# Virginia HB1994: Alcoholic beverage control; requirements for restaurant retail licensees.

Virginia HB1994, Alcoholic beverage control; requirements for restaurant retail licensees., 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-HB1994-2025
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1994
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Alcoholic beverage control; requirements for restaurant retail licensees.
- 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: 7 (233 yes, 77 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Alcoholic beverage control; requirements for restaurant retail licensees; provision of free potable water. Requires persons licensed to sell alcoholic beverages at retail for on-premises consumption to ensure that free potable water is available upon request to customers who have placed an order, with some exceptions specified in the bill. The bill provides that any person determined to have violated such provisions shall be subject to a (i) written warning for a first offense and (ii) civil penalty for any second or subsequent offense that occurs within three years of the first offense.

## 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-02-14 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 59 | 35 |   |
| 2025-02-12 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 38 | 1 |   |
| 2025-02-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2025-02-07 | Senate | Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute | pass | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-01-29 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 62 | 34 |   |
| 2025-01-23 | House | Reported from General Laws | pass | 15 | 6 |   |
| 2025-01-21 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 6 | 1 | 1 |

## Actions (33)

- 2025-04-02: House sustained Governor's veto (House)
- 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor)
- 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (House)
- 2025-02-22: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1994) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1994ER) (House)
- 2025-02-19: Enrolled (House)
- 2025-02-19: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2025-02-14: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1994) (House)
- 2025-02-14: Senate substitute agreed to by House (59-Y 35-N) (House)
- 2025-02-12: Passed Senate with substitute (38-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Reading of substitute waived (Senate)
- 2025-02-12: Read third time (Senate)
- 2025-02-11: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2025-02-10: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: Committee substitute printed 25106648D-S1 (Senate)
- 2025-02-07: Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute (14-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services (Senate)
- 2025-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2025-01-29: Read third time and passed House (62-Y 34-N) (House)
- 2025-01-28: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2025-01-27: Read first time (House)
- 2025-01-23: Reported from General Laws (15-Y 6-N) (House)
- 2025-01-21: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2025-01-17: Assigned GL sub: ABC/Gaming (House)
- 2025-01-15: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1994) (House)
- 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House)
- 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25100061D (House)

## Bill text

- Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073348.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054396.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054395.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1044245.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1044244.PDF)
- Substitute, 2025-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043206.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043205.PDF)
- Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014549.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014548.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/1073348.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054396.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054395.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1044245.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1044244.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043206.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1043205.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014549.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014548.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1994-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).