RICHMOND, VA – In a move that expands government oversight into professional licensing, the Virginia Senate has advanced House Bill 170, requiring aspiring real estate appraisers to complete a specific two-hour course on fair housing and appraisal bias before obtaining their licenses. Introduced by Delegate Alex Askew on January 6, 2026, the legislation amends Section 54.1-2013 of the Code of Virginia, targeting certified residential real estate appraisers, certified general real estate appraisers, and licensed residential real estate appraisers.

The bill mandates that applicants successfully complete a minimum of two hours of education administered or approved by the Real Estate Appraiser Board. This training must cover instruction on the legacy of segregation, unequal treatment, and the historic lack of access to opportunities in housing; unequal access to amenities and resources on the basis of race, disability, and other protected classes; federal, state, and local fair housing laws; and anti-bias practices. The course content, detailed in the House committee substitute printed as 26105954D-H1, underscores a prescriptive approach to what appraisers must study prior to licensure.

The legislative journey began with the bill being prefiled and ordered printed on January 14, 2026. Referred to the House General Laws Committee, it landed in the Housing/Consumer Protection Subcommittee on January 19. On January 22, the subcommittee recommended reporting with a substitute (10-Y 0-N), which restored language requiring the fair housing training. The full General Laws Committee reported it with a substitute on January 27 (21-Y 0-N), leading to engrossment and passage in the House on February 2 by a vote of 81-18.

Despite broad House support, the 18 no votes signal significant reservations about layering additional requirements onto an already rigorous licensing process that includes examinations and experience mandates. The bill then moved to the Senate, referred to the General Laws and Technology Committee on February 3. On March 3, the Senate committee offered an amendment and reported it on March 4 (14-Y 1-N). The amendment struck ‘audited’ and inserted ‘reviewed’ regarding the Fair Housing Board’s annual oversight of approved courses. On March 6, the Senate dispensed with constitutional reading on the second reading via block vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A), suspended rules, and passed by for the day on a voice vote, propelling it toward potential final passage.

Proponents of limited government intervention in private professions highlight how such mandates impose new administrative burdens without demonstrated necessity. The Real Estate Appraiser Board must now approve or administer these courses, with annual reviews by the Fair Housing Board, potentially diverting resources from core regulatory duties. A fiscal impact statement from the Department of Planning and Budget, issued January 28, asserts no budget amendment is needed, as any workload for course approvals or system modifications to licensing applications can be absorbed internally within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.

This development comes amid ongoing debates over the balance between professional standards and regulatory creep in Virginia’s real estate sector, a cornerstone of economic freedom and property rights. Appraisers, tasked with objective valuations central to homeownership and investment, now face an extra hurdle emphasizing historical narratives and bias prevention. The substitutes adopted in both chambers refined the language, ensuring the training applies across licensure types and meets federal recognition criteria for licenses.

As the session progresses toward sine die, HB170 exemplifies how incremental changes to occupational requirements can accumulate, raising questions about accessibility to these vital professions. With the bill on the Senate’s fast track, stakeholders in Virginia’s housing market watch closely for its fate, mindful of the implications for future licensees entering a field governed by market dynamics and impartial assessments rather than mandated sensitivity training.

The measure’s path reflects committee diligence: from subcommittee restoration of key provisions to Senate tweaks for precision. Yet the core remains—a compelled educational module delving into segregation’s legacy and protected class disparities—before professionals can practice. Virginia’s real estate community, reliant on streamlined licensing to foster opportunity, anticipates whether this becomes law or faces gubernatorial review emphasizing deregulation.