Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

As an Operator and Licensed inspector in both NC and VA, this absolutely concerns me. I was able to see the differences between non standardized septic inspection practices vs standardized first hand before the July legislation. Homebuyers in VA have already suffered tremendously in the past due to unregulated practices, I’ve been to many systems 2-3 weeks after new buyers have moved in and had to break the news that the system was in less than perfect shape. Some were lucky with less expensive repairs while others only options were complete replacement. With the lack of proper septic education, the average real estate agent, buyer, seller, or human being does not know what a comprehensive inspection looks like. They don’t understand the consequences of leaking tanks, prehistoric outlet tees, blocked distribution box headers, leaking toilets, cast iron pipe vs Sch 40 PVC. They don’t understand that a hydraulic load test, dye test, walk over, visual, average pumping, etc are NOT efficient inspection methods and will not yield proper results. Basic knowledge to most individuals is that if it flushes its working, that unfortunately is never the case. The July legislation gave power to buyers by creating a specific process for all professionals to abide by that yields actual comprehensive results. The wording in this document not only slaps a blind fold on buyers, it puts them at risk for harsh financial consequences. It’s basically asking professionals to give the least amount of info possible, using methods that are not efficient In order to check off the inspection and move to closing. The only reason this is being proposed is because septic inspections have the ability to road block closings. Negative inspection Results also give buyers the ability to walk after a home is under contract. There are numerous ways to resolve this issue without dumbing down inspection standards and completely blindfolding buyers & financial institutions. If the septic tank has never been cleaned, proper maintenance has never been performed, or if the location is unknown all together, Call a professional before the last 30 days. Find issues ahead of time, have them repaired, and then proper inspections won’t be the problem that slows closings. My biggest issue is the lack of education that went into this and the financial deficits, environmental damage, public safety risks, and more that will be direct results of it. Streamlining closings by utilizing inspection results that were preformed with ineffective methods is completely unacceptable, dishonest, and unlawful. Virginians deserve proper inspection practices that yield efficient results to maintain environmental & public safety. After purchasing a home, They don’t deserve to have to deal with an unexpected financial crisis or hazardous living conditions due to unstandardized, inefficient, septic inspections practices. Our Va residents deserved better, that’s why the July legislation passed. This bills wording strips them of what they deserve. At the end of the day, Public Safety should come before Paychecks. Thank you!

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

I am dealing with an unlicensed mortgage lender, he has violated every state and federal code regarding consumer mortgage lending, I filed a Complaint with the Attorney Generals Office back in September, 2025. It is my understanding that the AG is the only party that can bring this action. I need help ASAP. Can someone please reach out to me, 540-905-0575

Buenos días Mi nombre es Olga Rodríguez Martinez y yo estoy apoyando al HB374 Para un trato justo para las viviendas yo vivo en Mineral Virginia y veo mucha necesidad de viviendas para Nuestra jente pido con respeto que Nos tomen en cuenta que los que No podemos tener una vivienda digna por Nuestro salario oooh cualquier situación que tengamos ustedes tengan un corazón para los necesitados realmente todo está súper caro rrentas de viviendas se dispararon no todos tenemos la oportunidad de comprar así que pido su valiosa colaboración que miren por el necesitado gracias 🫂

Dear Committee Members: I encourage you to pass HB374, which amends the Manufactured Housing Lot Lease Act to provide certain tenant protections to mobile home owners. • It would require a park owner to renew leases for manufactured home residents unless they are violating their lease. This prevents retribution against home owners. Moving a mobile home from a park costs thousands of dollars, if the home can be moved at all without damage. Nonrenewal of a lease can even cause a mobile home owner to lose their home and lifetime investment. • It would prohibit a park owner from increasing rents if there are unresolved code violations about whether the park is in fit and habitable condition. This is similar to rights sought for apartment tenants. • It would create a registry of parks across Virginia. This would be of enormous value in tracking conditions and trends in these parks, which provide affordable housing to thousands of residents. • It would require park owners to disclose the rent they are charging on the first page of the lease (and any other move-in fees). This provides pad renters with clarity about their financial obligations.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Good Evening, my name is Keren Croasdaile, I am a leader in the Penn Dawn Mobile Home Community. Our community fully supports HB375. Two years ago Harmony Place a mobile home community was able to work in partnership with Fairfax county and a nonprofit to make a counter offer to buy their park under the resident’s association. However, the property owner refussed to take the community offer in consideration. HB375 will give an opportunity to mobile home residents to make a market value offer and will require the owner to negotiate with residents in good faith whenever they make an offer. This protects affordable housing that Northern Virginia so desperately needs. Please protect our affordable housing and the families that rely on them. Thank you so much.

I am Marianela , community organizer in Fairfax county. We full support HB375. Two years ago Harmony Place a mobile home community was able to work in parneship with Fairfax county and a nonproffit to make a counter offer to buy the park under the residents association. However, the property owner refussed to take the community offer in consideration. HB375 will give an opportunity to mobile home residents to make a market value offer and will require the owner to negotiate with residents in good faith whenever they make an offer.

Benefits of resident ownership • For residents: Stability, affordability (lower rents because they do not need profit), and better upkeep (because they will reinvest in park). Chance to build equity by getting a federal mortgage with land ownership. • For surrounding community: Local stability. Hundreds of families can remain in place without being evicted. Better upkeep of the park by resident owners. • For locality: Maintains affordable housing without subsidy for local workers. Affordability attracts businesses. • For the park owner: The owner gets the market-rate sales price without displacing families. There is no loss of profit. The owner does not have to deal with the increasingly unpopular eviction of residents or increasing locally established compensation payments to homeowners. Localities are starting to establish rules that require developers to pay for full relocation costs and compensate mobile home owners up to fair market value if their mobile home cannot be moved from the site without damage or for full relocation costs. See Fairfax County Manufactured Housing Relocation Guidelines. Selling to a residents’ entity can avoid these expenses that would occur to a developer. Context Until recently mobile home parks were considered a business with the customers (residents) free to leave if they did not like the price or conditions. As mobile homes became less mobile (now called manufactured housing) they became difficult of impossible to relocate without damage, thus captive to increasing rents and the possibility of park sales. Affordable housing advocates now recognize mobile homes as the most deeply affordable, non-subsidized housing available across the country. Mobile home parks are increasingly being purchased by out-of-state equity firms because they are profitable and by developers who displace homeowners and convert the land to other uses. Offering tenants the Right of First Refusal (ROFR) is considered the best way to maintain stability and affordability for residents. 22 states have ROFR laws for mobile home parks, according to the National Consumer Law Center. In these states, there are 364 resident-owned communities shown on this map. In 2025, 87 Virginia mobile home parks were listed for sale or as having received a purchase offer at the Virginia Department of Housing and Urban Development. Virginia has several parks owned and run by nonprofits and one resident owned community. Because of many media stories about mass evictions of mobile home park residents, public sentiment is with the mobile home owners, many of whom are extremely vulnerable. Virginia localities are beginning to establish rules to protect mobile home owners. Some require relocation or compensation fees for displaced mobile home owners. Links are operative in attached file.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Energy Efficiency Standards are one of the most effective way to reduce overall housing costs. If Virginia is serious about helping its citizens keep those costs down -- whether they be paying utility bills or otherwise minimizing the costs of maintaining their homes over the life of their residency -- then deploying ways to specifically assist them is critical. VA's building codes are woefully out of date. Members of the appropriate working group and committees of DHCD have, for years, consistently ignored the international standards and have left Virginians with few if any actual affordable options for ensuring their new home is as energy efficient to own and operate as possible. DHCD's Board has disregarded the clear intent of the current law. HB 377 is needed to make it even clearer that continuing to stonewall is not possible. I urge committee members who are serious about helping their constituents with this particular "affordability" issue step up and vote to move this bill forward. I am now a renter with limited options; as a homeowner for many years I paid for many EE upgrades. You need to do what you can to put the spotlight on how EE is the cheapest way to help people live comfortably and affordably in their homes.

The Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA) represents North American producers of polyiso insulation. Manufactured in more than 40 plants across the US and Canada, polyiso insulation is the most common product for commercial roofing projects and is widely used for other building envelope applications for residential and commercial construction. PIMA support the regular review and adoption of building energy codes. Energy codes are a cost-effective policy for reducing energy costs for consumers, improving the comfort of homes and buildings, and increasing the passive survivability capabilities for building occupants during power outages. Importantly, energy codes represent an effective policy tool for the State to manage overall energy demand and costs. Buildings account for a significant portion of energy and electricity used in the State. By managing demand, the State can more effectively address both the challenges and opportunities presented by investments such as data centers and manufacturing. Unfortunately, the State’s existing building energy code review process has continually resulted in less stringent requirements than the current model code. The weakening amendments have resulted in a code for residential construction that is more similar in terms of efficiency to the 2009 IECC than current model code. Therefore, HB 377 would establish an important and necessary benchmark for the State’s energy code moving forward.

SUBJECT: In Support of HB377 Dear Del. Simon - I am writing to ask that you support HB377 to ensure new homes in Virginia have lower heating and cooling bills. As we all know, energy retrofits are expensive so it only makes sense to enforce the latest International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) on new housing stock. Supporting HB377 will pay dividends for homeowners and the community for decades. Failure to act will compound the backlog of expensive energy retrofits homeowners should do at a time when energy costs are rising more steeply than they have in a generation. Please vote YES on HB377.

I am writing to ask that you support HB377 to ensure new homes in Virginia have lower heating and cooling bills. The cost effectiveness of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) has already been assessed on a region-by-region basis by nationwide experts. Pacific Northwest National Laboratories found that annual energy cost savings from fully implementing 2012-2024 IECC updates would exceed incremental mortgage costs. The 2024 IECC cut construction costs while saving energy. Virginians have supported those analyses with their federal tax dollars. A small minority of special interests should not be able to override these recommendations just to boost their profits. Please vote YES on HB377.

Please support this important bill to improve home energy efficiency and help address the climate crisis.

Dear Del. Simon - I am writing to ask that you support HB377 to ensure new homes in Virginia have lower heating and cooling bills. We have all seen our heating and cooling bills go up due to rising energy costs and more unstable weather events. Moreover, the cost effectiveness of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) has already been assessed on a region-by-region basis by nationwide experts. Pacific Northwest National Laboratories found that annual energy cost savings from fully implementing 2012-2024 IECC updates would exceed incremental mortgage costs. The 2024 IECC cut construction costs while saving energy. Virginians have supported those analyses with their federal tax dollars. A small minority of special interests should not be able to override these recommendations just to boost their profits. Please vote YES on HB377. Thank you, Laura Ledwith 1003A Lincoln Ave Falls Church, VA 22046

I support HB377. Pacific Northwest National Laboratories found that annual energy cost savings from fully implementing the 2012-2024 IECC updates would exceed incremental mortgage costs. The 2024 IECC cut construction costs while saving energy. Virginians pay for these thorough analyses with their federal tax dollars. A small minority of special interests in the construction business should not be able to override these recommendations just to boost their profits while saddling Virginians with higher energy costs for home heating and cooling.

William Penniman, Reston, VA Based on my participation in the 2018, 2021 and 2024 code cycles: VIRGINIA NEEDS HB377 • BHCD last fully implemented the IECC in 2009, and Virginia’s code remains behind key aspects of the 2012 IECC. • BHCD’s make-up and practice of requiring stakeholder unanimity to remove past amendments or to add strengthening amendments keep Virginia behind. • After publication of a new IECC, BHCD takes roughly 3 years to publish its code update, plus 3 months to be effective, plus 1 year to enforce. • HB377 DOES NOT “WRITE BUILDING CODES”: It re-affirms the IECC baseline and permits modifications that leave the code “at least as stringent” as the IECC. It re-enforces laws that BHCD has ignored, including Section 36.99A requires building codes to protect the “health safety and welfare of residents” and to reduce construction costs “consistent with recognized standards of health, safety, energy conservation and water conservation” and VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY – 2021 SPECIAL SESSION I, CHAPTER 425 requires BHCD to consider proposals at least as stringent as the IECC based on the factors identified in HB377. CUTS RESIDENTS’ HOUSING COSTS • DOE and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) found: o Each IECC update 2012-2024 would save residents money (energy savings minus added mortgage costs) every year of a 30-year mortgage and beyond. o Just the 2021and 2024 IECCs would save Virginians roughly $11,760/dwelling (vs. VA’s 2015 code with weakening amendments) over 30 years. Cumulative savings from more efficient housing are huge. o The 2024 IECC reduces construction costs while increasing energy savings. o Building efficiency improves residents’ health, comfort and resiliency. • In 2024, HUD/USDA found that the 2021IECC would o save homeowners and tenants money “as long the property exists” (plus savings from the 2024 IECC); o benefit low-income, moderate-income and rural residents; o yield monthly energy cost savings 2-2.5 times mortgage increases compared to the IECCs for 2018 and 2009, with large savings in Virginia. HB377 WILL NOT REDUCE SALES • HUD/USDA determined that 2021 IECC standards (and thus the lower-cost 2024 IECC) will have small impacts on mortgages and downpayments; not negatively affect home affordability for low- and middle-income buyers they serve; pay for themselves. • Insulation is only 1% of the sales price and spread over a mortgage. • A builder can offset efficiency costs by adjusting other costs (size, designs, visuals, etc.); altering its IECC compliance path; or advertising the energy cost savings. BUYERS DEPEND ON STRONG EFFICIENCY CODES • As with electricity, plumbing, etc., buyers depend on code protections for efficiency: o Few buyers understand efficiency jargon (U-Factors, R-Factors, ACH, etc.) or potential savings from efficiency measures. o Builders don’t share buyers’ interest in future savings. BENEFITS TO TAXPAYERS, RATEPAYERS AND THE PUBLIC • Building efficiency reduces upward pressure on utilities’ rates to all customers. • It is self-defeating to allow new housing below IECC standards while Virginia spends or requires utilities to spend millions of dollars on energy retrofits every year. • Efficiency measures (particularly structural ones like walls and air leakage) are cheapest during construction and mortgages spread the costs. • Building efficiency will reduce CO2 and other pollution for 50-100 years.

