Virginia General Laws subcommittee advances a slate of housing, consumer and governance bills to appropriations

The House General Laws subcommittee on Monday reviewed and advanced a broad set of housing, consumer protection and administrative bills, reporting many to the full committee or to appropriations and carrying several complex measures to next year.

The panel approved a new substitute for Delegate Delia Maldonado’s tenant-notice bill (House Bill 678), which gives tenants additional advance time to respond when a landlord notifies them of a rent increase. Members agreed to replace the mistakenly posted substitute with the version discussed in subcommittee, and the committee reported the bill after a roll call (reported 18–0). The adopted language combines a 60-day renewal window with an additional 30‑day period intended to give tenants more time to make housing decisions.

The subcommittee also moved several manufactured‑home and rental‑related measures. A substitute that creates a right-of-first-refusal under the Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act for certain local entities when park owners contract to sell was reported 22–1 after the committee replaced a posted substitute with the correct version. House Bill 374, which requires landlords subject to the Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act to list all charges on the first page of rental agreements and limits certain rent increases where local habitability violations remain unresolved, was reported 15–6 and referred to appropriations.

Housing stability proposals advanced in other forms: House Bill 527 would establish an eviction reduction program in the Department of Housing and Community Development and require annual reporting to the General Assembly; it was reported and referred to appropriations on a 17–4 vote. A block of housing and building‑regulation bills — including measures to expedite review timelines and to require the Board of Housing and Community Development to act on ad hoc committee proposals — were reported unanimously.

Consumer and public‑safety items also moved. House Bill 122 (incorporating language from HB 864) would prohibit certain ingredients in cosmetic products and designate violations as prohibited practices under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act; the bill reported with a substitute 20–1. House Bill 518 would require video streaming services serving Virginia consumers to comply with federal rules on advertisement loudness (the CALM Act); it was part of an uncontested block reported 21–0.

Administrative and continuity actions included several carryovers: the committee continued three Uniform Statewide Building Code bills (carried to 2027) and carried over House Bill 551 (workforce accreditation pathway for non‑degree training) for further work. The panel also referred bills on zoning-based housing pilot grants (HB 1042) and several other bills to appropriations.

Votes at a glance

- HB 678 (Delia Maldonado) — tenant renewal/notice; substitute adopted; reported 18–0. - Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act substitute (patron not specified in roll) — right of first refusal; reported 22–1. - HB 374 — manufactured home rental agreement disclosures/limits on renewal rent increases where local violations unresolved; reported and referred to appropriations 15–6. - HB 527 (W. McClure) — eviction reduction program; reported and referred to appropriations 17–4. - HB 122 (incorporating HB 864) — cosmetic ingredients; reported with substitute 20–1. - HB 518 — streaming advertisement loudness (CALM Act compliance); reported 21–0 as part of an uncontested block. - HB 1042 — housing production zoning pilot; reported as amended and referred to appropriations 21–0. - HB 1178 — septic inspection scope; reported with substitute 21–0. - HB 374/HB 527/HB 551/HB 707 and others — various outcomes as noted above (see committee record).

What’s next

Most measures now move to the Committee on Appropriations or to the full committee as noted; several bills were carried over to 2027 for further work. The committee closed with scheduling announcements for upcoming subcommittees and adjourned.