Virginia Senate advances wide package of bills on safety, health, energy and local planning
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Summary
On Feb. 11, 2026, the Virginia Senate in Richmond debated and recorded final action on a broad set of bills covering firearm safe-storage rules, housing partnerships, parole access, public-health studies, tax enforcement measures, energy and land-use limits. Several measures passed on recorded roll calls; some were set aside for further work.
The Senate of Virginia convened in Richmond on Feb. 11, 2026, and moved a large regular calendar of bills covering public safety, health, energy, housing and local planning.
Senators debated a range of measures and recorded final passage on many. Senator from Northern Fairfax described the floor amendment to SB 348 — the state's safe-storage bill — as allowing "a combination lock, a coded lock, or a biometric lock" as acceptable means of securing a firearm when minors or prohibited persons are present. That bill was ultimately recorded as passed after earlier procedural steps. Other bills that passed included SB 388 (faith-based nonprofit housing provisions), SB 60 (juvenile parole access reforms), SB 207 (a SUDEP feasibility review for the chief medical examiner), SB 224 (a state-level whistleblower program for significant tax underpayments), and SB 308 (a coordinated opioid overdose strategic-plan directive for the Virginia Department of Health).
Why it matters: the package changes how the Commonwealth addresses several high-profile policy areas. SB 348 updates safe-storage definitions that affect gun owners and local tax-credit eligibility; SB 388 creates a pathway for nonprofit partners to build taxable housing that localities would collect revenues on; SB 207 and SB 308 aim to improve public-health data and coordination on sudden epilepsy deaths and overdose response. Several bills also clarify administrative structures for energy and utility oversight and adjust local zoning rules relevant to data center siting.
Votes at a glance (tallies recorded on the floor): SB 348 (safe storage) ' passed (final recorded Ayes 21, Noes 19); SB 388 (faith in housing) ' passed (Ayes 21, Noes 18); SB 314 (tourism improvement districts) ' initially failed (Ayes 20, Noes 18) but was later reconsidered and passed (Ayes 21, Noes 19); SB 60 (parole for juveniles) ' passed (Ayes 20, Noes 19); SB 207 (SUDEP study) ' passed (Aye 39, No 0); SB 224 (tax whistleblower) ' passed (Ayes 23, Noes 15); SB 229 (class actions under the Consumer Protection Act) ' passed (Ayes 22, Noes 18); SB 308 (opioid strategic plan) ' passed (Ayes 39, No 0); SB 364 (office of safer communities) ' passed (Ayes 21, Noes 19); SB 424 (ABC/distillery pour limits) ' passed (Ayes 36, Noes 4); SB 515 (electric utility regulation renamed/expanded) ' passed (Ayes 21, Noes 19); SB 519 (conservation feasibility study) ' passed (Ayes 39, Noes 1); SB 536 (medical malpractice prejudgment interest) ' passed (Ayes 40, No 0); SB 599 (jail-based substance use treatment grant changes) ' passed (Ayes 40, No 0); SB 637 (Virginia Human Rights Act employer definition updates) ' passed (Ayes 21, Noes 19); SB 790 (menopause benefits) ' passed (Ayes 40, No 0); SB 834 (solar and battery grant program) ' passed (Ayes 21, Noes 19). (Tallies listed as recorded on the Senate floor.)
What was contested: debate on SB 224 drew warnings that a state-level whistleblower reward program could "energize a bunch of disaffected spouses" or neighbors bringing complaints, according to the senator from Rockingham. Lawmakers also probed how SB 348's expanded definition of acceptable locks would interact with an existing safe-container tax credit. The data-center zoning discussion (SB 94) later returned as a separate floor item with a substitute that limited high-energy-use facilities to industrially zoned areas.
Next steps: the Senate adjourned to reconvene at noon the next day. Several bills were advanced via committee substitutes or placed in uncontested blocks and will proceed to enrollment or further floor action as provided by Senate rules.
