All Roll Calls
Yes: 212 • No: 0
Sponsored By: Alex Q. Askew (Democratic)
Became Law
Charter; City of Norfolk. Amends the charter for the City of Norfolk to require, on any property where there is a substantial negative impact on public health, safety, and welfare, conformity with the city's zoning ordinance within a reasonable time, to be specified by ordinance, but never less than two years. This bill is identical to SB 806.
Personalized for You
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
18 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 2 costs, 11 mixed.
The city can provide care and support for children, the sick, the elderly, and poor residents. It can run or fund charities, clinics, recreation centers, and detentive or penal institutions. If you qualify, you may get local services. The law does not set exact benefit amounts.
The city can inspect food and destroy unsafe items. It can stop the spread of contagious diseases and set quarantine grounds. It can run or regulate hospitals and require reports of births and deaths. These actions follow state and federal law and aim to protect public health.
The city can run public schools and libraries. Local officials manage them but must follow state education laws and standards. Students and families receive services under these statewide rules.
The city can open, widen, and maintain streets and alleys. It can build bridges, tunnels, sewers, and drains, and require some utility wires be put underground. The city may also build or help build roads and bridges outside city limits and acquire needed land, including by condemnation. These powers aim to improve travel, safety, and local infrastructure.
If a nonconforming property or use creates a big health, safety, or welfare problem, the city can require it to meet current zoning. The city must give a reasonable time to comply, and it cannot be less than two years. Owners may need to modify or stop the use during that period.
The city council can raise local taxes and assessments each year. It may also charge special assessments on nearby properties to pay for local improvements. The city cannot tax its own bonds. Homeowners and residents may pay more when rates or assessment districts are approved.
The city has full police powers and can run a police department. It can prevent and fight fires, set building rules, and remove dangerous buildings. It can require fireproof construction in set fire limits. With a four-fifths council vote, certain fireproof storage sheds may be allowed on waterfront piers. Owners and builders must follow safety rules and may need to make upgrades.
The city can own or lease utilities and run local services. It sets and enforces water and other utility rates. It can secure water supplies, police and protect watersheds, and sell extra water outside the city. The city also collects and disposes of sewage and trash. Lands held for water supply inside Virginia cannot exceed 30,000 acres at one time. Utility bills and service fees can change when the city updates rates.
The city can set building lines along streets and block new buildings between the line and the street for at least one block. It must publish notice for at least 10 days and hold a hearing. If an owner objects, the city must buy the property or start condemnation within 60 days, or the rule will not apply to that owner. Owners can also request a voluntary design review for new or rehab work. The review fee is capped at the city’s actual cost or $200, whichever is less.
The city can buy, sell, lease, or take property by condemnation inside or outside the city. To support industry and commerce, it can hold up to 5,000 acres at one time for resale or lease. These powers can bring jobs and projects, but they also allow eminent domain that affects property owners’ rights.
The city can borrow money and issue debt to pay for projects, under state limits. The council can spend city funds for any lawful purpose. These powers help the city build or improve services now, but future debt payments can raise costs that affect taxpayers.
The city can build and run wharves and docks and set rules for their use. It can charge wharfage fees to vessels and regulate rates. The city can also dredge and deepen the harbor and rivers. These powers affect port users and local maritime businesses.
The city can buy land for burial grounds inside or outside the city. It can set and enforce rules for their use and protection and regulate burials. Families using cemeteries must follow city rules.
The city can order dirty or dangerous properties to be cleaned or fixed. Owners or occupants may have to pay cleanup costs or fines. These rules target health and safety problems like smoke, dust, noise, or offensive businesses.
The city can license, test, and inspect scales, meters, and other measuring devices. Stores and vendors must follow these rules. This protects shoppers with accurate prices, but businesses face licensing and inspection steps.
The city can require transport companies to take back people with no visible support or post a bond that they will not become a city expense for one year. The city can expel people who have been in the city less than 90 days. These rules shift costs to carriers and aim to prevent new public charges.
