Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia HB 256
Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Shelly A. Simonds (Democratic)
Cosponsors (8)
- Irene Shin (Democratic)
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic)
- Jackie H. Glass (Democratic)
- Nadarius E. Clark (Democratic)
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic)
- Charlie Schmidt
- Margaret A. Franklin
- Gretchen M. Bulova
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED
Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy. Requires cities with populations greater than 20,000 and counties with populations greater than 100,000 to consider, beginning July 1, 2026, at the next and all subsequent reviews of the comprehensive plan, adopting an environmental justice strategy. The bill provides that the locality's strategy shall be to identify environmental justice and fenceline communities within the jurisdiction of the local planning commission and identify objectives and policies to reduce health risks, to promote civic engagement, to prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of environmental justice and fenceline communities, as those terms are defined in the bill, and to establish baseline environmental and health conditions to characterize any disproportionate public health conditions in the identified fenceline communities. This bill is identical to SB 425.
Text versions
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 4:19 PM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 4, 2026 Senate | Passage R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 3, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 2, 2026 Senate | Reported from Local Government with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 24, 2026 Senate | Rereferred from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 3, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 28, 2026 House | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 21, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Apr 13, 2026
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0581) - Apr 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 581 (effective 7/1/2026) - Mar 14, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 - Mar 14, 2026 · House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 - Mar 13, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 13, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 13, 2026 · House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB256ER) - Mar 13, 2026 · House
Enrolled - Mar 6, 2026 · House
Senate substitute agreed to by House (63-Y 35-N 0-A) - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Local Government Substitute agreed to - Mar 4, 2026 · Senate
Read third time - Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) - Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Committee substitute printed 26109038D-S1 - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Local Government with substitute (8-Y 7-N) - Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Rereferred from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources to Local Government (13-Y 0-N) - Feb 4, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources - Feb 4, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A) - Feb 2, 2026 · House
Read second time and engrossed - Jan 30, 2026 · House
Read first time - Jan 28, 2026 · House
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (15-Y 7-N) - Jan 21, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N) - Jan 19, 2026 · House
Assigned HACNR sub: Natural Resources - Jan 9, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources - Jan 9, 2026 · House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103226D