This is a roundup of some of the Environmental Bills at General Assembly that we're tracking. Overall, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters is tracking 136 Bills at https://valcv.org/2026-bill-tracking/
Key budget items related to environmental issues highlighted by the Virginia Conservation Network related to VCAP Funding, RGGI, Data Centers, PFAS, and State Park : https://app.glueup.com/view-in-browser/6269:469712:82e083d8-b1b9-487a-8db0-a60c3947b046
Links below go to the https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-search
RGGI: HB397 – Direct
DEQ to establish auction program (rejoining RGGI) - Passed House (63‑Y 35‑N 0‑A);
Trees: HB549 –
strengthen canopy requirements, amended to be less stringent -
Invasive Species: HB88
– not plant and remove along highways; passed House Block Vote (98‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate Block Vote (37‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 63 (effective 7/1/2026). HB109 – close
commercial viability loophole; adds phase out period for any such plant commercially propagated in Virginia; passed House (96‑Y 2‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate Block Vote (37‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 66 (effective 7/1/2026). SB89 –
permit local service district to control invasive species - Passed Senate (38‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed House (92‑Y 6‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 130 (effective 7/1/2026).
Data Centers: HB155
– SCC would have to permit facilities > 25 MW; Left in Labor and Commerce HB507 – limit CO2 emissions from backup generators; set emission limits for generators; passed House (61‑Y 34‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate (25‑Y 15‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 397 (effective 7/1/2026). HB897 - require renewable energy to get
tax credits; passed House (61‑Y 34‑N 0‑A); Passed by indefinitely in S-Finance and Appropriations committee (15‑Y 0‑N). SB465 - require renewable energy to get tax credits; Left in Finance and Appropriations; SB339 allocate cost of
transmission infrastructure; Directs the State Corporation Commission to conduct proceedings to review cost allocation among different customer classifications for certain electric utilities; passed Senate (40‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Senate LC Subcommittee #3 recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote); HB496 –
disclose water usage; passed House (74‑Y 23‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute (25‑Y 15‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by House (78‑Y 19‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by House (63‑Y 34‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 623 (effective 7/1/2026). HB589 – water usage; Left in Committee Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resources HB153 – noise assessment - passed House (90‑Y 7‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute (26‑Y 14‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by House (93‑Y 2‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by Senate (29‑Y 10‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 567 (effective 7/1/2026). SB94 – restrict data centers to
Industrial Zoning; subsitute now requires noise assessment as in HB153; passed Senate (21‑Y 18‑N 1‑A); Passed House with substitute (80‑Y 14‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by House (91‑Y 4‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by Senate (29‑Y 10‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 568 (effective 7/1/2026). SB130 noise
assessment; merged into SB94. HB641 Continued to 2027 in H-Finance committee;/SB393 – $3/sq. ft. tax to fund Great
Outdoors Act; Continued to 2027 in S-Finance and Appropriations;
Renewable Energy: HB628 ammended bill passed House (98‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute (22‑Y 18‑N 0‑A); Senate substitute agreed to by House (97‑Y 1‑N 0‑A); SB175 – strengthen standards for more small-scale solar; passed Senate (23‑Y 16‑N 0‑A); Passed House with amendment (93‑Y 5‑N 0‑A); House amendment agreed to by Senate (23‑Y 16‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 645 (effective 7/1/2026); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 646 (effective 7/1/2026). HB895 ammended bill passed House (65‑Y 32‑N 0‑A);Passed Senate with substitute (21‑Y 19‑N 0‑A); Senate substitute agreed to by House (68‑Y 30‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 694 (effective 7/1/2026). /SB448 – Energy Storage requirements; ammended bill passed Senate (22‑Y 17‑N 0‑A);Passed House with substitute (66‑Y 33‑N 0‑A); House substitute agreed to by Senate (21‑Y 19‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 695 (effective 7/1/2026). HB590 passed House (61‑Y 34‑N 0‑A);Passed Senate with substitute (23‑Y 17‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by Senate (22‑Y 17‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by House (64‑Y 33‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 633 (effective 7/1/2026). /SB382 – streamline rooftop solar permitting; passed Senate (22‑Y 17‑N 0‑A); Passed House with substitute (73‑Y 26‑N 0‑A);Conference report agreed to by Senate (22‑Y 17‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by House (64‑Y 32‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 634 (effective 7/1/2026). HB395 ammended bill passed House (98‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute (30‑Y 8‑N 1‑A)Senate substitute agreed to by House (93‑Y 4‑N 0‑A); Governor recommends (minor) amendments; Governor's recommendation adopted /SB250 – permit small solar < 1200 W; passed Senate (30‑Y 7‑N 1‑A); Passed House with substitute (96‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); House substitute agreed to by Senate (29‑Y 11‑N 0‑A); Governor recommends (minor) amendments; Governor's recommendation adopted. SB26 passed Senate (21‑Y 19‑N 0‑A); Passed House with amendments (75‑Y 21‑N 0‑A); House amendments agreed to by Senate (20‑Y 19‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 758 (effective 7/1/2026). /HB1234 – allow localities to require solar over parking; passed House (76‑Y 22‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute (21‑Y 18‑N 0‑A); Senate substitute agreed to by House (67‑Y 30‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 757 (effective 7/1/2026).
