Del. Cousins’ HB862 to overhaul Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program passes unanimously in House, Senate

A bill advanced by State Del. Rae Cousins is set to reorganize and expand the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program. It impacts oversight, membership structure and regulatory authority, as outlined by the Virginia State House.

Having passed both bodies of the legislature, it was formally enrolled as of March 13, 2026, following a unanimous 96-0 approval in the House and a 40-0 vote in the Senate.

Filed as HB862 on Jan. 14, 2026, during the regular session, the legislation was summarized in the state’s records as: “Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP), Commission on; structure and responsibilities.”

Below is our breakdown, based on the full bill text, with some interpretation for clarity.

The law will reorganize and expand VASAP by officially establishing the Commission on VASAP as a legislative entity and specifying its composition, authorities, staffing, and reporting structure. The legislation establishes a framework for certifying, funding, supervising, and if needed, suspending or merging local alcohol safety action programs, detailing requirements for local policy boards, designating fiscal agent localities, employee certification standards, audits, and performance metrics. Regulation for ignition interlock systems and remote alcohol monitoring is unified, and a fund for indigent support is authorized. VASAP will also connect with a newly established Intelligent Speed Assistance Program for certain drivers with traffic offenses. Most structural provisions become effective July 1, 2026. Local programs must designate their fiscal agent localities by Jan. 1, 2027.

Support in the House included votes from 61 Democrats and 35 Republicans.

The Senate passed the bill with 21 Democrats and 19 Republicans voting in favor.

Del. Rae Cousins (Democrat-79th District) was the sole sponsor of HB862.

Cousins earned her undergraduate degree in 2001 from the College of William and Mary and completed her JD at Howard University School of Law in 2010.

She was elected to the Virginia State House in 2024 to represent the 79th House district, succeeding Nadarius Clark.

In Virginia, lawmaking begins with bill introduction in either chamber, before committee review, floor debate, and chamber voting. Once both house and senate approve, the bill proceeds to the governor, who can sign, veto, or allow it to become law without signature. The General Assembly meets each year, starting on the second Monday in January, with lawmakers submitting hundreds of bills, of which a portion are enacted.

Information in this article was obtained from the Virginia State House. The source data can be found here.