The General Assembly has now passed its midpoint, where each chamber is required to finish work on its own bills and send any that have passed to the other chamber. Here’s where some of the bills stand. You can look up all the bills before the legislature and their status here: https://lis.virginia.gov/home.
Agriculture
Lab animals
SB 907, by Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County
This bill would require that non-human primates be released to sanctuaries instead of being euthanized by testing facilities managed by the state after they’re no longer needed.
Status: Passed Senate 39-0.
Large-animal veterinarian grants
SB 921, by Sen. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell County
HB 2303, by Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington County
These bills would create a grant program to incentivize veterinarians to practice large-animal medicine, working on cows, sheep, goats and other farm animals. The profession is considered to be important for the food supply chain, yet large-animal veterinarians are in short supply.
Status: Unanimously passed the House and Senate. Both chambers included $450,000 in their budgets to fund the program.
Cannabis
Retail sales
HB 2485, by Del. Paul Krizek, D-Fairfax County
SB 970, by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach
Virginia is the only state that allows personal possession of cannabis (marijuana) but bans retail sales outside of medical dispensaries. These bills would legalize, and regulate, retail sales. A similar measure passed in 2024 but was vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has said he hasn’t changed his mind.
Status: Passed House 53-46, passed Senate 21-19.
Casinos
Fairfax County casino
SB 982, by Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax County
This bill would add Fairfax County to the list of localities eligible to have a casino, if approved in a local referendum. Virginia already has casinos in Bristol, Danville and Portsmouth with others on the way in Norfolk and Petersburg.
Status: Passed Senate 24-16.
Constitutional amendments
Abortion rights
HJ 1, by Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria
SJ 247, by Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax County
This measure would put the right to an abortion in the state constitution. To take effect, it would need to pass the legislature again in 2026, then go to a referendum.
Status: Passed House 51-48, passed Senate 21-19.
Civil rights restoration
HJ 2, by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria
SJ248, by Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton
This would automatically restore civil rights, including the right to vote, to convicted felons once they’ve served their time. Presently, felons must apply to the governor. To take effect, it would need to pass the legislature again in 2026, then go to a referendum.
Status: Passed House 55-44, passed Senate 21-18.
Right-to-work
HJ 492, by Del. Israel O’Quinn, R-Washington County
SJ 271, by Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham County
This proposed amendment would have enshrined the state’s “right-to-work” law in the state constitution, meaning that workers aren’t required to join a union or pay union dues even if there’s a union in the workplace. A similar amendment passed the legislature but was defeated in a referendum in 2016.
Status: Both killed in committee, 5-3 in the House, 8-7 in the Senate.
Same-sex marriage
HJ 19, by Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax County
SJ 249, by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria
The Virginia Constitution currently contains language banning same-sex marriages. That passage has been rendered moot by the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled such bans were unconstitutional; however, it would come back into force if the court ever changed its mind. This amendment would repeal that ban and add language to guarantee the right to same-sex marriages if the Supreme Court ever reverses itself. To take effect, it would need to pass the legislature again in 2026, then go to a referendum.
Status: Passed House 58-35 with two abstentions, passed Senate 24-15.
Data centers
Local zoning requirement
HB 2026, by Del. Josh Thomas, D-Prince William County
This bill would have required localities to review and amend zoning ordinances to designate data centers as industrial uses for zoning purposes, among other zoning requirements.
Status: Killed in subcommittee 8-0.
Local zoning requirement
SB 1045, by Sen. Danica Roem, D-Prince William County
This bill would have required local approval for a data center only on property zoned for industrial use.
Status: Killed in committee 10-5.
Site assessments
SB1449, by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria
This measure requires developers of data centers and other high-energy-use facilities to conduct site assessments examining sound profiles on residences and schools within 500 feet. It allows localities to require that the assessment examine potential effects on ground and surface water resources, agriculture resources, parks, registered historic sites and forest land on or around it.
Status: Passed in Senate 33-6 with one abstention.
Site assessments
HB 1601, by Del. Josh Thomas, D-Prince William County
This bill would require a site assessment before a new data center could be approved. Such assessments would examine what effect the noise would have on homes and schools within 500 feet of the proposed facility, as well as its effect on nearby water, agricultural resources, parks, historic sites or forestland.
Status: Passed House 57-40.
Customer classifications
HB 2084, by Del. Irene Shin, D-Fairfax County
This bill directs the State Corporation Commission to determine whether Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy have reasonably classified customers for rates, charges, schedules and other issues. Depending on its determination, the SCC could consider creating new customer classifications. [Disclosure: Dominion is one of our donors, but donors have no say in news decisions; see our policy.]
Status: Passed House 61-35.
