Legislation
- Virginia Senate Advances Bill for Regulated Adult-Use Cannabis Market
Senate Bill 542 moves forward with technical amendments to create a framework for recreational cannabis sales in the Commonwealth.
- Spanberger presents slate of data center regulation proposals, puts first directives in motion
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 22 on Friday, Sept. 18 to kick off her data center regulation package.
- Jason Ballard House Bill 103 Seeks to Extend Vital Early Intervention Services for Virginia Infants and Toddlers
A bill introduced by Delegate Jason Ballard would extend Virginia’s Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers for children with disabilities.
- Virginia has a new law that regulates the use of license plate readers
The General Assembly has decided to take action to curb the use of automatic license plate readers by law enforcement.
- We must solve Virginia’s other health care workforce crisis: A lack of educators
America’s health care workforce shortage is a known crisis: Over 85% of health care facilities lack adequate staff.
- House Bill 436 Sparks Concerns Over University Project Financing
A higher education representative outlines potential challenges House Bill 436 could create for existing debt commitments on campus facilities while supporting ongoing affordability talks.
- States take action against ‘claim sharks,’ who charge veterans for disability assistance
Consultants who charge military veterans to help them file their disability claims at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs make millions of dollars each year.
- Could Virginia’s new law allowing 1% sales tax for school construction need a fix?
The historic facade of Virginia's new General Assembly Building in Richmond.
- Jones Asks SCC to Restart Clock on Dominion-NextEra Merger After New Commitments
Attorney general says expanded bill credits, job protections and a Richmond tower create a different deal that needs fresh notice and discovery.
- Attorney General Jay Jones Asks Regulators to Reset Clock on Dominion-NextEra Merger
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones says the companies’ Sept. 14 supplemental filing is a different deal that should restart the SCC’s 180-day review, potentially pushing a decision into March 2027.
- Virginia Delegate Presses House for Car Tax Relief Amid Affordability Push
Delegate Terry Kilgore urges incremental repeal of the car tax during the 2026 legislative session, citing affordability goals and prior campaign commitments.
- Virginia Lawmakers Press for Tighter Oversight of Data Center Growth
A Virginia congressional proposal would give local governments more tools to manage data center growth, including clearer rules for electricity demand, water use and community impacts.
- Virginia’s federal lawmakers lock in on regulating data centers
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, both Virginia-based Democrats, have introduced legislation targeting the data center industry.
- Voters in 47 Localities Will Decide School Construction Sales Tax This Fall
Communities newly authorized by the legislature are putting a 1% sales tax for school capital projects on the November ballot.
- State Education Board Clarifies Expanded High School Graduation Course Options
Updates spell out how Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and transfer students can meet diploma requirements this year.
- Virginia Lawmakers Move Closer to Regulating Self-Driving Vehicles
A General Assembly workgroup is drafting a commercial autonomous-vehicle framework ahead of a Nov. 1 report for the next legislative session.
- Virginia House Bill 47 Aims to Expand Tax Relief for Military and Foreign Service Retirees
House Bill 47, which seeks to broaden state income tax subtractions for retirement benefits earned by uniformed services and United States Foreign Service officers, has been left in the House Finance Committee as the 2026 legislative session progresses.
- Loudoun County to Consider Data Center Pause, Removing By-Right Grandfather Clause
A view of a data center in Loudoun County next to Chick Ford & Ryan Bickel Fields.
- Virginia Lawmakers Move Closer to Regulating Self-Driving Vehicles
Virginia lawmakers are considering regulations to allow for autonomous commercial vehicles, which could shift companies from using gas to electric, self-driving vehicles.
- Virginia’s Medical Marijuana Program Logs Big Sales, but Patient Concerns Linger
Cannabis leaves.
- Virginia House Bill 1251 Fails in Subcommittee, Ending Push for Digital Right to Repair Act
House Bill 1251, the Digital Right to Repair Act, has stalled in the Virginia House of Delegates during the 2026 Regular Session.
- Elizabeth Guzman House Bill 417 Expands In-State Tuition for Military Families
The Virginia House of Delegates has taken a decisive step to honor the sacrifices of active-duty service members and veterans by overwhelmingly passing House Bill 417.
