republic-os/legislation/us/states/va/2020/sb-499.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Specialty dockets; veterans docket."
description: "Specialty dockets; veterans docket. Providesthat any veterans docket authorized and established as a local specialtydocket in accordance with the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginiashall be deemed a \"Veterans Treatment Court Program,\" as that termis used under federal law or by any other entity, for the purposesof applying for, qualifying for, or receiving any federal grants,other federal money, or money from any other entity designated toassist or fund such state programs. The bill contains an emergencyclause."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2020"
identifier: "SB 499"
citation: "Virginia SB 499 (2020)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Bryce E. Reeves"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 25
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2020-01-07"
last_action: "2020-04-02"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/f143a1b7-6201-4076-a879-8416323df025"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+SB499"
source_hash: "6f5052246d82d10eb7f41b1531ed4cb18bed36f76a6e9338cc176af3ca76b189"
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 499 (2020) — Specialty dockets; veterans docket.

Specialty dockets; veterans docket. Providesthat any veterans docket authorized and established as a local specialtydocket in accordance with the Rules of Supreme Court of Virginiashall be deemed a "Veterans Treatment Court Program," as that termis used under federal law or by any other entity, for the purposesof applying for, qualifying for, or receiving any federal grants,other federal money, or money from any other entity designated toassist or fund such state programs. The bill contains an emergencyclause.

## Version chain

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

1. **Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0603)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+CHAP0603)
2. **Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB499ER)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+SB499ER)
3. **Impact statement from DPB (SB499)** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+ful+SB499)

## Votes

- Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- VOTE: Block Vote Passage (100-Y 0-N) — **99–0** (pass) · lower
- Reported from Courts of Justice (21-Y 0-N) — **21–0** (pass) · lower
- Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N) — **8–0** (pass) · lower
- Reported from Judiciary (15-Y 0-N) — **15–0** (pass) · upper
- Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) — **40–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Bryce E. Reeves — primary (person)
- A. Benton "Ben" Chafin — cosponsor (person)
- Adam P. Ebbin — cosponsor (person)
- Amanda E. Batten — cosponsor (person)
- Amanda F. Chase — cosponsor (person)
- Barbara A. Favola — cosponsor (person)
- Barry D. Knight — cosponsor (person)
- Bill DeSteph — cosponsor (person)
- C. Matthew Fariss — cosponsor (person)
- Carrie E. Coyner — cosponsor (person)
- Chris Collins-Resigned 6/28/20 — cosponsor (person)
- Christopher T. Head — cosponsor (person)
- Dave A. LaRock — cosponsor (person)
- David R. Suetterlein — cosponsor (person)
- David W. Marsden — cosponsor (person)
- Emily M. Brewer — cosponsor (person)
- Emmett W. Hanger, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- Frank M. Ruff, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- G. "John" Avoli — cosponsor (person)
- George L. Barker — cosponsor (person)
- Ghazala F. Hashmi — cosponsor (person)
- Glenn R. Davis — cosponsor (person)
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- J. Chapman Petersen — cosponsor (person)
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich — cosponsor (person)
- James W. Morefield — cosponsor (person)
- Janet D. Howell — cosponsor (person)
- Jason S. Miyares — cosponsor (person)
- Jeffrey L. Campbell — cosponsor (person)
- Jennifer A. Kiggans — cosponsor (person)
- Jennifer B. Boysko — cosponsor (person)
- Jennifer L. McClellan — cosponsor (person)
- Jeremy S. McPike — cosponsor (person)
- Jill Holtzman Vogel — cosponsor (person)
- John A. Cosgrove, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- John J. Bell — cosponsor (person)
- John J. McGuire, III — cosponsor (person)
- John S. Edwards — cosponsor (person)
- Joseph D. Morrissey — cosponsor (person)
- Joseph P. McNamara — cosponsor (person)
- Kathy J. Byron — cosponsor (person)
- L. Louise Lucas — cosponsor (person)
- Lionell Spruill, Sr. — cosponsor (person)
- Lynwood W. Lewis, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- M. Keith Hodges — cosponsor (person)
- M. Kirkland Cox — cosponsor (person)
- Mamie E. Locke — cosponsor (person)
- Mark D. Obenshain — cosponsor (person)
- Mark J. Peake — cosponsor (person)
- Mark L. Cole — cosponsor (person)
- Michael J. Webert — cosponsor (person)
- Nicholas J. Freitas — cosponsor (person)
- Nick Rush — cosponsor (person)
- R. Creigh Deeds — cosponsor (person)
- Richard H. Stuart — cosponsor (person)
- Richard L. Saslaw — cosponsor (person)
- Robert D. Orrock, Sr. — cosponsor (person)
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- Ronnie R. Campbell — cosponsor (person)
- Roxann L. Robinson — cosponsor (person)
- Ryan T. McDougle — cosponsor (person)
- Scott A. Surovell — cosponsor (person)
- Scott Wyatt — cosponsor (person)
- Siobhan S. Dunnavant — cosponsor (person)
- Stephen D. Newman — cosponsor (person)
- T. Montgomery "Monty" Mason — cosponsor (person)
- Terry G. Kilgore — cosponsor (person)
- Terry L. Austin — cosponsor (person)
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- Thomas K. Norment, Jr. — cosponsor (person)
- Todd E. Pillion — cosponsor (person)
- Tony O. Wilt — cosponsor (person)
- Wendell S. Walker — cosponsor (person)
- William M. Stanley, Jr. — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2020-01-07** Prefiled and ordered printed with emergency clause; offered 01/08/20 20103355D `introduction`
- **2020-01-07** Referred to Committee on the Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2020-01-08** Moved from Courts of Justice to Judiciary due to a change of the committee name
- **2020-01-20** Reported from Judiciary (15-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2020-01-21** Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
- **2020-01-22** Read second time and engrossed `reading-2`
- **2020-01-23** Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) `passage, reading-3`
- **2020-02-11** Impact statement from DPB (SB499)
- **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** Assigned Courts sub: Criminal `referral-committee`
- **2020-02-17** Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
- **2020-02-19** Reported from Courts of Justice (21-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2020-02-21** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2020-02-24** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2020-02-24** Passed House BLOCK VOTE (100-Y 0-N) `passage`
- **2020-02-24** VOTE: Block Vote Passage (100-Y 0-N)
- **2020-02-27** Enrolled
- **2020-02-27** Impact statement from DPB (SB499ER)
- **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
- **2020-04-02** Approved by Governor-Chapter 603 (effective 4/2/20) `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/f143a1b7-6201-4076-a879-8416323df025`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).