Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill
HB 303: Divorce; adultery, filing, parties living separate and apart, report.
Enacted Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HB 303 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 9, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Divorce; adultery, filing, parties living separate and apart, report. Primary sponsor: Rip Sullivan (Democratic). Most recent recorded action (April 13, 2026): Approved by Governor-Chapter 918 (effective 7/1/2026).
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.
Divorce; adultery; filing; parties living separate and apart; work group; report. Specifies that a divorce may be decreed on the grounds of adultery, provided that such adultery occurred prior to the final separation of the parties. The bill further allows for a divorce from bed and board to be decreed on the application of either party upon the parties living separate and apart; under current law, a divorce from bed and board may only be decreed for cruelty, reasonable apprehension of bodily hurt, willful desertion, or abandonment. The bill specifies that no waiting period is required for the filing for such a divorce, but the decree of such a divorce may only be decreed pursuant to certain requirements otherwise specified in the law. The bill further directs the Virginia Family Law Coalition, in conjunction with the Virginia State Bar Family Law Section, to convene a work group to consider whether to eliminate fault-based grounds for divorce in the Commonwealth and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice no later than December 1, 2026.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip Sullivan | Primary sponsor | Democratic | House | 6 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Approved by Governor-Chapter 918 (effective 7/1/2026)
- Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
- Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
- Signed by Speaker
- Signed by President
- Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB303ER)
- Enrolled
- Senate amendments agreed to by House (64-Y 34-N 0-A)
- Passed Senate with amendments (24-Y 16-N 0-A)
- Engrossed by Senate as amended
- Courts of Justice Amendments agreed to
- Read third time
Showing 12 most recent of 27 actions. Full history