The city can grant franchises to public-utility providers under state and charter limits. This shapes which companies can run local utility services and under what terms.
The city can make and enforce ordinances and penalties to carry out its powers. It can also sue to stop violations by asking a court for an injunction. All rules must be consistent with the city charter.
Alex Q. Askew
Democratic • House
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 212 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/25/2026
Passed Senate Block Vote
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/24/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)
Yes: 39 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/24/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/23/2026
Reported from Local Government Block Vote
Yes: 14 • No: 0
House vote • 2/12/2026
Read third time and passed House Block Vote
Yes: 98 • No: 0
House vote • 2/6/2026
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns
Yes: 21 • No: 0
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0316)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 316 (effective 7/1/2026)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1477ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Signed by Speaker
Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Read third time
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Rules suspended
Reported from Local Government Block Vote (14-Y 0-N)
Referred to Committee on Local Government
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
Read second time and engrossed
Read first time
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (21-Y 0-N)
Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
Presented and ordered printed 26105453D
Chaptered
4/6/2026
Enrolled
3/2/2026
Introduced
1/23/2026
SB767 — Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals.
Motor vehicle glass repair and replacement; emissions inspection; penalties. Establishes various notice requirements for motor vehicle glass repair shops, defined in the bill, and provides that a violation of such requirements is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill permits a motor vehicle to qualify for an emissions inspection waiver if such vehicle has failed an inspection and the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system is in a not-ready condition to be tested when presented for reinspection. This bill is identical to HB 312.
SB803 — Virginia Fair Housing Law; regulations defining terms related to unlawful conduct.
Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful conduct. Directs the Fair Housing Board to promulgate regulations defining "quid pro quo harassment," "hostile environment harassment," and other terms related to unlawful conduct under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. The bill directs the Fair Housing Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
SB731 — Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections.
Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections; report. Requires the governing body of any county or city that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services to (i) require such company to provide any employee of such company providing such services compensation and benefits that are, at a minimum, equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee, as defined in the bill, with a position requiring equivalent qualifications and years of service; (ii) provide transportation services through such company's own employees; and (iii) if such county or city subsequently elects to provide its own system of public transportation, adopt an ordinance or resolution providing for collective bargaining and ensure all employees of such private company are offered employment with such subsequent public transportation system without loss of compensation or benefits. The bill clarifies that the bill only applies to actions occurring on or after the effective date and excludes any action taken, contract signed, liability incurred, or right accrued prior to July 1, 2026, from the requirements. Finally, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to convene a work group to develop recommendations on how to implement the provisions of the bill and requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 547.
SB620 — Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc.
Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers; purchase, possession, and sale of retail tobacco products; penalties; report. Transitions and provides a more comprehensive structure for the current licensing and enforcement responsibilities related to liquid nicotine and retail tobacco products from the Department of Taxation to a permitting system administered by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The bill requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage and Control Authority to conduct an unannounced buyer operation at least once every 24 months to verify that a permittee, defined in the bill, is not selling retail tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. Portions of the bill have a delayed effective date of October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 308.
SB666 — Residential land development and construction; fee transparency, local housing development.
Department of Housing and Community Development; housing development database. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to collect from each locality and make available to the public, localities, state agencies, and other state and regional public entities in a centralized, machine-readable, screen reader compatible database various data for each new and existing housing development in each locality in the Commonwealth, including data related to the number of housing development plans submitted and approved by the locality and the average approval timeline for housing development plans.
SB599 — Va. Opioid Use Red. & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Trtmt. and Transition Fund; grant procedure.
Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund; grant procedures. Requires the grant procedure to govern funds awarded to local and regional jails for the planning or operation of substance use disorder treatment services and transition services for persons with substance use disorder who are incarcerated in local and regional jails to include requirements that (i) any grant awarded shall be made for up to three years and (ii) an applicant for a grant submit a plan demonstrating how such applicant will become independently financially viable within the time period for which the grant is awarded. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to HB 455.