Siting requirements
HB 1984, by Del. Ian Lovejoy, R-Manassas
This bill would have required that any local government land-use application required for the siting of a data center be approved only for areas that are one-quarter mile or more from federal, state or local parks, schools and property zoned or used for residential use. Similar bills have crossed over in both the House and Senate.
Status: Killed in subcommittee 8-0.
SCC approval
HB 2027, by Del. Josh Thomas, D-Prince William County
This bill would have required any facility whose electricity demand exceeds 25 megawatts to receive a certificate of operation for “high load” facility from the State Corporation Commission, with a study required by the SCC.
Status: Killed in subcommittee 10-0.
Sound mitigation
SB 1046, by Sen. Danica Roem, D-Prince William County
This bill would have required data center developers to incorporate sound mitigation methods and hold two public meetings for people living within a half-mile radius.
Status: Killed in committee 6-5 with four abstentions.
State clearinghouse on water and energy usage
HB 2035, by Del. Shelly Simonds, D-Newport News
SB 1353, by Sen. Kannan Srinivasan, D-Loudoun County
These two proposals would have required facilities with high consumption rates to submit quarterly reports to the Department of Environmental Quality, detailing energy and water use. Those reports would become part of a statewide clearinghouse.
Status: House bill killed in subcommittee 10-0. Senate bill killed in committee, no vote.
SCC determination of impact on ratepayers
HB 2101, by Del. Michelle Maldonado, D-Manassas
SB 960, by Sens. Russet Perry, D-Loudoun County, and Richard Stuart, R-Westmoreland County
Maldonado’s legislation would have directed an SCC finding on whether customers that are not data centers are unreasonably subsidizing costs of data centers. If the SCC were to find that is so, it would make rules to eliminate or minimize the discrepancies. Perry and Stuart proposed a similar bill on the Senate side.
Status: House bill killed in subcommittee 5-0. Passed Senate 26-13-1.
Water usage
HB 2377, by Del. Keith Hodges, R-Middlesex County
This bill focused on data center water usage within localities’ comprehensive plans. It would
have required prioritizing and evaluating alternative methods of cooling, including air cooling, geothermal cooling or other technology that minimizes water usage. Such methods should be “thoroughly considered” before data centers or other uses that require water for cooling are approved.
Status: Killed in subcommittee 8-0.
Water usage
SB 899, by Sen. Richard Stuart, R-Westmoreland County
This bill was intended to address water use estimates. It would have allowed zoning ordinances to require data center developers to submit estimates of their water use and authorized localities to consider water use in rezoning and special use permit requests from developers.
Status: Killed in Senate 26-13 with one abstention.
Retail sales and use tax exemption
HB 2578, by Sen. Rip Sullivan Jr., D-Fairfax County
The bill would have required operators to buy “a certain percentage” of their annual electric load from clean resources by July 2030, among other measures, to continue qualifying for sales tax relief.
Status: Killed in subcommittee 4-1.
Electrical demand response programs
SB 1047, by Sen. Danica Roem, D-Prince William County
One of several data center-related bills from Roem, this would require entities with an annual energy demand of at least 25 megawatts to work with large electric utilities to conserve or shift electricity use in response to demands on the power grid. The State Corporation Commission would approve the so-called demand response programs by the beginning of next year.
Status: Passed Senate 21-17.
Economic development
Film industry community zones
HB 2012, by Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg
This bill would allow localities to create film industry community zones, offering tax reductions, fee waivers and economic incentives to attract film-related businesses.
Status: Passed House 91-5.
Microporous incentive package
HB 2540, by Del. Danny Marshall, R-Danville
SB 1207, by Sen. Tammy Mulchi, R-Mecklenburg County
These bills would create a fund of roughly $60 million that would be paid out in multiple installments between 2026 and 2045 as part of the incentive package to lure the Microporous battery plant to Pittsylvania County.
Status: Passed House 90-6, passed Senate 40-0.
Tobacco Commission
HB1580, by Del. Jason Ballard, R-Giles County
This bill would have added localities in the New River Valley to the territory of the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission.
Status: Killed in committee 8-0.
Education
Elected school boards
SB 1404, by Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax County
The bill would have required all Virginia school boards to be elected. Twelve localities appoint all their school board members: Franklin city, Galax, Hanover County, Hopewell, Lynchburg, Manassas Park, Martinsville, Poquoson, Richmond County, Roanoke, Salem and Williamsburg.
Status: Killed in committee 7-6 with two abstentions.
Tuition costs and other data
HB 2045, by Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg
This bill requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to publish annual data on tuition costs, graduation rates and post-graduate wages for each higher education institution in a user-friendly, comparative format.
