Virginia House Bill 1996 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Completed Legislative Action
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: Passed on March 23 2023 - 100% progression
Action: 2023-03-23 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0447)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]

Summons for Unlawful Detainer form; plain English instructions. Requires the Forms and Efiling Subcommittee of the Supreme Court of Virginia's Access to Justice Commission to develop plain English instructions, as defined in the bill, that explain to defendants how to interpret Form DC-421 (Summons for Unlawful Detainer/Civil Claim for Eviction). The bill further requires that such instructions (i) be printed in no less than 14 point type; (ii) be understandable to persons whose literacy level matches the Virginia literacy level for fourth grade; (iii) explain that failure to appear in court on the hearing date may result in eviction from the defendant's household; and (iv) provide the statewide Legal Aid and Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot program websites and, if applicable, telephone numbers, directing defendants to contact those programs for more information and assistance. Summons for Unlawful Detainer form; plain English instructions. Requires the Forms and Efiling Subcommittee of the Supreme Court of Virginia's Access to Justice Commission to develop plain English instructions, as defined in the bill, that explain to defendants how to interpret Form DC-421 (Summons for Unlawful Detainer/Civil Claim for Eviction). The bill further requires that such instructions (i) be printed in no less than 14 point type; (ii) be understandable to persons whose literacy level matches the Virginia literacy level for fourth grade; (iii) explain that failure to appear in court on the hearing date may result in eviction from the defendant's household; and (iv) provide the statewide Legal Aid and Virginia Eviction Reduction Pilot program websites and, if applicable, telephone numbers, directing defendants to contact those programs for more information and assistance.

Summons for Unlawful Detainer form; plain English instructions for interpretation of form.

Del. Charniele Herring [D]

Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker [D]

Del. Kaye Kory [D]

2023-02-15 - Senate - Senate: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-02-14 - Senate - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-02-13 - Senate - Senate: Reported from Judiciary (15-Y 0-N) (Y: 15 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-02-02 - House - House: VOTE: Passage (99-Y 0-N) (Y: 99 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2023-01-27 - House - House: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (20-Y 0-N) (Y: 20 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-01-25 - House - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 1-N) (Y: 7 N: 1 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2023-01-16 - House - House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (4-Y 4-N) (Y: 4 N: 4 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [FAIL]

Date	Chamber	Action
2023-03-23		Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0447)
2023-03-23		Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 447 (effective 7/1/23)
2023-03-02		Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 27, 2023
2023-03-02	House	Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 2, 2023
2023-02-21	Senate	Signed by President
2023-02-20	House	Signed by Speaker
2023-02-20	House	Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1996ER)
2023-02-20	House	Enrolled
2023-02-15	Senate	Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
2023-02-15	Senate	Read third time
2023-02-14	Senate	Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)
2023-02-13	Senate	Reported from Judiciary (15-Y 0-N)
2023-02-03	Senate	Referred to Committee on the Judiciary
2023-02-03	Senate	Constitutional reading dispensed
2023-02-02	House	VOTE: Passage (99-Y 0-N)
2023-02-02	House	Read third time and passed House (99-Y 0-N)
2023-02-01	House	Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB1996H1
2023-02-01	House	Committee substitute agreed to 23105393D-H1
2023-02-01	House	Read second time
2023-01-31	House	Read first time
2023-01-27	House	Committee substitute printed 23105393D-H1
2023-01-27	House	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (20-Y 0-N)
2023-01-25	House	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 1-N)
2023-01-16	House	Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (4-Y 4-N)
2023-01-13	House	Assigned Courts sub: Subcommittee #2
2023-01-10	House	Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2023-01-10	House	Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/11/23 23102270D

Type	Source
Summary	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+HB1996
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+HB1996+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+HB1996H1+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+HB1996ER+hil
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+ful+CHAP0447+hil
Amendment	https://committees.lis.virginia.gov/pdfs/23105393D.pdf
Supplement	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+oth+HB1996FH1122+PDF
Supplement	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+oth+HB1996FER122+PDF
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+H0802V0003+HB1996
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+H0802V0056+HB1996
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+H08V0073+HB1996
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+HV1344+HB1996
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+S03V0235+HB1996
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+SV0456HB1996+HB1996
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+vot+SV0467HB1996+HB1996