Affordable housing developments, certain; expedited approval.
Summary
Expedited approval for certain affordable housing developments. Allows a locality, by ordinance, to authorize a zoning administrator to use an administrative process to approve rezoning applications for certain affordable housing developments. The bill requires that the affordable housing development comply with the Virginia Fair Housing Law, connect to a public or community water supply or sewage system, and be located within or adjacent to an area identified by the locality that could support increased density development and provide access to services. The bill also requires the locality, prior to the adoption of such ordinance, to advertise its intention to propose such ordinance within a certain period of time in a newspaper having a general circulation in the locality. The bill allows the Department of Housing and Community Development to give a locality priority for any grants or loans administered by the Department if such locality demonstrates to the Department's satisfaction that its ordinance has met the provisions of the bill. Finally, the bill requires certain localities that adopt such ordinance to include in their annual local housing policy report to the Department a summary of the ordinance.
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 13, 2026
Signed Apr 8, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
Enrolled
→
Chaptered
·
1 edit
MINOR
This bill finalizes the legislative process for HB 594, changing the status from 'Enrolled' to 'Chaptered' and adding the official chapter number (406) and approval date (April 8, 2026). The substantive policy content regarding expedited zoning for affordable housing remains unchanged from the enrolled version.
TECHNICAL
The bill's status was updated to reflect it has been officially enacted as Chapter 406 of the 2026 Virginia Acts of Assembly, with an approval date of April 8, 2026.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 3, 2026 · House of Delegates Jan 29, 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
33
Key actions
11
Committee
7
Apr 8, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 406 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB594ER)
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate with substitute (28-Y 12-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Local Government with substitute (10-Y 2-N 3-A)
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate committee offered
upper
Jan 30, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Local Government
upper
Jan 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time and passed House (89-Y 10-N 0-A)
lower
Jan 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (20-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
lower
Jan 20, 2026
Committee
Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #2
lower
Jan 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
lower
1 primary · 22 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Shelly Simonds
DDemocratic
Co
Atoosa Reaser
DDemocratic
Co
Betsy Carr
DDemocratic
Co
Cia Price
DDemocratic
Co
Dan Helmer
DDemocratic
Co
David Reid
DDemocratic
Co
Destiny LeVere Bolling
DDemocratic
Co
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker
DDemocratic
Co
Garrett McGuire
DDemocratic
Co
Holly Seibold
DDemocratic
Co
Irene Shin
DDemocratic
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