Virginia · 2026 Regular Session

SB137 Obstructing health care facility; penalties.

Direction

Abortion provider clinic regulationAI label

Restricts abortion access model confidence 85%

Creates new criminal penalties for physical obstruction, intimidation, or interference with access to or provision of reproductive health services (including abortion), so more restrictions on such interference and greater protection for clinic operations.

Any person who (i) by force or threat of force, or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with, or attempts to injure, intimidate, or interfere with, another person because such other person is or has been, or in order to intimidate such person or any other person or any class of persons from, obtaining or providing reproductive health services or (ii) intentionally damages or destroys, or attempts to damage or destroy, a reproductive health care facility because such facility provides reproductive health services is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.

✓ 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: 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0991)
Filed: 2026-01-06
Sponsor: Stella Pekarsky D

Read official text (Chaptered)Legislature page LegiScan

Why the model tagged it this way: The bill creates a new crime specifically targeting obstruction, intimidation, or damage at reproductive health care facilities that provide services including termination of pregnancy, which directly regulates and protects abortion clinics from interference.

Related bills

HB542 Abortion; informed written consent, newborn safety devices.Restricts abortion access Died (session ended)
SB449 Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom(submitting to qualified voters).Expands abortion access Expands abortion access Law
SB548 Abortion; born alive infant, treatment and care, penalty.Restricts abortion access No change to abortion access Died (session ended)
HB781 Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom(submitting to qualified voters).Expands abortion access Restricts abortion access Law

Hearings and calendar

2026-01-19 08:00 · Hearing · Senate Courts of Justice Hearing Senate Room A, Room 305, General Assembly Building
2026-02-18 00:00 · Hearing · House Courts of Justice: Criminal Hearing House Committee Room C - 206
2026-02-27 00:00 · Hearing · House Courts of Justice: Criminal Hearing House Committee Room C - 206
2026-03-02 00:00 · Hearing · House Courts of Justice Hearing House Committee Room C - 206

Votes

Date	Chamber	Motion	Yea-Nay
2026-01-19	S	Reported from Courts of Justice (8-Y 7-N)	8-7	Passed
2026-01-20	S	Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)	40-0	Passed
2026-01-22	S	Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A)	20-19	Passed
2026-02-27	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)	7-3	Passed
2026-03-02	H	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (15-Y 7-N)	15-7	Passed
2026-03-04	H	Passed House with substitute (64-Y 35-N 0-A)	64-35	Passed
2026-03-06	S	House substitute rejected by Senate (1-Y 39-N 0-A)	1-39	Failed
2026-03-10	S	Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)	40-0	Passed
2026-03-14	H	Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)	62-35	Passed
2026-03-14	S	Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)	21-18	Passed
2026-04-22	H	House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 32-N 0-A)	66-32	Passed
2026-04-22	S	Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)	21-18	Passed

Text versions

Introduced 2026-01-06
Comm Sub 2026-02-26
Comm Sub 2026-02-27
Comm Sub 2026-03-02
Comm Sub 2026-03-14
Enrolled 2026-03-30
Enrolled 2026-04-22
Chaptered 2026-04-22

History (53 actions)

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-04-22		Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0991)
2026-04-22		Approved by Governor-Chapter 991 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-22	S	Signed by President
2026-04-22	H	Signed by Speaker
2026-04-22	S	Reenrolled bill text (SB137ER2)
2026-04-22	S	Reenrolled
2026-04-22		Governor's recommendation adopted
2026-04-22	H	House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 32-N 0-A)
2026-04-22	S	Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-04-13		Governor's recommendation received by Senate
2026-04-01	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB137)
2026-03-31		Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-31	S	Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31	H	Signed by Speaker
2026-03-30	S	Signed by President
2026-03-30	S	Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB137ER)
2026-03-30	S	Enrolled
2026-03-17	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB137)
2026-03-14	S	Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-03-14	H	Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-03-14		Conference Report released
2026-03-12	H	House Conferees: Watts, Schmidt, Tata
2026-03-12	H	Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-10	S	Senate Conferees: Pekarsky, Surovell, Sturtevant
2026-03-10	S	Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-10	S	Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-09	H	House requested conference committee
2026-03-09	H	House insisted on substitute
2026-03-06	S	House substitute rejected by Senate (1-Y 39-N 0-A)
2026-03-04	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB137)
2026-03-04	H	Passed House with substitute (64-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-03-04	H	Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-03-04	H	committee substitute agreed to
2026-03-04	H	Read third time
2026-03-03	H	Read second time
2026-03-02	H	Committee substitute printed 26108463D-H1
2026-03-02	H	Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (15-Y 7-N)
2026-02-27	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 3-N)
2026-02-27	H	House subcommittee offered
2026-02-17	H	Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
2026-02-03	H	Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2026-02-03	H	Read first time
2026-02-03	H	Placed on Calendar
2026-01-22	S	Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A)
2026-01-21	S	Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
2026-01-21	S	Read second time
2026-01-20	S	Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
2026-01-20	S	Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-01-20	S	Rules suspended
2026-01-19	S	Reported from Courts of Justice (8-Y 7-N)
2026-01-16	S	Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB137)
2026-01-06	S	Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2026-01-06	S	Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100615D