Civil Subcommittee

Friday, January 30, 2026·50m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Civil Subcommittee struck one bill outright, carried over a contested business litigation docket bill to 2027, and advanced two bills — one on corporate housing ownership data and one expanding civil remedies for child sexual abuse survivors — with HB 910 passing 8-0 after an unusual reconsideration vote and HB 1020 passing 7-0.

Key Actions

·HB 202 – Bill Struck Before Substantive DiscussionNo Vote

+ 3 more actions

Controversies

Whether the business litigation docket bill addresses complexity or merely business-to-business cases

Elliot Buckner of the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association argued the bill 'doesn't create a mechanism to handle complex cases. It just creates a mechanism to handle business to business cases,' citing a wrongful death helicopter crash case he handled as an example of a genuinely complex case that would not be eligible for the docket. Delegate Willett countered that 'these are different cases and we're trying to just do the best we can with the docket,' and Keith Martin argued the docket would enhance Virginia's legal climate.

+ 3 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“This bill creates an express lane for businesses and clogs up the travel lanes for all other litigants. If you like the idea of having a mechanism to handle complex cases, then that's what should happen. It should be all complex cases. Two years ago, I handled a wrongful death case involving a helicopter crash and I assure you that was an incredibly complex case that would not be permitted to go into this complex docket, that would have to sit and wallow with worse judicial resources because they're allocated to the business courts.”
Elliot Buckner, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association — Buckner was opposing the business and complex litigation docket bill, arguing that the bill's eligibility criteria favor business-to-business disputes rather than genuinely complex cases regardless of the parties involved.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Motion to strike HB 202Passed

Motion to adopt the subcommittee substitute for Willett's business/complex litigation docket billPassed

Motion to carry Willett's business/complex litigation docket bill over to the 2027 sessionPassed

Motion to adopt the subcommittee substitute for HB 910Passed

Motion to adopt amendment striking lines 134 to 153 (enactment clause) from HB 910Passed

Motion to carry HB 910 over to next sessionPassed

Motion to reconsider the carry-over vote on HB 910Passed

Motion to report HB 910 with substitute as amendedPassed

Motion to adopt line amendments to HB 1020Passed

Motion to report HB 1020 as amendedPassed

Unlock the full summary

Subscribe to see all key actions, controversies, quotes, and what's next.

TranscriptPreview

Good afternoon, members. The civil subcommittee of courts of justice will come to order. Members will indicate their presence on the electronic voting board. We just barely have a quorum. Clerk will close the roll. All right, Delegate Willett. Actually, you know what? Delegate Griffin, you're here. So, delegate Griffin, if you would just come forward for just a second. So you've got a bill that your concern continues to need some work and probably won't get ready by the end of the session, is that right? Yes. Yes. Mr. Chairman, is your preference that we carry it over or that we strike it? We can do either one. Strike it. If you're willing, Mr. Chairman. Request the patient. The motion to entertain a motion to strike. Move to strike. Moved and properly seconded. That we strike. House Bill 202. The clerk open the roll. Members will cast their votes. Oh, here it is. All right. The clerk will close the roll. Bill stricter from the document. Vote of 7 to 0. Thank you for your economy on a Friday afternoon. Thank you, sir. All right, Delegate Willett. Well, you've got a substitute for your bill, is that correct? I…

Subscribe to unlock the full transcript, summary, and search across all Virginia committee hearings.