- Nicole Cole House Bill 422 Limits Water Utility Rate Increase Filings
The Virginia House of Delegates approved House Bill 422 on February 4, 2026, with a vote of 69-29, sending the measure to the Senate for consideration.
- David Reid House Bill 409 Clarifies School Bus Passing Rules on Divided Highways
In a rare display of unanimous agreement, the Virginia General Assembly has approved House Bill 409, clarifying traffic rules for passing stopped school buses on divided highways, access roads and certain driveways.
- Virginia lawmakers prepare for a future filled with highly automated aircraft
Virginia lawmakers are aiming sky high as they turn their attention to the future of “advanced air mobility.”
- Virginia General Assembly Passes House Bill 357 Reforming Felony Arrest Bail Procedures
RICHMOND — The Virginia General Assembly has completed action on House Bill 357, sponsored by Delegate Katrina Callsen, which adjusts the conditions under which individuals arrested for felonies may be released on secured or unsecured bonds.
- Virginia House and Senate Move to Speed Up Career and Technical Education Teachers
Virginia legislators are taking on a major issue to meet the growing demand for skilled workers: the shortage in career and technical education teachers.
- Virginia General Assembly Passes House Bill 191 to Protect Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking
RICHMOND, Va.
- In Rare Move, State Corporation Commission Orders Three In-Person Hearings for NextEra-Dominion Merger Case
Virginia State Corporation Commission members have ordered three opportunities for the public to have their say about the proposed NextEra-Dominion merger, the first to kick off Nov. 5. In this September 2, 2025 photo, commissions hear testimony in Richmond on a different case. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) The State Corporation Commission has ordered additional chances for the public to officially testify in the case to approve or reject the proposed $67 billion NextEra-Dominion merger , Virginia regulators said Thursday.
- Virginia Department of Health Updates Food Allergen List, Food Establishment Guidance
Virginia Department of Health offices in Richmond.
- Destiny LeVere Bolling House Bill 434 Boosts Electric Grid Efficiency for Ratepayers
RICHMOND — The Virginia General Assembly gave final approval to House Bill 434 on March 2, 2026, directing major electric utilities to develop and implement metrics for maximizing the use of existing grid infrastructure. The measure, which passed the House of Delegates 93-4 after concurring with a Senate substitute, now heads to the governor for
- Virginia Senate Committee Advances House Bill 37 to Make Permanent Protections for Developmental Disabilities Services
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Senate’s Education and Health Committee unanimously approved House Bill 37 on February 26, 2026, rereferring it to the Finance and Appropriations Committee as the 2026 legislative session progresses toward crossover. The measure, which seeks to repeal a July 1, 2026, sunset provision on financial eligibility standards for developmental disability waivers,
- David Reid House Bill 410 Expands Scholastic Assessment Test Access for High School Students
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia House of Delegates has advanced HB410, a measure requiring school boards to provide high school students with access to the SAT School Day program. The bill passed the House on February 17, 2026, by a wide margin of 88-8, sending it to the Senate where it now awaits consideration in
- Charniele Herring House Bill 398 Establishes Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate have passed House Bill 398, establishing the Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act to shield veterans from exploitative practices in accessing their earned benefits. The measure, which regulates compensated assistance with veterans’ benefits claims, cleared both chambers with overwhelming support, reflecting broad consensus on prio
- Alex Askew House Bill 401 Modernizes Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Board
RICHMOND — The Virginia Senate delivered unanimous approval to House Bill 401 on March 2, 2026, passing the measure in a block vote of 40 yeas, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions. The bill, now engrossed by the Senate as amended, heads back to the House of Delegates for concurrence on the Senate’s amendment.
