---
type: "Bill"
title: "Marcus alert system; external database information removal."
description: "Marcus alert system; external database information removal. Clarifies that an individual's information may continue to appear on a voluntary Marcus alert system external database that cannot be modified by a locality after such individual reaches 18 years of age. This bill is a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2026"
identifier: "HB 249"
citation: "Virginia HB 249 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Vivian E. Watts"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 26
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2026-01-08"
last_action: "2026-04-06"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/cfffa0b6-8852-4fc6-b5ba-97068830fe3c"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB249"
source_hash: "1b8e85623f25410d4a89d80db6f56357544e4bfd8621ba2eead508d57427c265"
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 HB 249 (2026) — Marcus alert system; external database information removal.

Marcus alert system; external database information removal. Clarifies that an individual's information may continue to appear on a voluntary Marcus alert system external database that cannot be modified by a locality after such individual reaches 18 years of age. This bill is a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission.

## Version chain

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

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083254.PDF)
2. **Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216266.PDF)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177827.PDF)

## Votes

- Reported from Courts of Justice — **13–0** (pass) · upper
- Subcommittee recommends reporting — **6–1** (pass) · lower
- Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- Passage R — **38–0** (pass) · upper
- Reported from Public Safety — **20–2** (pass) · lower
- H VOTE: — **93–5** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Vivian E. Watts — primary (person)
- Garrett McGuire — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2026-01-08** Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102854D `filing, introduction`
- **2026-01-08** Referred to Committee on Public Safety `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-16** Assigned HPS sub: Subcommittee #2 `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-21** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB249)
- **2026-01-22** Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 1-N)
- **2026-01-23** Reported from Public Safety (20-Y 2-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-01-27** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2026-01-28** Read second time and engrossed `reading-2`
- **2026-01-29** Read third time and passed House (93-Y 5-N 0-A) `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-01-30** Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- **2026-01-30** Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-18** Reported from Courts of Justice (13-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-20** Rules suspended
- **2026-02-20** Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- **2026-02-20** Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- **2026-02-23** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2026-02-23** Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A) `passage`
- **2026-02-25** Enrolled `enrolled`
- **2026-02-25** Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB249ER) `passage`
- **2026-02-25** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB249)
- **2026-02-25** Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2026-02-25** Signed by President `passage`
- **2026-03-10** Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 `enrolled, executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-10** Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 `executive-receipt`
- **2026-04-06** Approved by Governor-Chapter 95 (effective 7/1/2026) `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-06** Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0095)

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/cfffa0b6-8852-4fc6-b5ba-97068830fe3c`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).