HB 521 Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Marine Resources Commission; powers and duties, impacts on wetlands, report.

Summary

Marine Resources Commission; powers and duties; wetlands; work group; report. Requires the Marine Resources Commission to ensure that, in promulgating minimum standards for protection and conservation of wetlands, no net loss of existing wetland acreage and functions is achieved. The bill requires permits for the use and development of wetlands to contain requirements for compensating impacts on wetlands sufficient to achieve no net loss of existing wetland acreage and functions. The bill also directs the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to convene a stakeholder work group to address mitigation requirements for tidal nonvegetated wetlands and directs the work group to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources no later than July 1, 2027.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Signed Apr 6, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled → Chaptered · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was formally approved and assigned to Chapter 161 of the 2026 Virginia Acts of Assembly, finalizing the legislative process for HB 521. The text indicates amendments to sections regarding the Marine Resources Commission and wetlands, but the specific substantive policy details of those amendments are not visible in the provided excerpt.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the Marine Resources Commission and wetlands as originally intended; the excerpt only reflects the final approval and chapter assignment rather than a change in the bill's subject matter.

TECHNICAL

Added the official chapter number (Chapter 161) and the specific approval date (April 6, 2026) to the bill text.

Removed the generic placeholder text indicating the bill was approved without a date.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 26, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 3, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed

Total votes 39

Feb 26, 2026

D Democratic20

20 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

19 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 6, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by Governor-Chapter 161 (effective 7/1/2026)

executive

Mar 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Signed by Speaker

lower

Mar 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by President

upper

Mar 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB521ER)

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

upper

Feb 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day

upper

Feb 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (8-Y 6-N)

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate subcommittee offered

upper

Feb 24, 2026

Committee

Assigned HACNR sub: Water Usage

upper

Feb 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time and passed House (74-Y 24-N 0-A)

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Introduced

Engrossed by House as amended

lower

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

committee amendment agreed to

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment(s) (19-Y 3-N)

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (9-Y 1-N)

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

House subcommittee offered

lower

Jan 19, 2026

Committee

Assigned HACNR sub: Chesapeake

lower

Jan 13, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors