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HB1176 • 2026

Regulatory boards, certain; quorum requirements.

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 54.1-403, as it shall become effective, and 54.1-2200.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; quorum requirements for certain regulatory boards.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Cole, N.T.
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Changes to Quorum Requirements for Professional Boards

This act lowers the number of required board members needed to hold meetings for certain professional boards in Virginia.

What This Bill Does

  • Reduces the quorum requirement for the Board for Architects, Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers, and Landscape Architects from needing two engineers, two architects, and two land surveyors to just one engineer, one architect, and one land surveyor.
  • Changes the quorum requirement for the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists from needing at least two soil scientists, two wetland professionals, and two geologists to only one of each type of professional.
  • Updates sections 54.1-403 and 54.1-2200.2 in the Virginia Code to reflect these new quorum requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Board for Architects, Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers, and Landscape Architects.
  • The Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists.

Terms To Know

Quorum
The minimum number of members required to be present at a meeting before the group can make decisions or conduct business.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify an effective date for when these changes will take place.
  • Only affects specific professional boards and does not change quorum requirements for other regulatory bodies in Virginia.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 454 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0454)

  3. 2026-03-10 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  4. 2026-03-10 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  5. 2026-02-25 House

    Signed by Speaker

  6. 2026-02-25 Senate

    Signed by President

  7. 2026-02-25 House

    Enrolled

  8. 2026-02-25 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1176ER)

  9. 2026-02-25 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1176)

  10. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Read third time

  11. 2026-02-23 Senate

    Passed Senate Block Vote (38-Y 0-N 0-A)

  12. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Rules suspended

  13. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Rules suspended

  14. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  15. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  16. 2026-02-20 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  17. 2026-02-18 General Laws and Technology

    Failed to report (defeated) in General Laws and Technology

  18. 2026-02-18 General Laws and Technology

    Reported from General Laws and Technology (14-Y 0-N)

  19. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  20. 2026-02-10 General Laws and Technology

    Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

  21. 2026-02-09 House

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

  22. 2026-02-06 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  23. 2026-02-05 House

    Read first time

  24. 2026-02-03 General Laws

    Reported from General Laws (21-Y 0-N)

  25. 2026-01-29 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1176)

  26. 2026-01-29 Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 0-N)

  27. 2026-01-26 Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process

    Assigned HGL sub: Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process

  28. 2026-01-14 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101483D

  29. 2026-01-14 General Laws

    Referred to Committee on General Laws

Official Summary Text

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; quorum requirements for certain regulatory boards.
Lowers the quorum requirements for the (i) Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects of two engineers, two architects, and two land surveyors to at least one engineer, one architect, and one land surveyor and (ii) Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists of two professional soil scientists, two professional wetland delineators, and two professional geologists to at least one professional soil scientist, one professional wetland delineator, and one professional geologist.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
An Act to amend and reenact §§
54.1-403
, as it shall become effective, and
54.1-2200.2
of the Code of Virginia, relating to Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation; quorum requirements for certain regulatory boards.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§
54.1-403
, as it shall become effective, and
54.1-2200.2
of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§
54.1-403
. (Effective July 1, 2026) Board members and officers; quorum.
The Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects shall be composed of 15 members as follows: three architects, three professional engineers, three land surveyors, two landscape architects, two certified interior designers, and two nonlegislative citizen members.
Except for the nonlegislative citizen members appointed in accordance with §
54.1-107
, Board members shall have actively practiced or taught their professions for at least 10 years prior to their appointments. The terms of Board members shall be four years.
The Board shall elect a president and vice-president from its membership.
Nine Board members, consisting of
two engineers
at least one engineer
,
two architects
one architect
,
two
one
land
surveyors
surveyor
, one landscape architect, one interior designer
,
and one nonlegislative citizen member, shall constitute a quorum.
§
54.1-2200.2
. Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists; membership; quorum.
A. Notwithstanding the provisions of §
54.1-200
, the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists shall be composed of 13 members as follows: three licensed professional soil scientists, three certified professional wetland delineators, three licensed professional geologists, and three citizen members. The State Geologist shall serve as an ex officio member of the Board. The professional geologist members shall be of varied backgrounds. The professional soil scientist members shall have experience in at least one of the following areas: (i) soil mapping and classification, (ii) soil suitability and land use, (iii) teaching and research in soil science, and (iv) environmental protection regulations. Of the wetland professional members, one shall have experience in wetland delineation and description, one shall have experience in teaching and research in wetland science, and one shall have experience with natural resource regulations. Terms of the members shall be for four years.
B. The Board shall annually elect a chairman from its membership. Seven board members, consisting of at least
two
one
professional soil
scientists
scientist
,
two
one
professional wetland
delineators
delineator
,
two
one
professional
geologists
geologist
, and one citizen, shall constitute a quorum.
C. The Governor may select the professional soil scientist members from a list of at least three names for each vacancy submitted by the Virginia Association of Professional Soil Scientists. The Governor may notify the Virginia Association of Professional Soil Scientists of any professional vacancy other than by expiration among the professional soil scientist members of the Board and nominations may be made for the filling of the vacancy.
D. The Governor may select the wetland professionals from a list of at least three names for each vacancy submitted by the Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals. The Governor may notify and request nominations from the Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals of any professional vacancy other than by expiration among the wetland professional members.