Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy.
Summary
Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy. Requires cities with populations greater than 20,000 and counties with populations greater than 100,000 to consider, beginning July 1, 2026, at the next and all subsequent reviews of the comprehensive plan, adopting an environmental justice strategy. The bill provides that the locality's strategy shall be to identify environmental justice and fenceline communities within the jurisdiction of the local planning commission and identify objectives and policies to reduce health risks, to promote civic engagement, to prioritize improvements and programs that address the needs of environmental justice and fenceline communities, as those terms are defined in the bill, and to establish baseline environmental and health conditions to characterize any disproportionate public health conditions in the identified fenceline communities. This bill is identical to HB 256.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 13, 2026
Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons
What changed between versions
Enrolled
→
Chaptered
·
3 edits
MINOR
This bill formally enacts a new section (15.2-2223.6) into the Virginia Code, establishing a requirement for an environmental justice strategy within the state's comprehensive planning process. The change is primarily procedural, converting the bill from its approved status to an official chapter in the Virginia Acts of Assembly for the 2026 session.
Scope change
The bill's substantive scope remains unchanged as it only reflects the final enactment of a previously approved measure; no new policy areas or applicability criteria were added.
TECHNICAL
Removed the placeholder text 'CHAPTER' and the approval date line, as these fields are filled in by the Governor's office upon signing.
Added the specific chapter number 'CHAPTER 582' and the precise approval date 'April 13, 2026' to finalize the bill's legal status.
Inserted the session identifier '2026 SESSION' to denote the legislative period for which this act is valid.
Floor votes · Senate Jan 27, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026
How they voted
38–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 39
Jan 27, 2026
D
Democratic20
100% Yea
R
Republican19
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
42
Key actions
15
Committee
9
Amendments
2
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 582 (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
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB425ER)
upper
Mar 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 12, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Conference Report released
legislature
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
House requested conference committee
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House with substitute (63-Y 35-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
House committee offered
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (15-Y 6-N)
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
lower
Jan 29, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
upper
Jan 28, 2026
Introduced
Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote)
upper
Jan 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
Local Government Amendments agreed to
upper
Jan 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day
upper
Jan 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Jan 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Local Government with amendments (8-Y 5-N 1-A)
upper
Jan 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Local Government
upper
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
Ask Maddy
·
AI policy assistant
Ask Maddy about SB 425
Scope: VA
Hi! I can help you understand SB 425. 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