Virginia · House Bill 2221 · 2025 Regular Session

Prisoners; Department of Corrections-issued identification, report.

HB 2221 Sponsored by Rae Cousins Became law

  1. Introduced Jan 7, 2025
  2. In committee Jan 7, 2025
  3. Passed the House of Delegates Feb 4, 2025
  4. Passed the Senate Feb 14, 2025
  5. To the governor Mar 5, 2025
  6. Became law Apr 2, 2025

What it does

The legislature's own summary of the bill, or its official long title.

Prisoners; Department of Corrections-issued identification; report. Requires the Department of Corrections, in conjunction with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the State Registrar of Vital Records, and any other relevant government agency to provide to a prisoner who has been confined for at least 90 days and does not possess a government-issued identification card, birth certificate, and social security card with…

Read the full title (269 words)

Prisoners; Department of Corrections-issued identification; report. Requires the Department of Corrections, in conjunction with the Department of Motor Vehicles, the State Registrar of Vital Records, and any other relevant government agency to provide to a prisoner who has been confined for at least 90 days and does not possess a government-issued identification card, birth certificate, and social security card with a certified copy of such prisoner's birth certificate, his social security card, and a government-issued identification card, prior to such prisoner's release or discharge into the community. The bill also specifies what identifying information must be included on a prisoner's Department of Corrections Offender Identification form provided to a prisoner who is unable to obtain a government-issued identification card prior to his release or discharge and provides that such form shall satisfy certain requirements for the purposes of obtaining a government-issued identification card for the 120 days immediately following the release or discharge of the prisoner identified on such form. The bill also directs the Department of Corrections, in coordination with the State Board of Local and Regional Jails to form a workgroup to study various topics related to the implementation of procedures to assist a prisoner in a local or regional correctional facility with obtaining a government-issued identification card and to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, and the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Public Safety, and the Senate Committees on Rehabilitation and Social Services and Finance and Appropriations by November 1, 2025.

Every action

52 steps, oldest first, as the legislature records them.

Show the 44 earlier steps
  1. House of DelegatesPrefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25104315D
  2. CommitteeReferred to Committee on Public Safety · House of Delegates Public Safety
  3. CommitteeAssigned PS sub: Public Safety · House of Delegates Public Safety: Subcommittee 2
  4. CommitteePlaced on Public Safety Agenda · House of Delegates Public Safety
  5. CommitteeSubcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 0-N) · House of Delegates Public Safety: Subcommittee 26–0 vote
  6. CommitteePlaced on Public Safety Agenda · House of Delegates Public Safety
  7. CommitteeReported from Public Safety with substitute (21-Y 0-N) · House of Delegates Public Safety21–0 vote
  8. House of DelegatesCommittee substitute printed 25106422D-H1
  9. House of DelegatesRead first time
  10. House of DelegatesRead second time
  11. House of DelegatesPublic Safety Substitute agreed to
  12. House of DelegatesEngrossed by House - committee substitute
  13. House of DelegatesRead third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N)97–0 vote
  14. House of DelegatesReconsideration of passage agreed to by House
  15. House of DelegatesPassed House (99-Y 0-N)99–0 vote
  16. SenateConstitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
  17. CommitteeReferred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services · Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services
  18. CommitteeReported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) · Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services15–0 vote
  19. CommitteeRereferred to Finance and Appropriations · Senate Finance and Appropriations
  20. CommitteeReported from Finance and Appropriations with amendments (10-Y 5-N) · Senate Finance and Appropriations10–5 vote
  21. SenateRules suspended
  22. SenateConstitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N)40–0 vote
  23. SenatePassed by for the day
  24. House of DelegatesFiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2221)
  25. SenateRead third time
  26. SenateReading of amendment waived
  27. SenateRehabilitation and Social Services Amendment agreed to
  28. SenateReading of amendment waived
  29. SenateFinance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to
  30. SenateEngrossed by Senate as amended
  31. SenatePassed Senate with amendments (20-Y 15-N)20–15 vote
  32. House of DelegatesSenate Amendments agreed to by House (96-Y 1-N)96–1 vote
  33. House of DelegatesEnrolled
  34. House of DelegatesBill text as passed House and Senate (HB2221ER)
  35. House of DelegatesSigned by Speaker
  36. House of DelegatesEnrolled
  37. House of DelegatesEnrolled bill reprinted 25106422D
  38. SenateSigned by President
  39. House of DelegatesFiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2221)
  40. House of DelegatesEnrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 5, 2025
  41. GovernorGovernor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025
  42. GovernorGovernor's recommendation received by House
  43. House of DelegatesGovernor's substitute printed (HB2221H2)
  44. House of DelegatesHouse concurred in Governor's recommendation (95-Y 0-N)95–0 vote
  1. SenateSenate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 1-N)39–1 vote
  2. GovernorGovernor's recommendation adopted
  3. House of DelegatesReenrolled
  4. House of DelegatesReenrolled bill text (HB2221ER2)
  5. House of DelegatesSigned by Speaker as reenrolled
  6. SenateSigned by President as reenrolled
  7. House of DelegatesEnacted, Chapter 656 (Effective 07/01/26)
  8. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0656)

