General Assembly “Hot Topic” Bills as of the End of the 2026 Virginia Legislative Session
The 2026 General Assembly session adjourned sine die (meaning with no appointed day for resumption) on Saturday, March 14th, 2026. This was the 407th session of the Virginia General Assembly – one of the longest continuously operating democratic legislative bodies in the world.
After major Democratic gains in the House of Delegates and with brand-new Democratic leadership in the state’s executive branch after the 2025 November elections, the 2026 legislative session brought a whole new level of discourse within the Virginia General Assembly – shifting the dialogue entirely.
The 2026 legislative session was a 60-day “long session,” with the House introducing 1,530 bills and the Senate introducing 836 bills. This session saw an intense focus on Democratic-led priorities including constitutional amendments legalizing same-sex marriage, reproductive rights, and automatic voting rights restoration for felons. Other hot topics like gun control or collective bargaining, once extremely hard issues to grapple with, were now impossible topics to ignore. Out of the 2,366 bills introduced, a whopping 1,156 bills passed both chambers and made it to the Governor’s desk. The Governor then had until April 13th to sign, amend, or veto all legislation.
The General Assembly reconvened on April 22nd to address all vetoes and amendments offered by the Governor. Any bills that saw the Governor’s amendments rejected will now go back to the Governor, who has until May 22nd to sign or veto the bills. No further amendments may be offered.
While the General Assembly has technically wrapped up the 2026 session, they did so without a new 2-year state budget. As such, legislators have convened a special session and will continue to work on the budget in the coming months, focusing their efforts on trying address the needs of affordability, the costs of everyday living, and the safety of all Virginians.
Your Williams Mullen Government Relations Group selected 92 issues that they believe were important this year. Obviously, there are hundreds more bills that are not listed or discussed below. Please note that these descriptions are merely summaries, and thus, by definition, they leave out details. If you want to look at the full language of these bills, each bill number is hyperlinked.
To view bills not listed below, click here to visit the Virginia Legislative Information System, where you can access the bill summaries, full bill text and amendments, and legislative history.
Artificial Intelligence:
HB 797 (Del. Cliff Hayes) / SB 384 (Sen. Angelia Williams Graves) SIGNED INTO LAW
Joint Commission on Technology and Science; artificial intelligence; independent verification organizations.
Requires the Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS) to evaluate the credibility of developing frameworks for persons or entities seeking to function as an independent verification organization assessing AI models or applications for the purposes of preventing personal injury and property damage. Per the language of this bill, JCOTS is required to report its findings with recommendations to the General Assembly by November 1st, 2026.
HB 1186 (Del. Sam Rasoul) / SB 394 (Sen. Stella Pekarsky) SIGNED INTO LAW
Department of Education; artificial intelligence system use in instructional settings; development of AIS safety guidance required; AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program established; report.
Requires school divisions and their stakeholders to gather relevant information on artificial intelligence systems (AIS) and to use such findings to offer guidance for appropriate use of AIS in instructional learning environments for elementary and secondary schools. This legislation also establishes the AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program, which will provide funding and support to school divisions in adopting AIS applications.
HB 1294 (Del. Nadarius Clark) FAILED
Use of artificial intelligence-based tools; covered artificial intelligence; disclosure of use.
Requires law enforcement to disclose any use of covered artificial intelligence in criminal investigations, including documenting it in police reports shared with prosecutors and the accused, with additional disclosures required within 30 days for post-arrest use. It mandates detailed recordkeeping, including retaining AI-generated drafts and enforces proper auditing measures that show who used the technology, what changes were made, and any media sources involved. The Attorney General and/or residents may bring civil actions to enforce compliance, provided that prior notice is given to allow the agency an opportunity to correct violations.
SB 365 (Sen. Stella Pekarsky) FAILED
Fostering Access, Innovation, and Responsibility in Artificial Intelligence Act established.
Establishes the Fostering Access, Innovation, and Responsibility in Artificial Intelligence Act (FAIR AI Act). This bill requires the developers of AI models to ‘clearly and conspicuously disclose’ certain and specific elements related to their AI system, the terms governing the model, and for these contents to be within reasonable access to its users. For the purposes of enforcing AI misuse, bias, and workforce disruptions, the FAIR AI Act seeks to protect AI developers who have been subjected to criminal and civil allegations claiming harm by a plaintiff.
Cannabis:
HB 75 (Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra) / SB 332 (Sen. Barbara Favola) SIGNED INTO LAW
Medical cannabis; administration to terminally ill patients; report.
Allows for hospital staff to store, dispense, and administer cannabis oil to patients with valid certificates, and directs the Department of Health to enforce such regulations, exempting such staff from penalties for possessing cannabis oil. The Department, as outlined in the bill, is required to assemble a work group focused on discussing the process to implement the distribution of cannabis products to patients in their respective medical facilities.
HB 391 (Del. Alex Askew) SIGNED INTO LAW
Medical cannabis program; product labels, delivery.
Updates medical cannabis labeling requirements to include more detailed information on THC and CBD content. It also permits delivery of cannabis products to patients or authorized individuals at residences or businesses, while prohibiting delivery to certain locations like schools, military bases, correctional facilities, the State Capitol, and large public events. It also enforces compliance standards for delivery personnel, allowing regulatory authorities to suspend or revoke delivery privileges for violations.
HB 642 (Del. Paul Krizek) / SB 542 (Sen. Lashrecse Aird) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Cannabis control; establishes framework for creation of retail marijuana market, penalties, report.
Creates a framework for establishing a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth and is to be overseen by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. It prohibits retail sales before January 1, 2027, and transfers oversight of certain regulated hemp product sales from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority beginning on January 1st, 2027.
Civil Procedure:
HB 449 (Del. Marcus Simon) / SB 229 (Sen. Scott Surovell) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Civil actions filed on behalf of multiple persons; class actions; violations of Virginia Consumer Protection Act; award of damages.
Permits one or more members of a class, providing that they are representatives on behalf of all members of the class, to bring civil action or may be proceeded against in a civil action, provided that the consolidation of all members’ class actions is impracticable; the questions brought on by the action are all common in fact and law to the class; the claims or defenses of the representatives reflect those of the class; and that the interest of the class are protected by their respective representatives. Additionally, this bill highlights how to set out the procedure to certify a class action, applies the procedure by which an individual may be awarded damages, and permits the Court of Appeals to allow an order certifying a class in accordance with the provisions of the bills.
Data Centers:
HB 153 (Del. Josh Thomas) / SB 94 (Sen. Danica Roem) SIGNED INTO LAW
Siting of data centers; site assessment; high energy use facilities.
Requires applicants proposing new high energy use facilities (data centers) to submit a site assessment before local approval, focusing on noise impacts on nearby homes and schools within 500 feet. Localities may also require evaluation of environmental and land-use effects, including water, agriculture, parks, historic sites, and forests. Existing approved facilities are exempt if expansions stay under 100 megawatts, and the bill preserves current local zoning authority.
HB 323 (Del. Rip Sullivan) SIGNED INTO LAW
Data centers; Department of Energy shall lead efforts to accelerate use of waste heat, report.
Directs Virginia Energy to lead efforts to accelerate the use of waste heat from data centers, which shall include identifying opportunities for beneficial use of waste heat from data centers; determining ways to appropriately facilitate communication and information sharing between existing and proposed data centers and potential public and private heat users; evaluating best practices and policies for using waste heat implemented in other localities, states, or countries; and developing recommendations and assessing potential costs. Virginia Energy shall also convene a workgroup to provide expertise, assistance, and feedback on these efforts.
HB 369 (Del. David Reid) / SB 598 (Sen. Creigh Deeds) SIGNED INTO LAW
Electric utilities; renewable portfolio standard program, zero-carbon electricity, etc.
Permits accelerated clean energy buyers to contract with utilities to obtain capacity, energy, or RECs that include qualifying solar, wind, energy storage, or zero-carbon resources, including nuclear or fusion resources.
HB 496 (Del. Elizabeth Guzman) / SB 553 (Sen. Kannan Srinivasan) SIGNED INTO LAW
Certain data from water users; water use consumption for domestic, etc., purposes, data centers.
Requires certain water suppliers to report monthly data on the volume of potable and reclaimed water they provide, including specific reporting for data centers with air permits. To the extent feasible without system changes, suppliers must also categorize water use into domestic, commercial/industrial, and other purposes.
HB 507 (Del. John McAuliff) SIGNED INTO LAW
Data centers; permit requirements, emission limits for certain engine-generator sets.
Beginning July 1, 2026, DEQ shall be prohibited from issuing an air permit for any application submitted for a data center unless the data center is equipped with Tier 4 equivalent (or better) generators.
HB 1191 (Del. Irene Shin) / SB 377 (Sen. Scott Surovell) SIGNED INTO LAW
Electric substation construction agreements; "electric cooperatives" or "cooperative", definitions.
Permits an electric cooperative to enter into an agreement to construct a substation with a member receiving regulated electric service, with an electric demand of at least 20 megawatts during the most recent calendar year, that requires a point of interconnection with a transmission line system of 230 kilovolts or more. The cooperative member shall transfer ownership of such substation to the cooperative for the cooperative to operate and maintain at the member's sole expense. Any costs of acquisition, operation, or maintenance shall be excluded from the cooperative's general and base rates and shall not be recovered from any other ratepayer.
HB 1393 (Del. LeVere Bolling) / SB 253 (Sen. Louise Lucas) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Electric utilities; pilot programs for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals.
The initial intent of HB 1393 and SB 253 was to establish an energy assistance and weatherization program for low-income utility customers across Virginia. As amended, however, this legislation also includes a requirement that the SCC, in Dominion’s next biennial rate case, take all measures to reasonably ensure that high load customers (including data centers) are paying their own costs and not being subsidized by other ratepayers.
HB 1487 (Del. J.J. Singh) / SB 827 (Sen. Kannan Srinivasan) SIGNED INTO LAW
Underground transmission lines; pilot program, clarifies qualifying projects, report.
Authorizes the SCC to approve four pilot projects for underground transmission lines. A locality is required to pay at least 50% of the marginal costs of undergrounding a transmission line and may do so by allocating their own funds, issuing a general obligation bond, or imposing a levy on electric utility customers within a locality. If a levy is imposed, it shall have a $0.99 monthly cap on residential customers and shall be developed in coordination with the SCC.
Energy:
HB 2 (Former Del. Mark Sickles) / SB 72 (Sen. Kannan Srinivasan) SIGNED INTO LAW
Phase I and Phase II Utilities; energy efficiency upgrades; low-income residents; report.
Establishes a policy to reduce heating costs for low-income residents and requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power to make reasonable efforts to deliver energy efficiency upgrades to at least 30% of eligible households by the end of 2031, subject to regulatory approval. It also mandates annual reporting to the SCC starting in 2028 and requires the utilities to incorporate feedback from the task force addressing barriers to program access and enrollment.
HB 285 (Del. Dan Helmer) / SB 223 (Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg) SIGNED INTO LAW
Distributed Energy Resources Task Force established; reports; sunset.
Establishes the Distributed Energy Resources Task Force within the executive branch to develop a strategy for advancing integrated distributed energy resource markets and supporting regulatory compliance. It outlines the Task Force’s membership, powers, and reporting duties to state and federal entities, with a sunset date of July 1, 2027.
HB 397 (Del. Charniele Herring) / SB 802 (Sen. Mamie Locke) SIGNED INTO LAW
Clean energy and community flood preparedness; market-based trading program.
Directs the Department of Environmental Quality and the State Air Pollution Control Board to establish and maintain a market-based trading program consistent with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) program, to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generating units in the Commonwealth.
HB 434 (Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling) / SB 621 (Sen. Kannan Srinivasan) SIGNED INTO LAW
Electric utilities; electric grid utilization metrics; State Corporation Commission.
Requires Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to petition the SCC by October 15, 2026, for approval of electric grid utilization metrics, including assessments comparing current performance to optimal use of existing grid assets. It also directs the Commission to report annually on these metrics, including each utility’s potential to improve grid utilization through non-wires alternatives.
HB 628 (Del. Katrina Callsen) / SB 175 (Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg) SIGNED INTO LAW
Electric utilities; amends renewable energy portfolio standard program requirements, etc.
Expands the annual percentage requirement for Dominion Energy’s RPS program for behind-the-meter solar, wind, or anaerobic digestion recourses located in Virginia to 4.5% for 2026 through 2030 and 5% for 2031 through 2045. Declares that of the 16,100MW of solar and wind in the public interest, at least 1,000MW shall be placed on previously disturbed sites and 1,100MW shall come from solar generation from projects no larger than 3MW. Finally, this bill establishes that beginning in 2027, at least 75% of all RECs used by Dominion shall come from eligible resources located in Virginia.
