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State correctional facilities; visitation policies; report. Requires the Department of Corrections to establish and publicly post on its website and in the lobby of each state correctional facility an objective dress code for individuals visiting a state correctional facility and specifies certain requirements for and limitations on what such dress code may include. The bill prohibits any state correctional facility from enforcing a dress code that is more restrictive than the dress code posted by the Department.The bill also prohibits any individual from being denied in-person visitation unless such individual is in clear violation of visitation rules or policies. Prior to denying entry to a visitor, the bill requires the reasoning to be (i) reviewed in person by the facility administrative duty officer and (ii) approved by a regional administrator or superior. The bill requires the Department to submit a report annually on or before November 1 to the General Assembly and the Governor with information on visitors denied entry to state correctional facilities, including the following information disaggregated by facility and by month: (a) the number of visitors denied entry and (b) the reasoning for such denials, including the specific rules or policies such visitors were alleged to have violated.The bill requires the Department to convene a work group consisting of relevant stakeholders to consider goals and develop practical policy and legislative recommendations related to facilitating visitation within state correctional facilities and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than November 1, 2026.
Introduced
Jan 9, 2026
Last Action
Mar 14, 2026
Session
VA 2026
Sponsors
1 primary · 1 co
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
Signed by Speaker
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB296)
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB296ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Senate amendments agreed to by House (71-Y 27-N 0-A)
Senate Amendments agreed to
Passed Senate with amendments Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Engrossed by Senate as amended
Read third time
Rules suspended
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
Senate committee offered
Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with amendments (15-Y 0-N)
Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Read third time and passed House (95-Y 3-N 0-A)
Read second time and engrossed
Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
Read first time
Reported from Public Safety (21-Y 0-N)
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB296)
Assigned HPS sub: Subcommittee #2
Referred to Committee on Public Safety
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104772D
Get a plain-English explanation of what this bill does, who it affects, and why it matters.
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Holly M. Seibold