Virginia General Assembly

From paid leave to gun legislation, here’s what changes in Virginia on July 1

Published June 29, 2026 at 4:45PM

Del. Adele McClure, D-2, at 2026 Juneteenth celebration (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

More than 1,100 bills have come out of the latest General Assembly session, and many take effect on July 1.

As Democrats gained a trifecta with the election of Gov. Abigail Spanberger and control of the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, legislators passed bills focused on immigration enforcement, gun control, housing and tenant protections, reproductive rights and more. Democrats also passed Virginia’s first-ever paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and child care assistance programs for workers.

News

Virginia legislators propose new tax on data centers’ power usage to break budget deadlock

By Emily Leayman

Published June 22, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated June 22, 2026 at 4:03PM

Virginia Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas speaks on the budget bill (HB 30) on June 22, 2026 (via Virginia Senate)

Democratic leaders in the Virginia General Assembly reached an agreement on a state budget with a compromise on taxing data centers.

The proposed budget agreement, announced last Friday evening, kept the sales and use tax exemption for data centers, which has divided lawmakers in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates. However, it adds a new data center electricity consumption tax, which would charge a rate of $0.011 per kilowatt hour based on the electricity a data center uses each month.

News

DOJ challenges Virginia laws restricting officer face coverings, ICE agreements

By Emily Leayman

Published June 17, 2026 at 9:15AM

Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (staff photo)

The Trump administration’s Justice Department is challenging several state laws passed by Virginia Democrats targeting the work of federal immigration enforcement officers.

The complaint, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia’s Richmond Division, challenges state laws that seek to ban federal law enforcement officers from wearing masks and restrict 287(g) agreements between federal immigration enforcement and state and local law enforcement agencies.

News

Del. McClure’s childcare assistance bill is signed, but funding questions persist

By Emily Leayman

Published May 28, 2026 at 2:45PM

Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs bills to create the Employee Child Care Assistance Program (via Office of Gov. Abigail Spanberger)

Legislation addressing the high cost of childcare in Virginia has received Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s signature — but it’s still unclear how much funding it will entail.

The governor held a ceremonial signing at a Richmond daycare yesterday (Wednesday) for Del. Adele McClure’s HB 18 and the Senate version (SB 3) by state Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-13). The pair of bills will create an Employee Child Care Assistance Program with matching funds to incentivize employers to provide contributions for their employees’ childcare costs.

Obituary

Longtime state delegate and circuit court judge James Almand dies at 77

By Scott McCaffrey

Published May 18, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated May 29, 2026 at 4:53AM

James Almand and family members at 2024 Optimist Club celebration (file photo by Scott McCaffrey)

James Almand, an Arlington native who served more than a quarter-century in the General Assembly and then nearly a decade on the circuit court, died May 14. He was 77.

“The totality of Jim Almand’s career as a legislator and judge is one of the greatest in Arlington’s history,” Clerk of the Circuit Court and former County Board member Paul Ferguson told ARLnow. “He was liked and respected by everyone who knew him.”

News

‘Make DC Square Again’ follows several doomed attempts to reunite Arlington and D.C.

By Scott McCaffrey

Published May 6, 2026 at 3:45PM

Map showing areas of D.C. and Virginia after retrocession vote of 1846 (via Library of Congress)

This reporting was supported by the ARLnow Press Club. Join to support in-depth local journalism — and get an exclusive early morning email with a preview of that day’s planned news coverage.

Arlington is set to reach a historic milestone in September — the 180th anniversary of its return from the District of Columbia to Virginia sovereignty.

News

Faith in Housing bill crosses finish line, clears path for church-based affordable housing

By Emily Leayman

Published April 30, 2026 at 9:15AM | Updated April 30, 2026 at 3:07PM

Central United Methodist Church and Unity Homes building in Ballston on April 30, 2026 (staff photo)

The “Yes in God’s Backyard” movement is celebrating after the Faith in Housing bill, supporting expedited church-based affordable housing development, has been signed into law.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed state Sen. Jeremy McPike (D-29)’s SB 388 and Del. Joshua Cole (D-65)’s HB 1279, which will eliminate the rezoning step for faith-based organizations and other tax-exempt nonprofits to develop affordable housing on their properties. The law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027 and will sunset on Jan. 1, 2031 unless reenacted by a future General Assembly.

News

Spanberger proposes final edits to immigration enforcement bill from Del. Lopez

By Emily Leayman

Published April 15, 2026 at 10:00AM

Del. Alfonso Lopez 2025 campaign kickoff (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

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.

News

Governor signs Arlington legislators’ bills on elections, eviction prevention, tourism districts

By Emily Leayman

Published April 10, 2026 at 1:45PM

Dels. Alfonso Lopez, Patrick Hope and Adele McClure (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

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.

News

Ranked-choice advocates see opportunity in potential elections scrambles after redistricting

By Scott McCaffrey

Published April 6, 2026 at 10:00AM

Arlington voter casts a ballot in the 2024 general election (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Backers of ranked-choice voting (RCV) believe this fall’s congressional races may bolster their case for changing the format of statewide elections.

If Virginia voters approve the congressional redistricting constitutional amendment on April 21, crowded ballots in many parts of the state could lead to future representatives being selected by an unusually small sliver of the overall electorate.

News

Package of YIMBY housing bills may widen options for redevelopment in Arlington

By Emily Leayman

Published March 25, 2026 at 3:45PM

An overhead view of Clarendon and the Metro station entrance (staff photo)

A variety of new pathways for redevelopment projects in Arlington and around Virginia are poised to open up following the passage of numerous housing-related bills.

On the way to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) are bills that would allow localities to make an administrative approval process for affordable housing and eliminate rezoning requirements for churches that develop affordable housing on their properties.

News

Assault weapons ban and other gun control bills head to Gov. Spanberger

By Emily Leayman

Published March 13, 2026 at 9:15AM

Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (staff photo)

Legislation to ban the sale of assault-style weapons is among a raft of gun control bills heading to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) as the Virginia General Assembly session ends tomorrow (Saturday).

Many of the firearm-related bills advanced by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly aren’t new, but faced vetoes from former Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R). They’re expected to fare differently under Spanberger, who has indicated support for legislation such as ghost gun bans, more restrictions on gun access for people convicted of domestic violence crimes, and strengthened red flag laws.