# Virginia HB1266: Environmental Justice in Permitting Process Guidance Memo; DEQ to publish an updated version. Virginia HB1266, Environmental Justice in Permitting Process Guidance Memo; DEQ to publish an updated version., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Kathy K.L. Tran (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0461)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1266-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB1266 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Environmental Justice in Permitting Process Guidance Memo; DEQ to publish an updated version. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0461) - Sponsor: Kathy K.L. Tran (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 12 (241 yes, 109 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Department of Environmental Quality; Environmental Justice in the Permitting Process Guidance Memo; cumulative impacts. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to publish an updated version of the Environmental Justice in the Permitting Process Guidance Memo for public comment. The bill requires the updated memo to consider how to assess the cumulative impacts of the types of permits covered in the guidance memo and outreach strategies to engage communities impacted by any such permit. The bill requires the public comment period process to include two public town halls held no later than July 31, 2026, and requires the Department to respond to the public comments by October 31, 2026. The Department is required to issue the final guidance memo by December 31, 2026. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More community input on environmental permits: benefit, low. The Department of Environmental Quality must publish an updated Environmental Justice in Permitting guidance memo for public comment. The update covers how to assess cumulative impacts and how to reach affected communities. The public comment process includes two town halls held by July 31, 2026. T… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Kathy K.L. Tran (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-11 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 65 | 34 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 22 | 18 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-06 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-05 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-03-05 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-03 | Senate | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute | pass | 9 | 5 | 1 | | 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 63 | 34 | | | 2026-02-13 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 5 | 2 | | | 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 16 | 6 | | | 2026-02-11 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations | pass | 7 | 3 | | | 2026-02-11 | House | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute and referred to Appropriations | pass | 15 | 7 | | ## Actions (45) - 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0461) (Governor) - 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 461 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1266) (House) - 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1266ER) (House) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Senate substitute agreed to by House (65-Y 34-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-10: Passed Senate with substitute (22-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1266) (House) - 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Committee substitute printed 26109125D-S1 (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (9-Y 5-N 1-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1266) (House) - 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-16: Engrossed by House - committee substitute as amended (House) - 2026-02-16: Delegate Tran Floor amendments agreed to (House) - 2026-02-16: committee substitute agreed to (House) - 2026-02-16: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-16: Floor Offered (House) - 2026-02-16: Engrossed bill reprinted 26107166D (House) - 2026-02-15: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-13: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N) (House) - 2026-02-13: Reported from Appropriations (16-Y 6-N) (House) - 2026-02-11: Committee substitute printed 26107166D-H1 (House) - 2026-02-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1266) (House) - 2026-02-11: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N) (House) - 2026-02-11: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N) (House) - 2026-02-11: Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources (House) - 2026-02-10: House subcommittee offered (House) - 2026-02-09: Assigned HACNR sub: Natural Resources (House) - 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (House) - 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103003D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217979.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217978.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212456.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212455.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192086.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192085.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190881.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190880.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-02-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1149271.HTML) - Engrossed, 2026-02-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1150635.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1150634.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141441.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142422.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142421.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141440.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139202.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139201.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088261.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088260.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/1217979.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217978.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212456.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212455.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192086.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192085.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190881.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190880.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1149271.HTML) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1150635.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1150634.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141441.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142422.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142421.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141440.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139202.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1139201.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088261.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088260.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-HB1266-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).