# Virginia HB646: Green warning lights; certain farm vehicles may be equipped with and use. Virginia HB646, Green warning lights; certain farm vehicles may be equipped with and use., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Hillary Pugh Kent (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0190)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB646-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB646 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Green warning lights; certain farm vehicles may be equipped with and use. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0190) - Sponsor: Hillary Pugh Kent (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (217 yes, 3 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 11 ## Summary Green warning lights; certain farm vehicles. Authorizes the use of green warning lights on vehicles displaying a permanent farm use placard, farm vehicles, farm tractors, and farm utility vehicles while operating on or along a highway. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Green lights for command vehicles: benefit, medium. Beginning April 6, 2026, vehicles used by police, firefighters, or EMS as command centers at incident scenes may use approved green warning lights. The green lights cannot be on while the vehicle is driving on the highway. The Superintendent of State Police approves the light types. - Amber lights for amateur radio volunteers: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, vehicles used by federally licensed amateur radio operators may use approved amber lights while providing emergency communications or drills for authorities. They may also use them while providing communications for public-service events authorized by the Department of Tran… - Amber lights for deliveries and pickups: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, mail trucks and national package-delivery vehicles that handle packages under 150 pounds may use approved amber lights. They can turn them on only when stopped and actively collecting or delivering. Petroleum or propane delivery vehicles may mount an approved rear amber lig… - Amber lights for events and on-site work: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, ATM service vehicles and radio or TV remote-broadcast vehicles may use approved amber lights, but not while moving. Hot air balloon chase or ground-crew vehicles may use amber lights while loading or unloading after landing, not while moving. Escort vehicles for bicycle rac… - Amber lights for public safety vehicles: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, fire and EMS vehicles may add approved amber lights that are visible from behind, in addition to their existing emergency lights. Parking enforcement vehicles may use approved amber lights. Government-owned law-enforcement vehicles may use amber lights to direct traffic, bu… - Amber lights for road and utility work: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, vehicles used to build, maintain, or repair highways or utilities, help with roadside or traffic incidents, or provide traffic management may use approved amber lights. Vehicles used for hazardous cleanup or state environmental work may use amber lights, but not while movin… - Amber lights for security and neighborhood patrols: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, vehicles used by security-service businesses may have approved amber lights, but they cannot be on while the vehicle is on a public highway. Neighborhood watch patrol vehicles in programs approved by the locality’s chief law-enforcement officer may use approved amber lights… - Amber lights for towing and roadside help: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, vehicles that mainly tow or service disabled vehicles may have approved flashing amber lights. Vehicles owned or controlled by a towing and recovery business that are not tow trucks may also have approved amber lights. Those lights may be on only when the vehicle is used at… - Green and amber lights for farms: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, farm vehicles and tractors may use approved amber warning lights. Farm vehicles, tractors, farm utility vehicles, and vehicles with a permanent farm-use placard may also use approved green warning lights while on or along a highway. Green lights may be on only when the vehi… - Purple or amber lights for funerals: benefit, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, vehicles that lead or escort funeral processions may use either amber or purple warning lights. A single vehicle cannot use amber and purple at the same time. The Superintendent of State Police sets the standards for purple lights. - When amber lights can be on: cost, low. Beginning April 6, 2026, amber warning lights may be on only while the vehicle is doing the job that qualifies it for those lights. This rule also enforces category limits like “only when stopped and delivering.” ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Hillary Pugh Kent (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 39 | 1 | | | 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-02 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-02-26 | Senate | Reported from Transportation | pass | 13 | 1 | | | 2026-02-09 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 97 | 1 | | | 2026-02-03 | House | Reported from Transportation | pass | 21 | 0 | | | 2026-01-28 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 8 | 0 | | ## Actions (27) - 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0190) (Governor) - 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 190 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 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: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB646) (House) - 2026-03-10: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB646ER) (House) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-03: Passed Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-03: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Reported from Transportation (13-Y 1-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate) - 2026-02-10: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Read third time and passed House (97-Y 1-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-06: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2026-02-06: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House) - 2026-02-05: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-03: Reported from Transportation (21-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-30: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB646) (House) - 2026-01-28: Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-22: Assigned HTRAN sub: Highway Safety and Policy (House) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Transportation (House) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102655D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216866.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216865.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-10: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197801.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197800.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085325.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085324.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/1216866.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216865.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197801.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1197800.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085325.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085324.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-HB646-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).