A bill put forward by State Sen. Danica A. Roem seeks to identify safer and more environmentally responsible methods to treat road surfaces in winter, according to the Virginia State Senate.
The measure, known as SB482, was introduced on Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, and carries the formal title: “Sodium Chloride; alternatives to use to treat and pretreat roadways for winter weather, report.”
Below is a summary, reflecting the bill’s actual text, with clarifying interpretations as needed.
In summary, the bill instructs the Virginia Department of Transportation to research safer and environmentally friendly alternatives to using sodium chloride, or rock salt, for de-icing and preventing ice on roadways in winter. The research must assess cost-effectiveness and benefits of those alternatives—such as nonchemical solutions and new advances—comparing their impact on infrastructure, the environment, and private property to current practices. The department would need to provide a report with its conclusions by Nov. 15, 2026, including both a record of annual statewide and local expenditures on winter road treatment from 2020 forward and funding budgets for 2026-28.
The bill’s chief sponsors are Sen. Danica A. Roem (Democrat-30th District) and Sen. Kannan Srinivasan (Democrat-32nd District).
Roem has introduced 16 other bills since the session opened.
Roem graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree.
Roem, a Democrat, was elected to the Virginia Senate in 2024 to represent the 30th District, taking over from former senator Adam Ebbin.
The legislative process in Virginia starts when a measure is presented in the House of Delegates or Senate. A committee reviews, potentially amends, and can approve the bill for further debate and voting in both chambers. Following approval from both, it goes to the governor, who may sign it into law, veto it, or permit it to become law without a signature. Regular sessions of the Virginia General Assembly begin on the second Monday of January yearly. Hundreds of bills are filed each session, but only some become state law.
| Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danica A. Roem and Kannan Srinivasan | SB482 | 01/14/2026 | Sodium Chloride; alternatives to use to treat and pretreat roadways for winter weather, report. |
| Danica A. Roem and R. Creigh Deeds | SB4 | 01/14/2026 | School breakfasts; availability at no cost to students. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB41 | 01/14/2026 | Motor Vehicles, Department of; electronic transactions, voluntary contributions. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB42 | 01/14/2026 | School boards; payment of school meal debt. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB43 | 01/14/2026 | Demand response programs; evaluation and assessment by Department of Energy, report. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB44 | 01/14/2026 | Cemeteries on private property; registration by localities. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB92 | 01/14/2026 | Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program; tuition and fee waivers. |
| Danica A. Roem and Michelle Lopes Maldonado | SB93 | 01/14/2026 | Data centers; taxes on banks that are tenants of a center. |
| Danica A. Roem and Adam P. Ebbin | SB94 | 01/14/2026 | Data centers; site assessment, sound profile of the high energy use facility. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB95 | 01/14/2026 | Rest area signage; adds human trafficking information. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB97 | 01/14/2026 | Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program; establishment of student meal plan credit donation program. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB331 | 01/14/2026 | Veterinary Medicine, Board of; traineeships. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB336 | 01/14/2026 | Tier 2 emergency generators; SCC shall evaluate impact of requiring data centers to limit use, etc. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB345 | 01/14/2026 | Guardianship/conservatorship of incapacitated adult; right to request counsel, right to a jury trial. |
| Danica A. Roem, Angelia Williams Graves, and David R. Suetterlein | SB350 | 01/14/2026 | Absentee voting; counting ballots prior to the close of polls. |
| Danica A. Roem | SB503 | 01/14/2026 | Phase II Utility; rates, terms, and conditions of services, certain customers. |
| Danica A. Roem and Scott A. Surovell | SB716 | 01/14/2026 | Commissioner of Highways; certain agreements with U.S. Department of Transportation. |
Details in this article were obtained from the Virginia State Senate. The original source data is available here.