HB 711 (Del. Charniele Herring) / SB 347 (Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg) SIGNED INTO LAW
Local regulation of solar facilities; special exceptions.
Sets standardized criteria for local review of ground-mounted solar projects on certain zoned lands, including requirements for setbacks, fencing, height, visual impacts, grading, and decommissioning plans unless the use is already permitted by right. It also requires localities to report special exception decisions to the SCC, who must maintain a public, searchable database with decisions and reasons for denials. The provisions apply to projects of at least 1MW.
HB 807 (Del. Rip Sullivan) / SB 254 (Sen. Scott Surovell) SIGNED INTO LAW
Electric utilities; shared solar programs, Phase II Utility.
Authorizes an additional 525MW of capacity by July 1, 2026 for the shared solar program in Dominion Energy’s service territory. After the release of this capacity, the SCC shall have discretion to determine whether or when future program expansions are needed.
HB 809 (Del. Rip Sullivan) / SB 255 (Sen. Scott Surovell) SIGNED INTO LAW
Electric utilities; shared solar programs, Phase I Utility.
Authorizes an additional 50MW of capacity by July 1, 2026 and another 50MW of capacity by January 1, 2028 for the shared solar program in Appalachian Power’s service territory. After the release of this capacity, the SCC shall have discretion to determine future changes to the program. This legislation also requires net crediting functionality.
HB 891 (Del. Irene Shin) / SB 443 (Sen. Jeremy McPike) SIGNED INTO LAW
Siting of battery energy storage projects; commercial solar photovoltaic generation facilities; permitted accessory use.
Allows battery energy storage projects to be built as permitted accessory use on parcels of land already approved for commercial solar facilities, without requiring additional local land use approvals. Such facilities shall have a rated storage capacity that does not exceed 100% of the nameplate generating capacity of the associated solar facility.
HB 895 (Del. Rip Sullivan) / SB 448 (Sen. Lamont Bagby) SIGNED INTO LAW
Electric utilities; energy storage resources; Department of Energy to develop model ordinances; State Corporation Commission to conduct technology demonstration program.
Significantly expands energy storage targets for each of Virginia’s incumbent utilities:
- Dominion Energy:
- 16,000MW of short-duration energy storage capacity by December 31, 2045.
- 4,000MW of long-duration energy storage capacity by December 31, 2045.
- Appalachian Power:
- 780MW of short-duration energy storage capacity by December 31, 2040.
- 520MW of long-duration energy storage capacity by December 31, 2045.
This legislation also directs the SCC to initiate a technical conference no later than September 1, 2026, to evaluate nationwide safety standards and practices around short-duration energy storage development. Furthermore, Virginia Energy is directed to develop model local ordinances for energy storage projects by December 1, 2026.
HB 1065 (Del. Phil Hernandez) / SB 508 (Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg) SIGNED INTO LAW
Electric utilities; comprehensive assessments, surplus interconnection service.
Directs Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to undertake comprehensive assessments of available interconnection capacity at each utility’s existing and planned generation facilities and report back to the SCC by January 1, 2027. Each utility shall establish a pilot program for solar and storage resources to be developed to use surplus interconnection.
Gaming & Casinos:
HB161 (Del. Marcus Simon), SB 118 (Sen. Mamie Locke) FAILED
Virginia internet gaming authorized.
Authorizes internet gaming in the Commonwealth (e.g. playing casino games on a mobile phone or computer) to be regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board. The tax rate was set at 20% of an internet gaming operator's adjusted gross internet gaming revenue.
HB 271 (Del. Paul Krizek) FAILED
Virginia Gaming Commission established; penalties.
Establishes the Virginia Gaming Commission as an independent agency, excluding the legislative, executive, or judicial branches of government from oversight and regulations, making them the sole entity overseeing all legal gambling within the Commonwealth – except for the state lottery.
SB 661 (Sen Aaron Rouse) VETOED
Regulation and taxation of electronic skill gaming devices; penalties.
Presently, the games that look like slot machines that you see in convenience stores and gas stations are illegal. But there is little to no enforcement. This bill authorizes up to 25,000 machines in Virginia and establishes a 25% tax on the receipts. The bill requires that these games not be entirely a game of chance (e.g. slot machine) but rather a “skill game” that allows an average player to “learn to score and win effectively on the game.”