Roll calls

11 recorded votes: 7 on the floor, 4 in committee. Each shows how every member voted.

Passed House (99-Y 0-N) · Full House of Delegates

Passed 99–0
Feb 4, 2025 · journal entry
Yes 99 No 0 Not voting 1
Party not listed: 23 yes, 0 no Democrats: 45 yes, 0 no Republicans: 31 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 99

Not voting · 1

Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) · Full Senate

40–0
Feb 13, 2025 · journal entry
Yes 40 No 0
Party not listed: 2 yes, 0 no Democrats: 19 yes, 0 no Republicans: 19 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 40

Passed Senate with amendments (20-Y 15-N) · Full Senate

Passed 20–15
Feb 14, 2025 · journal entry
Yes 20 No 15 Not voting 5
Party not listed: 2 yes, 0 no Democrats: 18 yes, 0 no Republicans: 0 yes, 15 no
How each member voted

Yes · 20

No · 15

Not voting · 5

Senate Amendments agreed to by House (96-Y 1-N) · Full House of Delegates

Passed 96–1
Feb 18, 2025 · journal entry
Yes 96 No 1 Not voting 3
Party not listed: 22 yes, 0 no Democrats: 44 yes, 0 no Republicans: 30 yes, 1 no
How each member voted

Yes · 96

No · 1

Not voting · 3

House concurred in Governor's recommendation (95-Y 0-N) · Full House of Delegates

Passed 95–0
Apr 2, 2025 · journal entry
Yes 95 No 0 Not voting 5
Party not listed: 20 yes, 0 no Democrats: 45 yes, 0 no Republicans: 30 yes, 0 no
How each member voted

Yes · 95

Not voting · 5

Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 1-N) · Full Senate

Passed 39–1
Apr 2, 2025 · journal entry
Yes 39 No 1
Party not listed: 2 yes, 0 no Democrats: 19 yes, 0 no Republicans: 18 yes, 1 no
How each member voted

Yes · 39

No · 1

Committee and other votes

DateWhereQuestionResult
Jan 30, 2025 House of Delegates Public Safety: Subcommittee 2 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 0-N)
Members

Yes · 6

Not voting · 1

 6–0
Jan 31, 2025 House of Delegates Public Safety Reported from Public Safety with substitute (21-Y 0-N)
Members

Yes · 21

Not voting · 1

 Passed 21–0
Feb 4, 2025 Full House of Delegates Read third time and passed House (97-Y 0-N)
Members

Yes · 97

Not voting · 3

 Passed 97–0
Feb 7, 2025 Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with amendments and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
Members

Yes · 15

 Passed 15–0
Feb 12, 2025 Senate Finance and Appropriations Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendments (10-Y 5-N)
Members

Yes · 10

No · 5

 Passed 10–5

Sponsors

The member who introduced it, joined by 18 cosponsors: 14 Democrats, 3 party unknown, 1 Republican.

All 18 cosponsors

From Virginia's official records (lis.blob.core.windows.net), checked Nov 2, 2026. Text links go to the official versions; LegiList does not copy bill text.