VA HB 4

enacted

Affordable housing; preservation, definitions, civil penalty.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 4 pass?

Yes. VA HB 4 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-08. Latest recorded action (2026-04-08): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0352)

What is VA HB 4 about?

Preservation of affordable housing; definitions; civil penalty. Creates a framework for localities to preserve affordable housing by exercising a right of first refusal on publicly supported housing, defined in the bill. The bill authorizes localities to adopt an ordinance that requires an owner to accept a right of first refusal offer by the locality or qualified designee, defined in the bill, in order to preserve affordable housing for at least 15 years. The bill requires that any locality with a population greater than 3,500 adopting such an ordinance to preserve affordable housing submit an annual report to the Department of Housing and Community Development pursuant to existing law.

Who sponsors VA HB 4?

Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker is the primary sponsor of VA HB 4, joined by 29 cosponsors.

Description

Introduced: 2025-11-17
Latest action: 2026-04-08 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0352)
Bill type: bill
Last updated: —

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

2025-11-17
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100154D
filing,introduction
2025-11-17
Referred to Committee on General Laws
referral-committee
2026-01-19
Assigned HGL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection
referral-committee
2026-01-22
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N)
2026-01-27
Reported from General Laws (15-Y 6-N)
committee-passage
2026-01-29
Read first time
reading-1
2026-01-30
Read second time and engrossed
reading-2
2026-02-02
Read third time and passed House (65-Y 34-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-03
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-03
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
referral-committee
2026-02-25
Assigned GL&T sub: Housing
referral-committee
2026-03-04
Reported from General Laws and Technology (9-Y 6-N)
committee-passage
2026-03-06
Rules suspended
2026-03-06
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-06
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-09
Passed by for the day
2026-03-10
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-10
Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-30
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-30
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB4ER)
passage
2026-03-30
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-31
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-31
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-31
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-04-08
Approved by Governor-Chapter 352 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
2026-04-08
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0352)

Versions

IntroducedCompare
EnrolledCompare
ChapteredCompare

Documents

Votes

Subcommittee recommends reporting
2026-01-22 · pass · 7-3
Member-level votes (10)
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Terry L. Austin: no
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
- Bill Wiley: no
Reported from General Laws
2026-01-27 · pass · 15-6
Member-level votes (22)
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- James W. Morefield: no
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
- Terry L. Austin: no
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
- Bill Wiley: no
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
H VOTE:
2026-02-02 · pass · 65-34
Member-level votes (100)
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: no
- Jason S. Ballard: no
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: no
- Nadarius E. Clark: yes
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
- Mitchell Cornett: no
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Will Davis: no
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Margaret A. Franklin: yes
- Debra D. Gardner: yes
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Timothy P. Griffin: no
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Karen Hamilton: no
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: no
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: no
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: no
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
- Joseph P. McNamara: no
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: no
- May Nivar: yes
- Delores Oates: yes
- Israel D. O'Quinn: no
- Justin Pence: no
- Eric Phillips: no
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Sam Rasoul: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Chris S. Runion: no
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Don Scott: yes
- Phillip A. Scott: no
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Irene Shin: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- JJ Singh: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Anne Ferrell Tata: no
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
- Wendell S. Walker: no
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- R. Lee Ware: no
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Michael J. Webert: no
- Madison Whittle: no
- Bill Wiley: no
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Wren M. Williams: no
- Tony O. Wilt: no
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
- Scott A. Wyatt: no
- Eric R. Zehr: no
Reported from General Laws and Technology
2026-03-04 · pass · 9-6
Member-level votes (15)
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: no
- Todd E. Pillion: no
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Christopher T. Head: no
- Emily M. Jordan: no
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Timmy French: no
- Christie New Craig: no
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)
2026-03-06 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: not voting
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Passage R
2026-03-10 · pass · 21-19
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: no
- Christie New Craig: no
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: no
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: no
- Tara A. Durant: no
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: no
- T. Travis Hackworth: no
- Christopher T. Head: no
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: no
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: no
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Mark J. Peake: no
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: no
- Bryce E. Reeves: no
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
- Richard H. Stuart: no
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
- David R. Suetterlein: no
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB4

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changes Status and relationship changes

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=VA&identifier=HB 4. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

Known limitations

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