SB 756 (Sen. Scott Surovell) VETOED
Casino gaming; eligible host localities.
Adds Fairfax County to the list of localities eligible to host a casino in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This bill also specifies the criteria for casino development: it must be located within a quarter mile of an existing Metro Silver Line station, encompass at least 1.5 million square feet, lie within two miles of a regionally enclosed mall with no less than 1.5 million square feet of gross building area, and be outside the Interstate 495 Beltway.
Healthcare:
HB 257 (Del. Shelly Simonds) SIGNED INTO LAW
Comprehensive plan; social determinants of health.
Provides that localities may leverage relevant and available data and research on social determinants of health to evaluate how specific adopted comprehensive plans may affect overall public health outcomes and access to health care services.
HB 483 (Del. Karrie Delaney) / SB 271 (Sen. Creigh Deeds) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Prescription Drug Affordability Board; established.
Establishes the Drug Affordability Advisory Panel. The bill aims for the Panel to analyze data, recommend policies, and address barriers to improving drug affordability, transparency, and data collection. The Panel must issue annual reports with policy recommendations and quarterly updates on pricing trends, while pharmacy benefits managers must provide relevant data upon request. It also prohibits manufacturers and distributors from charging more than the federally established maximum fair price for certain drugs. Violations can result in significant civil penalties, including fines for overpricing or for removing drugs from the market to avoid price limits without proper notice.
HB 627 (Del. Charniele Herring) / SB 128 (Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Covenants not to compete; health care professionals; civil penalty.
Prohibits employers from entering into, enforcing, or threatening non-compete agreements with health care professionals, including those licensed by various state health boards. It defines these covered professionals broadly across multiple disciplines such as medicine, nursing, and psychology. Employers who violate this prohibition face a civil penalty of $10,000 per violation.
HB 1347 (Del. Laura Jane Cohen) / SB 379 (Boysko) SIGNED INTO LAW
Psilocybin; Board of Pharmacy to reschedule upon federal scheduling changes.
Directs the Virginia Board of Pharmacy to reschedule psilocybin consistent with federal scheduling upon approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of a formulation of psilocybin designed to be administered by a health care professional in a health care setting.
SB 536 (Sen. Mark Obenshain) SIGNED INTO LAW
Medical malpractice information disclosures; report.
Requires medical malpractice insurers in the Commonwealth to report annual data on premiums, claims activity, payouts, litigation costs, and financial condition. It also mandates that hospitals and health systems with self-insurance or similar risk arrangements disclose details about covered providers, claims activity, and malpractice-related expenditures. Additionally, all such entities must report jury verdicts that exceed the legal cap on malpractice damages. These reports must be submitted annually to specified legislative committee leaders, starting with a September 1, 2026 deadline for 2025 data and March 31 each year thereafter.
HJ 1 (Del. Charniele Herring) / SJ1 (Sen. Jennifer Boysko) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Constitutional amendment (second reference); fundamental right to reproductive freedom.
The second consecutive passage of this bill fulfills the constitutional requirement that a bill be passed twice with an intervening election to allow Virginians to vote to support or reject a potential change to the state constitution. With the passage of this bill, in November of 2026, voters will be able to decide if the state constitution should be amended to establish a fundamental right to reproductive freedom and constitutional language that will prohibit the state from restricting access to reproductive freedom unless there is a compelling interest pursued through the least restrictive means. This constitutional amendment’s language allows regulation of abortion in the third trimester but forbids bans when a physician determines the procedure necessary to protect the patient’s life or physical or mental health, or when the fetus is not viable.
Labor:
HB 1 (Del. Jeion Ward) / SB 1 (Sen. Louise Lucas) SIGNED INTO LAW
Minimum wage.
Incrementally raises the state minimum wage to $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2028. Beginning January 1, 2029, and each year thereafter, the minimum wage shall be automatically adjusted based on changes in the consumer price index to keep pace with inflation.
HB 5 (Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler) / SB 199 (Sen. Barbara Favola) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Employment; paid sick leave; civil penalties; civil actions.
Requires employers, including private businesses and state and local governments, to provide paid sick leave accruing at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, with some exceptions. Employees can use this leave for personal or family health needs, as well as for situations involving domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, and they retain accrued leave when changing roles or employers.
HB 238 (Del. Alfonso Lopez) SIGNED INTO LAW
Labor and employment; payment of wages; minimum wage and overtime wages; misclassification of workers; prevailing wage rate; civil actions.
Provides that an employer is subject to civil actions if they violate provisions relating to minimum wages, overtime wages, misclassifying employees, or prevailing wage rates. Removes the requirement that a general contractor should have known about alleged wage theft as grounds for an employee to successfully bring civil action. This legislation also removes the provision which allows any contractor to seek a written certification from its subcontractor affirming compliance with the law. Finally, this bill stipulates that the Attorney General, upon referral from the Commissioner of Labor, may bring civil action for restitution or for injunctive, compensatory, or other authorized relief for any affected employees or for public interest.
HB 1207 (Del. Brianna Sewell) / SB 2 (Sen. Jennifer Boysko) SIGNED INTO LAW
Paid family & med. leave insurance program; definitions, notice requirements, civil action, report.
Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning April 1, 2028. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. Funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to employers and employees beginning April 1, 2028.
HB 1263 (Del. Kathy Tran) / SB 378 (Sen. Scott Surovell) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Collective bargaining by public employees; individual home care providers; Virginia Home Care Council established; Public Relations Board established; exclusive bargaining representatives.
Repeals the ban on collective bargaining for public employees and establishes the Public Employee Relations Board to oversee bargaining units and certify exclusive employee representatives. It requires public employers and these representatives to negotiate in good faith over wages, hours, and working conditions, and creates the Virginia Home Care Council to act as the employer for certain home care providers in collective bargaining. The measure also directs the development of implementing regulations by July 1, 2028, with limits on organizing activity until those rules are in place.
Procurement:
HB 61 (Del. Jeion Ward) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Small SWaM Business Procurement Enhancement Program; established, report.
Codifies significant statewide goals for small SWaM business utilization discretionary spending by executive branch agencies and covered institutions in procurement orders, prime contracts, and subcontracts, as well as a target goal for subcontracting. This bill further provides for a small SWaM business set-aside for executive branch agency and covered institution purchases of goods, services, and construction, requiring that purchases up to $200,000 be set aside for award to certified small SWaM businesses. For purchases over $200,000, executive branch agencies shall require each bidder or offeror to include a SWaM business subcontracting plan detailing intended subcontractor participation of such businesses whenever the prime contractor will rely on subcontractors to meet these goals. Failure to meet these goals in good faith will result in the prime contractor being barred from being awarded a contract or renewal of an existing contract for a period of up to one year.
HB 569 (Del. Michael Feggans) / SB 518 (Sen. Aaron Rouse) SIGNED INTO LAW
Public works contracts; prevailing wage rate, definitions, civil penalty.
Provides that when procuring services or construction contracts with a value greater than $5 million, a rate no lower than the prevailing wage must be paid to any mechanic, laborer, or worker employed, retained, or otherwise hired. If a contractor violates this, they shall be (i) liable to such individuals for the payment of all wages due, plus interest at an annual rate of 8% (accruing from the date the wages were due) and (ii) be disqualified from bidding on future public contracts until full restitution has been made. This legislation also directs the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to convene a workgroup to examine and establish a potential timeline for a certified payroll reporting portal and database for use by employers to submit the payroll records.
HB 1046 (Del. Betsy Carr) / SB 324 (Sen. Jeremy McPike) SIGNED INTO LAW
Virginia Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements.
Require contractors and subcontractors on public works contracts to demonstrate completion of OSHA safety training programs and to have no more than one labor law violation in the previous three years involving a judgment, administrative determination, arbitration award, or settlement greater than $25,000. For state projects exceeding $5 million, contractors may not use more than one independent contractor without prior written authorization from the state and must demonstrate a good-faith effort to hire employees and that the work is specialized. For local public projects greater than $5 million, contractors must provide notice to the public body regarding the use of independent contractors. Contractors must also provide written notice to the independent contractors regarding their classification and obligations. The bill becomes effective July 1, 2027. It also directs the Secretary of Labor to conduct a study on the feasibility of requiring apprentices on public works contracts and report to the General Assembly by November 1, 2027.
Local Government & Zoning:
HB 256 (Del. Shelly Simonds) / SB 425 (Sen. Lamont Bagby) SIGNED INTO LAW
Comprehensive plan; environmental justice strategy.
