# Virginia SB290: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities. Virginia SB290, Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0543)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB290-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB290 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0543) - Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 7 (149 yes, 61 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; enforcement by localities. Provides that if a condition exists in a dwelling unit that constitutes a material noncompliance by the landlord with the rental agreement or with any provision of law that, if not remedied within a reasonable time frame, constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of a tenant or occupant of the premises, a locality may institute an action on behalf of any tenant or occupant of the premises who is injured by such material noncompliance for injunction and damages to enforce the landlord's duty to maintain the dwelling unit in a fit and habitable condition, provided that (i) the premises where the violation occurred is within the jurisdictional boundaries of the locality and (ii) the locality has notified the landlord who owns the premises, either directly or through the managing agent, of the nature of the violation and the landlord has failed to remedy the violation to the satisfaction of the locality within a reasonable time after receiving such notice. This bill is identical to HB 14. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Local lawsuits help renters facing unsafe housing: benefit, medium. Virginia local governments can sue landlords on behalf of tenants or occupants harmed by unsafe rental housing. Cases must involve a major lease or legal violation that threatens life, health, or safety if left unfixed for a reasonable time. Examples include fire hazards, rodent infestations, or mi… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Lashrecse D. Aird (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-24 | House | Passed House | pass | 65 | 32 | | | 2026-02-19 | House | Reported from General Laws | pass | 16 | 5 | | | 2026-02-03 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-02-02 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-30 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2026-01-30 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-28 | Senate | Reported from General Laws and Technology | pass | 9 | 6 | | ## Actions (27) - 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0543) (Governor) - 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 543 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB290) (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB290ER) (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-02-26: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-02-24: Passed House (65-Y 32-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-24: Read third time (House) - 2026-02-23: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-19: Reported from General Laws (16-Y 5-N) (House) - 2026-02-06: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-06: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House) - 2026-02-06: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-02-03: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-30: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-30: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-30: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Reported from General Laws and Technology (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2026-01-23: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB290) (Senate) - 2026-01-21: Assigned GL&T sub: Housing (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100628D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218711.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218710.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178932.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178931.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088552.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088550.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/1218711.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218710.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178932.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178931.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088552.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1088550.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-SB290-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).