Transportation

passed · Virginia · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 435: Lane filtering; motorcycles, penalty, delayed effective date.

Lane filtering; motorcycles; penalty. Authorizes the operator of a two-wheeled motorcycle to pass another vehicle that is stopped or traveling at no more than 10 miles per hour in the same lane or on the shoulder, provided that there are at least two lanes of travel in each direction, such motorcycle does not exceed a speed of 20 miles per hour, and the operator executes such passing with ordinary care. The bill makes intentionally impeding or attempting to impede the operator of a motorcycle from lawfully engaging in lane filtering a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of $300. The bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles to implement a statewide education campaign to alert drivers and the public that motorcycles may lawfully engage in lane filtering. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAuthorizes safe motorcycle lane filtering, enhancing road safety and traffic flow for two-wheeled vehicles under specified conditions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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passed · Virginia · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 389: Motor vehicles; use of safety belt systems, exempts certain emergency medical services personnel.

Motor vehicles; use of safety belt systems; certain emergency medical services personnel. Exempts from the requirements for the use of safety belt systems emergency medical services personnel while in the patient compartment of an emergency medical services vehicle providing necessary care, as defined in the bill, to a patient. The bill also provides that, for seats that are subject to such requirements for the use of safety belt systems, such personnel shall use safety belt systems while the vehicle is in motion and such personnel is not providing necessary care to a patient.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationExempts EMS personnel from impractical seat belt requirements during patient care, enhancing safety during transportation operations as part of vehicle regulations.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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passed · Virginia · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 53: Lighted vehicle headlights; lawful stop by law-enforcement officer.

Lighted vehicle headlights; lawful stop by law-enforcement officer. Clarifies that any evidence discovered or obtained following the lawful stop by a law-enforcement officer of a vehicle displaying no lighted headlights may be offered as evidence in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding if such evidence is otherwise admissible.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationEnforces headlight safety regulation by allowing evidence from lawful stops, supporting transportation safety standards through vehicle compliance enforcement.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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passed · Virginia · Senate Mar 6, 2026

SB 482: Sodium Chloride; alternatives to use to treat and pretreat roadways for winter weather, report.

Study; Virginia Department of Transportation; alternatives to use of Sodium Chloride to treat and pretreat roadways for winter weather; report. Directs the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to conduct a study on safe and environmentally sensitive alternatives to using Sodium Chloride, or rock salt, to treat and pretreat roadways for winter weather. Such study shall measure the impact of current treatment and pretreatment substances on infrastructure and the environment and their corrosive effects on personal property and compare such impacts with those of potential alternatives, including nonchemical substances and new technologies. VDOT is directed to submit a report to the chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Transportation by November 15, 2026, on its findings and include in such report an accounting of the annual spending by the state and local governments since 2020 on treating and pretreating activities and the amounts budgeted for 2026-2028.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationStudies eco-friendly alternatives to rock salt for road treatment, aiming to reduce infrastructure damage and environmental harm, aligning with sustainable transportation goals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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passed · Virginia · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 150: School bus video-monitoring systems; enforcement of violations, sworn or affirmed certificates.

School bus video-monitoring systems; enforcement; sworn or affirmed certificates. Authorizes, for enforcement of violations related to passing a stopped school bus via video-monitoring system, the use of a certificate, or a facsimile thereof, sworn to or affirmed by a law-enforcement officer or a retired sworn law-enforcement officer, as defined in the bill, based on recorded images produced by the video-monitoring system as prima facie evidence of the facts contained therein.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill enhances school bus safety enforcement using video evidence, directly advancing transportation safety standards for vehicle regulations.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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passed · Virginia · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 15: Motorcycle Driver Improvement Clinic Fund; created.

Driver improvement clinics; motorcycle driver improvement clinics; Motorcycle Driver Improvement Clinic Fund; created. Creates motorcycle driver improvement clinics, defined in the bill, as a subset of existing driver improvement clinics and provides requirements and parameters for the instruction and administration of the motorcycle driver improvement clinics. The bill authorizes courts to direct defendants who have committed violations while operating a motorcycle to attend a motorcycle driver improvement clinic and satisfy the requirements thereof. The bill also creates the Motorcycle Driver Improvement Clinic Fund for the operation and administration of motorcycle driver improvement clinics. The bill specifies that priority be given to the creation of motorcycle driver improvement clinics that operate as computer-based clinics.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationCreates motorcycle safety clinics to improve rider training, enhancing transportation safety standards for motorcyclists.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 833: Open containers; prohibition on consumption and possession in the passenger area of motor vehicles.

This bill prohibits consuming or possessing open containers of alcohol in the passenger area of any motor vehicle. It directly affects drivers and passengers who might have open alcohol containers in the car's passenger space. The law would require such containers to be stored outside the passenger area (e.g., in the trunk) to prevent in-vehicle alcohol use.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationProhibits open alcohol containers in vehicle passenger areas to enhance road safety, directly aligning with transportation safety standards.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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failed · Virginia · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 663: Emergency vehicles; exempt from certain traffic regulations.

Emergency vehicles; exempt from certain traffic regulations. Authorizes a law-enforcement vehicle, defined in current law, operated by or under the direction of a federal, state, or local law-enforcement officer to disregard parking and stopping provisions and expands the situations in which such vehicles may disregard speed limits to include when establishing evidence of other violations of law and when responding to an emergency in which emergency lights and siren may pose a safety risk.

Topics ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAuthorizes emergency vehicles to bypass traffic rules during emergencies, enhancing response safety and aligning with transportation safety goals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 366: VA Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements, delayed effective date.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements. Provides that public bodies shall require the contractor and its subcontractors for any capital outlay project, as defined in the bill, to complete certain safety training programs, maintain records of compliance with applicable laws, and participate in approved apprenticeship training programs. The bill provides exemptions from such requirements for reasons related to lack of availability of apprentices and high costs. The provisions of the bill do not apply to transportation-related construction projects. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates safety training and apprenticeship participation for contractors, advancing workplace safety and workforce development standards.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationMandates safety training and apprenticeship programs for contractors on capital outlay transportation infrastructure projects, enhancing safety standards and workforce development.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Transportation

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