The People's Ledger
← All Virginia bills

SB294Introduced in the Senate

Va. Residential Landlord & Tenant Act; submetering, energy allocation, & ratio utility billing sys.

Passed

Introduced by Lashrecse Aird, District 13

What does this bill do?

Plain-English breakdown

Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.

Official description

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; civil action for unlawful detainer; termination notice; energy submetering equipment. Provides that no landlord shall file or maintain an action for unlawful detainer against a residential tenant for any alleged lease violation until the landlord has provided the tenant with a proper and effective termination notice and that no notice of termination of tenancy for nonpayment of rent pursuant to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act shall be effective unless such notice contains a written statement of charges and payments over the course of the tenancy or the past 12 months, whichever is shorter, and any late charges, attorney fees, costs, and other charges or damages as contracted for in the rental agreement that are due and owing. The bill requires such notice to also include debits and credits incurred by the tenant for energy and utility bills and any additional charges permitted as applicable. The bill also requires the owner of any residential building to maintain adequate records indicating how monthly energy and utility billing fees are calculated and including a history of billing fee payments for each tenant over the duration of the tenancy or the past 12 months, whichever is shorter. Such records shall be made available to the tenant upon request. Finally, the bill removes a provision allowing for the collection of fees when a tenant requests such records. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1361.

Where it stands

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0784)

April 13, 2026

How did lawmakers vote?

House of Delegates votes

3 recorded votes · each counted separately

Senate votes

4 recorded votes · each counted separately

SenateStage: House substitute agreed to by Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · March 10, 2026

21

Yes

19

No

0

Absent or Not Voting

40 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.

See how each senator voted

SenatorDistrictVote
Elizabeth Bennett-Parker5Yes
Michael Jones77Yes
Timmy French1No
Mark Obenshain2No
Chris Head3No
David Suetterlein4No
Travis Hackworth5No
Todd Pillion6No
William Stanley7No
Mark Peake8No

Bill history

  1. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100979D

  2. Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

  3. Assigned GL&T sub: Housing

  4. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB294)

  5. Senate subcommittee offered

  6. Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitute (11-Y 3-N)

  7. Committee substitute printed 26106528D-S1

  8. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB294)

  9. Rules suspended

  10. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  11. Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  12. Passed by for the day

  13. Read second time

  14. General Laws and Technology Substitute agreed to

  15. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)

  16. Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  17. Placed on Calendar

  18. Read first time

  19. Referred to Committee on General Laws

  20. Assigned HGL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection

  21. House subcommittee offered

  22. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)

  23. Reported from General Laws with substitute (20-Y 1-N)

  24. Committee substitute printed 26108714D-H1

  25. Read second time

  26. Read third time

  27. committee substitute agreed to

  28. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  29. Passed House with substitute (75-Y 23-N 0-A)

  30. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB294)

  31. House substitute agreed to by Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  32. Enrolled

  33. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB294ER)

  34. Signed by President

  35. Signed by Speaker

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

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

  38. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB294)

  39. Approved by Governor-Chapter 784 (Effective 7/1/2027)

  40. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0784)

Verify the information

Our commitment to neutrality

We provide factual information only. We never tell you which politicians or bills to support, and we do not rank, score, or endorse anyone.