State • Virginia

HB 853: Petition for modification of a sentence; eligibility, procedures, report.

Rae CousinsIntroduced

HB 853 status: Introduced — Continued from last session (updated Jul 21, 2026).

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What this bill does

Overall score

Score65/100 civic fit
RiskModerate risk
ImpactHigh impact 75/100

Bill summary

Official

Petition for modification of a sentence; eligibility; procedures; report. Provides procedures for individuals serving a sentence for certain felony convictions or a combination of such convictions who remain incarcerated in a state or local correctional facility or secure facility and meet certain criteria to petition ...

Key analysis

Constitutionality85%
Bipartisan45%
Public opinion50%
2

Impact analysis

Environment

Mixed / Neutral
50%

Benefits

  • No direct environmental impact identified.

Risks

  • No direct environmental impact identified.

Economy

Mixed / Neutral
55%

Benefits

  • Potential long-term reduction in state correctional expenditures.
  • Increased labor force participation through re-entry.

Risks

  • Initial fiscal burden from work group administration and judicial processing.
  • Potential costs to strengthen victim notification infrastructure.

Society

Positive Outlook
70%

Benefits

  • Provides legal pathway for rehabilitation-focused sentence modification.
  • Facilitates judicial review of long-term incarceration sentences.

Risks

  • Concerns regarding victim experience and notification during modification proceedings.
  • Potential for disparate application depending on jurisdiction.
3

How trustworthy & consequential it is

Source

OpenStates

Confidence

low

low

Analysis status

OpenStates summary

Warning

Increased petition volume may strain existing court and victim notification system resources.

Limitation

Analysis based on abstract only; full text eligibility criteria are unavailable.

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Where it stands

1

Introduced

Current

Continued from last session

2

Committee

Upcoming
3

Floor

Upcoming
4

Governor

Upcoming
5

Enacted

Upcoming
5

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