Virginia HB728 - Pump and Haul Sewage Exemption for Agritourism

Virginia Legislative Events

Published July 1st, 2026

Detected April 7th, 2026

Summary

Virginia HB728 was signed into law on April 6, 2026, requiring the State Board of Health to amend regulations creating a permanent exemption for pump and haul sewage operations associated with agritourism activities in Planning District 23. The exemption applies when agritourism activities cannot establish or maintain connections to existing sewer or onsite sewage systems. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

Virginia HB728 enacts a statutory directive requiring the State Board of Health to create a permanent regulatory exemption for pump and haul sewage associated with agritourism activities in Planning District 23. Currently, pumping and hauling sewage on a permanent basis is prohibited unless conducted under government supervision. This new law carves out an exception specifically for qualifying agritourism operations unable to connect to existing sewer infrastructure.\n\nFor agritourism operators and agricultural firms in Planning District 23, this law removes a significant regulatory barrier to hosting events and activities that generate sewage waste. Farm operations engaged in agritourism will now have a clearer path to compliant sewage management without requiring permanent sewer connections. Local governments and the State Board of Health will need to develop implementing regulations specifying the application process and operational standards for qualifying exemptions.

What to do next

Determine if agritourism operation is located in Planning District 23
Assess whether facility requires pump and haul sewage services and cannot connect to existing sewer systems
Monitor State Board of Health regulatory amendments for specific implementation requirements

Source document (simplified)

ChangeBridge / Virginia / HB728 Signed by Governor HB728 House Bill Signed by Governor 2026-04-06

Health, State Board of; permanent pump and haul of sewage, agritourism

State Board of Health; permanent pump and haul of sewage; agritourism. Requires the State Board of Health to amend regulations to exempt in Planning District 23 the pumping and hauling of sewage associated with an agritourism activity from the prohibition on pumping and hauling sewage on a permanent basis unless done under the auspices and supervision of a government entity when the agritourism activity is unable to establish and maintain a connection to an existing sewer or onsite sewage system.

Bill Details

State Virginia

Session 2026 Regular Regular Session

Chamber House

Official Source lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB728

LegiScan View on LegiScan

Action History

2026-04-06 Approved by Governor-Chapter 212 (effective 7/1/2026) 2026-03-14 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 2026-03-14 H Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 2026-03-12 H Signed by Speaker 2026-03-11 S Signed by President 2026-03-11 H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB728) 2026-03-11 H Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB728ER) 2026-03-11 H Enrolled 2026-03-04 H Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 1-N 0-A) 2026-03-02 S Passed Senate with substitute (30-Y 9-N 0-A) 2026-03-02 S Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-03-02 H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB728) 2026-03-02 S Passed Senate with substitute (33-Y 7-N 0-A) 2026-03-02 S Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute 2026-03-02 S Education and Health Substitute agreed to 2026-03-02 S Read third time 2026-02-27 S Committee substitute printed 26108683D-S1 2026-02-27 S Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) 2026-02-27 S Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) 2026-02-27 S Rules suspended 2026-02-26 S Reported from Education and Health with substitute (14-Y 1-N) 2026-02-26 S Senate committee offered 2026-02-19 H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB728) 2026-02-18 S Referred to Committee on Education and Health 2026-02-18 S Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) 2026-02-17 H Read third time and passed House (82-Y 14-N 0-A) 2026-02-16 H Engrossed by House as amended 2026-02-16 H committee amendment agreed to 2026-02-16 H Read second time 2026-02-15 H Read first time 2026-02-12 H Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) (19-Y 2-N) 2026-02-10 H Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N 1-A) 2026-02-04 H Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB728) 2026-01-21 H Assigned sub: Health 2026-01-13 H Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services 2026-01-13 H Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102304D

Votes

2026-02-10 Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N 1-A) Yea: 8 Nay: 1 2026-02-12 Reported from Health and Human Services with amendment(s) (19-Y 2-N) Yea: 19 Nay: 2 2026-02-17 Read third time and passed House (82-Y 14-N 0-A) Yea: 82 Nay: 14 2026-02-26 Reported from Education and Health with substitute (14-Y 1-N) Yea: 14 Nay: 1 2026-02-27 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 37 Nay: 0 2026-03-02 Passed Senate with substitute (33-Y 7-N 0-A) Yea: 33 Nay: 7 2026-03-02 Reconsideration of (39-Y 0-N 0-A) Yea: 39 Nay: 0 2026-03-04 Senate substitute agreed to by House (95-Y 1-N 0-A) Yea: 95 Nay: 1

Committee Referrals

2026-01-13 H Health and Human Services 2026-01-21 H Health and Human Services: Health 2026-02-18 S Education and Health

Amendments

0000-00-00 Health Subcommittee Amendment 0000-00-00 Health and Human Services Amendment

Bill Text Versions

2026-01-13 Introduced 2026-02-16 Engrossed 2026-02-26 Comm Sub 2026-02-27 Comm Sub 2026-03-11 Enrolled Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)