I’m writing to ask you to please support HB377, a bill that would unambiguously require Virginia’s building codes to meet the most updated energy efficiency standards published in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The Virginia Board of Housing and Community Development (BHCD), the agency charged with maintaining updated building codes in Virginia, has failed to comply with its obligation to keep Virginia’s building codes even close to current building energy efficiency standards, due in large part to BHCD’s slavish adoption of local builders’ proposals to minimize their own upfront construction costs, to the greater expense and detriment of consumers and our environment. Virginia’s building code has fallen woefully behind long-accepted energy efficiency standards, in some cases by well over a decade. Allowing builders to avoid meeting prudent energy efficiency standards in their construction and renovation activities costs Virginians money in the form of higher monthly utility bills. And the impact lasts literally for decades, in light of the 70-year average life cycle of a building. The small marginal increase in up-front construction costs to builders from adopting the most current IECC energy efficiency measures is exceeded by the longer-term benefit to homeowners, renters and all other Virginians who live on an earth that is increasingly challenged by human-created climate change. Without even taking into account the clear environmental benefits of improving building energy efficiency, Pacific Northwest National Laboratories found that the annual energy cost savings from fully implementing 2012-2024 IECC updates would exceed any incremental added mortgage costs (which are a proxy for the cost impact as reflected in housing prices). Updating to the efficiency measures in the current IECC is certainly a good overall investment from the purely monetary perspective, even aside from the environmental benefit. HB377 would not rewrite building codes, as some have alleged. Instead, it would require that the BHCD adopt the most recent IECC standards as its baseline. There is no safety or other downside to adopting HB377 because BHCD would retain the flexibility to use its expertise to make whatever modifications or additions to the code it deems necessary for cost, safety and other purposes, as long as the energy efficiency result is "at least as stringent as" the IECC. It’s time to bring Virginia up to the building energy efficiency standards adopted by our geographic neighbors and the international community. Thank you so much for your attention to this important matter. I appreciate all you are doing!

My name is Natalie Pien and I am: a 40+ year resident of Loudoun County; a grandmother to 3 very young girls. I am writing to support HB377. HB377 is not a building code, but ensures that the most current building efficiency code as established by the International Energy Conservation Code, IECC, is part of the Virginia code. Virginia’s building efficiency code dates back to 2012. Virginians need homes that are built with the highest standards of energy efficiency. Otherwise, homes will leak/absorb heat from the outside raising utility bills and causing more pollution from power plants. Lower income communities in Virginia are particularly at risk when utility bills increase. Federal studies have shown that updated IECC standards will benefit low-income, middle income and rural residents whether buyers or tenants. I urge you to pass HB377. Virginians need you to act on their behalf. So does Virginia’s natural resources.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

My name is Stephen McIntosh. I am a permanently disabled retiree due to advanced heart failure and experience chronic pain in my chest and lower back. I ask you to SUPPORT HB 738 - Williams. I rely on botanical kratom for pain management after, like many patients, my pain medication was stopped in 2018. Also like many Americans in the middle class I do not qualify for Medicaid or subsidies though the ACA marketplace, and am too young for Medicare. My only insurance option is though my wife’s employer which greatly restricts which providers I can see. The continued legality and regulation of this product is important to me. I believe HB 738 does an excellent job of protecting consumers and the public in a manner consistent with regulations in other states by eliminating chemically synthesized and adulterated products such as those that artificially raise 7-hydroxymitragynine to levels that far exceed what exists in nature and prohibiting products that are attractive to children. Thank you for your consideration and public service.

Good afternoon My name is Shannon and I would like to tell my story. I am a natural leaf kratom consumer since 2017. There are many people like me whom suffer in chronic pain daily and we are terrified if natural kratom is banned. It doesn't just effect our state but our whole country as a whole. I am a Health Care Worker and I can not imagine working my very job I do daily in chronic agony pain. PLEASE instead of banning natural kratom please look into regulating it. Rhode Island banned kratom in 2017 and after scientific research was done they reversed the ban on kratom as of April 1, 2026. The FDA announced in their July 29, 2025 press conference they are not interested in scheduling kratom they only want to ban 7-0H. Please have compassion for those of us that are chronic pain patients that found natural leaf kratom to help us tremendously and can live life like we are supposed to and work and live pain free naturally. Again please do not ban natural kratom please regulate it...Also I do support the ban on 7-0H. Thank you for allowing me to testify today. Shannon Hareld

I strongly urge lawmakers to keep kratom legal in Virginia. For many adults, kratom is used responsibly and has helped them avoid far more dangerous substances. Prohibition would harm law-abiding Virginians while doing little to address misuse. Regulation—such as age limits, labeling, and quality standards—is a practical and safer approach that protects consumers without criminalizing them.

I respectfully urge you to oppose any ban on 7-hydroxymitragynine (7OH) products. Responsible, regulated use of 7OH helps adults stay off dangerous street opioids like heroin and fentanyl. A prohibition will not eliminate demand; it will push production into unregulated, unsafe black markets and criminalize law-abiding Virginians. The safer path is regulation: clear labeling, testing, age limits, and distinguishing 7OH from plain kratom. This protects public health while respecting adult choice and harm-reduction principles. Please prioritize the safety and well-being of Virginians by opposing a ban. Respectfully, Matthew Perna

Banning pure leaf kratom would be detrimental to a lot of people, including myself who uses it regularly with pain that goes hand in hand with lupus. I am all for banning synthetic kratom 7-oh). But I depend on kratom to help me live a normal pain free life as a mom/wife. Please consider only banning synthetic kratom and let leaf kratom remain legal for consumers to buy. Thank you.

I FULLY support the Kratom Consumer Protection Act. This life-saving plant needs to be regulated, but available. I also fully support banning seven hydroxy, and other synthetics, which are falsely marketed as kratom!

I started using Kr8tom in 2022 after I be able dependant in pharmaceutical opiates. It took that craving away and has helped with my pain ever since. I injured my rotator cuff at work and needed 2 surgeries. I also have generalized anxiety and helps me function very well. If you make Kr8tom illegal, it will create a black market where people who rely on this plant and will surely die. Unadulterated powder is safe and have had no issues with excellent bloodwork.

Please keep kratom legal and safe so we are not forced to find relief else were which in some peoples case could potentially kill them if they get ahold of fentanyl or anything like it. Too many people depend on kratom to throw them under a bus. Thank you!

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

I am in support of this bill!!

I am support in this bill .

I am in support of this bill

I’m a USMC veteran, cofounder of the mcshin foundation, national recovery and harm reduction expert and sober over 43 years, 738 bans dangerous synthetic and 7oh products, I support 738 and request passing this bill , furthermore VAAP supports this bill as well, thank you

I have been using pure leaf kratom for 8 years and it has saved my life. I was IV drug user for over a decade and when I found cradle I was able to stop using all drug drugs. Kratom is a life saver

I was a methamphetamine addict for 15 years and Kratom changed my life. For 6 years and I now work at a elementary school.

