# Virginia HB1144: Water and sewer connection fees; first-time homebuyers, affordable housing.

Virginia HB1144, Water and sewer connection fees; first-time homebuyers, affordable housing., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marty Martinez (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0449)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1144-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1144
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Water and sewer connection fees; first-time homebuyers, affordable housing.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0449)
- Sponsor: Marty Martinez (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (160 yes, 58 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 7

## Summary

Water and sewer connection fees; first-time homebuyers; affordable housing. Provides that any locality may provide for the full or partial reimbursement to a first-time homebuyer of water and sewer connection fees, capital recovery charges, and availability fees paid in connection with any new residential development conveyed to such homebuyer. The bill also permits any locality that has adopted an affordable dwelling unit ordinance pursuant to general law to provide for a waiver of such fees and charges for any development subject to the requirements of such ordinance.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Refunds of water hookup fees for first-time buyers: benefit, medium. Localities can repay some or all water and sewer hookup fees for first-time homebuyers. The reimbursement can cover connection fees, capital recovery charges, and availability fees tied to a new home. Your locality must pass an ordinance to offer this. The ordinance may set limits, like the home’s…
- Developers can get hookup fee refunds: benefit, medium. A locality may repay some or all water and sewer connection fees, capital recovery charges, and availability fees that an applicant paid for a new residential development. The locality must adopt an ordinance or policy to offer this. This can reduce upfront costs for builders or sponsors of new hou…
- Waived hookup fees for affordable housing: benefit, medium. Localities that have an affordable dwelling unit ordinance can waive water and sewer connection, capital recovery, and availability fees. The waiver applies to developments that are covered by that local affordable housing ordinance. This can lower upfront costs for those projects.
- Unpaid bills face penalties, shutoff, and liens: mixed, medium. If water or sewer charges go unpaid, you owe penalty and interest, and the owner must stop sending sewage into the system until paid. After 30 days, the supplier must notify the owner. If still unpaid 60 days after the due date, service may be shut off, but a health officer can block shutoff for he…
- Who pays and how water/sewer fees are set: mixed, medium. Localities can bill for water and sewer service. They may charge the person with the service contract, the owner-occupant or an owner where one meter serves many units, or a tenant where allowed by law. They may also charge residents on combined systems for overflow control. Fees must be fair and,…
- Small town sewer service for outside businesses: mixed, low. A town with 11,000 to 14,000 people can, with county agreement, sell sewer service to industrial and commercial users outside the town. The town can charge for service by contract. It does not have to serve other outside users.
- Existing bondholder contracts remain in force: mixed, low. The law keeps any existing contracts with bondholders in effect. If those contracts conflict with this law, the contracts still control.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Marty Martinez (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 26 | 13 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Local Government | pass | 10 | 3 | 2 |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 64 | 34 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 5 | 2 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with amendment(s) | pass | 15 | 6 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0449) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 449 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-11: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1144ER) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-11: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate (26-Y 13-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Local Government (10-Y 3-N 2-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Read third time and passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-04: committee amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-04: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-03: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-30: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with amendment(s) (15-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2026-01-30: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-30: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-01-28: Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #1 (House)
- 2026-01-21: Fiscal Impact statement From CLG (1/21/2026 4:52 pm) (House)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105356D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217811.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217810.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199980.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199979.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105464.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105463.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103796.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104671.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104674.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088342.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088341.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217811.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217810.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199980.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199979.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105464.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105463.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103796.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104671.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104674.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088342.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088341.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1144-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).