The 2025 Session of the Virginia General Assembly has gaveled to a close. All in all, we had a very good session. Our bills establishing an alternate path to satisfy the educational requirement in pursuit of architectural licensure passed and await the Governor’s signature. Most of the bills we supported passed. The category of bills that passed despite our opposition is a null set. Two of our members, Mel Price, FAIA, and Paula Loomis, FAIA received commendation from the General Assembly.
Many thanks to the JLC for their diligence, Patrick Cushing for his effective efforts and good counsel, Delegate Carr and Senator McPike for sponsoring our alternate path bills, and all who engaged with support, questions, and concerns. Please include a contribution to the AIAVA PAC in your celebratory activities.
SUPPORTED – PASSED
HB 1940 – International licensure and certification; regulations.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to direct the boards within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to develop regulations to provide a pathway to licensure for individuals with equivalent qualifications from another country.
HB 2154 – Architects; alternative to education requirement for licensure.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 54.1-406.1, relating to professions and occupations; alternative to education requirement for licensure of architects.
Notes
2025 supp PASSED: AIAVA ran this bill
HB 2553 – Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for; powers and duties.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend and reenact § 54.1-310 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation; powers and duties.
Notes
2025 supp PASSED: original version of bill satisfactorily amended
HB 2618 – Public school buildings; indoor air quality, inspection and evaluation.
Status: Passed
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 9 of Title 22.1 an article numbered 4, consisting of sections numbered 22.1-141.3 through 22.1-141.6, relating to public school buildings; indoor air quality; inspection and evaluation.
HB 2749 – Waterworks; mandatory reporting of anomalies, negligence.
Status: Passed
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 32.1-174.5, relating to Department of Health Office of Drinking Water; waterworks; mandatory reporting; monthly operation report.
Notes
2025 supp PASSED: incorporated HB2407
HJ 437 – Recurrent Flooding, Joint Subcommittee on; reestablished and its work continued.
Status: Passed
Establishing the Joint Subcommittee on Recurrent Flooding. Report.
HJ 469 – Commending Mel Price.
Status: Passed
Commending Mel Price.
HJ 720 – Commending Paula Loomis.
Status: Passed
Commending Paula Loomis.
SB 777 – Income-Qualified Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Task Force; established, definitions, report.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to direct the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish an Income-Qualified Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Task Force; report.
SB 1096 – Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for; powers and duties.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend and reenact § 54.1-310 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation; powers and duties.
SB 1165 – Solar photovoltaic equipment, etc.; national environmental protection and product safety standards.
Status: Passed
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-4328.3, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; environmental protection and product safety standards.
SB 1188 – International licensure and certification; regulations.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to direct the boards within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to develop regulations to provide a pathway to licensure for individuals with equivalent qualifications from another country.
SB 1310 – Architects; alternative to education requirement for licensure.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 54.1-406.1, relating to professions and occupations; alternative to education requirement for licensure of architects.
Notes
2025 supp PASSED: AIAVA ran this bill
SB 1319 – Industrial wastewater; publicly owned treatment works.
Status: Awaiting Signature
An Act to amend and reenact § 62.1-44.34:31 of the Code of Virginia, relating to self-reporting of PFAS manufacture and use for PFAS assessment; Department of Environmental Quality; industrial wastewater; publicly owned treatment works.
SR 272 – Commending Paula Loomis.
Status: Passed
Commending Paula Loomis.
SUPPORTED – FAILED
HB 2509 – Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank; established, report.
Status: Failed
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 17 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 10, consisting of sections numbered 45.2-1735 through 45.2-1744, relating to Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank established; report.
SB 1337 – Coastal storm risk mgmt.; Office of Commonwealth Resilience to study costs of feasibility studies
Status: Failed
A BILL to direct the Office of Commonwealth Resilience to conduct a study related to the costs of coastal storm risk management feasibility studies; report.
OPPOSED – FAILED
HB 2417 – Procurement; local budget.
Status: Failed
A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-4319 of the Code of Virginia, relating to procurement; local budget.
Notes
2025 opp FAILED: municipality could solicit RFP without funding; oppose outright, or seek amendments: strike reference to RFP OR exempt solicitations for professional services
JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE (JLC) – MONITORED
HB 1579 – License taxes; local gas road improvement and Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority tax; sunset.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend and reenact § 58.1-3713 of the Code of Virginia, relating to license taxes; local gas road improvement and Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority tax; sunset.
HB 1743 – License taxes; deduction for out-of-state receipts, effective date, report.
Status: Passed
A BILL to amend and reenact § 58.1-3732 of the Code of Virginia, relating to license taxes; deduction for out-of-state receipts.
HB 1822 – Electric utilities; construction of certain electrical transmission lines, advanced conductors.
Status: Passed
A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-597 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utilities; construction of certain electrical transmission lines; advanced conductors.
HB 1835 – Geologists; regulation, licensure, penalty.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 54.1-2200, 54.1-2200.2, and 54.1-2208.1 through 54.1-2208.4 of the Code of Virginia, relating to professions and occupations; regulation of geologists; licensure; penalty.
HB 1866 – Corporate income tax; sourcing of sales other than sales of tangible personal property.