Status: Passed House 99-0.
Elections
Early voting period
SB 1072, by Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg
This bill would have shortened the period for early voting from 45 days to 14.
Status: Killed in committee 8-7
Photo ID
SB 1070, by Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg
HB 2434, by Del. Tim Griffin, R-Bedford County
These measures would have required voters to present photo identification.
Status: Killed in Senate committee 8-7, killed in House committee 5-3.
Ranked choice voting
SB 1009, by Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Fairfax County
This bill would allow localities to conduct ranked-choice voting for any local office.
Status: Passed Senate 21-19.
Voter roll purges
HB 1657, by Del. Rozia Henson, D-Prince William County
SB 813, by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach
These bills would ban changes to voter registration lists within 90 days of Election Day.
Status: Passed House 53-45, passed Senate 20-18.
Energy
Appalachian Power competition
SB 1281, by Sens. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell County, and Todd Pillion, R-Washington County
Localities in Appalachian Power’s service territory would have been able to aggregate the electricity demand of the residents and businesses within their borders and use that to negotiate cheaper rates from competing electric providers. Hackworth said he has heard from numerous constituents facing increasingly high electric bills.
Status: Killed in committee 8-7.
Appalachian Power integrated resource plan
SB 1021, Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax County
HB 2413, Del. Candi Mundon King, D-Prince William County
These bills would require Appalachian Power to once again file integrated resource plans, which are long-term forecasts of a utility’s energy demand and how it plans to meet that demand, including how it would address electricity transmission needs. Appalachian and Dominion Energy, which already files IRPs, would submit such plans to the state every three years, and they would provide a forecast 20 years out.
Status: Passed House 78-21, passed Senate 21-19.
Appalachian Power rate caps
HB 2665, by Del. Will Morefield, R-Tazewell County
This bill would have temporarily capped Appalachian Power’s electric rates and would have required more citizen input whenever the utility petitioned state regulators for permission to raise rates.
Status: Died in committee for lack of action.
Appalachian Power rate reduction
SB 1076, by Sens. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg, and Todd Pillion, R-Washington County
HB 2621, by Dels. Jason Ballard, R-Giles County; Terry Kilgore, R-Scott County; Irene Shin, D-Fairfax County; and Wren Williams, R-Patrick County
Both bills aim to lower Appalachian Power customers’ monthly bills. The House version would prohibit new rate increases until March 2026, would prohibit rate increases during November through February and would create a financing mechanism that its backers say would shield customers from the costs of storm repairs and power generation. A previous piece of the bill that would require state regulators to review Appalachian’s rates every year, instead of every two years, was removed. The Senate version includes the financing piece, prohibits rate increases from December through February and includes a clause saying no customer could be disconnected for nonpayment between July 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2026.
Status: Passed the Senate 39-1, passed the House 81-17.
Local land-use decisions
HB 2068, by Del. Tom Garrett, R-Louisa County
Under this bill, local governments would have had the final say in land-use decisions for renewable energy projects and data centers. Garrett expressed concern that the state government was trying to override local authority, particularly when it comes to approving or rejecting new solar farms.
Status: Killed in subcommittee 5-3.
Natural gas pipeline odorants
HB 2545, by Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke
This bill initially would have required natural gas in interstate pipelines, such as the Mountain Valley Pipeline, to have added chemicals so people could smell the otherwise odorless gas in the event of a leak. State regulators warned that it could jeopardize Virginia’s compliance with federal pipeline inspection rules and therefore threaten up to $2 million a year in federal funding. The bill was modified to apply only to the approximately 527 miles of intrastate pipelines within Virginia’s borders.
Status: Killed in committee 15-7.
Solar siting
SB 1190, by Sens. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville; Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William County; and Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico County
HB 2126, by Del. Rip Sullivan Jr., D-Fairfax County
The Senate bill had a goal of providing technical assistance and advice to localities as they consider large solar project proposals. It incorporated bills from McPike and VanValkenburg. When it first was introduced, the bill would have given the state more sway over localities’ solar-siting decisions, including by requiring each locality to adopt a solar ordinance that fit within the parameters of a model determined by a new state board.
Status: After a vote to kill the Senate bill was reversed, it was passed by the next day, effectively killing it again. The House version died in subcommittee 4-1.
Solar site permitting
HB 2438, by Del. Candi Mundon King, D-Prince William County
SB 1114, by Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico County
This bill would establish consistent statewide standards regarding setbacks, fencing, visual impacts and other criteria when developers apply to build large-scale solar farms. On the House floor, Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield County, argued that it would remove local governments’ authority and flexibility over land-use decisions. Mundon King disagreed, saying the bill would establish clear standards for solar project applications but would not require localities to actually approve such applications.
