# Virginia SB266: Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund; established and created, report.

Virginia SB266, Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund; established and created, report., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by William M. Stanley, Jr. (Republican); status in committee, last action 2026-02-03 (Continued to 2027 in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (13-Y 1-N)) (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB266-2026
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB266
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund; established and created, report.
- Status: in committee
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-02-03, Continued to 2027 in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (13-Y 1-N)
- Sponsor: William M. Stanley, Jr. (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Companion Animals
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 1 (13 yes, 1 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund. Directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish the Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund to reimburse participating veterinarians for the surgical sterilizations they perform on eligible cats or dogs beginning July 1, 2027. The bill provides that a surcharge of $50 per ton of pet food distributed in the Commonwealth be deposited in the Fund and that such pet food be exempted from the existing litter tax. An animal will be eligible for sterilization under the Program beginning July 1, 2027, if it is a feral or free-roaming cat, is owned by a low-income individual, or is in the possession of a releasing agency such as an animal shelter.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: William M. Stanley, Jr. (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-03 | Senate | Continued to 2027 in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources | pass | 13 | 1 |   |

## Actions (5)

- 2026-02-03: Continued to 2027 in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (13-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Assigned HACNR sub: Companion Animals (Senate)
- 2026-01-20: Senate subcommittee offered (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (Senate)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104328D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Substitute, 2026-01-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091359.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091358.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087046.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087045.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
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091359.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091358.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087046.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087045.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB266-2026 (as of 2026-10-11).