Virginia HB 672: Appliance minimum energy and water conservation standards; requirement of manufacturers.

Bill Text

2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26102691D

HOUSE BILL NO. 672

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 13, 2026

A BILL to amend and reenact § 59.1-200 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 17 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 10, consisting of a section numbered 45.2-1735, relating to appliance minimum energy and water conservation standards; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning facilities and home appliances; Department of Energy; prohibited practices; penalty.

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Patrons—Maldonado, Shin, Bennett-Parker, Clark, Cole, N.T., Henson, Laufer, Martinez and Rasoul

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Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 59.1-200 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 17 of Title 45.2 an article numbered 10, consisting of a section numbered 45.2-1735, as follows:

Article 10.

Appliance Energy and Water Conservation Standards.

§ 45.2-1735. Minimum energy and water conservation standards for certain products.

A. If any of the energy or water conservation standards issued or approved for publication by the U.S. Secretary of Energy as of January 1, 2026, pursuant to 10 C.F.R. Parts 430 and 431 of the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (P.L. 94-163), as amended, are withdrawn, repealed, or otherwise voided, the minimum energy or water efficiency level permitted for products previously subject to federal energy or water conservation standards in the Commonwealth shall be the applicable federal standards as of January 1, 2026. No such new products may be sold or offered for sale, lease, or rent in the Commonwealth unless such products meet or exceed such standards.

B. The Department shall require a manufacturer that produces a product described in subsection A to test its products in accordance with the test procedures provided in 10 C.F.R. Parts 430 and 431 of the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (P.L. 94-163), as amended, as of January 1, 2026. The Department may adopt additional test methods when new versions of test methods become available or when an alternative test method has been adopted by another state or the federal government. Such manufacturers shall certify through a third-party database, such as the Modernized Appliance Efficiency Database System, Home Ventilating Institute Products Directory, or Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships State Appliance Standards Database, or any other database approved by the Department, and based on such test results, that its products comply with the provisions of this section.

C. Nothing in this section shall apply to (i) any energy or water conservation standard set aside by a court pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 6306(b) or (ii) any product if federal law preempts the application of this section to such product.

§ 59.1-200. Prohibited practices.

A. The following fraudulent acts or practices committed by a supplier in connection with a consumer transaction are hereby declared unlawful:

1. Misrepresenting goods or services as those of another;

2. Misrepresenting the source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of goods or services;

3. Misrepresenting the affiliation, connection, or association of the supplier, or of the goods or services, with another;

4. Misrepresenting geographic origin in connection with goods or services;

5. Misrepresenting that goods or services have certain quantities, characteristics, ingredients, uses, or benefits;

6. Misrepresenting that goods or services are of a particular standard, quality, grade, style, or model;

7. Advertising or offering for sale goods that are used, secondhand, repossessed, defective, blemished, deteriorated, or reconditioned, or that are "seconds," irregulars, imperfects, or "not first class," without clearly and unequivocally indicating in the advertisement or offer for sale that the goods are used, secondhand, repossessed, defective, blemished, deteriorated, reconditioned, or are "seconds," irregulars, imperfects, or "not first class";

8. Advertising goods or services with intent not to sell them as advertised, or with intent not to sell at the price or upon the terms advertised.

In any action brought under this subdivision, the refusal by any person, or any employee, agent, or servant thereof, to sell any goods or services advertised or offered for sale at the price or upon the terms advertised or offered, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this subdivision. This paragraph shall not apply when it is clearly and conspicuously stated in the advertisement or offer by which such goods or services are advertised or offered for sale, that the supplier or offeror has a limited quantity or amount of such goods or services for sale, and the supplier or offeror at the time of such advertisement or offer did in fact have or reasonably expected to have at least