Beginning July 1, 2026, cities with populations over 20,000 and counties over 100,000 must consider adopting an environmental justice strategy during their next and subsequent comprehensive plan reviews. The strategy requires identifying environmental justice and fence-line communities, establishing baseline environmental and health conditions, and developing objectives and policies to reduce health risks, enhance civic engagement, and prioritize programs that address disproportionate impacts in those communities.
Marriage Equity:
HJ 3 (Former Del. Mark Sickles) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Constitutional amendment (second reference); marriage between two adult persons; repeal of same-sex marriage prohibition; affirmative right to marry.
Repeals the constitutional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman and removes outdated provisions invalidated by Obergefell v. Hodges. It establishes a right for any two adult persons to marry and prohibits the state from denying marriage licenses based on sex, gender, or race. The amendment also requires equal recognition and treatment of all lawful marriages under the law.
Transit & Transportation:
HB 330 (Del. Adele McClure) SIGNED INTO LAW
Signs & advertisements adjacent to certain highways; signs affixed to real property owned by WMATA.
Permits outdoor advertising on property that is owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (parking garages), provided that such signs comply with any applicable federal requirements.
HB 564 (Del. David Reid) / SB 583 (Sen. Saddam Salim) SIGNED INTO LAW
Bus obstruction monitoring systems; parking, stopping, and standing enforcement.
Allows localities to authorize the use of bus obstruction monitoring systems by a public transit agency operating within the locality for the purpose of enforcing local ordinances related to parking, stopping, or standing in bus stop zones or in lanes reserved for transit buses during posted times.
HB 900 (Del. Rip Sullivan) FAILED
Sales & use tax on taxable services & digital personal property; taxes levied in certain districts.
Reduces the general sales and use tax rate to 4% but expands it to include certain services and digital goods starting January 1, 2027. It also adds new regional taxes and fees in specific Northern Virginia transportation districts, including higher local sales taxes, a 20-cent retail delivery fee, and a regional highway use fee. The additional revenue is intended to support transportation funding.
HB 1179 (Del. Kathy Tran) FAILED / SB730 (Sen. Scott Surovell) FAILED
Funding for statewide mass transit and Metro
While these bills are not identical, they both attempt to fund statewide mass transit and Northern Virginia’s Metro. These bills make various changes to existing transportation funds, including the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund (to be funded in the budget), and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Capital Fund to be funded by new revenue sources in Northern Virginia. These funding sources include a regional sales and use tax for certain localities, a tax on transportation network companies, a tax on retail deliveries, and a tax on regional commercial parking. The bill also imposes a regional highway use fee on all vehicles in the Commonwealth that are subject to the existing highway use fee.
Tobacco:
HB 308 (Del. Patrick Hope) / SB 620 (Former Sen. Adam Ebbin) SIGNED INTO LAW
Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers; purchase, possession, and sale of retail tobacco products; penalties; report.
Creates a comprehensive regulatory and enforcement program aimed at narrowing the scope on which nicotine products are prohibited for sale in the Commonwealth. This bill requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcohol Beverage and Control Authority to authorize penalties for the sale of nicotine products to minors.
SB 789 (Sen. Bryce Reeves) FAILED
Liquid nicotine and nicotine vapor products; certification.
Extends the date in which every manufacturer of liquid nicotine or nicotine vapor products are required to certify to the Attorney General of their compliance with certain statutory requirements to July 1st, 2027.
HB 1449 (Del. Kimberly Pope Adams) FAILED
Local Tax Authority; nicotine vapor products.
Permits local governments to impose specific sales and use taxes on nicotine vapor products. This bill also requires certain organizations including the Department of Taxation to consult with such localities on the implementation and administration of the imposition of such taxes on nicotine vapor products.
Voting Rights:
HJ 2 (Sen. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker) PASSED; AWAITING GOVERNOR'S FINAL ACTION
Constitutional amendment (second reference); qualifications of voters and the right to vote; persons not entitled to vote.
Guarantees the fundamental right to vote for all qualified individuals and limits restrictions on those incarcerated for felony convictions or those deemed unable to understand voting. It restores voting rights automatically upon release from incarceration, removing the current requirement for gubernatorial or official restoration. It also clarifies that individuals judged incapable of voting lose that right only during the period of incapacity, until it is legally restored.
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