Finance Committee Agenda

Chair: Watts, Vivian E.

Meeting Date & Time: 01/21/2026 15 minutes after adjournment of House Add to Calendar

Location: House Committee Room B - 205

Testimony/Comments: Sign up to speak or submit comments (opens in a new window)

Additional Resource(s):

Video: Archived

Committee Clerk: 804-698-1947 - Vonny Powell, Clerk

DLS Contact: (804) 698-1863 - Rebecca Schultz, Attorney

Administrative Actions

Bill(s) Patron Title
HB585 Ballard Va. Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for animal control officers and 911 dispatchers.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 51.1-138 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits; animal control officers; 911 dispatchers.

Fiscal Impact

Referred from Finance and rereferred to Appropriations (Voice Vote)

Last actions:

  • 1/20/2026 - Placed on Finance Agenda
  • 1/21/2026 - Referred from Finance and referred to Appropriations (Voice Vote)
  • 1/21/2026 - Referred to Committee on Appropriations
  • 1/21/2026 - Referred by Committee
  • 1/25/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Virginia Retirement System (HB585)
HB659 Kent State retiree health benefits program; reenrollment in program.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 51.1-1405 of the Code of Virginia, relating to state retiree health benefits program; reenrollment in program.

Fiscal Impact

Referred from Finance and rereferred to Appropriations (Voice Vote)

Last actions:

  • 1/22/2026 - Assigned HAPP sub: Compensation and Retirement
  • 1/29/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB659)
  • 1/30/2026 - Placed on Appropriations Agenda
  • 2/2/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB659)
  • 2/2/2026 - Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (5-Y 2-N)

Compensation and Retirement Subcommittee

Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (5-Y 2-N)

HB750 Runion Va. Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers, delayed effective date.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 51.1-138 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for 911 dispatchers.

Fiscal Impact

Referred from Finance and rereferred to Appropriations (Voice Vote)

Last actions:

  • 1/21/2026 - Referred from Finance and referred to Appropriations (Voice Vote)
  • 1/21/2026 - Referred to Committee on Appropriations
  • 1/21/2026 - Referred by Committee
  • 1/25/2026 - Fiscal Impact Statement from Virginia Retirement System (HB750)
  • 1/27/2026 - Assigned HAPP sub: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Related Bills:

HB205 (Cherry)

SB304 (Jordan)

Subcommittee #2 Report

Bills reported favorably out of Subcommittee #2 on January 20, 2026, will be added to this block.

Bill(s) Patron Title
HB72 Cole, J.G. Real property tax; classification of land and improvements in City of Fredericksburg.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 58.1-3221.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to real property tax; classification of land and improvements; City of Fredericksburg.

Fiscal Impact

Incorporated by Finance (HB282-Callsen)

Incorporated by Finance (HB282-Callsen) (Voice Vote)

Subcommittee #2

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

HB175 Feggans Real property; tax exemption, surviving spouses of members of Armed Forces who died in line of duty.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 58.1-3219.9 of the Code of Virginia, relating to real property tax exemption; surviving spouses of members of the Armed Forces who died in the line of duty.

Fiscal Impact

Reported from Finance (22-Y 0-N)

Yeas (22): Watts, Hernandez, Sullivan, Bennett-Parker, Anthony, Callsen, Gardner, Keys-Gamarra, Maldonado, Pope Adams, Cole, N.T., Carroll, Dougherty, Franklin, M.A., Bulova, Ware, Fowler, McNamara, Walker, Runion, Garrett, Davis

Last actions:

  • 1/20/2026 - Placed on Finance Agenda
  • 1/21/2026 - Reported from Finance (22-Y 0-N)
  • 1/23/2026 - Read first time
  • 1/26/2026 - Read second time and engrossed
  • 1/27/2026 - Read third time and passed House (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 1/28/2026 - Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

• 1/28/2026 - Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations

• 2/12/2026 - Removed from Finance and Appropriations docket for Feb 12, 2026

• 3/3/2026 - Placed on Finance and Appropriations docket for Mar 03, 2026

• 3/3/2026 - Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 2-N)

Subcommittee #2

Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

HB261 Simonds Real property; tax classification of land and improvements in City of Newport News.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact § 58.1-3221.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to real property tax; classification of land and improvements; City of Newport News.

