Damage or Trespass to Critical Infrastructure; Penalties
Summary
Virginia Governor signed SB743 on April 6, 2026, expanding the offense of damage or trespass to public services and utilities to include intentional destruction of or damage to IT systems used for public utilities, cable television, broadband, or other critical infrastructure. The bill, effective July 1, 2026, passed with unanimous support in both chambers and includes technical amendments. Violations carry criminal penalties under Virginia state law.
What changed
SB743 expands Virginia's existing criminal offense of damage or trespass to public services and utilities to explicitly cover intentional destruction or damage to fixtures, equipment, or information technology systems used to provide, process, transmit, or maintain public services, public utilities, cable television, broadband, or other critical infrastructure as defined in law. The bill passed both chambers unanimously and takes effect July 1, 2026.
Public utilities, cable operators, broadband providers, and operators of other critical infrastructure should prepare for enhanced enforcement exposure. Entities maintaining IT systems essential to utility services or critical infrastructure operations must ensure compliance with the expanded criminal prohibitions, as violations now explicitly cover damage to associated technology systems alongside physical infrastructure.
What to do next
- Review and strengthen physical and cybersecurity measures for IT systems supporting critical infrastructure
- Update incident response protocols to address new criminal penalties for infrastructure damage
- Train relevant personnel on expanded scope of prohibited conduct under the new law
Penalties
Criminal penalties apply for intentional destruction or damage to critical infrastructure IT systems; specific penalties defined in Virginia criminal statutes for damage to public services and utilities.
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Virginia / SB743 Signed by Governor SB743 Senate Bill Signed by Governor 2026-04-06
Damage or trespass to public services or utilities or critical infrastructure; penalties.
Damage or trespass to public services or utilities or critical infrastructure; penalties. Adds the intentional destruction of or damage to any fixture, equipment, or information technology system that is used to provide, process, transmit, or maintain public services, public utilities, cable television, broadband, or other critical infrastructure, as defined in relevant law, to the existing offense of damage or trespass to public services or utilities. The bill contains technical amendments and is identical to HB 317.
Bill Details
State Virginia
Session 2026 Regular Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB743
LegiScan View on LegiScan
Sponsors
Lashrecse Aird (Sen - D) Jennifer Boysko (Sen - D)
Action History
2026-04-06 Approved by Governor-Chapter 106 (effective 7/1/2026) 2026-03-14 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 2026-03-14 S Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 2026-03-11 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB743) 2026-03-10 S Signed by President 2026-03-10 H Signed by Speaker 2026-03-10 S Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB743ER) 2026-03-10 S Enrolled 2026-03-04 H Passed House (99-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-03-04 H Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House 2026-03-04 H Passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-03-04 H Read third time 2026-03-03 H Read second time 2026-03-02 H Reported from Courts of Justice (22-Y 0-N) 2026-02-24 H Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice 2026-02-24 H Read first time 2026-02-24 H Placed on Calendar 2026-02-16 S Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB743) 2026-02-13 S Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-02-13 S Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-02-13 S Rules suspended 2026-02-13 S Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote) 2026-02-13 S Courts of Justice Substitute agreed to 2026-02-13 S Read second time 2026-02-12 S Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) 2026-02-12 S Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-02-12 S Rules suspended 2026-02-11 S Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) 2026-02-06 S Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/6/2026 10:52 am) 2026-02-06 S Committee substitute printed 26105842D-S1 2026-02-04 S Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) 2026-02-04 S Senate committee offered 2026-01-21 S Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/21/2026 11:05 am) 2026-01-19 S Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice 2026-01-19 S Presented and ordered printed 26104434D
Votes
2026-02-04 Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) Yea: 15 Nay: 0 2026-02-11 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) Yea: 15 Nay: 0 2026-02-12 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 40 Nay: 0 2026-02-13 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 3rd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 38 Nay: 0 2026-02-13 Read third time and passed Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 38 Nay: 0 2026-03-02 Reported from Courts of Justice (22-Y 0-N) Yea: 22 Nay: 0 2026-03-04 Passed House (97-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 97 Nay: 0 2026-03-04 Passed House (99-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 99 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-01-19 S Courts of Justice 2026-02-04 S Finance and Appropriations 2026-02-24 H Courts of Justice
Bill Text Versions
2026-01-19 Introduced 2026-02-04 Comm Sub 2026-02-06 Comm Sub 2026-03-10 Enrolled Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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