# Virginia HB237: Va. Coastal Resilience Master Plan; identifying areas where marshes may migrate in face of sea rise.

Virginia HB237, Va. Coastal Resilience Master Plan; identifying areas where marshes may migrate in face of sea rise., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Alfonso H. Lopez (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0915)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB237-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB237
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Va. Coastal Resilience Master Plan; identifying areas where marshes may migrate in face of sea rise.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-08
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0915)
- Sponsor: Alfonso H. Lopez (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (323 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Department of Conservation and Recreation; Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan. Directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation, when updating the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan, to identify areas where marshes may migrate in the face of sea level rise.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Virginia coastal plan must track marsh movement: benefit, low. Virginia’s coastal resilience plan must identify where marshes may move as sea levels rise and support natural flood protection. The state department leads both coastal resilience and flood protection planning and coordinates the two plans. The coastal plan must address severe and repeated flooding…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Alfonso H. Lopez (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | House | Senate amendment agreed to by House | pass | 99 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Amendment agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | 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 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment | pass | 15 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (36)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0915) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 915 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB237) (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 (HB237ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Senate amendment agreed to by House (99-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-09: Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Amendment agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Read third time (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)
- 2026-03-03: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment (15-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB237) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-09: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-09: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-05: Committee substitute printed 26106447D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-04: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-28: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-28: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HACNR sub: Natural Resources (House)
- 2026-01-08: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (House)
- 2026-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102974D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224587.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224586.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210608.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210607.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201074.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192287.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191356.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-02-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128491.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128490.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098896.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100549.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098895.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100548.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083216.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083215.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/1224587.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224586.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210608.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210607.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201074.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1192287.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191356.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128491.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1128490.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098896.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100549.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098895.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100548.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083216.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083215.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB237-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).