Status: Failed
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 58.1-416, as it is currently effective and as it may become effective, 58.1-419, 58.1-422.4, and 58.1-422.5 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 58.1-416.1; and to repeal the third enactments of Chapters 256 and 257 of the Acts of Assembly of 2022, relating to sourcing of certain sales.
HB 2024 – Solar photovoltaic equipment, etc.; national environmental protection and product safety standards.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-4328.3, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; environmental protection and product safety standards.
Notes
2025 monitor: generally support approach; intended to apply to specific issue/manufacturer
HB 2046 – High-risk artificial intelligence; development, deployment, and use by public bodies, report.
Status: Failed
A BILL to amend and reenact § 2.2-2007 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 2.2 a chapter numbered 55.6, consisting of sections numbered 2.2-5517 through 2.2-5522, relating to high-risk artificial intelligence; development, deployment, and use by public bodies; work group; report.
Notes
2025 monitor: need to exclude design services? private consultants incorporated into public body through contract
HB 2094 – High-risk artificial intelligence; development, deployment, and use, civil penalties.
Status: Passed
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 59.1 a chapter numbered 58, consisting of sections numbered 59.1-607 through 59.1-612, relating to high-risk artificial intelligence; development, deployment, and use; civil penalties.
Notes
2025 monitor: need to exclude design services?
HB 2150 – Virginia Public Procurement Act; contract terms inconsistent with Virginia law.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-4311.3, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; contract terms inconsistent with Virginia law.
Notes
2025 monitor: does not apply to pro services as written, but establishes good/useful precedent
HB 2503 – Virginia coordinate systems; updates several references in Code.
Status: Passed
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 1-600 through 1-603, 1-605, 1-606, 1-608, and 45.2-542 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia coordinate systems; federal updates.
Notes
2025 monitor: providing clarifications to improve bill
HB 2533 – Counties, cities, and towns; comprehensive plan may include tiny homes or accessory dwelling units.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend and reenact § 15.2-2223 of the Code of Virginia, relating to counties, cities, and towns; comprehensive plan; tiny homes; accessory dwelling units.
HB 2711 – Water & wastewater utilities; eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement.
Status: Passed
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 56 a chapter numbered 31, consisting of sections numbered 56-626 and 56-627, relating to water utilities and wastewater utilities; eligible infrastructure replacement and enhancement; cost recovery.
HB 2781 – Affordable housing; counties with executive form of government.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend and reenact § 15.2-2304 of the Code of Virginia, relating to affordable dwelling unit ordinance; county executive form of government.
SB 757 – Trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; contracted defense facility, penalty.
Status: Awaiting Governor’s Action
An Act to amend and reenact § 18.2-121.3 of the Code of Virginia, relating to trespass with an unmanned aircraft system; contracted defense facility; penalty.
SB 826 – Predetermination for licensing eligibility; prior convictions.
Status: Awaiting Signature
An Act to amend and reenact § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 54.1-204.1 and 54.1-2408.01, relating to Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; Department of Health Professions; predetermination for licensing eligibility; prior convictions.
SB 857 – Dam Safety Act; powers and duties of DCR, rights and requirements of dam owners, civil penalty.
Status: Awaiting Signature
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 10.1-603.19, 10.1-604.1, 10.1-605, 10.1-605.3, 10.1-606.2, 10.1-606.3, 10.1-607, 10.1-608, 10.1-609, 10.1-612.1, and 10.1-613.6 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal § 10.1-613.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Dam Safety, Flood Prevention and Protection Assistance; Dam Safety Act; powers and duties of the Department of Conservation and Recreation; rights and requirements of dam owners; civil penalty.
Notes
2025 monitor: providing multiple technical amendments to improve bill
SB 962 – Va. Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 43 of Title 2.2 a section numbered 2.2-4302.3, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements.
Notes
2025 monitor: ensure bill continues to apply to construction/sealed build projects, and excludes professional services
SB 1173 – Virginia coordinate systems; updates several references in Code.
Status: Pending Governor’s Communication
An Act to amend and reenact §§ 1-600 through 1-603, 1-605, 1-606, 1-608, and 45.2-542 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia coordinate systems; federal updates.
Notes
2025 monitor: providing clarifications to improve bill
SB 1218 – Labor and employment; covenants not to compete prohibited, low-wage employees, exceptions, civil pen
Status: Awaiting Signature
An Act to amend and reenact § 40.1-28.7:8 of the Code of Virginia, relating to labor and employment; covenants not to compete prohibited; exceptions; civil penalty.
SB 1342 – Low-income households; Dept. of Energy to identify barriers to reducing energy-related costs.
Status: Awaiting Signature
An Act to reduce heating-related costs of living for low-income residents by requiring certain electric utilities to provide energy efficiency upgrades; report.
SB 1456 – Income tax, corporate; sourcing of sales other than sales of tangible personal property.
Status: Failed
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 58.1-416, as it is currently effective and as it may become effective, 58.1-419, 58.1-422.4, and 58.1-422.5 of the Code of Virginia; to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 58.1-416.1; and to repeal the third enactments of Chapters 256 and 257 of the Acts of Assembly of 2022, relating to sourcing of certain sales.