An Act to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-208 and 46.2-749 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Motor Vehicles data; certain institutions of higher education; fees.
HB1226 amends two provisions of the Code of Virginia governing Department of Motor Vehicles records and fees. The bill primarily updates § 46.2-208, which controls what DMV information is treated as privileged and under what circumstances it may be released. It preserves the general confidentiality of personal, driver, identification card, and vehicle information, while restating and organizing the list of entities and individuals who may obtain records, including the subject of the record, parents or guardians of minors, authorized representatives, insurers, businesses, rental and leasing companies, and certain legal counsel. The bill also retains existing limits on the release of conviction and crash information and the rule that certain DMV responses are not admissible in court.
The second part of the bill amends § 46.2-749, which concerns fees associated with DMV records or related services for certain institutions of higher education. Based on the bill caption, the measure appears to adjust how those fees are handled, though the provided text excerpt does not include the full revised language for that section. Overall, the bill is a technical and administrative update to DMV data-sharing rules and fee provisions rather than a broad policy change.
HB1226 affects state law by revising the statutory framework for DMV record confidentiality and disclosure, clarifying who can access privileged information and under what conditions. It continues to protect personal and driver-related data while preserving access for authorized requesters and certain business and insurance uses. It also likely modifies fee treatment for certain higher education institutions under § 46.2-749, which could affect how those institutions interact with DMV records or services and what costs they incur.
The available record shows no committee transcript, recorded votes, or other debate, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or support in the materials provided. The bill’s text suggests a largely technical, noncontroversial administrative measure focused on DMV data handling and fees. In the absence of recorded discussion, the general sentiment appears neutral to favorable, with the bill moving through as enacted chapter legislation.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. If any concerns existed, they would most likely have centered on privacy and data access issues in § 46.2-208—particularly the scope of disclosures to businesses, insurers, rental companies, and legal representatives—or on the fee impacts for institutions of higher education under § 46.2-749. However, the record supplied does not show any stated objections or competing positions.