A bill from Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3) seeking to limit law enforcement collaboration with federal immigration enforcement has received minor adjustments from Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
Lopez’s HB 1441, and companion bill SB 783, ban state and local law enforcement agreements with federal immigration enforcement and limit when state and local law enforcement can cooperate.
Numerous pieces of legislation from Arlington lawmakers are officially set to become law following final approval from Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).
Among the approximately 1,200 bills passed out of the 2026 session, legislation on elections, eviction prevention, tourism improvement districts and the minimum wage all came by way of state senators and delegates representing Arlington. Most signed bills will take effect on July 1, 2026, unless otherwise specified.
Arlington’s five-member legislative delegation heads into the General Assembly’s home stretch with a large number of its bills still alive.
Among the most successful was Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3), who got 21 pieces of legislation through the House of Delegates before crossover, the period when bills move to the opposite house for consideration.
Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3) is proposing several pieces of legislation to place restrictions on federal immigration enforcement in Virginia, including at sensitive locations like schools and polling places.
One bill introduced by Lopez would prohibit federal immigration enforcement within 40 feet of polling places, as well as near local electoral board locations to certify or recount election results. Activities like loitering and handing political materials are already restricted within 40 feet of polling places, but immigration enforcement is not explicitly mentioned under current Virginia law.
Funding for Medicaid in Virginia and affordable housing on church-owned property were among Arlington residents’ priorities for state lawmakers at a meeting last week.
The pre-legislative meeting with Sens. Barbara Favola and Adam Ebbin, and Dels. Patrick Hope, Alfonso Lopez and Adele McClure, came ahead of the Virginia General Assembly session scheduled to begin on Jan. 14. Other topics of discussion ranged from expanding ranked-choice voting to an age verification law for pornography sites.
Arlington’s state delegates aim to use a stronger majority and a new Democratic governor to push through legislation that had previously stalled.
Dels. Patrick Hope (D-1), Adele McClure (D-2) and Alfonso Lopez (D-3) all plan to return to past legislative priorities, resubmitting some bills and advancing new ones.
Arlington Democrats celebrated big wins at both the local and state level yesterday (Tuesday), connecting voters’ decisions to the Trump administration’s impacts on Virginia.
In speeches before a jubilant crowd at Fire Works Pizza in Courthouse, several victors in Arlington’s blue sweep lifted up the success of gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger and other Democrats in statewide races on Election Day.
Takis Karantonis will get another term on the Arlington County Board.
The Democratic incumbent decisively defeated his divided competition in the County Board race, which was conducted via ranked choice voting.
As election results roll in tonight, ARLnow will be tracking the outcome of races affecting Arlington and Virginia as a whole.
Three of the highest offices in Virginia are on the ballot this year, as are three seats representing Arlington in the House of Delegates.
Election Day is off to a smooth start in Arlington, with about 8% voter turnout as of 9 a.m. following strong in-person early voting.
About 32,000 Arlington voters cast early in-person ballots this year, compared to 27,800 during the last gubernatorial election. However, mail-in ballots are down compared to 2021, a pandemic year: around 9,800 were cast this year compared to 14,800 in 2021.
There’s only one candidate running unopposed in Arlington this fall. But that doesn’t mean Del. Alfonso Lopez is taking election season off.
Lopez (D-3) is raising funds and rallying the troops in hopes Democrats will be “picking up tons of seats” in the House of Delegates.
Arlington’s congressman and several state legislators are hosting a town hall at Central Library later this month.
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, state Sen. Barbara Favola and Dels. Adele McClure and Alfonso Lopez (all D) will participate in the program, to be held on April 29 at 6 p.m. in the Barbara Donnellan Auditorium (1015 N. Quincy Street).