Fiscal Impact

Incorporated by Finance (HB282-Callsen) (Voice Vote)

Subcommittee #2

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

HB282 Callsen Real property tax; classification of land and improvement in Cities of Charlottesville/Falls Church.

Summary: An Act to amend and reenact § 58.1-3221.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to real property tax; classification of land and improvements; Charlottesville and Falls Church.

Fiscal Impact

Reported from Finance with substitute (21-Y 1-N)

Yeas (21): Watts, Hernandez, Sullivan, Bennett-Parker, Anthony, Callsen, Gardner, Keys-Gamarra, Maldonado, Pope Adams, Cole, N.T., Carroll, Dougherty, Franklin, M.A., Bulova, Ware, Fowler, McNamara, Walker, Runion, Davis

Nays (1): Garrett

Last actions:

  • 3/5/2026 - Enrolled
  • 3/5/2026 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB282ER)
  • 3/5/2026 - Signed by Speaker
  • 3/10/2026 - Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
  • 3/10/2026 - Fiscal Impact statement From TAX (3/10/2026 11:19 am)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 2/27/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 3/2/2026 - Read third time

• 3/2/2026 - Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 3/5/2026 - Signed by President

Subcommittee #2

Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

HB334 Rasoul Additional local sales and use tax to support schools; referendum.

Summary: A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 58.1-602, 58.1-605, 58.1-605.1, and 58.1-606.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to additional local sales and use tax to support schools; referendum.

Fiscal Impact

Reported from Finance (16-Y 6-N)

Yeas (16): Watts, Hernandez, Sullivan, Bennett-Parker, Anthony, Callsen, Gardner, Keys-Gamarra, Maldonado, Pope Adams, Cole, N.T., Carroll, Dougherty, Franklin, M.A., Bulova, Ware

Nays (6): Fowler, McNamara, Walker, Runion, Garrett, Davis

Last actions:

  • 1/20/2026 - Placed on Finance Agenda
  • 1/21/2026 - Reported from Finance (16-Y 6-N)
  • 1/23/2026 - Read first time
  • 1/26/2026 - Read second time and engrossed
  • 1/27/2026 - Read third time and passed House (70-Y 28-N 0-A)

Senate Committee Actions:

• 1/28/2026 - Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

• 1/28/2026 - Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations

• 2/12/2026 - Removed from Finance and Appropriations docket for Feb 12, 2026

• 3/9/2026 - Placed on Finance and Appropriations docket for Mar 09, 2026

• 3/9/2026 - Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

Subcommittee #2

Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 2-N)

HB341 Martinez Plastic bag tax; distribution to towns.

Summary: An Act to amend and reenact § 58.1-1745 of the Code of Virginia, relating to plastic bag tax; distribution to towns.

Fiscal Impact

Reported from Finance (15-Y 7-N)

Yeas (15): Watts, Hernandez, Sullivan, Bennett-Parker, Anthony, Callsen, Gardner, Keys-Gamarra, Maldonado, Pope Adams, Cole, N.T., Carroll, Dougherty, Franklin, M.A., Bulova

Nays (7): Ware, Fowler, McNamara, Walker, Runion, Garrett, Davis

Last actions:

  • 2/23/2026 - Enrolled
  • 2/23/2026 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB341ER)
  • 2/23/2026 - Signed by Speaker
  • 2/24/2026 - Fiscal Impact statement From TAX (2/24/2026 7:43 am)
  • 3/10/2026 - Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

Senate Committee Actions:

• 2/18/2026 - Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

• 2/18/2026 - Passed by for the day

• 2/19/2026 - Read third time

• 2/19/2026 - Passed Senate (22-Y 16-N 0-A)

• 2/23/2026 - Signed by President

Subcommittee #2

Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 3-N)