Legislative Update: Good News at Crossover
We have encouraging news from the Virginia General Assembly.
All of ECNV’s priority bills have made it through crossover day, which was on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. This is a key milestone when bills must clear their chamber of origin in order to continue moving forward.
This year, we’ve focused on issues that directly affect people with disabilities across our community:
✅Youth Justice & Disability
Bills are moving forward that shift youth justice toward behavioral health instead of punishment and allow courts to identify disability-related needs early.
SB 21 – Directs the Secretaries of Public Safety and Health and Human Resources to develop a plan and timeline to transfer the Department of Juvenile Justice to Health and Human Resources.
SB 35 – Authorizes courts, prior to final disposition, to order interdisciplinary evaluations of a juvenile’s mental health or disability-related needs.
✅ Protecting Voting Rights
Legislation clarifies that having a guardian does not automatically take away someone’s right to vote.
HB 1014 / SB 34 – Clarifies that a guardianship or conservatorship finding of incapacity does not determine voting eligibility.
✅ Crisis Response & Reducing Criminalization
Several bills strengthen disability-informed crisis response (including 988 and mobile crisis teams), evaluate the Marcus Alert system, and create fairer legal protections for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
HB 225 – Requires DBHDS to convene a Marcus Alert Evaluation Task Force to assess system effectiveness.
HB 246 / SB 335 – Amends the criminal code to allow an affirmative defense or reduced penalty for assault charges when conduct was caused by mental illness, neurocognitive disorder, intellectual disability, or developmental disability.
HB 247 / SB 416 – Allows expungement of charges dismissed under the autism or intellectual disability deferred disposition statute.
HB 453 – Requires a comprehensive statewide crisis response system, including 988, mobile crisis teams, crisis stabilization, and developmental disability crisis services.
SB 198 – Limits the admissibility of statements by individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in certain criminal cases unless the court finds, by clear and convincing evidence, the statements were not directly related to the disability.
✅ Housing & Community Services
We continue to push for more affordable and accessible housing and to protect Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS), which allow people to live in their homes and communities.
🌎 Supporting Disabled Immigrants
ECNV remains committed to ensuring that disabled immigrants—including those who face language or documentation barriers—can access supports in their communities. We believe community-based organizations, independent living centers, and disability service providers must be accessible, inclusive, and equipped to serve everyone. Disability rights include immigrant rights, and we will continue advocating for policies and partnerships that remove barriers to care and support.
What Happens Next?
The bills that passed crossover now move to the other chamber for consideration. At the same time, legislators are negotiating Virginia’s state budget for the FY 2027–2028 biennium—decisions that will directly impact housing, Medicaid services, crisis response systems, and other supports our community relies on.
Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, contacted legislators, and showed up for disability rights during our IL Day in January. Your advocacy truly makes a difference.
We’ll continue to keep you informed as the session moves forward.