I’m writing as a constituent and a responsible kratom user of over eight years. I use natural leaf kratom for pain management and as an alternative to caffeine. I am strongly opposed to adulterated Creighton products, specifically highly concentrated 7 – OH products. These are not representative of traditional natural leaf kratom and should be regulated or restricted separately. I fully support strict standards to prevent unsafe, synthetic, or manipulated products from being sold. At the same time I am in full support of natural leaf kratom and believe it should remain legal with sensible regulation. A full band would harm responsible consumers like myself and push people toward unregulated and unsafe alternative alternatives. Regulation, not prohibition, is the best way to protect public health I respectfully urge you to oppose any blanket ban on Kratom and instead of support policies that distinguish between dangerous adulterated products and responsibly sold natural relief kratom. Thank you for your time and your commitment to public safety.

I am submitting this testimony to respectfully urge policymakers not to ban plain leaf kratom. I've utilized kratom for over a decade. I am diagnosed with several chronic pain and mental health disorders. I am mobile and far more active, thanks to this plant. Also, my brother and sister had their lives saved from addiction. They survived fentanyl poisonings in 2016. They have both been able to lead sober lives after learning about kratom. Something I never thought would happen, as well as themselves. This can be said for many chronic pain patients or those struggling with various addictions. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a natural plant in the coffee family, and scientific research increasingly supports its safety and potential benefits when used responsibly. Peer-reviewed studies show that kratom’s primary alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, act as partial opioid receptor agonists, which means they can provide pain-relieving and mood-supportive effects without the high risk of respiratory depression that makes traditional opioids so dangerous. The amount of 7-hydroxymitragynine found in plain leaf kratom is very miniscule. I support a ban of 7OH products as well as other synthetic derivatives. They lose a true threat, and they are not products that I use (nor would I ever). In 2019, a comprehensive review in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence concluded that kratom has a much lower potential for abuse and dependence than conventional opioids. Additionally, toxicology data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) show that kratom-related fatalities almost always involve other substances, not kratom alone. Research from the University of Florida, Columbia University, and Johns Hopkins University has found that many people use kratom as a harm-reduction tool, helping them transition away from opioid or alcohol dependence and manage chronic pain or anxiety without dangerous pharmaceuticals. Surveys published in Substance Use & Misuse and Frontiers in Pharmacology found that the majority of kratom consumers report improved quality of life, reduced withdrawal symptoms, and few significant adverse effects. Given these findings, an outright ban would not only be scientifically unjustified but could also drive people back toward more harmful substances. Instead, I strongly support regulation through the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (KCPA), which would ensure product purity, accurate labeling, and safe access — protecting consumers while preventing misuse. Science shows that kratom, when used responsibly, is a low-risk botanical with meaningful potential benefits. Please base decisions on data, not fear, and keep kratom legal and regulated for the millions of Americans who depend on it as a safe, natural alternative. Thank you for considering the evidence and for protecting consumer freedom and public health.

I am in support of some aspects of HB738 Kratom products should be labeled with ingredients and warnings. Kratom products should not be marketed to appeal to anyone under 21 years old. There are lots of misleading and "fake news" stories regarding kratom and even 7-OH in the media. The fact is kratom has saved many lives and is life saving to many of us in the general public. Regulation instead of prohibition, as long as the consumer knows exactly what it is they are purchasing and consuming should be completely legal to any adult in the commonwealth. Thank you for your time.

Hello, my name is Jennifer Clifford and I’m a recovering addict. Kratom has saved my life for over 7 years from opiates and heroin. We need regulation for plain leaf Kratom. 7OH isn’t Kratom and that should be what we are banning. Since I started taking this plant my life has changed, I work a full time job, and I’m a mom and grandma. This plant has truly changed my life and we need regulations. Thank you, Jennifer Clifford

I Support HB738. There is a critical scientific difference between whole-leaf kratom and the products being sold today as "7-hydroxymitragynine," or 7-OH. Whole-leaf kratom is simply the dried leaf of Mitragyna speciosa. Its primary alkaloid is mitragynine. When someone consumes kratom, the human body naturally converts only a very small amount-typically well under one percent-into 7-OH through normal liver metabolism. This process is slow and self-limiting. By contrast, the 7-OH products now appearing on the market contain laboratory-isolated or chemically converted 7-hydroxymitragynine in amounts far beyond what the human body could ever produce from kratom leaf. At those levels, 7-OH behaves much more like a conventional opioid and carries much higher risk. When these high-potency 7-OH products are lumped with natural kratom, it leads to misleading risk assessments and poor public policy. Regulating or restricting 7-OH does not require banning whole-leaf kratom-and that distinction matters, because kratom saved my life. From 2008 to 2019, I lived trapped in FDA-approved pain pills, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxers prescribed for my degenerative disc disease. Over 11 years, chronic pain management turned into full-blown addiction. What began as dependency slowly became a cycle of misuse, desperation, and shame. In April of 2019, I was dismissed from pain management after failing a required pill count. I was short on my medication and couldn't find what I needed. Cut off from prescriptions, I turned to the streets, and in that desperation, I slipped into cocaine use while trying to find another doctor. By June of 2019, I was in withdrawal and at rock bottom when I watched a documentary called A Leaf of Faith. That moment changed everything. The next day, I walked into a shop, showed my ID, and bought whole-leaf kratom..not synthetic 7-OH. Kratom quieted the relentless cravings. The voice that kept saying, "one more pill, one more snort, one more escape," finally went silent. For the first time in over a decade, I felt stable. Kratom gave me the breathing room to heal and allowed me to rebuild my life. I have not returned to pain management in over six and a half years. Today, I am a thriving mother, a first-time grandmother, and a contributing member of society. I am no longer a burden to my children. I am an example of recovery. I will always be grateful that I had access to safe, lab-tested, whole-leaf kratom. And that is why I speak out to protect others who are still fighting for their lives. Misty Brown Kratom Consumer, Advocate & Activist, est 2019.

Please support HB738 I’d like to share my story and the impact kratom has had on my life: After waking up one day in 2005, paralyzed from my neck down, I was eventually diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, and became a chronic pain patient. For years, I was able to manage my chronic pain with prescription medications, but eventually with more DEA cutbacks and new regulations over the years those were no longer an option for me. I was left to endure living in pain every single second of every single day just like so many other chronic pain patients in the same position. Luckily I discovered whole leaf kratom powder in May of 2019. I've been consuming it responsibly for 6 years and it has granted me a second chance at life! I no longer suffer every day, I can get out of bed and be a mom! I can go to school functions, run errands, go to the store, and just live life without suffering. Though I regained mobility I still face many physical limitations, however I'm no longer confined by constant pain. Kratom gave me my life back. My story is just one of many chronic pain patients that have been able to manage their pain with kratom. There is a big difference between natural whole-leaf kratom VS the semi-synthetic 7-OH products being marketed as kratom. I’ve been encouraged to see even the FDA has stepped in, not only to educate the public on this distinction, but also to warn about the risks of 7-OH. They’ve made it clear their concern is with 7-OH products, NOT with whole leaf kratom. I’m asking you to support regulation instead of prohibition and keep natural, whole-leaf kratom legal. We need clear safety standards such as age restrictions, mandatory lab testing, accurate labeling, and limits on 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). These are the kinds of measures that protect public health while preserving the freedom of choice for responsible adults. Thank you for your time, Jennifer Gillis

