Noise abatement monitoring systems; local authorities to place and operate, civil penalties.
Summary
Noise abatement monitoring systems; local authority; civil penalties. Authorizes counties and cities in Planning Districts 8, 9, and 15 to place and operate noise abatement monitoring systems, defined in the bill, on any highway located in the locality for the purpose of recording and enforcing exhaust system violations, also defined in the bill. The bill provides that the operator of a vehicle is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $100, but the violation shall not be reported on the driver's operating record or to the driver's insurance agency. The bill provides that a locality may exempt from enforcement by noise abatement monitoring systems vehicles used for agricultural, horticultural, or forestry purposes as demonstrated by vehicle license plates. Under the bill, the civil penalty will be paid to the locality in which the violation occurred to be used for the cost of administering the noise abatement monitoring system program and for transportation safety initiatives. The bill contains the same data privacy and storage requirements as are in current law for photo speed monitoring devices. The bill requires any locality that places and operates such a noise abatement monitoring system to report on its public website by January 15 of each year on the number of traffic violations prosecuted, the number of successful prosecutions, and the total amount of monetary civil penalties collected. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2028. This bill incorporates HB 1349.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Dec 29, 2025
Signed Apr 6, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
Transportation Substitute
→
Chaptered
·
4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was successfully passed and chaptered into law, moving from a House substitute version to a finalized act. The substantive policy content regarding noise abatement monitoring systems and driver record releases remains unchanged, though the formatting was standardized to match official legislative style.
Scope change
The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it was simply finalized and enacted.
TECHNICAL
The document was converted from a draft 'House Substitute' to a finalized 'Chaptered' Act, indicating it has been approved by the General Assembly and signed into law.
Formatting was standardized to remove draft markers (like '2026 SESSION' headers) and replace them with official 'VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY' and chapter numbering.
The approval date was added, showing the bill was approved on April 6, 2026.
Minor spacing and line-break adjustments were made to align the text with standard legal publication formats.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 3, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026
How they voted
39–0
Passed
Total votes 39
Mar 3, 2026
D
Democratic20
100% Yea
R
Republican19
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
44
Key actions
18
Committee
7
Amendments
7
Apr 6, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 56 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB55ER)
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate amendments agreed to by House (65-Y 34-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with amendments (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senator Perkarsky Amendments agreed to
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Introduced
Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
upper
Mar 9, 2026
Introduced
Floor offered Senator Pekarsky Amendments
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
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Transportation Amendment agreed to
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Transportation with amendment (7-Y 6-N 2-A)
upper
Feb 25, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate committee offered
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation
upper
Feb 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Transportation with substitute (14-Y 6-N)
lower
Feb 5, 2026
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee offered
lower
Jan 19, 2026
Committee
Assigned HTRAN sub: Innovations (Ad Hoc)
lower
Dec 29, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation
lower
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Rip Sullivan
DDemocratic
Co
Betsy Carr
DDemocratic
Co
Josh Cole
DDemocratic
Co
Kathy Tran
DDemocratic
Co
Vivian Watts
DDemocratic
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