Cottage food laws; sale of certain food over phone and internet, report.
Summary
Cottage food laws; sale of certain food over phone and internet; work group; report. Expands the exemption from state inspection requirements for private homes where the resident processes and prepares certain food products, including pickles and other acidified vegetables, to allow for such person to sell such products at any location, through the internet, or by telephone to an individual in the Commonwealth for his own consumption and deliver such products in person, by mail, or by delivery service subject to certain restrictions. Current law only allows for the sale to take place in person at the private home, a temporary event, or a farmer's market. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to examine the structural, equipment, and facility standards for private homes in the Commonwealth producing products that do not meet the cottage food law exemptions. The bill requires the work group to complete its meetings by November 1, 2026, and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by the first day of the 2027 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 12, 2026
Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
Agriculture Subcommittee Substitute
→
Chaptered
·
2 edits
MINOR
The bill was finalized into law (Chapter 605) after being approved on April 13, 2026. The substantive policy content regarding cottage food laws, exemptions for private home producers, and the creation of a work group to study facility standards remained unchanged from the substitute version, with only minor formatting adjustments to section references.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability are unchanged; it codifies the same cottage food exemptions and work group requirements as the previous version.
TECHNICAL
Updated the document header to reflect final chapter status (Chapter 605) and the approval date of April 13, 2026, replacing the 'House Substitute' header.
Adjusted the formatting of section references (e.g., § 3.2-5130) to include a space between the section number and the title, consistent with final legislative style.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 5, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 10, 2026
How they voted
38–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 39
Mar 5, 2026
D
Democratic20
95% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
32
Key actions
11
Committee
6
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 605 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB402ER)
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Mar 5, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (13-Y 2-N)
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
upper
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 28, 2026
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee offered
lower
Jan 19, 2026
Committee
Assigned HACNR sub: Agriculture
lower
Jan 12, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
lower
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Katrina Callsen
DDemocratic
Co
Atoosa Reaser
DDemocratic
Co
Mike Webert
RRepublican
Ask Maddy
·
AI policy assistant
Ask Maddy about HB 402
Scope: VA
Hi! I can help you understand HB 402. What would you like to know?
Try one of these
i
Maddy answers using official bill text and legislative records. Always verify before sharing.
Sources cited inline