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HB1443Introduced in the House of Delegates

Owners of sewage treatment works; land application, marketing, or distributing of sewage sludge.

Passed

Introduced by Alfonso Lopez, District 3

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Owners of sewage treatment works; land application, marketing, or distribution of sewage sludge; perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; testing requirements. Directs any owner of a sewage treatment works land applying, marketing, or distributing sewage sludge in the Commonwealth, beginning January 1, 2027, to collect representative samples of the sewage sludge intended to be land applied, marketed, or distributed and have such samples analyzed by an accredited laboratory for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The bill mandates certain outcomes for the land application of such sewage sludge depending on the concentration of PFAS in such sewage sludge. The bill directs the Department of Environmental Quality to modify all Virginia Pollution Abatement permits for the land application of sewage sludge and Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits for sewage treatment works that include sewage sludge prepared for land application, marketing, or distribution as soon as practicable. The bill requires the Department to utilize the PFAS Expert Advisory Committee (PEAC) or convene a work group to study and recommend approaches to reduce the occurrence of PFAS in sewage sludge intended for land application within the Commonwealth. The Department is required to report the recommendations of the PEAC or work group to the Governor and the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by November 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 386.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0853)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: Senate substitute agreed to by House (74-Y 24-N 0-A) · March 11, 2026

74

Yes

24

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

99 delegates recorded in this House of Delegates vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each delegate voted

DelegateDistrictVote
Patrick Hope1Yes
Adele McClure2Yes
Alfonso Lopez3Yes
Charniele Herring4Yes
Kirk McPike5Yes
Richard Sullivan6Yes
Karen Keys-Gamarra7Yes
Irene Shin8Yes
Karrie Delaney9Yes
Dan Helmer10Yes

Bill history

  1. Presented and ordered printed 26103372D

  2. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

  3. Assigned HACNR sub: Chesapeake

  4. House subcommittee offered

  5. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 2-N)

  6. Incorporates HB880 (Kent)

  7. Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (17-Y 5-N)

  8. Committee substitute printed 26107581D-H1

  9. Read first time

  10. Read second time

  11. committee substitute agreed to

  12. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  13. Read third time and passed House (67-Y 29-N 0-A)

  14. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1443)

  15. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  16. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

  17. Assigned HACNR sub: Water Usage

  18. Senate subcommittee offered

  19. Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

  20. Committee substitute printed 26108622D-S1

  21. Reported from Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  22. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1443)

  23. Rules suspended

  24. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  25. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  26. Read third time

  27. Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to

  28. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  29. Passed Senate with substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  30. Senate substitute agreed to by House (74-Y 24-N 0-A)

  31. Enrolled

  32. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1443ER)

  33. Signed by President

  34. Signed by Speaker

  35. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  36. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  37. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1443)

  38. Approved by Governor-Chapter 853 (Effective - see bill)

  39. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0853)

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