Release date for first 2019 starter decks: February 16

Full announcement: www.blackchantry.com/2019/01/09/four-new-starter-deck-lists-revealed-and-we-have-a-release-date/

The new vampires will be allowed in constructed tournaments 30 days after the release, as usual (so that everyone has a chance to get them), that is March 18th

4.3. New Releases
New V:TES cards and rules (new expansions, new editions of the basic set, new rules released in expansions or basic sets, and promotional cards) are allowed in Constructed tournament play beginning 30 days after their retail release date. V:EKN announcements confirm the exact date that each new card set enters tournament play before the set is released.

New cards or rules are allowed in Limited tournament play immediately, including before the release date (for example, at a Prerelease tournament).

Please note also the following changes:

• Perfectionist: Gaining blood is now optional.
• Trap: Is now put into play with counters to track the number of presses it can provide.
• Powerbase: Madrid: Adding the counter is now optional.
• Rack, The: Adding the blood is now optional.
• Embrace, The: Inherits the sire's sect.

brandonsantacruz wrote:

Side note: are judges supposed to stop people from transferring out their full vampire if they realize their mistake after they have passed the turn? Discarded?

Your question is (if I'm not mistaken): can a judge prevent me from playing illegally? Answer is yes.