Cousins | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 79 |
| Charlie Schmidt | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N 1-A)
- Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB127)
- Committee substitute printed 26108450D-S1
- Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N)
- Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB127)
- Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Read third time and passed House (84-Y 10-N 0-A)
- Engrossed by House - committee substitute as amended
- committee amendment agreed to
- committee substitute agreed to
- Read second time
Showing 12 most recent of 27 actions. Full history