- Destiny LeVere Bolling House Bill 427 Tracks Student Parents in Higher Education
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia General Assembly delivered a strong show of unity on Monday, March 2, 2026, when both chambers passed House Bill 427 with unanimous votes, advancing a measure aimed at enhancing data collection on student parents within the state’s higher education system. Sponsored by Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling as the chief patron,
- Katrina Callsen House Bill 402 Expands Cottage Food Sales Options
RICHMOND — In a unanimous vote reflecting strong bipartisan support for reducing barriers to small-scale entrepreneurship, the Virginia House of Delegates passed House Bill 402 on February 10, 2026, by a block vote of 98-0. The legislation, sponsored by Delegate Katrina Callsen, seeks to modernize cottage food laws by permitting home-based producers to sell certain
- Virginia House Advances House Bill 78 to Bolster Election Certification Protocols and Electoral Board Requirements
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia House of Delegates has passed House Bill 78, a measure designed to clarify and strengthen the duties of local electoral boards in certifying election results, sending it to the Senate for consideration amid ongoing efforts to maintain uniformity and reliability in the state’s election processes. Introduced by Delegate Price on
- Victor Angry Says Local Governments Should Lead on Collective Bargaining
In 2020, the General Assembly made a deliberate decision: it lifted Virginia’s longstanding prohibition on public-sector collective bargaining and gave local governments the authority to decide whether and how to implement it. That framework was intentional.
- Kelly Convirs-Fowler House Bill 189 on Standards of Learning Grade Weight Continued in Senate
RICHMOND, Va. – A bill seeking to eliminate the requirement that Standards of Learning test scores count toward at least 10 percent of final course grades for students in grades seven through 12 faced a significant setback in the Virginia Senate this week. House Bill 189, introduced by Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler, passed the House of
- Leslie Mehta House Bill 185 on Court Secrecy Orders Advances in Senate
RICHMOND, Va. — A measure aimed at fortifying accountability in Virginia’s courtrooms gained significant momentum this week as the Senate Courts of Justice Committee reported House Bill 185 with amendments and referred it to the Finance and Appropriations Committee. The bill, which passed the House of Delegates unanimously earlier this session, promises to provide a
- Adele McClure House Bill 19 Expands Firearm Restrictions After Domestic Assault Convictions
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia General Assembly has finalized House Bill 19, a measure that broadens restrictions on firearm purchases, possession, and transportation for individuals convicted of certain misdemeanor assaults.
- David Reid House Bill 182 on High School History Substitutions Clears Assembly
RICHMOND, Va. — House Bill 182, a measure altering high school graduation requirements by permitting substitutions in history and social studies credits, has successfully navigated the Virginia General Assembly and now awaits action from Governor Abigail Spanberger. The bill, introduced by Delegate David Reid of the 28th District in Loudoun County, seeks to provide students
- Kelly Convirs-Fowler House Bill 187 Codifies Virginia Beach 10-1 Council Charter
RICHMOND, Va. – Legislation to update the City of Virginia Beach’s charter, reflecting the shift to a city council composed entirely of single-member districts plus a mayor, has cleared both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly and now awaits final action following the governor’s recommendations. House Bill 187, introduced by Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler with co-patrons
- David Reid House Bill 183 Expands First-Time Home Buyer Savings Plan
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia House of Delegates has overwhelmingly approved House Bill 183, a measure designed to enhance the state’s First-Time Home Buyer Savings Plan by expanding eligible properties and doubling contribution limits, signaling strong legislative momentum toward bolstering individual pathways to homeownership. Introduced by Delegate David Reid on January 14, 2026, after being
- Dan Helmer House Bill 184 All-Payer Claims Database Evaluation Passes Senate
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Senate gave unanimous approval to House Bill 184 on March 4, 2026, passing the measure with a 40-0 block vote after adopting a substitute from the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. The legislation directs the Virginia Department of Health, in consultation with Virginia Health Information, to conduct a comprehensive evaluation
- Robert Bloxom House Bill 52 on Beneficial Reuse of Dredged Material Passes Assembly
RICHMOND — In a unanimous display of bipartisan cooperation, the Virginia General Assembly passed House Bill 52 on March 10, 2026, establishing a statewide policy to prioritize the beneficial use of dredged material from waterways. Sponsored by Delegate Robert Bloxom Jr., the mea
- As sports betting surges, Virginia weighs how to curb gambling harms
State Sen. Mike Jones, D-Richmond, left, and Dr.
- Paul Krizek House Bill 32 Strengthening Problem Gambling Advisory Committee Passes
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia General Assembly has given final approval to House Bill 32, a measure aimed at enhancing the state’s response to problem gambling by expanding the membership of the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee.
- Joshua Cole House Bill 34 Sexual Offense Response Program for State Military Clears Assembly
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia General Assembly has given final approval to legislation aimed at bolstering support for victims of sexual offenses within the state’s military forces.