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HB256Introduced in the House of Delegates

Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy.

Passed

Introduced by Shelly Simonds, District 70

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

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 SB 425.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0581)

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 (63-Y 35-N 0-A) · March 6, 2026

63

Yes

35

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. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103226D

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

  3. Assigned HACNR sub: Natural Resources

  4. Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N)

  5. Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (15-Y 7-N)

  6. Read first time

  7. Read second time and engrossed

  8. Read third time and passed House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)

  9. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

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

  11. Rereferred from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources to Local Government (13-Y 0-N)

  12. Reported from Local Government with substitute (8-Y 7-N)

  13. Committee substitute printed 26109038D-S1

  14. Rules suspended

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

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

  17. Read third time

  18. Local Government Substitute agreed to

  19. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

  20. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  21. Senate substitute agreed to by House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)

  22. Enrolled

  23. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB256ER)

  24. Signed by Speaker

  25. Signed by President

  26. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

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

  28. Approved by Governor-Chapter 581 (effective 7/1/2026)

  29. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0581)

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