An Act to amend and reenact § 54.1-3912 of the Code of Virginia, relating to members of the Virginia State Bar; rules and regulations relating to schedule of fees.
HB276 amends Virginia law governing Virginia State Bar fees. The bill authorizes the Supreme Court to continue setting rules and regulations for the collection and disbursement of bar fees, but it raises the statutory cap on annual attorney dues from $250 to $350. In practical terms, the measure gives the Court more flexibility to adjust bar funding while preserving the existing framework for administering the Virginia State Bar.
The bill is narrow in scope and does not change attorney licensing requirements, disciplinary procedures, or other substantive bar governance provisions. Its main effect is financial: it increases the maximum annual fee that may be assessed against members of the Virginia State Bar to support administration of the article governing the bar.
HB276 directly amends § 54.1-3912 of the Code of Virginia by increasing the maximum annual fee for attorneys from $250 to $350. This change affects members of the Virginia State Bar and the Supreme Court of Virginia, which is authorized to promulgate fee schedules and manage the associated collections and disbursements. The bill updates the funding ceiling for bar administration and may allow for higher operating revenues for the bar’s regulatory functions.
The available record suggests the bill was noncontroversial and routine. It was enacted as Chapter 584 and approved on April 13, 2026, with no recorded committee transcripts or votes indicating opposition. The absence of recorded debate or dissent suggests general acceptance of the need to update the fee cap.
No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. Because the bill only raises the maximum annual bar fee, any potential disagreement would likely center on the cost burden to attorneys versus the need for adequate funding of bar administration, but no such objections appear in the provided record. The measure appears to have moved without notable controversy.