House General Laws Committee advances multiple ABC and procurement bills, tables mold-remediation bill

The House General Laws Committee met in session and advanced a slate of bills from ABC gaming and procurement subcommittees while tabling a housing-related mold-remediation measure.

Unidentified Speaker 3, presenting the ABC gaming subcommittee report, moved several substitutes and amendments as a block and described bills affecting alcohol and gaming regulation. "It authorizes Internet Gaming and the Commonwealth to be regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board," Unidentified Speaker 3 said when introducing HB 161, which the committee reported and referred to the Appropriations Committee by a recorded vote of 12–8. The clerk noted the bill includes a reenactment clause requiring it to return in a later session.

Other ABC-related measures the committee reported or acted on included HB 308 (moving retail tobacco permitting from the Department of Taxation to a permitting system managed by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority) and HB 934 (allowing distiller licensees to act as agents for spirits sales at farmers-market government stores). HB 934 was reported and referred to Appropriations (19–1). HB 975, setting minimum food-to-beverage ratios for certain licensed establishments, was reported as amended (18–3). HB 980 was "passed by for the day" on a voice vote.

Unidentified Speaker 4 presented the procurement and open government subcommittee report. Among procurement items, HB 61 was reported with amendments and referred to Appropriations (16–5). The bill would establish a statewide SWaM (Small, Women- and Minority-owned) business procurement enhancement program with goals including a 42% statewide target for discretionary procurement and a $100,000 purchase set-aside; it also requires disparity studies on a multi-year schedule. HB 777, which retains a provision in the Virginia Public Procurement Act concerning imported goods and private commercial vessel use, and HB 1086, which allows Virginia agricultural producers to match the lowest responsive bidder for certain school nutrition purchases (within 20%), were both reported (21–0).

In housing committee business, Unidentified Speaker 2 described HB 1259, addressing mold remediation under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill had been reported out of subcommittee over a no vote; on the floor the committee voted to lay HB 1259 on the table by a recorded vote of 15–6. Later, because an amendment had not been cleared by DLS in time, the committee passed HB 678 "by for the day" by voice vote.

Votes at a glance: - HB 1429: carried over to 2027 (voice vote). - HB 161: reported and referred to Appropriations, recorded vote 12–8 (includes reenactment clause). - HB 308: reported and referred to Appropriations (reported; roll called). - HB 934: reported and referred to Appropriations, recorded vote 19–1. - HB 975: reported as amended, recorded vote 18–3. - HB 980: passed by for the day (voice vote). - HB 1157: reported, recorded vote 21–0. - HB 1343: reported, recorded vote 21–0. - HB 143 & HB 869: continued to 2027 with a letter to the annual public body procurement work group (block continuation). - HB 61: reported with amendments and referred to Appropriations, recorded vote 16–5. - HB 777: reported and referred to Appropriations, recorded vote 21–0. - HB 1086: reported, recorded vote 21–0. - HB 1259: laid on the table (tabled), recorded vote 15–6. - HB 678: passed by for the day (voice vote).

The committee adjourned at the close of the session. The meeting record shows actions forwarded to Appropriations and several bills carried over or passed by for the day; where recorded votes were available those tallies are listed above.