SB 256 VA

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To Executive

Minimum energy and water conservation standards; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning facilities and home appliances; Department of Energy; prohibited practices; penalty. Provides that if any product or product categories under the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (the EPCA) are removed by the U.S. Secretary of Energy or the federal government, the Department of Energy shall adopt energy or water conservation standards that shall be equivalent to the last applicable federal standards with a product compliance date of on or before December 31, 2025. The bill prohibits any such new products from being sold, offered for sale, leased, or rented in the Commonwealth unless such products meet or exceed such standards. The bill excludes any energy or water conservation standards set aside by a court or any product if federal law preempts the application of the minimum energy and water conservation standards to such a product, including any product or product categories where there is a requirement to develop a standard under the EPCA.

• Jeremy S. McPike Democratic · primary

1. Jan 12, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100892D · upper
2. Jan 12, 2026 Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor · upper
3. Feb 12, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
4. Feb 12, 2026 Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (9-Y 6-N) · upper
5. Feb 13, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107427D-S1 · upper
6. Feb 13, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
7. Feb 13, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
8. Feb 13, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
9. Feb 16, 2026 Read second time · upper
10. Feb 16, 2026 Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) · upper
11. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) · upper
12. Feb 17, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) · upper
13. Feb 19, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB256) · upper
14. Feb 24, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
15. Feb 24, 2026 Read first time · lower
16. Feb 24, 2026 Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce · lower
17. Feb 26, 2026 Reported from Labor and Commerce (15-Y 6-N) · lower
18. Mar 2, 2026 Read second time · lower
19. Mar 3, 2026 Read third time · lower
20. Mar 3, 2026 Passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) · lower
21. Mar 9, 2026 Enrolled · upper
22. Mar 9, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB256ER) · upper
23. Mar 9, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB256) · upper
24. Mar 9, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
25. Mar 9, 2026 Signed by President · upper
26. Mar 10, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 · upper
27. Mar 10, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
28. Apr 13, 2026 Governor's recommendation received by Senate · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Governor's Recommendation · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · PDF
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · HTML
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · PDF
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML