STATE BILLVA HB 1266PASSED

Environmental Justice in Permitting Process Guidance Memo; DEQ to publish an updated version.

Department of Environmental Quality; Environmental Justice in the Permitting Process Guidance Memo; cumulative impacts. Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to publish an updated version of the Environmental Justice in the Permitting Process Guidance Memo for public comment. The bill requires the updated memo to consider how to assess the cumulative impacts of the types of permits covered in the guidance memo and outreach strategies to engage communities impacted by any such permit. The bill requires the public comment period process to include two public town halls held no later than July 31, 2026, and requires the Department to respond to the public comments by October 31, 2026. The Department is required to issue the final guidance memo by December 31, 2026.

Status: Passed; Signed or otherwise enacted
Status date: Apr 8, 2026; 218 days ago
Current chamber: House of Delegates
Session: 2026 Regular Session

VA HB 1266 · PassedApr 8

Follow the legislation that affects what you sell.

Get started free

Free account · 30-second setup · No credit card

Prefer ChatGPT or Claude? Ask Civic IQ about this bill →

What it means for vendors

Civic IQ reads each bill for what it would fund, require or change for the agencies that buy.

What this bill would fund or requireThe spending and mandates in the bill, in plain languageTop matches free Why it matters for what you sellMatched to your products, with how to open the conversationTop matches free 1 signal from this bill in Civic IQSee them free →

Bill details

Last action: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0461) · Apr 8, 2026

Bill history

Newest first.

Apr 8, 2026Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0461)

Apr 8, 2026Approved by Governor-Chapter 461 (effective 7/1/2026)

Apr 1, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1266)House

Mar 31, 2026Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

Mar 31, 2026Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026House

Mar 31, 2026Signed by SpeakerHouse

Mar 30, 2026Signed by PresidentSenate

Mar 30, 2026Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1266ER)House

Show 37 earlier actions

Mar 30, 2026EnrolledHouse

Mar 11, 2026Senate substitute agreed to by House (65-Y 34-N 0-A)House

Mar 10, 2026Passed Senate with substitute (22-Y 18-N 0-A)Senate

Mar 10, 2026Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteSenate

Mar 10, 2026Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed toSenate

Mar 10, 2026Read third timeSenate

Mar 9, 2026Passed by for the daySenate

Mar 9, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1266)House

Mar 6, 2026Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)Senate

Mar 5, 2026Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)Senate

Mar 5, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)Senate

Mar 5, 2026Rules suspendedSenate

Mar 4, 2026Committee substitute printed 26109125D-S1Senate

Mar 3, 2026Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (9-Y 5-N 1-A)Senate

Mar 3, 2026Senate committee offeredSenate

Feb 23, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1266)House

Feb 18, 2026Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural ResourcesSenate

Feb 18, 2026Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)Senate

Feb 17, 2026Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)House

Feb 16, 2026Engrossed bill reprinted 26107166DHouse

Feb 16, 2026Engrossed by House - committee substitute as amendedHouse

Feb 16, 2026Delegate Tran Floor amendments agreed toHouse

Feb 16, 2026committee substitute agreed toHouse

Feb 16, 2026Read second timeHouse

Feb 16, 2026Floor offered Delegate Tran AmendmentsHouse

Feb 15, 2026Read first timeHouse

Feb 13, 2026Reported from Appropriations (16-Y 6-N)House

Feb 13, 2026Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)House

Feb 11, 2026Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural ResourcesHouse

Feb 11, 2026Committee substitute printed 26107166D-H1House

Feb 11, 2026Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1266)House

Feb 11, 2026Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)House

Feb 11, 2026Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)House

Feb 10, 2026House subcommittee offeredHouse

Feb 9, 2026Assigned HACNR sub: Natural ResourcesHouse

Jan 14, 2026Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural ResourcesHouse

Jan 14, 2026Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103003DHouse

Recorded votes

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)Feb 11, 2026 · House · 7 yea · 3 nayPassed

Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)Feb 11, 2026 · House · 15 yea · 7 nayPassed

Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)Feb 13, 2026 · House · 5 yea · 2 nayPassed

Reported from Appropriations (16-Y 6-N)Feb 13, 2026 · House · 16 yea · 6 nayPassed

Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)Feb 17, 2026 · House · 63 yea · 34 nayPassed

Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (9-Y 5-N 1-A)Mar 3, 2026 · Senate · 9 yea · 5 nayPassed

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)Mar 5, 2026 · Senate · 39 yea · 0 nayPassed

Passed Senate with substitute (22-Y 18-N 0-A)Mar 10, 2026 · Senate · 22 yea · 18 nayPassed

Senate substitute agreed to by House (65-Y 34-N 0-A)Mar 11, 2026 · House · 65 yea · 34 nayPassed

Read the bill at the source

This page follows the bill as the legislature records it. For the bill's full text and the official record, use the legislature's own site.

View on the legislature's site View on LegiScan

Bill data from LegiScan, licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Work in government? Get Civic IQ free →

Commonwealth of Virginia profile →

Environmental Justice in Permitting Process Guidance Memo; DEQ to publish an updated version.

What it means for vendors

Bill details

Sponsors

Bill history

Recorded votes

Read the bill at the source

Start finding government buyers today.
It's free.

Environmental Justice in Permitting Process Guidance Memo; DEQ to publish an updated version.

What it means for vendors

Bill details

Sponsors

Bill history

Recorded votes

Read the bill at the source

Start finding government buyers today.It's free.

Start finding government buyers today.
It's free.