State Del. Marty Martinez is introducing new legislation that seeks to clarify what constitutes essential service for tenants, particularly regarding landlord obligations for amenities such as air conditioning, according to the Virginia State House.
The legislation, designated as HB519, was introduced Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, and formally titled: “Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; definition of essential services.”
Below is an overview based on the bill’s actual language, with explanations for clarity.
This proposal amends definitions in the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to specifically state that an “essential service” covers heat, air conditioning provided by the landlord, running water, hot water, electricity and gas. The intent is to explicitly include air conditioning (when supplied by the landlord) as an essential service, which may affect landlord maintenance obligations and tenant rights when such services are disrupted. The legislation does not indicate when it would take effect.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Marty Martinez (Democrat-29th District), Sen. Kannan Srinivasan (Democrat-32nd District), and Rep. Holly M. Seibold (Democrat-12th District).
Since the start of the session, Martinez has sponsored an additional 10 bills.
Martinez holds a BS from Portland State University, graduating in 1986.
The Democrat was first elected to the Virginia State House in 2024, representing the 29th House district after succeeding Bill Wiley.
In Virginia, the legislative process starts with introduction of a bill in the House of Delegates or the Senate. Bills are referred to committees for review and potential changes. If a committee approves, the proposal moves to a floor vote in both chambers. If approved in both, it goes to the governor, who may sign, veto, or permit it to become law without signature. Each regular session of the Virginia General Assembly convenes annually beginning the second Monday in January, with lawmakers considering hundreds of bills, though only a fraction pass into law.
| Legislative Session | Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Marty Martinez, Kannan Srinivasan, and Holly M. Seibold | HB519 | 01/14/2026 | Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; definition of essential services. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez | HB340 | 01/14/2026 | Migrant labor camp permits; removes expiration date. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez, Irene Shin, and David A. Reid | HB341 | 01/14/2026 | Plastic bag tax; distribution to towns. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez | HB342 | 01/14/2026 | Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; magistrates, availability of complaint forms in courthouses. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez, Jackie H. Glass, and Nadarius E. Clark | HB343 | 01/14/2026 | Helmets; wearing whenever riding/carried on skateboard or scooter or nonmotorized scooter. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker, Marcia S. “Cia” Price, and Rae Cousins | HB373 | 01/14/2026 | Restaurants; food allergy awareness notice required. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez, Katrina Callsen, Michael B. Feggans, Karen R. “Kacey” Carnegie, and Virgil Thornton | HB513 | 01/14/2026 | Suicide fatality review teams, local and regional; established, membership, penalty. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez and Virgil Thornton | HB514 | 01/14/2026 | Benefit awareness & access prog.; establishes, military service members transition to civilian life. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez, Adele Y. McClure, Jackie H. Glass, Marcia S. “Cia” Price, Nadarius E. Clark, and Phil M. Hernandez | HB515 | 01/14/2026 | Sports betting; prohibition on use of credit cards. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez and Adele Y. McClure | HB518 | 01/14/2026 | Virginia Consumer Protection Act; prohibited practices, streaming advertisement volume control. |
| 2026 | Marty Martinez | HB1144 | 01/14/2026 | Water and sewer connection fees; first-time homebuyers, affordable housing. |
| 2025 | Marty Martinez, Alfonso H. Lopez, Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker, Kathy K.L. Tran, Katrina Callsen, Mark D. Sickles, and Michael B. Feggans | HB1766 | 01/13/2025 | Unemployment compensation; increases weekly benefit amounts, report. |
| 2025 | Marty Martinez | HB2008 | 01/13/2025 | Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management Program authority; right of entry. |
| 2025 | Marty Martinez, Irene Shin, and Nadarius E. Clark | HB1764 | 01/08/2025 | Disposable plastic bag tax; distribution to towns. |
| 2025 | Marty Martinez | HB1769 | 01/08/2025 | Chronic student absenteeism; task force to examine its effects on local school divisions, etc. |
| 2025 | Marty Martinez | HB1770 | 01/08/2025 | Uniform Trust Code; adds “electronic” to definitions in Code. |
