---
type: "Bill"
title: "Computer trespass; expands the crime."
description: "Computer trespass; penalty. Expands the crime of computer trespass to provide that the prohibited actions that constitute computer trespass are criminalized if done through intentionally deceptive means and without authority and specifies that a computer hardware or software provider, an interactive computer service, or a telecommunications or cable operator does not have to provide notice of its activities to a computer user that a reasonable computer user should expect may occur. This bill incorporates SB 844."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2020"
identifier: "SB 378"
citation: "Virginia SB 378 (2020)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["John J. Bell"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 33
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2020-01-06"
last_action: "2020-04-07"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/ae33f8db-2577-429c-8992-3ec77f4d0502"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+SB378"
source_hash: "debfc9712595343e4e7d5cc33c9bb231c415f386f1edc5e74fe7be3e220eb923"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-va"]
---

# Virginia SB 378 (2020) — Computer trespass; expands the crime.

Computer trespass; penalty. Expands the crime of computer trespass to provide that the prohibited actions that constitute computer trespass are criminalized if done through intentionally deceptive means and without authority and specifies that a computer hardware or software provider, an interactive computer service, or a telecommunications or cable operator does not have to provide notice of its activities to a computer user that a reasonable computer user should expect may occur. This bill incorporates SB 844.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0821)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+CHAP0821)
2. **Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB378ER)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+SB378ER)
3. **Impact statement from VCSC (SB378)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+SB378)
4. **Impact statement from VCSC (SB378S1)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+SB378S1)

## Votes

- Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 2-N) — **4–2** (pass) · lower
- Reported from Judiciary with substitute (13-Y 0-N) — **13–0** (pass) · upper
- Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- VOTE: Passage (90-Y 9-N) — **89–9** (pass) · lower
- Reported from Courts of Justice (17-Y 3-N) — **17–3** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- John J. Bell — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2020-01-06** Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20102624D `introduction`
- **2020-01-06** Referred to Committee on the Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2020-01-08** Impact statement from VCSC (SB378)
- **2020-01-08** Moved from Courts of Justice to Judiciary due to a change of the committee name
- **2020-01-24** Assigned Judiciary sub: Criminal Law `referral-committee`
- **2020-02-03** Incorporates SB844 (Mason)
- **2020-02-03** Committee substitute printed 20107397D-S1 `substitution`
- **2020-02-03** Reported from Judiciary with substitute (13-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2020-02-04** Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
- **2020-02-05** Impact statement from VCSC (SB378S1)
- **2020-02-05** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2020-02-05** Reading of substitute waived
- **2020-02-05** Committee substitute agreed to 20107397D-S1
- **2020-02-05** Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB378S1
- **2020-02-06** Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) `passage, reading-3`
- **2020-02-12** Placed on Calendar
- **2020-02-12** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2020-02-12** Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice `referral-committee`
- **2020-02-14** Impact statement from DPB (SB378S1)
- **2020-02-14** Assigned Courts sub: Criminal `referral-committee`
- **2020-02-17** Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 2-N)
- **2020-02-19** Reported from Courts of Justice (17-Y 3-N) `committee-passage`
- **2020-02-21** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2020-02-24** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2020-02-24** Passed House (90-Y 9-N) `passage`
- **2020-02-24** VOTE: Passage (90-Y 9-N)
- **2020-02-27** Enrolled
- **2020-02-27** Impact statement from DPB (SB378ER)
- **2020-02-27** Signed by President
- **2020-02-27** Signed by Speaker
- **2020-03-10** Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 10, 2020
- **2020-03-10** Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 11, 2020
- **2020-04-07** Approved by Governor-Chapter 821 (effective 7/1/20) `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/ae33f8db-2577-429c-8992-3ec77f4d0502`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).