Today marks the start of the state government’s new fiscal year, and brings into effect numerous new laws that won approval during the 2025 General Assembly session.
State legislators introduced just under 2,000 measures during the 2025 session. A total of 727 were enacted into law, according to state data.
Among them are these, compiled from the state government’s Division of Legislative Services and other sources:
SB854 (media protection for minors): Requires that any social-media app must now provide age verification for accounts and, for any account holder under 16, limit use of the application to one hour, with a parental-consent option to override said limit.
HB1961/SB738 (student cellphone use): The law directs each school board to develop and each public elementary and secondary school to implement policies relating to the possession and use of cellphones and smart devices by students on school property from bell to bell, as defined in the law, with several exceptions.
HB2218/SB1356 (payment methods for rental housing): The law prohibits a landlord subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act from charging a tenant any fee for the collection or processing of any payment of rent, security deposit or any other fees, unless the landlord offers an alternative method of payment that does not include additional fees.
HB2783 (Nazi symbols): The law creates a Class 6 felony for any person who, with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, places a Hakenkreuz, hooked cross, or Nazi symbol or emblem, sometimes referred to as the Nazi swastika, on the private property of another without permission. The law also makes it a Class 6 felony if such Nazi symbol or emblem is placed on a highway or other public place in a manner to place another person in reasonable fear or apprehension of death or bodily injury. The law also clarifies that such symbols are distinct from the sacred swastika word and symbol of peace and prosperity used by Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism or Native American religions.
HB2774/SB1240 (reporting student overdoses): The law requires public-school principals and heads of private schools to report certain information to the parents of enrolled students within 24 hours of a confirmed or suspected school-connected student overdose.
HB2475 (safety-belt usage): The law requires all adult passengers in a motor vehicle equipped with a safety-belt system to wear safety belts when the motor vehicle is in motion on a public highway. The previous law required adult passengers to wear such safety belts only when occupying the front seat.
HB2493 (gaming and fantasy contests): The law increases from 18 years of age to 21 years of age the minimum age an individual must be to participate in fantasy contests.
SB986 (assault on sports official): Makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor for a person to commit a battery against another, knowing or having reason to know that such individual is a sports official, for an entity sponsoring an interscholastic or intercollegiate sports event or any person performing services as a sports official for a public entity or a private, nonprofit organization that sponsors an amateur sports event. The law applies to officials who are engaged in their duties or preparing for or concluding those duties.
SB805 (determination of child support): The law updates the amounts in the schedule of basic child-support obligations based upon gross monthly income and calculates such obligations for specific amounts up to a gross monthly income of $42,500. Under current law, such child support obligations are calculated up to a gross monthly income of $35,000.
HB2692 (interrogation of minors by law enforcement): The law prohibits law-enforcement officers from knowingly and intentionally making false statements about any known material fact, including by use of inauthentic replica documents, prior to or during a custodial interrogation of a child to secure the cooperation, confession or conviction of such child. Any statements made by such child in such a case will be inadmissible in any future proceedings, with limited exceptions.
HB2657/SB746 (involuntary manslaughter for certain drug offenses): The law provides that any person who manufactures, sells or distributes a controlled substance knowing that such controlled substance contains a detectable amount of fentanyl, including its derivatives, isomers, esters, ethers, salts and salts of isomers, and unintentionally causes the death of another person can be charged with involuntary manslaughter.
SB1416 (stopping for pedestrians): The law makes it a traffic infraction if a driver operating a motor vehicle fails to stop for pedestrians, and makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor if such traffic infraction results in the serious bodily injury or death of a vulnerable road user lawfully crossing a highway.
HB/2515/SB1212 (fee transparency): This law prohibits a seller from advertising or displaying a price for goods or services without “clearly and conspicuously” displaying the total price, which shall include all mandatory fees or surcharges.
HB1867/SB1043 (residential lease renewals): The law amends the Virginia Residential Tenant and Landlord Act to provide that a landlord who owns more than four rental dwelling units or more than a 10% interest in more than four rental dwelling units, whether individually or through a business entity, in the commonwealth is required to provide written notice of nonrenewal to any tenant.
HB2116 (driver’s licenses for people with disabilities): The law adds non-apparent disabilities to the list of conditions that the Department of Motor Vehicles, when requested by an applicant and upon presentation of a signed statement by a licensed physician, is required to indicate on such applicant’s driver’s license. The requirement is also extended to DMV-issued identification cards.
HB1715/SB939 (mail theft): The law creates a state criminal offense of mail theft, punishable as a Class 6 felony, for an array of matters related to mail theft and acceptance of stolen mail.
SB754 (consumer protection, reproductive/sexual health): The measure amends the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to prohibit obtaining, disclosing, selling or disseminating personally identifiable reproductive or sexual health information in most cases.
SB1371 (fees for gift certificates): The law prohibits the imposition of a dormancy fee, an inactivity charge or fee, or a service fee with respect to a gift certificate, unless certain requirements of the law are met.
HB1722/HB2721 (specialty license plates): One law adds a specialty license plate with the legend “Lupus Awareness” for supporters of the Social Butterflies Foundation. The second law updates where funding for specialty license plates supporting the Washington Commanders will be deposited, and allows those with Washington Redskins specialty plates to continue to use them.
