SB 163 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Pesticide control; agencies or persons exempt or partially exempt.

Summary

Pesticide control; agencies or persons exempt or partially exempt. Provides that volunteers associated with state agencies, municipal corporations, or other governmental agencies shall be certified as commercial applicators or registered technicians for the use of pesticides, provided that such certification is valid only when applying or supervising application of pesticides used by such governmental agencies. The bill also exempts from applicator certification requirements any unpaid volunteer who uses any nonrestricted herbicide with the express authorization of a state agency for the sole purpose of controlling invasive plants or noxious weeds on properties owned by such state agency.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

Apr 2026

Introduced Jan 7, 2026 Signed Apr 6, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Enrolled → Chaptered · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was formally enacted into law as Chapter 335 of the 2026 Virginia Acts of Assembly. The substantive text of the pesticide control exemptions remains identical to the previous version, with no changes to who is exempt from certification fees or requirements.

TECHNICAL

Added formal chapter heading, approval date (April 6, 2026), and formatting consistent with enacted laws.

Removed draft session headers and placeholder lines used during the legislative process.

POLICY

No changes were made to the actual legal text regarding pesticide exemptions, certification rules, or supervision requirements.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 22, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 2, 2026

How they voted

38–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 39

Jan 22, 2026

D Democratic20

19 Yea 1

95% 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 335 (effective 7/1/2026)

executive

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by President

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

Signed by Speaker

lower

Mar 5, 2026

Upper · Passed

Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB163ER)

upper

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed House (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed by temporarily

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N)

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)

lower

Feb 24, 2026

Committee

Assigned HACNR sub: Natural Resources

lower

Feb 3, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate

upper

Jan 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and passed Senate (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

upper

Jan 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N)

upper

Jan 7, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors