# Virginia HB479: Securities Act; investment advisor advertising.

Virginia HB479, Securities Act; investment advisor advertising., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Dan I. Helmer (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0622)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB479-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB479
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Securities Act; investment advisor advertising.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0622)
- Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 8 (317 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Securities Act; investment advisor advertising. Permits an investment advisor to solicit, disseminate, or otherwise use advertisements, including client testimonials and endorsements, provided such advertisements comply with the requirements for an advertisement solicited, disseminated, or used by a federally registered investment advisor under federal law.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Advisers can use client testimonials: benefit, low. Investment advisers registered in Virginia can use client testimonials and endorsements in ads. Ads must follow the federal marketing rule for advisers (Investment Advisers Act §206(4)-1). This permission applies even if another Virginia law said otherwise.
- State can require filing of securities ads: cost, low. The State Corporation Commission can require advertisers to file copies of ads or sales materials about a security or an investment-advisory service. This excludes ads for federal covered securities under §18(b)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933. The Commission uses this power case by case and withi…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 13 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-27 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 9 | 0 |   |

## Actions (28)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0622) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 622 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB479) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-12: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB479ER) (House)
- 2026-03-12: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-05: Passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Commerce and Labor (13-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House (House)
- 2026-02-04: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 1-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-02-02: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-29: Reported from Labor and Commerce (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-29: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB479) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #1 (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105198D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221618.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221617.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201119.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201118.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084614.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084613.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/1221618.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221617.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201119.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1201118.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084614.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084613.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)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB479-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).