The potential for abuse of the alkaloids mitragynine and 7-hydroxymytragynine, is well documented due to the opioid and stimulant effects when ingested orally or smoked. Hallucinogenic and sedative effects are also documented at an increased dose. The FDA recently studied Kratom using Public Health Assessment via Structural Evaluation (PHASE) methodology, a tool designed to evaluate pharmacologic data via a 3D computer model using chemical structure. Results confirmed that mitragynine and 7-hydroxymytragynine bind strongly and activate the mu-opioid receptors. In a statement released by the FDA February 6, 2018, FDA Commissioner Dr Scott Gottlieb, MD reported “Based on the scientific information in the literature and further supported by our computational modeling and the reports of its adverse effects in humans, we feel confident in calling compounds found in Kratom, opioids.” The potential for misuse and harm to the public has been so alarming, several states have banned the sale and distribution of Kratom. The Virginia Society of Health System Pharmacists supports HB738. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-kratom

My name is Ashley Davidson, I'm from Hull Massachusetts and I would like to oppose a ban Kratom. I just wanted to say this plant saved my life. I have severe agoraphobia, I'm disabled and for a long time could not even leave my house for Dr appointments or dental care. One of my medication causes severe dry mouth which in turn causes damage and rapid tooth decay, not being able to get to the dentist was horrific. Since I found Kratom I have been able to get to the dentist, they were able to save my teeth after lots of work and many trips which I never could have tolerated without Kratom. No medications has worked well and they come with scary side effects, Kratom has been gentle and I have found it to be completely safe. It has a built in ceiling effect that prevents abuse and it doesn't cause breathing depression. I am completely functional while using it, I have a chance at life again, a chance to participate and contribute, I was able to visit my elderly father which is priceless to me, thinking the plant that saved me could be banned breaks my heart and scares me. This is reefer madness all over again, there is plenty of scientific evidence backing up the safety of Kratom in its natural form, Kratom is not what people pushing for a ban say it is. This ban would literally just pry the tea from the arthritic hands of the elderly. Please have mercy and don't take away the only thing that helps so many people from all walks of life. Thank you, Ashley Davidson

am submitting this comment as a chronic pain patient and disability advocate with lived experience of severe medical harm, disbelief by doctors, and abandonment by the healthcare system. Years ago, I was given FDA approved medications that caused serious damage to my body. Lupron was one of them. What followed were years of worsening pain, repeated surgeries, and doctors who did not believe my pain was real. I was misdiagnosed, dismissed, and labeled instead of helped. One surgery, a botched hysterectomy that cut me from hip to hip, lasted over three hours. At one point during my medical ordeal, I was bleeding internally and left without proper care. I truly believed I was going to die. These experiences permanently changed my life. After years of failed treatments and trauma, plain leaf kratom tea became the only thing that allowed me to function and manage pain without opioids. I did not turn to kratom casually. I turned to it because the medical system had exhausted and harmed me. During my major abdominal surgery, I stopped kratom completely before the operation. After surgery, I was on IV pain medication, but it was not helping. I was groggy, disconnected, and unable to function. After two days, once I was able to tolerate something by mouth, I stopped the IV medication and drank my kratom tea. The difference was immediate. I was more lucid, my pain was better controlled, and I was able to get up and walk. The nurses were shocked. They assumed I was not taking anything at all until I explained that I had resumed my kratom tea. That experience reinforced what I already knew. Kratom helps me function without sedation, confusion, or the risks I experienced with prescription drugs. It has never intoxicated me. It has never taken my life apart. It gave me clarity and stability when nothing else did. When lawmakers consider kratom-related legislation, I ask that patient outcomes and harm reduction remain central. Many adults rely on kratom not recreationally, but as a last-resort tool after years of medical trauma, failed prescriptions, and disbelief. I am concerned about policies that could unintentionally reduce access, overregulate responsible products, or push patients back toward opioids or other medications that have already caused significant harm. People do not stop needing pain relief because access is restricted. They suffer, or they are forced into worse options. While I do not live in Virginia, I have family, close friends, and fellow advocates who do. Decisions made here affect real people I care about and will influence kratom policy far beyond state lines. Please consider the lived experiences of patients like me when evaluating kratom-related legislation. Safety matters, but access and harm reduction matter too. Thank you for listening to voices that are too often ignored.

Kratom has played a meaningful role in improving the quality of life for someone I love deeply who lives with severe chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. Before discovering kratom, daily life was dominated by pain, exhaustion, and a sense of hopelessness that made even simple tasks feel overwhelming. With kratom, they found a level of relief that allowed them to feel more present in their own life. Their pain became more manageable, their mood more stable, and their anxiety less consuming. It didn’t erase their challenges, but it gave them something incredibly important back: the ability to function, to engage, and to feel moments of peace and motivation again. What stands out most is the dignity it helped restore. Instead of being defined solely by pain or mental health struggles, they were able to reconnect with their interests, relationships, and sense of self. Kratom has been one part of a broader, thoughtful approach to wellness, and for our family, its impact has been profound and life-affirming.

Kratom has helped me so much in my life. It has helped my mental health as well as helps me physically do everything I need to do each day. I am able to keep up with my grandkids. I am able to function at my job when prior I found it extremely difficult to stay employed. I’ve been the most stable I’ve ever been in my adult life thanks to Kratom.

I've used kratom for over a decade. Kratom has been a positive and life-changing part of my wellness journey. It’s a natural plant from the coffee family that helps me manage EDS, CRPS, CPTSD,major depression and panic disorder. It allows me to avoid the harsh side effects that I've experienced from prescription drugs. I learned about kratom from my brother after it got him off of heroin. It has saved my sisters life, also. They both survived fentanyl poisonings in 2016. Kratom is the reason they reached sobriety. It prevented me from getting addicted to pills. Addiction runs in my family- it could've been me. Research from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Florida shows that kratom’s natural compounds work differently from opioids — they can relieve pain and improve mood without the dangerous risk of respiratory failure. Studies in Drug and Alcohol Dependence also found that kratom has a low potential for abuse and can even help people reduce dependence on harmful substances. Data from the CDC and the National Institute on Drug Abuse confirm that deaths linked solely to kratom are extremely rare — most cases involve other drugs or contaminants. Another concern of mine is the fact that alcohol has remained easily accessible while being responsible for tens of millions of deaths globally. These deaths have been attributable to alcohol since 2010 (very likely more than 30 million) based on the annual scales involved. Kids are able to get access to alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal is deadly whereas discontinuing Kratom use is not. That’s why I believe regulation, not prohibition, is the responsible way. Requiring testing and labeling so products are safe and adults can make informed choices. For me, and for millions of others, kratom has meant a better, healthier quality of life. Please listen to the science, and to the people who use it responsibly every day. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

We support HB951 because it strengthens transparency in the development of statewide building code changes and in the assessment of housing issues. By ensuring that proposals from ad hoc committees are brought back to the full Board for evaluation and a public vote, the bill promotes open decision-making and transparency for policies that directly affect public safety and well-being. As communities across Virginia continue to face increasing flood and climate-related risks, it is important that building standards evolve through inclusive, publicly accountable processes. HB951 helps build trust in how these important decisions are made and supports the development of durable, well-informed standards that better protect people and property. We respectfully urge your support.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

