Bill adding LP gas fitters to Virginia Consumer Protection Act passes with unanimous support

A bill recently advanced by State Sen. Richard H. Stuart has been passed, widening protections for consumers by covering liquefied petroleum gas fitters under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, the Virginia State Senate reports.

The legislation was approved by both chambers and officially enrolled on March 30, 2026, receiving a unanimous 96-0 vote in the House and 39-0 in the Senate.

Filed as SB459 on Jan. 14, 2026, during the regular session, the measure is described by the General Assembly as: “Liquefied petroleum gas fitters; service disconnection requirements, civil penalties.”

This summary outlines the key sections of the bill text and aims to detail its core requirements.

Specifically, SB459 brings liquefied petroleum gas fitters into the scope of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act by establishing standards for service disconnection and classifying violations as unlawful acts. The legislation obliges gas fitters to, within 14 days of a customer’s request to discontinue service, present a written offer to remove remaining gas and reimburse the customer at the current rate. If the offer is accepted, gas must be removed and payment processed within 30 days. Civil penalties and enforcement procedures adhere to existing consumer protection laws.

Within the House, the bill was favored by 62 Democrats and 34 Republicans.

Similarly, 21 Democrats and 18 Republicans voted for the bill in the Senate.

Sen. Richard H. Stuart (Republican-25th District) served as the sole sponsor of the measure.

Stuart earned his Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Wesleyan College in 1988, followed by a JD from T.C. Williams School of Law in 1991.

A Republican, Stuart was elected to the 25th District seat in the Virginia State Senate in 2024, succeeding previous senator Creigh Deeds.

In Virginia, the legislative process starts when a bill is introduced in either chamber. The measure is referred to relevant committees for discussion and possible revision. If it moves past committee, it proceeds to floor votes in both the House and Senate. Once adopted by both bodies, the bill is sent to the governor, who may sign it into law, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. The General Assembly holds its regular session beginning the second Monday in January each year. Hundreds of bills are introduced annually, but only a fraction become law.

Information for this report was obtained from the Virginia State Senate. The original source is available here.