VirginiaHB2562026 Regular SessionHouse

Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy.

Sponsored By: Shelly A. Simonds (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy. Requires cities with populations greater than 20,000 and counties with populations greater than 100,000 to consider, beginning July 1, 2026, at the next and all subsequent reviews of the comprehensive plan, adopting an environmental justice strategy. The bill provides that the locality's strategy shall be to identify environmental justice and fenceline communities within the jurisdiction of the local planning commission and identify objectives and policies to reduce health risks, to promote civic engagement, to prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of environmental justice and fenceline communities, as those terms are defined in the bill, and to establish baseline environmental and health conditions to characterize any disproportionate public health conditions in the identified fenceline communities. This bill is identical to SB 425.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Large localities must weigh environmental justice

Beginning July 1, 2026, cities over 20,000 people and counties over 100,000 must, at their next and future comprehensive plan reviews, consider adding an environmental justice strategy. If included, the strategy identifies environmental justice and fenceline areas using current census data and may define smaller areas. It maps major pollution and hazardous waste sites using federal, state, or local data. It sets goals to cut health risks, improve air and water, strengthen heat and flood resilience, and improve emergency planning. It boosts civic engagement and prioritizes programs like low‑cost internet, job training, healthy food access, aging‑in‑place help, parks and trees, transit, bike and walking paths, and EV charging. It also encourages linking transit with health services and sets baseline environmental and health conditions for fenceline communities.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Shelly A. Simonds

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 230 • No: 106

House vote 3/6/2026

Senate substitute agreed to by House

Yes: 63 • No: 35

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Local Government Substitute agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/4/2026

Passed Senate with substitute

Yes: 21 • No: 19

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/2/2026

Reported from Local Government with substitute

Yes: 8 • No: 7

Senate vote 2/24/2026

Rereferred from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources to Local Government

Yes: 13 • No: 0

House vote 2/3/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 63 • No: 35

House vote 1/28/2026

Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

Yes: 15 • No: 7

House vote 1/21/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting

Yes: 7 • No: 3

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0581)

    4/13/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 581 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/13/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/14/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    3/14/2026House
  5. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB256ER)

    3/13/2026House
  6. Enrolled

    3/13/2026House
  7. Signed by President

    3/13/2026Senate
  8. Signed by Speaker

    3/13/2026House
  9. Senate substitute agreed to by House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)

    3/6/2026House
  10. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    3/4/2026Senate
  11. Local Government Substitute agreed to

    3/4/2026Senate
  12. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    3/4/2026Senate
  13. Read third time

    3/4/2026Senate
  14. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/3/2026Senate
  15. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/3/2026Senate
  16. Rules suspended

    3/3/2026Senate
  17. Committee substitute printed 26109038D-S1

    3/2/2026Senate
  18. Reported from Local Government with substitute (8-Y 7-N)

    3/2/2026Senate
  19. Rereferred from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources to Local Government (13-Y 0-N)

    2/24/2026Senate
  20. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    2/4/2026Senate
  21. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/4/2026Senate
  22. Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)

    2/3/2026House
  23. Read second time and engrossed

    2/2/2026House
  24. Read first time

    1/30/2026House
  25. Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (15-Y 7-N)

    1/28/2026House

Bill Text

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