I am writing on behalf of St. Joseph's Villa to express my support for HB1043. I have been working in the housing and homeless services field for 21 years and currently lead these services at SJV. The extensive delay in notification of the HTF awards has had in the past and continues to have a detrimental impact on the most vulnerable in our community. The deadline for the 2025 grants was Nov. 1, 2024. We submitted two applications this year, including an application for Permanent Supportive Housing. This grant funded a program that provided permanent housing for those with a disability and a history of chronic homelessness. Our existing grant expired on December 31, 2024. We were informed on March 5, 2025, that our funding for this program had been eliminated. This was devastating news, but the delay in notification made it even worse. Notification was over four months from when the application was submitted, and two and a half months after the program started. Because this is permanent supportive housing, we had made the responsible decision to continue to pay rents for these clients during this delay, as we did not want to be the reason these households returned to homelessness. After notification, we were required to work tirelessly to find new housing subsidies for these households so they did not return to homelessness. We were never reimbursed for this delay from DHCD, and our agency ended up paying over 20,000 for DHCD's delay in notification. This year's applications were due September 12, 2025. As of today (February 4th), we still do not have notification of our funding award. Like our PSH grant, this program's start date was 1/1/26. And also, like PSH, we have made the decision to "front" the funding to ensure clients receive the services they need, despite DHCD's delay in notification. HB 1043 would allow providers to make programmatic adjustments and plan appropriately for future services. It is unreasonable to expect those of us who are doing this work to continue to front funds to operate programs serving those experiencing homelessness. It is also important to note that the fiscal summary indicated that any state fiscal impact that may result from this bill to DHCD can be absorbed within existing resources.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

The Fahe Virginia Caucus, a group of six nonprofit housing organizations in Southwest Virginia, is in strong support of the creation of the Virginia Rural Housing Infrastructure Program. This legislation represents a thoughtful, targeted, and pragmatic approach to one of rural Virginia’s most pressing challenges: the upfront cost and complexity of infrastructure. Rural development frequently requires the extension of water and sewer lines, electric and broadband infrastructure, road improvements, and substantial site work such as lot clearing or grading. These costs are often incurred long before a single unit can be built, making the development process longer, riskier, and substantially more expensive than comparable projects in urban or suburban areas. At the same time, rural development is made more difficult by limited access to low-cost capital. Financing tools that are more readily available in stronger markets—such as favorable construction loans, flexible equity, or layered public subsidies—are often unavailable or insufficient in rural areas. As a result, otherwise viable housing projects stall or fail to move forward, not because demand is lacking, but because the financial gap created by infrastructure costs cannot be closed. The need for intervention is especially acute in Southwest Virginia. According to a housing gap analysis study conducted by the Virginia Tech Center for Housing Research, the region is currently experiencing a shortage of more than 8,000 housing units, constraining working families, seniors, young professionals, and employers trying to attract and retain a workforce. Developers in the region are eager to build, but consistently struggle with high infrastructure costs that make projects infeasible even when land is available and demand is clear, which the $5 million set-aside for Southern and Southwestern developments would certainly alleviate. The proposed fund would be instrumental in closing this gap by directly targeting those infrastructure barriers. By offsetting the cost of utility extensions, site preparation, and transportation improvements, the fund would allow housing developments to move forward that otherwise could not. Importantly, these grants would unlock deeper private investment, making projects financeable and enabling developers to bring additional capital to rural communities. By investing $20 million in infrastructure grants in rural Virginia, the General Assembly can improve housing access for the nearly 2.1 million Virginians living in rural areas and produce new housing to support workforce stability, help employers expand or locate in rural areas, and allow residents to remain in their communities rather than relocating elsewhere, creating stronger local economies and more resilient rural regions.

Chair and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Eric W. Payne, Esq., and I serve as Executive Director of the Economic Development Authority for the City of Martinsville, Virginia. I am here in strong support of House Bill 1057 and the creation of the Virginia Rural Housing Infrastructure Fund and Program. In rural communities like Martinsville and much of Southside and Southwest Virginia, housing development is not constrained by demand. It is constrained by infrastructure. Water, sewer, roads, and site readiness are often the single greatest barriers standing between viable housing projects and actual construction. This bill directly addresses that reality. Housing is economic development. Employers cannot grow or locate in our communities without places for workers to live. Yet many rural localities lack the upfront infrastructure capacity to unlock private investment, even when developers, employers, and financing are ready to move. House Bill 1057 provides a practical and disciplined solution. It targets infrastructure that directly enables housing, prioritizes projects that leverage other funding sources, and emphasizes collaboration with public and private partners. Importantly, it allows entities like EDAs, IDAs, housing authorities, and planning district commissions to participate, which reflects how housing and economic development actually happen on the ground. The dedicated set aside for southern and southwestern Virginia recognizes regions that have absorbed decades of economic transition and now need tools to compete. This program gives rural communities the ability to turn opportunity into projects and projects into housing. I respectfully urge the Subcommittee to support House Bill 1057. It is targeted, accountable, and urgently needed. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Another layer of regulated inspection that is not required. Any DPOR licensed under the onsite wastewater regulations should be authorized to perform system inspections without another layer of clumsy and poorly defined regulatory requirements. Plus these inspections do not address the "heart" of a septic system, the treatment area i.e. soil absorption. The proposed inspections address the "bones", the hardware that can always be replaced. When the soil system fails quite often it cannot be replaced. So you've got a crack in the septic tank or sludge in the d-box. These can be repaired. If I'm' a homeowner I would ask how long the system will last and can it be replaced if it fails. Will I have to go on pump and haul or get a discharge permit. Seem like someone needs another source of income.

As an Operator and Licensed inspector in both NC and VA, this absolutely concerns me. I was able to see the differences between non standardized septic inspection practices vs standardized first hand before the July legislation. Homebuyers in VA have already suffered tremendously in the past due to unregulated practices, I’ve been to many systems 2-3 weeks after new buyers have moved in and had to break the news that the system was in less than perfect shape. Some were lucky with less expensive repairs while others only options were complete replacement. With the lack of proper septic education, the average real estate agent, buyer, seller, or human being does not know what a comprehensive inspection looks like. They don’t understand the consequences of leaking tanks, prehistoric outlet tees, blocked distribution box headers, leaking toilets, cast iron pipe vs Sch 40 PVC. They don’t understand that a hydraulic load test, dye test, walk over, visual, average pumping, etc are NOT efficient inspection methods and will not yield proper results. Basic knowledge to most individuals is that if it flushes its working, that unfortunately is never the case. The July legislation gave power to buyers by creating a specific process for all professionals to abide by that yields actual comprehensive results. The wording in this document not only slaps a blind fold on buyers, it puts them at risk for harsh financial consequences. It’s basically asking professionals to give the least amount of info possible, using methods that are not efficient In order to check off the inspection and move to closing. The only reason this is being proposed is because septic inspections have the ability to road block closings. Negative inspection Results also give buyers the ability to walk after a home is under contract. There are numerous ways to resolve this issue without dumbing down inspection standards and completely blindfolding buyers & financial institutions. If the septic tank has never been cleaned, proper maintenance has never been performed, or if the location is unknown all together, Call a professional before the last 30 days. Find issues ahead of time, have them repaired, and then proper inspections won’t be the problem that slows closings. My biggest issue is the lack of education that went into this and the financial deficits, environmental damage, public safety risks, and more that will be direct results of it. Streamlining closings by utilizing inspection results that were preformed with ineffective methods is completely unacceptable, dishonest, and unlawful. Virginians deserve proper inspection practices that yield efficient results to maintain environmental & public safety. After purchasing a home, They don’t deserve to have to deal with an unexpected financial crisis or hazardous living conditions due to unstandardized, inefficient, septic inspections practices. Our Va residents deserved better, that’s why the July legislation passed. This bills wording strips them of what they deserve. At the end of the day, Public Safety should come before Paychecks. Thank you!

