Files
2026-07-06 17:28:36 -04:00

93 lines
5.4 KiB
Markdown
Raw Permalink Blame History

This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters
This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.
---
type: "Bill"
title: "Personal appearance by two-way electronic video and audio communication; entry of plea."
description: "Personal appearance by two-way electronic videoand audio communication; entry of plea or nolle prosequi; adjudicationof probation violations. Provides that with the consent of thecourt and all parties, an appearance in a court may be made by two-way electronic video and audio communication for the purpose of (i) entryof a plea of guilty or nolo contendere and the related sentencingof the defendant charged with a misdemeanor or felony, (ii) entryof a nolle prosequi, or (iii) adjudication of an alleged violationof probation. This bill is a recommendation of the Judicial Councilof Virginia and the Committee on District Courts."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2021"
identifier: "SB 1242"
citation: "Virginia SB 1242 (2021)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["John S. Edwards"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 27
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2021-01-11"
last_action: "2021-03-11"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/a0a26214-4de7-4a3a-98f1-6d99c05e62e6"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+sum+SB1242"
source_hash: "ad0f23b1dc2cfffccc3ceccf844f6b4467d57e378ba119d31940a831cf6589ee"
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 1242 (2021) — Personal appearance by two-way electronic video and audio communication; entry of plea.
Personal appearance by two-way electronic videoand audio communication; entry of plea or nolle prosequi; adjudicationof probation violations. Provides that with the consent of thecourt and all parties, an appearance in a court may be made by two-way electronic video and audio communication for the purpose of (i) entryof a plea of guilty or nolo contendere and the related sentencingof the defendant charged with a misdemeanor or felony, (ii) entryof a nolle prosequi, or (iii) adjudication of an alleged violationof probation. This bill is a recommendation of the Judicial Councilof Virginia and the Committee on District Courts.
## Version chain
The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.
1. **CHAP0086** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+ful+CHAP0086)
2. **Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21101001D** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+ful+SB1242)
3. **SB1242ER** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?212+ful+SB1242ER)
## Votes
- Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) — **390** (pass) · upper
- Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N) — **370** (pass) · upper
- Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (7-Y 1-N) — **71** (pass) · lower
- Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (17-Y 5-N) — **175** (pass) · lower
- House amendments agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N) — **380** (pass) · upper
- Reported from Judiciary (15-Y 0-N) — **150** (pass) · upper
- VOTE: Adoption (77-Y 22-N) — **7622** (pass) · lower
- Continued to Special Session 1 in Courts of Justice — **00** (fail) · lower
## Sponsors
- John S. Edwards — primary (person)
## Timeline
The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.
- **2021-01-11** Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21101001D `introduction`
- **2021-01-11** Referred to Committee on the Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2021-01-20** Reported from Judiciary (15-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2021-01-22** Constitutional reading dispensed (37-Y 0-N)
- **2021-01-25** Read second time and engrossed `reading-2`
- **2021-01-26** Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) `passage, reading-3`
- **2021-02-02** Placed on Calendar
- **2021-02-02** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2021-02-02** Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-08** Continued to Special Session 1 in Courts of Justice
- **2021-02-09** Assigned Courts sub: Criminal `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-10** Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendments (7-Y 1-N)
- **2021-02-12** Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (17-Y 5-N) `committee-passage`
- **2021-02-16** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2021-02-17** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2021-02-17** Committee amendments agreed to
- **2021-02-17** Engrossed by House as amended
- **2021-02-17** Passed House with amendments (77-Y 22-N) `passage`
- **2021-02-17** VOTE: Adoption (77-Y 22-N)
- **2021-02-19** House amendments agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N)
- **2021-02-24** Enrolled
- **2021-02-24** Impact statement from DPB (SB1242ER)
- **2021-02-24** Signed by President
- **2021-02-25** Signed by Speaker
- **2021-02-26** Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on February 26, 2021
- **2021-02-26** Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021
- **2021-03-11** Approved by Governor-Chapter 86 (effective 7/1/21) `executive-signature`
## Source
OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/a0a26214-4de7-4a3a-98f1-6d99c05e62e6`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).