Votes at a glance: House advances dozens of bills on energy, elections, public safety and labor
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Summary
On Feb. 11 the Virginia House advanced a wide-ranging package of bills to engrossment or final passage, including measures on electric utilities, elections administration, minimum wage changes for farmworkers, and criminal justice reforms. Several bills passed by recorded vote; leaders scheduled multiple committee meetings upon adjournment.
The Virginia House on Feb. 11 advanced roughly 100 bills across multiple subject areas, taking recorded votes on numerous measures and moving many to engrossment or final passage.
Key outcomes included recorded passage of bills on energy policy and utility oversight, changes to state minimum-wage coverage for farmworkers, limits on solitary confinement, updates to election administration, and new public-safety protocols. Several measures were considered in blocks on third reading and on the uncontested calendar; multiple committee substitutes and amendments were adopted during floor debate.
Votes at a glance (selected bills and recorded tallies where available):
- HB 1095 (student financial aid opt-out process): Ayes 61, Noes 35, Abstentions 1 — passed on third reading. - HB 429 (electric utilities, integrated resource planning): Ayes 84, Noes 13 — passed on third reading. - HB 508 (small renewable energy projects, agrivoltaics definition): Ayes 66, Noes 30 — passed on third reading. - HB 676 (health insurance claims, electronic attachments): Ayes 98, Noes 0 — passed on third reading. - HB 20 (removal of the farmworker exemption from the Virginia minimum wage act): Committee substitute adopted; sponsor noted delayed enactment to Jan. 1, 2027; bill engrossed and passed to third reading after debate raising concerns about impacts on small farms. - HB 35 (restrictions on solitary confinement): Sponsor described a 15-days-in-60-days limit; committee amendments agreed and bill engrossed and passed to third reading. - HB 702 (Virginia Firearm Give-Back Program and Fund): Committee substitute adopted and bill engrossed and passed to third reading; sponsor described standardized voluntary local programs. - HB 15 25 (purchase/possession restrictions for people younger than 21): Engrossed and passed to third reading.
Floor speakers included bill sponsors and members who asked clarifying questions about implementation, local impacts, and constitutional concerns. For example, opponents of HB 20 warned that small farms which provide housing or in-kind benefits could face layoffs if wage costs rise; sponsors said the bill includes a delayed effective date to allow adjustment.
Clerk announcements closed recorded votes throughout the session; the day ended with committee meeting schedules announced for immediately after adjournment and the House adjourning to reconvene the next day at noon.