Editor’s Note: This article is based on reporting by Julianna Brown of Capital News Service, a student-powered newsroom at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Communication. RVA Magazine has edited and expanded the reporting for our audience.
For years, Virginia has allowed community service to count toward court fines and fees. Individuals can log approved volunteer hours and reduce the debt tied to a conviction.
Work performed while incarcerated has not been treated the same way.
House Bill 16, introduced by Del. Cia Price, would allow labor completed while incarcerated to be credited toward court fines and costs. The measure recently passed the House with bipartisan support and now heads to the Senate.
If enacted, the bill would allow eligible hours worked in local, regional, or state correctional facilities on or before July 1, 2023, to be credited at the same rate as community service, minus any wages already received.
How the Bill Would Work
Under current law, individuals may receive credit for community service completed before or after incarceration. Labor performed during incarceration does not count toward court debt.
HB 16 would change that.
At a committee hearing, an attorney with the Legal Aid Justice Center described a client who spent ten years incarcerated and worked hundreds of hours building furniture used in state institutions. After his release, he had paid off 6 percent of his court debt.
Supporters argue that recognizing incarcerated labor would help reduce long-term financial burdens.
Jennifer Dalton, founder of the Virginia Justice Alliance, told lawmakers that court debt often shifts to families. She described paying off her former fiancé’s fines so the debt would not affect his reentry.
Court fines and fees can affect credit, housing, and employment prospects after release.
In Virginia, incarcerated individuals can earn wages as low as 55 cents per hour, according to data compiled by the Prison Policy Initiative. At that rate, accumulated court debt can take years to pay off.
Kami Blatt, a policy analyst with The Commonwealth Institute, told lawmakers that crediting incarcerated work could reduce uncollectable debt and improve reentry outcomes.
Fiscal Impact and Political Context
The Virginia Department of Corrections estimated the bill would require approximately $151,000 in general funds to track and document eligible work hours. The agency indicated that costs would decrease over time as retroactive claims decline.
A similar measure passed the General Assembly in 2024 but was vetoed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
HB 16 passed the House on a 72–25 vote earlier this month. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Supporters describe the measure as a limited reform that acknowledges work performed while incarcerated. The bill does not change sentencing laws, eliminate restitution, or remove fines. It creates a mechanism for courts to credit documented labor toward outstanding obligations.
If approved by the Senate and signed into law, courts would begin applying eligible work hours toward qualifying court debt.
Photo of United States Penitentiary, Lee (USP Lee) in Lee County, Virginia
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