As a homeowner with a septic system in Virginia and a professional in the onsite industry for 20 years, it worries me that if HB1178 is passed a homeowner could be purchasing a new home with a less than complete septic inspection. A septic system is potentially the most expensive "appliance" someone can own. With a less than complete inspection homeowners are unknowingly purchasing something that may be headed toward costly repairs. I have witnessed it many times where a homeowner purchases a new home and shortly thereafter is having to purchase a new septic system and asking why. With the existing inspection regulation the owners will know why and can prepare for future repairs or negotiate in the initial purchase of the home, instead of being blindsided too soon after moving in. Please consider denying this bill and help home buyers in Virginia. Thank You

I just don’t get why we want to go backwards. Just in the short time we have been doing the new inspection we have found so many issues. With the new proposals these issues would not have been found. This leaving a new home buyer with major issues in the near future. Not only affecting them but also affecting our environment. We have so many rules about new installations we have to abide by but than you want to turn a blind eye to this. The types of testing/inspections being recommended is more of just a maintenance check. Get down to the truth of it. Some realtors don’t like it because it could hold up the sell or they might need to renegotiate. Making it a longer process. All a while they are suppose to be out for the best interest of their customers. I would say out of all the inspections we have done since July 2025 90% have some type of major issues that have been found. So yes this is a major problem that we don’t need to avoid or minimize. I wished it was mandatory just like a home inspection. Please do not vote for this to pass. Our environment and our citizens deserve the best. We have made great strides let’s not go backwards. I oppose the new changes.

HB 1178 reverses the progress made on Septic Inspections and jeopardizes the legitimacy of all point of sale septic inspections in the state of VA. This bill allows septic inspections to be rubber stamped and home sales to be pushed through at the expense of the home buyer. The wording of this bill prioritizes the commission of a realtor over the protection of the home buyer. This bill hurts home buyers who are not advised about needed repairs by allowing bare minimum tests to be called inspections. This bill allows septic inspectors to return to the old way of rubber stamping septic inspections. When a home buyer requests a septic inspection they are trusting that the inspector is looking over the entire system and checking it for potential issues. The following passage is very troubling; it makes it lawful for septic professionals to essentially scam home buyers. " and may include one or more of the following: flow testing, dye testing, camera scoping, inspection of readily accessible system components, sludge or scum measurement, hydraulic load testing, interior inspection of the septic tank, and excavation." One of these tests should be in no way considered a septic inspection and would destroy the legitimacy of inspections in VA. A sludge level inspection, dye test, camera scope, or hydraulic load test have never been an appropriate inspection. Each of these are simply tests that should be included in a thorough inspection but never considered a full inspection on there own. By allowing less thorough inspections the law makers of VA are putting the need to quickly process home sales over the need for proper functioning septic systems and clean drinking water in VA. This bill appears to have been written without any consideration of the importance of clean water in VA or the impact that proper functioning wastewater systems have on the environment of VA. As a state, we should stand behind strong guidelines on septic systems in an effort to protect our water. Clean water is essential for everyone, this cannot be ignored.

Comments Document

Purchase of real property and homes are the largest financial decisions constituents make. As such, purchasers should be able to make educated decisions regarding their purchase, especially regarding the--infrastructure, i.e., the onsite wastewater system that serves the home Prior to July 1, 2025, a standard of practice for the evaluation of septic systems conducted as part of a refinance or property transfer did not exist in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This type evaluation could consist of anything the evaluator deemed acceptable. Evaluations often consisted of walking through a yard, flushing toilets with dye, or running large volumes of water (hydraulic load testing) into the system. This method of evaluation is akin to performing safety inspections of cars based upon the condition of the paint on the car exterior. The Code of Virginia was modified with and effective date of July 1, 2025, to include standards of practice for septic system evaluations that are conducted as part of a property transfer or refinance. Because of the past lack of an established standard for transfer of property septic system evaluations, real estate agents have little to no knowledge of what the elements of a proper sewage system evaluation are. Real estate agents gain financially from property transfer transactions--it is the agent’s financial interest for no problems with a septic system to be identified. HB1178 introduces inspection methods that are not an acceptable method to determine the health of sewage systems and should not be practiced. These types of evaluations will result in improper findings and may damage the system. The bill removes the standards for transfer of property sewage system evaluations and allows the real estate agents and prospective purchasers, both of whom are the parties that possess the least knowledge of sewage system inspection, operation and function, to decide how the system should be evaluated. The bill will allow uneducated parties to direct licensed professionals on methods, some of which are improper, to evaluate septic systems. Portions of the bill--septic tank pump out and home occupancy--are erroneous and contrary to existing codes. The attached document describes the potential impact and a current case where a constituent has been harmed. If passed, the bill will do more harm than good. Additional parties will be presented with substandard and erroneous information while the real estate agents benefit financially.

As a Virginia constituent and small business owner who works closely with a licensed onsite wastewater professional, I am concerned about proposed changes to Virginia’s septic inspection requirements. Legislation adopted in 2025 established a clear minimum standard for what constitutes a septic inspection. While dye testing, flow testing, and sludge and scum measurements are useful tools, they are meant to supplement—not replace—the minimum inspection standard established by House Bill 2671. As written, this proposal appears to weaken that standard by allowing an inspection to consist of only one limited activity, even though none of these methods alone provides a comprehensive assessment of system condition. Presenting such limited evaluations as a complete inspection may mislead buyers and create a false sense of security about a system that has not been fully evaluated. In addition, discouraging tank access and pumping may prevent inspectors from identifying structural defects that are only visible when a tank is properly opened, increasing the risk that compromised tanks go undetected and creating potential safety hazards. Allowing pass, fail, or graded determinations without clearly defined, uniform criteria further introduces the risk of inconsistent interpretation across the industry. For these reasons, I oppose the bill as written and urge that any changes preserve the minimum inspection standards established in 2025.

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the current language in this bill, specifically as it relates to the deregulation of septic system evaluations. The phrase "one or more" suggests that performing a single test would legally constitute a complete septic inspection. A comprehensive inspection requires a visual assessment of multiple components, often involving cameras or physical excavation. Allowing a dye test, flow test, or sludge measurement to stand alone as an acceptable inspection fails to provide an accurate representation of a system's condition. While this bill may benefit realtors and sellers by streamlining the process and minimizing the likelihood of identifying issues, it offers homebuyers a false sense of security. If a buyer discovers significant defects shortly after closing, they could face severe financial hardship. I do not believe this bill serves the best interests of those who rely on accurate septic system assessments.

I am writing to express concerns regarding House Bill 1178. I work full time in onsite wastewater education and have been directly involved in developing practical, enforceable, and consumer focused regulation across the southeastern United States. We became involved in this issue last year due to a significant number of complaints from both industry professionals and members of the public who have been harmed by poor and misleading inspection practices. House Bill 1178 appears to be an effort to return to inspection methods that the real estate industry was previously led to believe were adequate. These methods were non invasive, inexpensive, and fast. Prior to July 1 of last year, they were often performed by unlicensed individuals, and there was no regulatory definition of what constituted a septic inspection or any meaningful protection for the public. The current inspection framework requires that system components actually be located, observed, and their condition evaluated and reported. This shift is not about creating new problems, but about performing an inspection that reflects what consumers reasonably believe they are purchasing when they are told a septic inspection has been conducted. Dye tests, flow tests, and sludge or scum measurements do not evaluate septic system condition. They do not assess treatment performance, structural integrity, safety, or long term functionality. In many of the complaints, consumers were told they received an inspection only to later learn that no subsurface components were evaluated at all. The inspection consisted solely of running water through the system to see whether effluent surfaced on the ground. Allowing these limited activities to be labeled as inspections is misleading. It would be equivalent to concluding that there are no plumbing problems in a home simply because the sink drains. That is not an inspection. It is a superficial test that fails to evaluate the condition of the system. There is no shortcut to determining septic system condition. Either the system is uncovered, the tank is pumped, and accessible components are evaluated for damage, deterioration, intrusion of roots or groundwater, safety, and functionality, or the public is being sold a test that does not determine any of those things. House Bill 1178 proposes to legitimize these shortcuts without even defining a standardized method. While faster and cheaper to deliver, these practices were never and should never be considered acceptable professional practice in the Commonwealth. For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to oppose House Bill 1178 and to preserve a clear and meaningful definition of a septic inspection that reflects professional practice and protects consumers, public health, and environmental integrity. Thank you for your time and consideration

This bill ONLY protects the convenience realtors in Virginia gave become accustomed to. It does not seek to protect other parties involved in real estate transactions (buyers, sellers, lendors) nor does it protect the public health at large. Testing of sludge and scum levels ia a measurement that shows if a septic system is in need of routine maintenance. Not if it is functioning properly. Dye testing follows the same pattern. The only way to ensure a properly functioning septic system is to physically expose the components of that system and ensure they are in place and functioning properly. PUMPING A SEPTIC TANK IS NOT STRESSFUL FOR THE SEPTIC SYSTEM. This is merely conjecture formed by the Virginia real estate lobbyist to skirt a necessary part of routine inspections. You cannot visually inspect the tank without first removing the contents. This addendum in no way is helpful to the Virginia septic inspection code, nor does it follow the logic of any other item included in the Virginia contract. It is an item, which if it is included, is merely used on the behalf of the Virginia real estate board to side step a necessary action out of convenience to the realtors alone.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates

I am in support of VA HB 1415. Across the country, there is a dearth of pet-inclusive housing, particularly for pet owners that rent. It is estimated that less than 10% of housing is truly pet-inclusive in the US, that is without type, breed, or size restrictions. And for over 30 years, housing has been implicated as the primary human-related reason why owners relinquish their pets to animal shelters. A traumatic experience for both the owner and the pet. This bill will address the lack of pet-inclusive housing in Virginia, including removing restrictions based on breed, and go a long way in helping keep people and their pets together.

The Virginia Federation of Humane Societies (VFHS) is the oldest and largest membership organization representing animal welfare organizations and professionals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Our more than 250 members include municipal animal shelters, private shelters, animal control officers, law enforcement, rescue organizations, animal welfare professionals, and compassionate individuals across the state. VFHS recognizes that the lack of affordable and accessible pet-friendly housing is one of the leading causes of pet surrender across the Commonwealth. Our members, from urban communities in Northern Virginia to rural localities in Southwest Virginia, consistently report the same challenge: families with pets are struggling to find housing that allows them to keep their whole family together. With nearly two-thirds of Virginia households having at least one pet, it’s time for Virginia to take this important step to protect families with pets. HB 1415 takes a comprehensive approach to a widespread problem, addressing housing access, insurance barriers, and transparency for renters with pets. Restrictive pet policies not only force families to make the heartbreaking choice to surrender beloved pets, but they also strain local animal shelters, which must absorb an avoidable influx of animals. This places additional pressure on shelter resources, increases costs, and limits the capacity to serve pets in true emergencies. By promoting fairness, transparency, and equity, these measures help renters make informed decisions, keep families together, and reduce preventable shelter intakes that impact communities across the Commonwealth. VFHS strongly supports HB 1415 and urges the Subcommittee to advance this legislation. By taking this step, Virginia can help families maintain housing stability while keeping pets safe and at home.

Coalition of animal welfare organizations statement in support of HB 1415.

Since its inception in 1946, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) has been a leading voice for animal welfare. As the field has evolved, the human–animal bond has become central to our work. Recognizing that pets are considered family members by most guardians, AWLA strongly supports legislation that expands housing options for families with pets so they can remain together. HB145 addresses this need by protecting families from excessive fees and prohibitive breed restrictions that too often lead to unnecessary separation, and AWLA strongly supports this bill. Renters with pets face significant barriers to securing housing. Many landlords prohibit pets entirely, while those who allow them often impose high, non-refundable deposits and monthly pet rent that can add hundreds of dollars to housing costs. Pet-friendly rentals frequently maintain restrictive policies related to breed, size, or number of pets. Nationwide, only 8% of rental properties have no pet restrictions, and the percentage in Alexandria is even lower. Breed-based policies are especially problematic, as visual breed identification is unreliable, many dogs are mixed breeds, and decisions are often arbitrary with no clear appeals process. In Alexandria, these barriers exist within an already strained housing landscape. In 2024, 54% of residents lived in rental housing, and 44% were considered housing-cost burdened. With approximately two-thirds of U.S. households including pets, these challenges affect a substantial portion of Alexandria families. An estimated 61,000 dogs and cats live in the city, meaning nearly 33,000 pets reside in rental households. For families facing housing instability, the risk is not only losing their home but also being forced to relinquish a beloved animal. Housing challenges are the leading reason community members seek assistance from AWLA. In 2024, AWLA took in over 200 pets due to housing-related crises, accounting for roughly 25% of all pets surrendered or temporarily boarded through our Crisis Care program. In 2025, that figure rose to nearly 30% of total intakes, underscoring the growing impact of housing barriers on families and animals. Excessive pet fees and restrictive policies disproportionately harm low-income households. According to United Way’s 2024 ALICE report, 39% of Alexandrians live below the ALICE threshold, nearly all in rental housing. These barriers undermine housing stability and, in some cases, compel individuals to choose between housing and their companion animals. HB145 would provide meaningful support to vulnerable community members, help keep families together, and reduce the number of pets entering shelters due solely to a lack of pet-inclusive housing.

Please do not ban kratom it has saved my life along with numerous other people please don't force my hand and make me go back to the streets for pain relief from my amputation and other things that's wrong with me this stuff has helped me tremendously it is a lot of people tremendously even the FDA has said it safe please do not ban it sincerely alUnited States caring citizen...Dave Cates