# Virginia SB1144: Commonwealth Rail Fund; funds applied to Shortline Railway Preservation and Development Fund. Virginia SB1144, Commonwealth Rail Fund; funds applied to Shortline Railway Preservation and Development Fund., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Mark D. Obenshain (Republican); status to governor, last action 2025-03-18 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0024)) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1144-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB1144 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Commonwealth Rail Fund; funds applied to Shortline Railway Preservation and Development Fund. - Status: to governor - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-03-18, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0024) - Sponsor: Mark D. Obenshain (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (265 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Commonwealth Rail Fund; Shortline Railway Preservation and Development Fund. Removes the $4 million cap on those Commonwealth Rail Fund (Fund) moneys distributed to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation that may be applied to the Shortline Railway Preservation and Development Fund and instead provides that up to 50 percent of such Fund moneys may be applied to the Shortline Railway Preservation and Development Fund. The bill retains the current provisions granting 93 percent of Fund moneys to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority and seven percent to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation. This bill is identical to HB 1603. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Mark D. Obenshain (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-13 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2025-02-10 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2025-01-30 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-01-30 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 39 | 1 | | | 2025-01-29 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2025-01-28 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2025-01-16 | Senate | Reported from Transportation with amendment and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 | | ## Actions (33) - 2025-03-18: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0024) (Governor) - 2025-03-18: Approved by Governor-Chapter 24 (Effective 07/01/25) (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-03: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 3, 2025 (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1144) (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1144ER) (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Enrolled (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-13: Passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-02-13: Read third time (House) - 2025-02-12: Read second time (House) - 2025-02-10: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2025-02-06: Assigned Approps sub: Transportation & Public Safety (House) - 2025-02-04: Read first time (House) - 2025-02-04: Referred to Committee on Appropriations (House) - 2025-02-04: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2025-01-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB1144) (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 1-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Printed as engrossed 25102452D-E (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Transportation Amendment agreed to (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Reading of amendment waived (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Read second time (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (38-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-01-28: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-16: Reported from Transportation with amendment and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate) - 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25102452D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2025-03-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1070923.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1070922.PDF) - Enrolled, 2025-02-18: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051281.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051280.PDF) - Engrossed, 2025-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034797.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034796.PDF) - Amendment, 2025-01-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1021615.HTML) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018029.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018028.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1070923.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1070922.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051281.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1051280.PDF) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034797.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1034796.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1021615.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018029.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018028.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [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-SB1144-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).