All Roll Calls
Yes: 241 • No: 78
Sponsored By: Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31 (Republican)
Became Law
Marine Resources Commission; powers and duties; wetlands; work group; report. Requires the Marine Resources Commission to ensure that, in promulgating minimum standards for protection and conservation of wetlands, no net loss of existing wetland acreage and functions is achieved. The bill requires permits for the use and development of wetlands to contain requirements for compensating impacts on wetlands sufficient to achieve no net loss of existing wetland acreage and functions. The bill also directs the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to convene a stakeholder work group to address mitigation requirements for tidal nonvegetated wetlands and directs the work group to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources no later than July 1, 2027.
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4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
The Marine Resources Commission preserves wetlands and protects shorelines while allowing needed development. It issues and updates science‑based guidelines and minimum standards designed to achieve no net loss of wetland acreage and function. The rules consider sea level rise and coastal hazards. The Virginia Institute of Marine Science advises the Commission and keeps an up‑to‑date inventory of vegetated wetlands. The Commission consults affected state agencies, and permitting bodies must consider these guidelines in their decisions. The Commission can accept donated wetlands and funds and must manage donated lands to maximize ecological value.
The Secretary convenes a stakeholder group to review mitigation for tidal nonvegetated wetlands. Members include mitigation bankers, local governments and wetlands boards, planning districts, the Virginia Association of Counties, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Virginia Maritime Association, DEQ, and the MRC’s Habitat Management Division. The group reviews banks, in‑lieu fee programs, permittee‑responsible mitigation, costs, and environmental performance. It must report findings and recommendations by July 1, 2027.
Wetlands with primary ecological significance cannot be changed in ways that unreasonably disturb their systems. In Tidewater Virginia, projects should be placed in lower‑value wetlands, in vegetated wetlands irreversibly disturbed before July 1, 1972, in nonvegetated wetlands irreversibly disturbed before January 1, 1983, or outside wetlands when practical. These rules limit where new work can occur and may affect project plans and costs.
Permits that affect wetlands must include mitigation so there is no net loss of wetlands. Applicants can meet this by buying credits from approved mitigation banks in the same fourth‑order subbasin or an adjacent subbasin in the same river watershed. If using a bank outside that area, special limits apply and the Department of Environmental Quality can adjust boundaries using site‑specific data. If you pay into an approved in‑lieu fee program, the wetlands board must credit those payments. For tidal wetlands, you may use credits from an adjacent watershed bank with the same plant community and salinity when no same‑watershed bank exists in certain polyhaline areas. These rules add costs but give clear options to satisfy permit conditions.
Jen Kiggans - to resign 12/31
Republican • Senate
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 241 • No: 78
House vote • 3/4/2026
Senate substitute agreed to by House
Yes: 70 • No: 25
Senate vote • 3/2/2026
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/2/2026
Passed Senate with substitute
Yes: 21 • No: 19
Senate vote • 2/26/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/26/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/24/2026
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute
Yes: 8 • No: 6
House vote • 2/3/2026
Read third time and passed House
Yes: 74 • No: 24
House vote • 1/28/2026
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment(s)
Yes: 19 • No: 3
House vote • 1/26/2026
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)
Yes: 9 • No: 1
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0161)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 161 (effective 7/1/2026)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
Signed by Speaker
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB521)
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB521ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Senate substitute agreed to by House (70-Y 25-N 0-A)
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB521)
Passed by for the day
Read third time
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Committee substitute printed 26108480D-S1
Rules suspended
Assigned HACNR sub: Water Usage
Senate subcommittee offered
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (8-Y 6-N)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB521)
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
Chaptered
4/6/2026
Enrolled
3/11/2026
Substitute
2/26/2026
Substitute
2/24/2026
Engrossed
2/2/2026
Amendment
1/28/2026
Amendment
1/26/2026
Introduced
1/13/2026
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