HB777 • 2026

Va. Public Procurement Act; procurement of goods transported by privately owned commercial vessels.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-4311.5, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; procurement of goods transported by privately owned commercial vessels; required contract provisions.</p>

Enacted

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

Sponsor: Hayes
Last action: 2026-03-06
Official status: Continued
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement or consequences for non-compliance.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; Rules for Goods Transported by Private Ships

This law requires state agencies to include specific rules in contracts over $10,000 that involve the transportation of goods using privately owned commercial ships.

What This Bill Does

Defines a 'privately owned commercial vessel' as an ocean-going ship registered and operated under U.S. laws for trade purposes.
Requires state agencies to include a provision in contracts over $10,000 that the contractor must comply with federal law about using private ships to transport goods.

Who It Names or Affects

State agencies entering into contracts for goods over $10,000
Contractors who transport goods using privately owned commercial ships

Terms To Know

Privately owned commercial vessel: An ocean-going ship registered and operated under U.S. laws for trade purposes.
Merchant Marine Act of 1936: A federal law that includes rules about the use of privately owned ships to transport goods.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a contractor fails to comply with the requirements.
It is unclear how this will affect existing contracts or those already in progress when the law takes effect.

Bill History

2026-03-06 Finance and Appropriations
Continued to 2027 in Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N)
2026-02-18 General Laws and Technology
Reported from General Laws and Technology and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
2026-02-16 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-16 General Laws and Technology
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
2026-02-13 House
Read third time and passed House Block Vote (96-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-12 General Laws
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB777)
2026-02-12 House
Read second time
2026-02-12 House
committee substitute agreed to
2026-02-12 House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute
2026-02-11 House
Read first time
2026-02-09 Appropriations
Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
2026-02-09 General Government and Capital Outlay
Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N)
2026-02-05 General Government and Capital Outlay
Assigned HAPP sub: General Government and Capital Outlay
2026-02-05 General Laws
Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)
2026-02-05 General Laws
Committee substitute printed 26107008D-H1
2026-02-03 Procurement/Open Government
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)
2026-02-03 Procurement/Open Government
House subcommittee offered
2026-01-26 Procurement/Open Government
Assigned HGL sub: Procurement/Open Government
2026-01-26 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB777)
2026-01-13 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105133D
2026-01-13 General Laws
Referred to Committee on General Laws

Official Summary Text

Virginia Public Procurement Act; procurement of goods transported by privately owned commercial vessels; required contract provisions.
Provides that any contract a state agency enters into for goods that exceeds $10,000 shall contain a provision that the contractor must comply with federal law relating to the transportation of goods on privately owned commercial vessels, defined in the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL NO. 777

AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE

(Proposed by the House Committee on General Laws

on February 5, 2026)

(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Hayes)

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
2.2-4311.5
, relating to Virginia Public Procurement Act; procurement of goods transported by privately owned commercial vessels; required contract provisions.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
2.2-4311.5
as follows:

§
2.2-4311.5
. Procurement of imported goods;
use of privately owned commercial vessels; compliance with federal and state law
s
; required contract provisions.

A. As used in this section, "privately owned commercial vessel" means an ocean-going vessel that is (i) registered and operated under the laws of the United States, (ii) u
sed in the commercial trade of the United States, and (iii) owned and operated by a citizen of the United States
or otherwise meets the requirements of 46 U.S.C. § 12102 for purposes of documenting vessels under the flag of the United States
.

B. A state agency that enters into a public contract for goods that exceeds $10,000 shall include in such public
contract a provision requiring the contractor to comply with § 901(b) of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936
(P.L.
74-835
), as amended, regarding the use of privately owned
commercial vessels for transporting such goods.