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HB 77

Law-enforcement officers, state and local; enforcement of federal traffic infractions.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Paul Krizek

HB 77 grants Virginia state and local law enforcement authority to enforce federal traffic infractions alongside state violations, expanding police citation and penalty powers for federally-regulated traffic offenses.

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Bill Summary · HB 77

Legislative bill overview

HB 77 authorizes Virginia state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal traffic infractions in addition to state traffic violations. The bill expands police authority to cite and penalize drivers for violations of federal traffic regulations that would otherwise only be enforceable by federal agents. This represents a delegation of federal enforcement responsibility to state and local police agencies.

Why is this important

Traffic enforcement directly affects millions of Virginia drivers and impacts law enforcement resource allocation. Expanding enforcement scope could increase citations and fines collected but also raises questions about whether state/local police should prioritize federal violations over state-level public safety concerns. The fiscal impact statement suggests there may be cost or revenue implications for state and local budgets.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope of federal traffic infractions: Unclear which specific federal traffic regulations qualify or how broadly officers can interpret enforcement authority
  • Resource allocation: Whether state/local police should use limited resources enforcing federal regulations versus focusing on state crimes and violations
  • Consistency and training: Ensuring uniform enforcement across jurisdictions and that officers receive proper training on federal traffic codes they may be unfamiliar with
  • Revenue concerns: Potential that this expands citation/fine authority in ways that could disproportionately affect certain communities or create perverse incentives for enforcement

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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