SB 437 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Truck-mounted attenuators; certain vehicles equipped with amber and green warning lights.

Summary

Green warning lights, snow plows and vehicles equipped with truck-mounted attenuators. Authorizes snow plows used for clearing or removing snow on or along public highways and vehicles equipped with a truck-mounted attenuator that are used in constructing, maintaining, and repairing highways or utilities on or along public highways to be equipped with and use either (i) flashing, blinking, or alternating amber warning lights of types approved by the Superintendent of State Police or (ii) alternating amber and green warning lights of a type approved by the Superintendent of State Police. The bill requires that warning lights be lit only when performing the functions that qualify them to be equipped with such lights and that if a vehicle is equipped with multiple warning lights that are alternating amber and green warning lights, such lights shall be used synchronously with each other.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

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 8, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

Highway Safety and Policy Subcommittee Substitute → Chaptered · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill finalizes amendments to Virginia law regarding the use of flashing amber warning lights on various vehicles. The changes primarily involve formatting updates to the statute text and minor clarifications to existing eligibility criteria, such as adding specific section references for reverse gear signals and defining municipal safety officers.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains unchanged; it continues to regulate which vehicles may use flashing amber lights, with no new vehicle categories added or existing categories removed.

TECHNICAL

Updated the statute text to include specific section numbers (e.g., § 46.2-1023 and § 46.2-1175.1) where they were previously missing, clarifying the legal references for fire apparatus and petroleum transport vehicles.

Converted the bill from a 'House Substitute' draft to a 'Chaptered' Act, indicating it has been officially approved and enacted into law.

DEFINITION

Added a specific definition for 'municipal safety officers' to clarify that they are municipal employees responsible for managing safety programs and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 26, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 10, 2026

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 39

Jan 26, 2026

D Democratic20

20 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

17 Yea 2

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 8, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by Governor-Chapter 498 (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 (SB437ER)

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed House with substitute (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Transportation with substitute (21-Y 0-N)

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

House subcommittee offered

lower

Feb 20, 2026

Committee

Assigned HTRAN sub: Highway Safety and Policy

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Transportation

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and passed Senate (38-Y 2-N 0-A)

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Amended

Transportation Amendment rejected

upper

Jan 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Committee amendments reconsidered

upper

Jan 27, 2026

Introduced

Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote)

upper

Jan 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Transportation Amendments agreed to

upper

Jan 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day

upper

Jan 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Transportation with amendments (10-Y 4-N)

upper

Jan 13, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Transportation

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors