HB 88 Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Highway rights-of-way; invasive species.

Summary

Highway rights-of-way; invasive species. Prohibits the Commonwealth Transportation Board (the Board) and Commissioner of Highways from planting or causing or suffering to be planted any invasive plant on the list of invasive plants created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation on the right-of-way of any state highway. Current law prohibits the planting of three listed plants if the governing body of the locality declares such weeds or plants to be injurious and requires the Board to remove such plants. The bill removes such requirement for the Board to remove such plants and requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a review of the processes and resources that are necessary and appropriate to (i) determine the prevalence of invasive plants on the list of invasive plant species created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and develop options for establishing and implementing a plan to remove or control such plants and manage such plants on an ongoing basis.

Issues: ✓ Environment ✓ Transportation

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Jan 1, 2026 Signed Apr 6, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 6 comparisons

What changed between versions

Transportation & Public Safety Subcommittee Substitute → Chaptered · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was finalized into law (Chapter 63) after passing the House, removing internal committee headers and adding the official approval date. The substantive policy text regarding the prohibition of specific invasive plants on highway rights-of-way and the requirement for a Department of Transportation report remains unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability to the Department of Transportation and county governing bodies remain unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Removed internal legislative metadata such as session year, bill number, and committee amendment labels, replacing them with the final chapter number and approval date.

Added standard spacing and formatting consistent with final enacted statutes, including the chapter title and approval date.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 26, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 12, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed

Total votes 39

Feb 26, 2026

D Democratic20

20 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

19 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 6, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by Governor-Chapter 63 (effective 7/1/2026)

executive

Mar 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by President

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Signed by Speaker

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB88ER)

lower

Feb 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

upper

Feb 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N)

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Transportation and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

upper

Feb 13, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Transportation

upper

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

lower

Feb 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N)

lower

Feb 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

House subcommittee offered

lower

Jan 29, 2026

Committee

Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety

lower

Jan 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Transportation with substitute and referred to Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)

lower

Jan 19, 2026

Committee

Assigned HTRAN sub: Transportation Infrastructure and Funding

lower

Jan 1, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Transportation

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor