# Virginia HB1176: Regulatory boards, certain; quorum requirements. Virginia HB1176, Regulatory boards, certain; quorum requirements., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Nicole Cole (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0454)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1176-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1176 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Regulatory boards, certain; quorum requirements. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0454) - Sponsor: Nicole Cole (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (220 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; quorum requirements for certain regulatory boards. Lowers the quorum requirements for the (i) Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects of two engineers, two architects, and two land surveyors to at least one engineer, one architect, and one land surveyor and (ii) Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists of two professional soil scientists, two professional wetland delineators, and two professional geologists to at least one professional soil scientist, one professional wetland delineator, and one professional geologist. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Board setup for soil, wetland, geology: mixed, low. The law creates a 13-member board for soil, wetland, and geology professionals, plus the State Geologist as an ex officio member. Seats are three soil scientists, three wetland delineators, three geologists, and three citizen members. Members serve four-year terms and elect a chairman each year. A… - New rules for design licensing board: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the design licensing board has 15 members. Seats are three architects, three engineers, three land surveyors, two landscape architects, two interior designers, and two citizen members. Except for citizen seats, members must have at least 10 years of practice or teaching. Mem… - Qualifications and nominations for soil board seats: mixed, low. The law sets who qualifies for the professional seats. Geologist members come from varied backgrounds. Soil scientists must have experience in at least one area: soil mapping and classification; soil suitability and land use; teaching and research; or environmental protection rules. Among the three… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Nicole Cole (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-23 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-02-20 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-20 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-18 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2026-02-09 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 | | | 2026-02-03 | House | Reported from General Laws | pass | 21 | 0 | | | 2026-01-29 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 9 | 0 | | ## Actions (26) - 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0454) (Governor) - 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 454 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House) - 2026-02-25: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1176) (House) - 2026-02-25: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1176ER) (House) - 2026-02-25: Enrolled (House) - 2026-02-25: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-02-23: Passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-02-20: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-20: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-20: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Reported from General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-06: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-02-05: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-03: Reported from General Laws (21-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-29: Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-29: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1176) (House) - 2026-01-26: Assigned HGL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process (House) - 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House) - 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101483D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217882.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217881.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177933.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177932.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088413.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088412.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/1217882.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217881.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177933.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1177932.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088413.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088412.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) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1176-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).