HB 312: Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals. - Virginia

Subcommittee #2 Subcommittee Substitute → Commerce and Labor Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was transferred from the House to the Senate, resulting in a significant expansion of its scope. The legislation now includes amendments to the vehicle emissions inspection law, introducing a new waiver program that allows vehicle owners to bypass emissions testing if they can prove they have spent a specific amount on repairs. Previously, the bill only addressed motor vehicle glass repair and penalties; it now also covers emissions control systems.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from solely regulating motor vehicle glass repair to also including regulations for vehicle emissions inspections and repair cost waivers.

SCOPE

Added amendments to the vehicle emissions inspection statute (Title 46.2), expanding the bill beyond just glass repair issues.

ELIGIBILITY

Created a new eligibility waiver allowing vehicles to skip emissions testing if the owner provides proof of spending a set amount on engine and emission system repairs.

REQUIREMENT

Established specific dollar limits for repair costs that qualify for the waiver, with different amounts for older versus newer vehicles and for different types of emissions inspections.

Mandated that repairs counted toward the waiver must be performed by technicians certified under the state's emissions repair program.

TIMELINE

Updated the bill's effective date and committee attribution from the House to the Senate, with a specific date of February 23, 2026.

Commerce and Labor Substitute → Governor Substitute · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill was converted from a Senate Substitute to a Governor Substitute, changing the proposal date from February 23, 2026, to April 13, 2026. The substantive legal text regarding emissions waivers and the new Motor Vehicle Glass Act remains identical, with no changes to costs, definitions, or penalties.

TIMELINE

The proposal date for the bill was updated from February 23, 2026, to April 13, 2026, reflecting the Governor's review and amendment of the Senate's version.

Labor and Commerce Substitute → Subcommittee #2 Subcommittee Substitute · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill text was reformatted from a standard legislative layout to a 'House Substitute' version with added page headers and tracking numbers. The substantive legal content, including the list of prohibited business practices and the new Motor Vehicle Glass Act, remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

The document structure was altered to include page numbers, session dates, and committee tracking identifiers, while the actual bill text and legal provisions were preserved.

Enrolled → Labor and Commerce Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was converted from an 'Enrolled' version into a 'Labor and Commerce Substitute,' which means it is now a revised draft version being offered for consideration rather than a final approved act. The substantive policy content regarding consumer protection laws and motor vehicle glass repair remains the same, but the document has been reformatted to include placeholder page numbers and a new header indicating it is a substitute bill.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it still amends Virginia's consumer protection laws and adds a new Motor Vehicle Glass Act.

TECHNICAL

Removed the final 'Enrolled' status and chapter designation, indicating the bill is no longer in its final approved form.

Added a new header identifying the document as a 'Substitute' proposed by the House Committee on Labor and Commerce, with a placeholder for the date.

Replaced the original legislative text with a formatted draft version that includes page numbers and line breaks typical of a working legislative document.

Introduced → Enrolled · 5 edits · Mar 10, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was successfully enacted as HB 312ER, finalizing the Motor Vehicle Glass Act. The primary substantive change is the reduction of the new Glass Act's scope: the Enrolled version only includes sections 59.1-207.6:1 through 59.1-207.6:4, whereas the Introduced version included sections up to 59.1-207.6:8. This means the final law no longer contains provisions regarding post-loss benefit assessments, detailed duties for repair shops, or specific prohibitions against certain deceptive acts found in the earlier draft.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed. The final Enrolled Act excludes the later sections of the Motor Vehicle Glass Act that were present in the Introduced version, specifically removing rules about benefit transfers, detailed repair shop duties, and specific prohibited acts.

REQUIREMENT

The final law removed the requirement for repair shops to notify insureds about the transferability of post-loss benefits and rights.

The final law removed detailed requirements for repair shops to provide specific notices and invoices regarding the calibration of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) after glass replacement.

The final law removed a specific prohibition against repair shops charging higher fees than local custom.

The final law removed several specific prohibited acts, including issuing false indications of work location, falsifying damage dates, and falsely stating that an insurance producer has approved a repair.

TIMELINE

The bill progressed from 'Introduced' status to 'Enrolled' status, indicating it has been signed into law and is now effective.

Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals.

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