The Virginia House of Delegates on Jan. 17 approved committee amendments to and then engrossed House Bill 1638, a measure that would amend unspecified sections of the Code of Virginia to restrict landlordsand rental agents from denying housing solely because of a felony conviction.

Delegate Doug Hayes, a Chesapeake Republican, presented the bill on the House floor, saying the measure seeks to expand reentry opportunities by preventing rental denials based only on criminal-record history. "This bill is about redemption," Delegate Doug Hayes said. "It's about eradicating recidivism, and it's about providing dignity for those who are returning to society with a place, of housing and a cover over their head."

The bill as introduced would amend and reenact three sections of the Code of Virginia related to the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and a criminal-record screening model policy; the transcript does not list the specific code sections. The clerk reported that committee amendments from the House committee were moved and the House agreed to the committee amendments by voice vote.

After the committee amendment was agreed to, the House considered whether to engross the bill and pass it to third reading. The clerk called for a voice vote; the motion to engross and pass the bill to third reading carried on a voice vote and was recorded in the proceedings as agreed to. The transcript does not provide a roll-call tally for the engrossing vote.

Supporters told the chamber the measure aligns with the governors stated goals on reentry and stable housing, and they characterized the change as intended to reduce homelessness and recidivism by expanding access to rental housing for people with prior felony convictions whose offenses or time elapsed may make continued housing denial inappropriate. The transcript contains no detailed debate from opponents on the floor and no committee report text beyond the sponsors remarks.

The bill now proceeds to third reading for final passage consideration; the transcript does not record further floor action on the measure during this session.

Votes and formal actions taken on the House floor in this session were voice votes; specific yea/nay tallies were not recorded in the transcript for HB 1638.