SB425Introduced in the Senate
Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy.
Introduced by Lamont Bagby, District 14
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 HB 256.
Where it stands
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0582)
April 13, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
6 recorded votes · each counted separately
SenateStage: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) · March 13, 2026
21
Yes
18
No
1
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
| Senator | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Bennett-Parker | 5 | Yes |
| Michael Jones | 77 | Yes |
| Timmy French | 1 | No |
| Mark Obenshain | 2 | No |
| Chris Head | 3 | No |
| David Suetterlein | 4 | No |
| Travis Hackworth | 5 | No |
| Todd Pillion | 6 | No |
| William Stanley | 7 | No |
| Mark Peake | 8 | No |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100586D
Referred to Committee on Local Government
Reported from Local Government with amendments (8-Y 5-N 1-A)
Read first time
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
Rules suspended
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Passed by for the day
Read second time
Local Government Amendments agreed to
Local Government Amendments agreed to
Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote)
Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
Placed on Calendar
Read first time
Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (15-Y 6-N)
House committee offered
Committee substitute printed 26107960D-H1
Read second time
Read third time
committee substitute agreed to
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
Passed House with substitute (63-Y 35-N 0-A)
House substitute rejected by Senate
House insisted on substitute
House requested conference committee
Senate acceded to request (38-Y 0-N 0-A)
Conferees appointed by Senate
Senate Conferees: Bagby, Aird, Stanley
Conferees appointed by House
House Conferees: Simonds, Clark, Kent
Conference Report released
Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)
Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
Enrolled
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB425ER)
Signed by President
Signed by Speaker
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 582 (effective 7/1/2026)
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0582)
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