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HB834Introduced in the House of Delegates

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord.

Passed

Introduced by Adele McClure, District 2

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

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Official description

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage; termination by landlord. Requires a landlord, prior to giving a tenant 21 days' notice of his intention to terminate the rental agreement for a dwelling unit that has been damaged or destroyed by fire or casualty, to (i) make a reasonable effort to meet with the tenant to discuss reasonable alternatives and offer the tenant a substantially similar dwelling unit, if one is available, or (ii) determine that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the dwelling unit in accordance with relevant law. Current law allows the landlord to terminate such agreement by giving the tenant 14 days' notice of his intention to terminate on the basis of the landlord's determination that such damage requires the removal of the tenant and that the use of the premises is substantially impaired. The bill requires the landlord, upon receiving a request from the tenant after the tenant has received such notice, to reevaluate the extent of damage and habitability of such dwelling unit unless the landlord has determined that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the dwelling unit. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1117)

May 14, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

5 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

3 recorded votes · each counted separately

House of DelegatesStage: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 33-N 0-A) · April 22, 2026

66

Yes

33

No

1

Absent or Not Voting

100 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 26104720D

  2. Referred to Committee on General Laws

  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB834)

  4. Assigned HGL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection

  5. Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

  6. Reported from General Laws (18-Y 3-N)

  7. Read first time

  8. Read second time and engrossed

  9. Read third time and passed House (68-Y 30-N 0-A)

  10. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  11. Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

  12. Assigned GL&T sub: Housing

  13. Senate committee offered

  14. Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (9-Y 6-N)

  15. Rules suspended

  16. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

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

  18. Passed by for the day

  19. Read third time

  20. General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed to

  21. Engrossed by Senate as amended

  22. Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  23. Senate amendment agreed to by House (66-Y 32-N 0-A)

  24. Enrolled

  25. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB834ER)

  26. Signed by President

  27. Signed by Speaker

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

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

  30. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB834)

  31. Governor's recommendation received by House

  32. House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 33-N 0-A)

  33. Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  34. Communicated to Governor

  35. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026

  36. Approved by Governor - Chapter 1117 (effective - 1/1/2027)

  37. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1117)

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