House Appropriations Committee advances dozens of bills, including wrongful incarceration claims and housing-growth mandate

The Virginia House Appropriations Committee on an omnibus docket voted to report more than 40 bills from multiple subcommittees, advancing measures on wrongful incarceration claims, tax program changes, housing-growth targets, parole-board expansion, and a mix of labor, public-safety and energy policies.

The committee's actions move the items on to subsequent consideration; most measures were reported unanimously or by recorded tallies, with several contested party-line results on higher-profile items.

Why it matters: The committee is the principal appropriations gatekeeper for bills that carry fiscal impact. Several items reported Wednesday create new program responsibilities or set deadlines and targets that could lead to funding requests or regulatory work by state agencies if enacted.

Key outcomes and notable provisions

- Wrongful incarceration claims: The committee reported multiple individual wrongful incarceration claims, including HB 1586 (Michael Haas, 4.3 years), HB 1776 (Marvin Graham, 45 years), HB 1780 (Gilbert Merritt), HB 1914 (substitute clarifying that time spent on an offender registry counts only after post-release), and HB 2691 (Duffy, 6 years). These bills were reported with favorable tallies (most unanimous). The HB 1914 substitute tightened the statute by specifying when registry time qualifies for a wrongful incarceration claim.

- Tax and information measures: The committee reported HB 2264 with a finance substitute to repeal the Virginia Free File Tax Program at the Department of Taxation, and reported HB 2152 (Delegate Carr) addressing the Virginia Freedom of Information Act with unspecified stipulations in the committee record.

- Housing and planning: HB 2641, as amended, requires localities to increase total housing stock by at least 7.5% over a five-year period beginning Jan. 1, 2026, and to develop a housing growth plan. The bill was reported 12 to 8 in committee.

- Parole and corrections: HB 1589, as amended, would double the State Parole Board from five to 10 members, adding five legislative appointments. The committee reported the bill with favorable votes.

- Public utility oversight and consumer protections: HB 2136 would create a public utility ombudsman within the State Corporation Commission; that measure was reported with a roll call recorded in committee.

- Labor, compensation and benefits: The committee reported several bills affecting workers and benefits, including HB 1705 (options for certain 911 dispatchers to switch to a disability benefit tied to a hybrid retirement plan), HB 1815 (private nonprofit colleges and police departments may elect to participate in the line-of-duty program and pay associated premiums), HB 1933 and HB 2060 (workers' compensation and PTSD/depressive disorder coverage for police and firefighters), and HB 2469 (overtime-pay requirements for domestic workers). Some of these were reported unanimously; others carried narrower tallies.

- Public safety and health: The committee reported bills to codify the firearm violence intervention and prevention fund (HB 1736), require an online portal for veterans services (HB 1737), reestablish a suicide-prevention coordinator at the Department of Veterans Services (HB 1738), and define intimate partner for firearms prohibitions with an estimated one-time cost of $98,000 (HB 1869).

- Energy, environment and workforce: The docket included HB 1934 (changes to the Virginia Clean Economy Act renewable portfolio standards), HB 2426 (clarifying that interconnection facilities are included in the permit-by-rule process managed by DEQ), and HB 2356 (requiring prevailing wage on renewable portfolio standard projects). Multiple energy-related bills were reported with recorded votes.

Votes at a glance (bill — short description — committee tally)

HB 1586 — Wrongful incarceration claim (Michael Haas, 4.3 years) — reported 19–0 HB 1776 — Wrongful incarceration claim (Marvin Graham, 45 years) — reported 19–0 HB 1780 — Wrongful incarceration claim (Gilbert Merritt) — reported 18–0 HB 1914 (substitute) — Clarifies wrongful-incarceration statute re: registry time — reported 20–0 HB 2136 — Creates public utility ombudsman (State Corporation Commission) — reported 17–3 (committee roll indicated an initial confusion before final roll) HB 2152 — Virginia Freedom of Information Act changes (Delegate Carr) — reported 20–0 HB 2264 (finance substitute) — Repeal Virginia Free File Tax Program (Dept. of Taxation) — reported (finance substitute noted) (committee tally shown in record) HB 2276 — Voter-registration list maintenance changes — reported 15–5 HB 2322 — Appointment of counsel for accused with mandatory life-minimum context — reported 20–0 HB 2565 — Subpoena motions to quash or modify — reported 20–0 HB 2691 — Wrongful incarceration claim (Duffy, 6 years) — reported 20–0 HB 1705 (substitute) — 911 dispatchers option to switch sick leave to disability benefit — reported 20–0 HB 1815 — Private non-profit colleges and private police may elect into line-of-duty program — reported 20–0 HB 1933 — Workers' compensation: throat-cancer definitions — reported 20–0 HB 2060 — PTSD/depression coverage for police and firefighters; extends coverage beyond current 52-week cap — reported 20–0 HB 1589 — Doubles Parole Board from 5 to 10; five legislative appointments — reported 20–0 HB 1736 — Codify firearm violence intervention and prevention fund — reported 13–7 HB 1737 — Veterans Services online portal — reported 20–0 HB 1738 — Reestablish suicide-prevention coordinator at DVS — reported 20–0 HB 1869 — Defines intimate partner for firearm prohibitions; one-time cost ~$98,000 — reported 12–8 HB 1894 (substitute) — Temperature-range requirements for Department of Corrections inmate housing — reported 13–7 HB 1963 — (unanimous subcommittee recommendation) — reported 20–0 HB 2033 — DCJS online training for ABC licensees on recognizing human trafficking — reported 20–0 HB 2039 — DCJS model policy for encrypted telecommunications — reported 20–0 HB 2467 — Establishes authorities/responsibilities in state board of local/regional jails similar to DOC Ombudsman — reported 12–8 HB 2485 — Process to create adult retail cannabis market — reported 13–7 HB 2594 — DCJS best practices for security to religious institutions — reported 15–5 HB 2647 — Conditions/prohibitions on restorative housing/isolated confinement — reported 14–6 HB 1616 — Department of Energy to identify training resources for offshore wind industry — reported 14–6 HB 1767 — Increases duration of unemployment insurance benefits — reported 12–8 HB 1921 (as amended) — Expands paid sick leave to cover all Commonwealth employees — reported 11–9 HB 1932 — Task force on property appraisal and valuation equity — reported (committee tally cited in record) HB 1934 — Changes to Virginia Clean Economy Act RPS for Phase 1/Phase 2 utilities — reported 13–7 HB 1935 (as amended) — Income-qualified energy efficiency/weatherization task force — reported 14–6 HB 2149 — Zoning for housing production pilot — reported 15–5 HB 2356 — Prevailing wage requirement for RPS projects — reported 11–9 HB 2426 (as amended) — Clarifies interconnection facilities in DEQ permit-by-rule — reported 17–3 HB 2469 (as amended) — Adds domestic workers to overtime-pay requirements — reported 11–9 HB 2641 (as amended) — Localities must increase housing stock 7.5% over five years; plan required — reported 12–8

Meeting context and next steps

Committee members emphasized the heavy schedule ahead and the need to be prepared for budget presentation later in the week. The committee chair and subcommittee chairs thanked staff for preparatory work. Reported bills will proceed through the legislative process; several bills that carry fiscal or regulatory implications will require agency implementation or budget provisions in future steps.

The committee record shows most motions were moved and seconded on the floor with roll calls recorded in the transcript. Where a substitute or amendment was adopted, the committee reported the bill as amended or substituted to the next stage.