# Virginia SB573: Military Affairs, Dept. of, emergency vehicles; equipped with flashing red and white warning lights. Virginia SB573, Military Affairs, Dept. of, emergency vehicles; equipped with flashing red and white warning lights., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bryce E. Reeves (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0119)) (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB573-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB573 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Military Affairs, Dept. of, emergency vehicles; equipped with flashing red and white warning lights. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0119) - Sponsor: Bryce E. Reeves (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (212 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary Flashing red and white warning lights; emergency vehicle exemptions; Department of Military Affairs emergency vehicles. Authorizes Department of Military Affairs emergency vehicles to (i) be equipped with flashing, blinking, or alternating red or red and white combination warning lights and (ii) disregard certain regulations regarding the operation of vehicles without being subject to criminal prosecution while responding to an emergency. This bill is identical to HB 351. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Police escorts and speed testing rules: benefit, low. Police vehicles may exceed speed limits to test speedometers, test official speed devices, or follow a car to measure its speed. During funeral, wide‑load, dignitary, or other needed escorts, police may go past red lights at reduced speed, ignore some speed and turn rules, and pass other vehicles.… - Emergency driving rules with safety safeguards: mixed, low. The law lets authorized emergency drivers, during emergencies, exceed speed limits, go past red lights or stop signs after slowing, ignore some parking and turn rules, and pass stopped traffic even in no‑passing zones or off the roadway. To use these breaks, they must use flashing emergency lights… - More agencies get emergency vehicle powers: mixed, low. Department of Military Affairs and Virginia National Guard Civil Support Team vehicles count as emergency vehicles when responding. WMATA Response and Recovery and certified mine rescue team vehicles also qualify, if drivers finish an approved emergency‑vehicle course and recertify every two years.… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Bryce E. Reeves (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-27 | House | Passed House Block Vote | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2026-02-24 | House | Reported from Transportation | pass | 21 | 0 | | | 2026-02-04 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-03 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-02 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-02 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Reported from Transportation | pass | 15 | 0 | | ## Actions (27) - 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0119) (Governor) - 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor-Chapter 119 (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) - 2026-03-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB573) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB573ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-02-27: Passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-27: Read third time (House) - 2026-02-26: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-24: Reported from Transportation (21-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-02-10: Referred to Committee on Transportation (House) - 2026-02-10: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-10: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-02-04: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Reported from Transportation (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-01-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB573) (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100922D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216396.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216395.PDF) - Enrolled, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188670.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188669.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090881.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090880.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/1216396.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216395.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188670.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1188669.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090881.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090880.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-SB573-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).