Virginia House advances and adopts dozens of measures on Jan. 30; resolution to study car tax approved

The Virginia House of Delegates approved a broad slate of legislation on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, advancing numerous bills on third reading and adopting a resolution directing the Department of Taxation to study options for repealing certain personal property (car) taxes.

The calendar included municipal charters and regulatory updates. House Bill 187, providing a charter for the city of Virginia Beach, passed on the third reading with the clerk recording 83 ayes, 13 noes and 1 abstention. House Bill 62 (Tazewell charter) passed 96‑1; House Bill 98 (Glen Lyn charter) passed 96‑0; and House Bill 657 (Louisa charter) passed 93‑1. Several other bills were engrossed and passed to third reading or adopted without recorded roll calls in the transcript.

Lawmakers also moved a number of policy bills through the process, including measures on health, labor and utilities. Notable measures reported and advanced on the floor included House Bill 32 (adding members to the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee), House Bill 39 (creating a settlement‑time disclosure to alert buyers to illegal restrictive racial covenants and the process to remove them), and House Bill 391 (updating the medical cannabis program to modernize labeling and preserve delivery for patients). Committee substitutes and amendments were adopted on several labor and commerce bills to clarify enforcement and technical provisions.

A handful of bills addressed workforce and licensing compacts: House Bill 575 would enter Virginia into the respiratory care interstate compact to allow licensed respiratory therapists to practice across state lines; House Bill 579 would re‑enter Virginia into the interstate massage compact with updated education and background check standards; and House Bill 574 would enter Virginia into the athletic trainer compact. The House also advanced consumer protection and safety measures such as a motor vehicle glass act and additional transparency requirements for utilities and regional transmission entities.

On resolutions, the chamber adopted House Joint Resolution 34, which directs the Department of Taxation to study the feasibility and fiscal effects of abolishing personal property taxation for certain qualifying vehicles. Delegate Franklin said the resolution seeks a responsible study that balances relief for families with the need to maintain funding for local services. Representative debate included Delegate Kilgore urging quicker action to end the tax, saying "we don't need a study" and urging the majority to act in the budget process. The resolution passed with 68 ayes and 25 noes.

The House completed its calendar work and adjourned to reconvene Monday at 12 noon. Many bills were passed or moved to third reading without extended floor debate; committee reports and floor amendments were the primary sites of substantive change recorded in the transcript.

Votes at a glance (selected items recorded on the floor):
• HB 187 (Virginia Beach charter) — Passed; recorded 83 ayes, 13 noes, 1 abstention.
• HB 62 (Tazewell charter) — Passed; recorded 96 ayes, 1 no.
• HB 98 (Glen Lyn charter) — Passed; recorded 96 ayes, 0 noes.
• HB 657 (Louisa charter) — Passed; recorded 93 ayes, 1 no.
• HJR 34 (study car tax repeal) — Adopted; recorded 68 ayes, 25 noes.

Next steps: Most bills that were engrossed move on to third‑reading votes or further consideration as noted on the printed calendar; the House will reconvene Monday at 12 noon.