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SB784 • 2026

Bioslurry; prohibiting injection in wells in a groundwater management area.

An Act to amend and reenact § 45.2-1647 of the Code of Virginia, relating to groundwater management areas; bioslurry injections in wells prohibited.

Water
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Stuart
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Bioslurry; prohibiting injection in wells in a groundwater management area.

Groundwater management areas; bioslurry injections in wells prohibited.

What This Bill Does

  • Groundwater management areas; bioslurry injections in wells prohibited.
  • Prohibits any person from conducting any bioslurry injection, as defined in the bill, in any well that has been drilled through any portion of a groundwater management area declared by regulation prior to January 1, 2020.
  • This bill is identical to HB 1381.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 833 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0833)

  3. 2026-04-13 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0833)

  4. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

  5. 2026-03-10 Governor

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

  6. 2026-03-05 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Signed by President

  8. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Enrolled

  9. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB784ER)

  10. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB784)

  11. 2026-03-02 House

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-02 House

    Passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  13. 2026-03-02 House

    Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House

  14. 2026-03-02 House

    Passed House Block Vote (99-Y 0-N 0-A)

  15. 2026-02-27 House

    Read second time

  16. 2026-02-25 Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

    Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N)

  17. 2026-02-12 House

    Placed on Calendar

  18. 2026-02-12 House

    Read first time

  19. 2026-02-12 Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

    Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

  20. 2026-02-10 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB784)

  21. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  22. 2026-02-06 Senate

    Read second time

  23. 2026-02-06 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  24. 2026-02-06 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to

  25. 2026-02-06 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  26. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Rules suspended

  27. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  28. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  29. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  30. 2026-02-04 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Committee substitute printed 26106791D-S1

  31. 2026-02-03 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (14-Y 0-N)

  32. 2026-02-03 Water Usage

    Assigned HACNR sub: Water Usage

  33. 2026-01-22 Senate

    Presented and ordered printed 26106025D

  34. 2026-01-22 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

Official Summary Text

Groundwater management areas; bioslurry injections in wells prohibited.
Prohibits any person from conducting any bioslurry injection, as defined in the bill, in any well that has been drilled through any portion of a groundwater management area declared by regulation prior to January 1, 2020. This bill is identical to HB 1381.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to amend and reenact §
45.2-1647
of the Code of Virginia, relating to groundwater management areas; bioslurry injections in wells prohibited.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §
45.2-1647
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§
45.2-1647
. Hydraulic fracturing; bioslurry injections; groundwater management area.
A. For the purposes of this section, "bioslurry injection" means the underground injection of agricultural waste, food waste, manure, paper sludge, or sewage sludge.
B.
No person shall conduct any hydraulic fracturing
or bioslurry injection
in any well that has been drilled through any portion of a groundwater management area declared by regulation prior to January 1, 2020, pursuant to the provisions of the Ground Water Management Act of 1992 (§
62.1-254
et seq.). For purposes of this section, "hydraulic fracturing" means the treatment of a well by the application of hydraulic fracturing fluid, including a base fluid and any additive, under pressure for the express purpose of initiating or propagating fractures in a target geologic formation to enhance production of natural gas or oil.