SEARCH SITE
VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL
- Code of Virginia
- Virginia Administrative Code
- Constitution of Virginia
- Charters
- Authorities
- Compacts
- Uncodified Acts
- RIS Users (account required)
SEARCHABLE DATABASES
- Bills & Resolutions
session legislation - Bill Summaries
session summaries - Reports to the General Assembly
House and Senate documents - Legislative Liaisons
State agency contacts
ACROSS SESSIONS
- Subject Index: Since 1995
- Bills & Resolutions: Since 1994
- Summaries: Since 1994
Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.
2021 SPECIAL SESSION I
SB 1215 Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; tenant remedies for exclusion from dwelling unit.
Introduced by: Adam P. Ebbin | all patrons ... notes | add to my profiles
SUMMARY AS PASSED: (all summaries)
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; tenant remedies for exclusion from dwelling unit, interruption of services, or actions taken to make premises unsafe. Provides that a general district court shall enter an order upon petition by a tenant that his landlord has (i) removed or excluded the tenant from the dwelling unit unlawfully, (ii) interrupted or caused the interruption of an essential service to the tenant, or (iii) taken action to make the premises unsafe for habitation. The bill allows entry of a preliminary order ex parte to require the landlord to allow the tenant to recover possession of the dwelling unit, resume any such interrupted essential service, or fix any willful actions taken by the landlord or his agent to make the premises unsafe for habitation if there is good cause to do so and the tenant made reasonable efforts to notify the landlord of the hearing. The bill requires that any ex parte order entered shall further indicate a date for a full hearing on the petition that is no later than 10 days from the initial hearing date. Finally, the bill provides that, at a full hearing on such petition and upon proper evidence presented, the tenant shall recover actual damages, the greater of $5,000 or four months' rent, and reasonable attorney fees. This bill is identical to HB 1900.
FULL TEXT
- 01/11/21 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21102805D pdf | impact statement
- 02/01/21 Senate: Printed as engrossed 21102805D-E pdf | impact statement
- 02/22/21 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1215ER) pdf | impact statement
- 03/30/21 Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0404) pdf
AMENDMENTS
- House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
- Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
- House amendments adopted
- House amendments engrossed
- Senate amendments
HISTORY
- 01/11/21 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21102805D
- 01/11/21 Senate: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
- 01/27/21 Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (13-Y 0-N 2-A)
- 01/29/21 Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (35-Y 0-N)
- 02/01/21 Senate: Read second time
- 02/01/21 Senate: Reading of amendment waived
- 02/01/21 Senate: Committee amendment agreed to
- 02/01/21 Senate: Engrossed by Senate as amended SB1215E
- 02/01/21 Senate: Printed as engrossed 21102805D-E
- 02/02/21 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (27-Y 12-N)
- 02/05/21 House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/05/21 House: Read first time
- 02/05/21 House: Referred to Committee on General Laws
- 02/08/21 House: Continued to Special Session 1 in General Laws by voice vote
- 02/11/21 House: Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (13-Y 9-N)
- 02/15/21 House: Read second time
- 02/16/21 House: Read third time
- 02/16/21 House: Committee amendment agreed to
- 02/16/21 House: Engrossed by House as amended
- 02/16/21 House: Passed House with amendment (54-Y 45-N)
- 02/16/21 House: VOTE: Passage (54-Y 45-N)
- 02/18/21 Senate: House amendment agreed to by Senate (24-Y 13-N)
- 02/18/21 Senate: Reconsideration of House amendment agreed to by Senate (38-Y 0-N)
- 02/18/21 Senate: House amendment agreed to by Senate (24-Y 15-N)
- 02/22/21 Senate: Enrolled
- 02/22/21 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1215ER)
- 02/22/21 Senate: Signed by President
- 02/24/21 House: Signed by Speaker
- 02/25/21 Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on February 25, 2021
- 02/25/21 Governor: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021
- 03/30/21 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 404 (effective 7/1/21)
- 03/30/21 Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0404)