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Virginia · 2026 Regular Session
HB303Divorce; adultery, filing, parties living separate and apart, report.
Direction
Custody & supportalimonyAI label
↔Mixed rights of the paying or noncustodial parentmodel confidence 60%
The bill removes adultery as a fault ground for divorce from bond of matrimony and repeals several other fault grounds, while directing a work group to study eliminating fault-based grounds and their consideration in spousal support awards, which would reduce the ability of the less-custodial or pay
whether to modify or eliminate mandatory separation periods currently required under Virginia law as a precondition to no-fault divorce, with particular attention to the impact of such requirements on survivors of domestic violence and low-income Virginians; (iii) the extent, if any, to which fault should continue to be considered in equitable distribution of marital property under § 20-107.3 of the Code of Virginia, spousal support awards under § 20-107.1 of the Code of Virginia, or other collateral matters;
=No change to rights of the paying or noncustodial parentmodel confidence 50%
The work group is directed to study protections for domestic violence survivors in no-fault divorce proceedings to prevent use as an instrument of further abuse or coercive control, and the impact of separation periods on survivors, which could lead to changes affecting how domestic violence is used
(iv) protections for domestic violence survivors in no-fault divorce proceedings, including provisions to prevent the use of divorce proceedings as an instrument of further abuse or coercive control;
✓ Quote verified word for word in the bill text
Filed (completed)
Committee (completed)
Passed one chamber (completed)
Passed both (completed)
Governor (completed)
Law
Stage: Law · step 6 of 6
Last action
2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0918)
Why the model tagged it this way: The bill amends divorce grounds by repealing several fault-based provisions (including adultery as a standalone ground in some contexts), shortens no-fault separation periods in certain cases, and creates a work group to study shifting to an exclusively no-fault system while examining fault's role in spousal support and protections for domestic violence survivors; these changes substantively address alimony (spousal support) and domestic-violence considerations in custody-related divorce matters under the custody-support topic, with mixed or neutral effects depending on the work group's future
Related bills
HB839Child custody proceedings; study, provisions to improve procedure for victims of family abuse, etc.↓Restricts rights of the paying or noncustodial parent↓Restricts rights of the paying or noncustodial parent Committee
HB601Exemptions from garnishment; minimum protected account balance, certain benefit payments.↑Expands rights of the paying or noncustodial parent=No change to rights of the paying or noncustodial parent Law
SB301Exemptions from garnishment; minimum protected account balance, certain benefit payments.↑Expands rights of the paying or noncustodial parent↑Expands rights of the paying or noncustodial parent Law
HB1382Members of U.S. Armed Forces, etc.; domicile & residential requirements for annulment, etc.=No change to rights of the paying or noncustodial parent=No change to rights of the paying or noncustodial parent Law
Hearings and calendar
2026-01-28 00:00 · Hearing · House Courts of Justice: Civil Hearing House North Subcommittee Room - 200
2026-02-04 00:00 · Hearing · House Courts of Justice Hearing House Committee Room C - 206
2026-03-04 19:00 · Hearing · Senate Courts of Justice Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building
2026-03-05 19:00 · Hearing · Senate Courts of Justice Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building
Votes
Date
Chamber
Motion
Yea-Nay
2026-01-28
H
Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N)
6-2
Passed
2026-02-04
H
Reported from Courts of Justice (16-Y 6-N)
16-6
Passed
2026-02-10
H
Read third time and passed House (67-Y 31-N 0-A)
67-31
Passed
2026-03-05
S
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendments (12-Y 1-N 1-A)