HB 402 VA

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Became Law

Cottage food laws; sale of certain food over phone and internet; work group; report. Expands the exemption from state inspection requirements for private homes where the resident processes and prepares certain food products, including pickles and other acidified vegetables, to allow for such person to sell such products at any location, through the internet, or by telephone to an individual in the Commonwealth for his own consumption and deliver such products in person, by mail, or by delivery service subject to certain restrictions. Current law only allows for the sale to take place in person at the private home, a temporary event, or a farmer's market. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to examine the structural, equipment, and facility standards for private homes in the Commonwealth producing products that do not meet the cottage food law exemptions. The bill requires the work group to complete its meetings by November 1, 2026, and report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by the first day of the 2027 Regular Session of the General Assembly.

• Katrina Callsen Democratic · primary

1. Jan 12, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102431D · lower
2. Jan 12, 2026 Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources · lower
3. Jan 19, 2026 Assigned HACNR sub: Agriculture · lower
4. Jan 26, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB402) · lower
5. Jan 28, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
6. Jan 28, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) · lower
7. Feb 4, 2026 Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (22-Y 0-N) · lower
8. Feb 4, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26106526D-H1 · lower
9. Feb 6, 2026 Read first time · lower
10. Feb 9, 2026 Read second time · lower
11. Feb 9, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
12. Feb 9, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
13. Feb 10, 2026 Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A) · lower
14. Feb 11, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
15. Feb 11, 2026 Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources · upper
16. Feb 12, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB402) · lower
17. Mar 3, 2026 Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (13-Y 2-N) · upper
18. Mar 5, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
19. Mar 5, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
20. Mar 5, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
21. Mar 6, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
22. Mar 9, 2026 Read third time · upper
23. Mar 9, 2026 Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
24. Mar 14, 2026 Enrolled · lower
25. Mar 14, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB402ER) · lower
26. Mar 14, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
27. Mar 14, 2026 Signed by President · upper
28. Mar 16, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB402) · lower
29. Mar 25, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026 · lower
30. Mar 25, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
31. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 605 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive
32. Apr 13, 2026 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0605) · 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.

• Chaptered · PDF
• Chaptered · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Substitute · PDF
• Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Substitute · HTML
• Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Substitute · PDF
• Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Substitute · HTML
• Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Substitute · PDF
• Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Substitute · HTML
• Agriculture Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Agriculture Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML