republic-os/legislation/us/states/va/2026/sb-360.md

---
type: "Bill"
title: "Nitrous oxide; sale, distribution, etc., prohibited, penalties."
description: "Distributing nitrous oxide prohibited; penalties. Prohibits the sale or distribution of (i) a device that is designed or intended to deliver a gas containing nitrous oxide through direct inhalation, with exceptions defined in the bill; (ii) nitrous oxide that has, or is marketed as having, the taste or smell of any food or beverage that is distinguishable by an ordinary consumer either prior to or during consumption or use of such nitrous oxide to any person not exempted in the bill; and (iii) a container of nitrous oxide that exceeds eight grams, with exceptions defined in the bill. A violation of such prohibitions is a Class 1 misdemeanor. This bill is identical to HB 648."
jurisdiction: "us/states/va"
legislature: "Virginia General Assembly"
session: "2026"
identifier: "SB 360"
citation: "Virginia SB 360 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Richard H. Stuart"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 33
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2026-01-13"
last_action: "2026-04-06"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/bfc85376-503a-4234-88d9-bb9b3cc25813"
source_url: "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB360"
source_hash: "e8c97bd810d6f054b974bd3c208702b73ee8e352b17862358106b99975fc9a5c"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-va"]
---

# Virginia SB 360 (2026) — Nitrous oxide; sale, distribution, etc., prohibited, penalties.

Distributing nitrous oxide prohibited; penalties. Prohibits the sale or distribution of (i) a device that is designed or intended to deliver a gas containing nitrous oxide through direct inhalation, with exceptions defined in the bill; (ii) nitrous oxide that has, or is marketed as having, the taste or smell of any food or beverage that is distinguishable by an ordinary consumer either prior to or during consumption or use of such nitrous oxide to any person not exempted in the bill; and (iii) a container of nitrous oxide that exceeds eight grams, with exceptions defined in the bill. A violation of such prohibitions is a Class 1 misdemeanor. This bill is identical to HB 648.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089757.PDF)
2. **Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216657.PDF)
3. **Courts of Justice Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1169585.PDF)
4. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1181982.PDF)

## Votes

- Constitutional reading dispensed R — **39–0** (pass) · upper
- Concur House Substitute R — **40–0** (pass) · upper
- H VOTE: — **97–0** (pass) · lower
- Reported from Courts of Justice — **15–0** (pass) · upper
- Passage R — **39–0** (pass) · upper
- Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute — **22–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Richard H. Stuart — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-01-13** Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104977D `filing, introduction`
- **2026-01-13** Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-21** Reported from Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-01-22** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB360)
- **2026-01-23** Rules suspended
- **2026-01-23** Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- **2026-01-23** Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
- **2026-01-23** Passed by for the day
- **2026-01-26** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-01-26** Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- **2026-01-26** Engrossed by Senate
- **2026-01-27** Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A) `passage, reading-3`
- **2026-02-03** Placed on Calendar
- **2026-02-03** Read first time `reading-1`
- **2026-02-03** Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-18** Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N) `committee-passage`
- **2026-02-18** Committee substitute printed 26108201D-H1 `substitution`
- **2026-02-19** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB360)
- **2026-02-20** Read second time `reading-2`
- **2026-02-23** Read third time `reading-3`
- **2026-02-23** committee substitute agreed to `substitution`
- **2026-02-23** Engrossed by House - committee substitute `substitution`
- **2026-02-23** Passed House with substitute (97-Y 0-N 0-A) `passage`
- **2026-02-25** House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) `substitution`
- **2026-02-27** Enrolled `enrolled`
- **2026-02-27** Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB360ER) `passage`
- **2026-02-27** Signed by Speaker `passage`
- **2026-02-27** Signed by President `passage`
- **2026-02-27** Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB360)
- **2026-03-10** Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 `enrolled, executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-10** Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 `executive-receipt`
- **2026-04-06** Approved by Governor-Chapter 192 (effective 7/1/2026) `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-06** Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0192)

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/bfc85376-503a-4234-88d9-bb9b3cc25813`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).