Climate Change: HB1356 – adjust precipitation design standards;Continued to 2027 in H-Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources; HB1092 – protection of employees from heat illness; passed House (62‑Y 35‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute (21‑Y 19‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by Senate (21‑Y 18‑N 0‑A); Conference report agreed to by House (61‑Y 35‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 731 (effective 7/1/2026).
Land Conservation: SB519 – assess how to conserve 20% of land in Virginia; passed Senate (39‑Y 1‑N 0‑A); H-RUL Studies Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote); HB237 include floodplains in conservation mapping; passed House Block Vote (98‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with amendment Block Vote; Senate amendment agreed to by House (99‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 915 (effective 7/1/2026). HB390 – establish Habitat Policy Oversight Committee; passed House Block Vote (98‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (37‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Senate substitute agreed to by House (98‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 131 (effective 7/1/2026). HB521 – ensure no net loss of wetlands while permitting; passed House (74‑Y 24‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute (21‑Y 19‑N 0‑A); Senate substitute agreed to by House (70‑Y 25‑N 0‑A);Approved by Governor‑Chapter 161 (effective 7/1/2026). HB889 – transmission line construction to use existing ROW first; passed House Block Vote (98‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate Block Vote (40‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 28 (effective 7/1/2026).
Housing energy efficiency HB2 passed House (65‑Y 30‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate (24‑Y 16‑N 0‑A); Governor recommends (minor) amendments; Governor's recommendation adopted. HB3 passed House (78‑Y 18‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate (38‑Y 2‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 540 (effective 7/1/2026). SB5 passed Senate Block Vote (39‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed House with amendment (72‑Y 24‑N 0‑A); House amendment agreed to by Senate (40‑Y 0‑N 0‑A);Approved by Governor‑Chapter 541 (effective 7/1/2026). SB72 passed Senate (21‑Y 19‑N 0‑A); Passed House (64‑Y 34‑N 0‑A); Governor recommends (minor) amendments; Governor's recommendation adopted.
Conservation Funding: HB70 – Resilient Virginia Revolving Fund; passed House (82‑Y 16‑N 0‑A);Passed Senate (36‑Y 4‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 57 (effective 7/1/2026). HB386 – Chesapeake Bay Pay for Outcomes Fund; Left in Committee Appropriations HB1038 - Virginia Student Environmental Literacy Plan Grant Fund; Left in Committee Appropriations SB420 – Extreme Weather Taxpayer Protection Fund - (defeated) in committee (6‑Y 8‑N);
Fisheries: HB389 –
Climate adaption plan - Continued to next session; HB1048 –
Menhaden fishery pause; Left in Committee Agriculture Chesapeake and Natural Resources HB1049 – Menhaden
quotas;
PFAS: HB938 passed House (88‑Y 7‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate Block Vote (40‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 709 (effective 7/1/2026). HB1443 passed House (67‑Y 29‑N 0‑A); assed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Senate substitute agreed to by House (74‑Y 24‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 853 (effective 7/1/2026). SB138 passed Senate Block Vote (39‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Passed House Block Vote (95‑Y 0‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 710 (effective 7/1/2026). HB880 incorporated into HB 1443; HB1072 passed House (62‑Y 34‑N 0‑A);Passed Senate (23‑Y 17‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 933 (effective 7/1/2026). HB348 Left in Committee Appropriations
Environmental Justice: HB256
– include in Comp Plans - passed House (63‑Y 35‑N 0‑A); Passed Senate with substitute (21‑Y 19‑N 0‑A);Senate substitute agreed to by House (63‑Y 35‑N 0‑A); Approved by Governor‑Chapter 581 (effective 7/1/2026). HB1266
public hearing notice -
Bicycles: HB661 –
“Idaho Stop” bikes yield at stop signs;
Affordable Housing: HB594
- Allows a locality to authorize a zoning administrator to use an administrative
process to approve rezoning applications for affordable housing developments. - passed House (89‑Y 10‑N 0‑A);
Oppose
Rollback renewable energy standards: HB615 Left in Labor and Commerce, HB1031 Left in Labor and Commerce, SB40 - Passed by indefinitely in S-Commerce and Labor committee (9‑Y 6‑N)
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See also the Chesapeake Sustainability Network's Legislative Priorities
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