# Virginia HB1973: Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty.

Virginia HB1973, Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (House sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1973-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1973
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty.
- Status: to governor
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-01-07
- Last action: 2025-04-02, House sustained Governor's veto
- Sponsor: Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 6 (133 yes, 84 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Preservation of affordable housing; definitions; civil penalty. Creates a framework for localities to preserve affordable housing by exercising a right of first refusal on publicly supported housing, defined in the bill. The bill authorizes localities to implement an ordinance that requires an owner to accept a right of first refusal offer by the locality or qualified designee, defined in the bill, in order to preserve affordable housing for at least 15 years. The bill requires that any locality adopting such an ordinance to preserve affordable housing submit an annual report to the Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to existing law.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2025-02-14 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 36 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 50 | 47 |   |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025-01-30 | House | Reported from General Laws with substitute | pass | 12 | 9 |   |

## Actions (31)

- 2025-04-02: House sustained Governor's veto (House)
- 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House)
- 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1973) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1973ER) (House)
- 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-18: Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-17: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (36-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reported from General Laws and Technology (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1973) (House)
- 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate)
- 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House (50-Y 47-N) (House)
- 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2025-02-03: General Laws Substitute agreed to (House)
- 2025-02-03: Read second time (House)
- 2025-02-02: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-30: Committee substitute printed 25105880D-H1 (House)
- 2025-01-30: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N) (House)
- 2025-01-30: Reported from General Laws with substitute (12-Y 9-N) (House)
- 2025-01-20: Assigned GL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection (House)
- 2025-01-14: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1973) (House)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25101114D (House)

## Bill text

- Veto Explanation, 2025-03-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073390.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1061735.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1061734.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036416.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036040.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036039.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036415.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-01-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027233.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027232.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014334.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014333.PDF)

## Related bills

- HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted)
- SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed)
- HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed)
- HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed)
- SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed)
- HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor)

## Sources
- [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073390.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1061735.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1061734.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036416.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036040.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036039.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1036415.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027233.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1027232.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014334.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014333.PDF)

## Related
- [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025)
- [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025)
- [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025)
- [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025)
- [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025)
- [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025)
- [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-HB1973-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).