# Virginia HB2000: Dam Safety Act; powers and duties of DCR, rights and requirements of dam owners, civil penalty. Virginia HB2000, Dam Safety Act; powers and duties of DCR, rights and requirements of dam owners, civil penalty., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Amy J. Laufer (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-03-21 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0228)) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2000-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB2000 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Dam Safety Act; powers and duties of DCR, rights and requirements of dam owners, civil penalty. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-03-21, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0228) - Sponsor: Amy J. Laufer (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 10 (324 yes, 14 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance; Dam Safety Act; powers and duties of the Department of Conservation and Recreation; rights and requirements of dam owners; civil penalty. Amends various provisions of the Dam Safety Act to streamline the Department of Conservation and Recreation's enforcement powers for impounding structures under the Act and clarifies the Department's powers and duties during an active dam failure. The bill also makes changes to a dam owner's responsibilities under the Act, including adding requirements to obtain a general permit for a low hazard impounding structure, making a dam owner responsible for ensuring that his impounding structure that presents an imminent danger has a safety inspection performed as provided in the bill, and allowing a dam owner to identify the dam break inundation zone of his impounding structure by providing the limits of the dam break inundation zone in lieu of filing a map. The bill also changes certain criteria for applicants to receive funds from the Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance Fund, including the project match requirements for grants or loans. Finally, the bill repeals the provisions providing civil penalties for violating the provisions of the Act and makes technical amendments related to such repeal. This bill is identical to SB 857. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Amy J. Laufer (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-20 | Senate | Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2025-02-20 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2025-02-20 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2025-02-19 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-02-17 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2025-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 87 | 11 | | | 2025-01-31 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 19 | 3 | | | 2025-01-29 | House | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2025-01-22 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations | pass | 10 | 0 | 1 | ## Actions (37) - 2025-03-21: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0228) (Governor) - 2025-03-21: Approved by Governor-Chapter 228 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor) - 2025-03-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2000) (House) - 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: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2000ER) (House) - 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House) - 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-20: Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-11: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2000) (House) - 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House (87-Y 11-N) (House) - 2025-02-03: Printed as engrossed 25101586D-E (House) - 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House as amended (House) - 2025-02-03: Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Amendments agreed to (House) - 2025-02-03: Read second time (House) - 2025-02-02: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-31: Reported from Appropriations (19-Y 3-N) (House) - 2025-01-29: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-01-29: Assigned Approps sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources (House) - 2025-01-23: Impact statement from CLG (HB2000) (House) - 2025-01-22: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-01-17: Impact statement from CLG (HB2000) (House) - 2025-01-15: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2000) (House) - 2025-01-14: Assigned ACNR sub: Natural Resources (House) - 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (House) - 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25101586D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2025-03-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072243.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072242.PDF) - Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1068625.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1068624.PDF) - Engrossed, 2025-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037856.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037855.PDF) - Amendment, 2025-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025681.HTML) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014367.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014366.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 - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072243.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1072242.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1068625.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1068624.PDF) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037856.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1037855.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025681.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014367.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014366.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) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2000-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).