Status: Passed the House, 48-46. The Senate version was incorporated into Sen. Creigh Deeds’ solar siting bill, SB 1190.
Health care
Contraception
HB 1716, by Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News
SB 1105, by Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield County
These bills establish a right to obtain and use contraceptives.
Status: Passed House 53-44, passed Senate 21-18.
Pharmacy benefit manager
HB 2610, by Del. Katrina Callsen, D-Charlottesville
SB 875, by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach
These bills would centralize Virginia’s Medicaid pharmacy benefits under a single state-contracted pharmacy benefit manager. Only Medicaid would be affected because it’s a state-run program, giving Virginia the authority to implement changes.
Status: Passed House 98-0, passed Senate 40-0.
Medical deserts
HB 2119, by Del. Wendell Walker, R-Lynchburg
SB 1203, by Sen. Chris Head, R-Botetourt County
These bills establish an expedited review process for health care projects in medically underserved areas.
Status: Passed House 99-0, passed Senate 40-0.
Midwives
HB 1904, Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico County
This bill directs the Department of Health to amend its regulations on coverage for nursery services to allow certified nurse midwives, licensed certified midwives or nurse practitioners with pediatric privileges to be on the 24-hour on-call duty roster.
Status: Passed House 98-0.
Local issues
Bristol’s blighted property
SB 1476, Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Washington County
HB 2745 Del. Israel O’Quinn, R-Washington County
Bristol officials asked for help in dealing with the vacant former campus of Virginia Intermont College through bills that would allow it to sell blighted properties while having more control over who buys them and how quickly they’re developed. The city would be able to petition the circuit court to appoint a commissioner to convey property to the city or the city’s entity.
Status: The Senate bill with amendments passed 32-8. The House Counties, Cities and Towns subcommittee reported the bill with the same amendments as approved for the Senate bill. It also voted to roll another bill, HB 1826, which deals with vacant building registration and fees, into 2745. The bill failed then in the House committee 13-9.
Dental school study for “Southern Virginia”
HB 2778, by Del. Eric Phillips, R-Henry County
SB 1478, by Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County
These bills would have directed the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia to study the possibility of expanding Virginia Commonwealth University’s dental school into “Southern Virginia.” Stanley specifically touted the possibility of the New College Institute in Martinsville as a location. Some legislators were concerned about the prospect of moving VCU programs outside of Richmond.
Status: Both bills killed in committee, 6-4 in House Education subcommittee, 14-0 in Senate Finance committee.
Explore Park
HB2321 by Del. Will Davis, R-Franklin County
SB 796, by Sen. Chris Head, R-Botetourt County
These bills would allow the Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority, which was created to own the Explore Park in the Roanoke Valley, to transfer the property to Roanoke County.
Status: Passed House 99-0, passed Senate 38-0.
Fireworks
SB 1248, by Sen. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell County
This bill exempts small localities from certain state fees related to fireworks permits
Status: Passed Senate 38-0.
Secretary of Rural Affairs study
HJ 461, by Del. Israel O’Quinn, R-Washington County
SJ 262, by Sen. Laschrecse Aird, D-Petersburg
This legislation would direct the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the need for and feasibility of creating a Secretariat of Rural Affairs.
Status: House version died in committee for lack of action, Senate version passed on voice vote.
Virginia Museum of Transportation
SB 795, by Sen. Chris Head, R-Botetourt County.
This bill would have turned the nonprofit museum in Roanoke into a state agency.
Status: Died in Senate Finance Committee for lack of action.
Public safety
Parole board
HB 1589, by Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick County
This bill would expand the parole board and revise parole procedures.
Status: Passed House 61-38.
Sports
College sports schedules
HB 2421, by Del. Michael Webert, R-Fauquier County
This bill would have required the “revenue sports” (football and basketball) at the state’s public colleges to play the in-state schools at their same level at least once every eight years.
Status: Defeated in House subcommittee, 6-4.
Transgender athletes
SB 749, by Sen. Tammy Mulchi, R-Mecklenburg County
This bill would have required athletes playing for Virginia High School League teams or public colleges to be on teams organized by biological sex, or have coed teams.
Status: Defeated in Senate committee 9-6.
Taxes
Local food tax
HB 2006, by Del. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County
This bill would have eliminated the local tax on food and personal hygiene products.
Status: Killed in House subcommittee, no recorded vote.
Local sales tax
SB 1307, by Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William County
This bill would grant all localities the power to hold a referendum on whether to raise the local sales tax for schools. Presently, nine localities have that power.
Status: Passed Senate 27-13.
Standard deduction
SB 782, by Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County.
This bill would have made permanent the enhanced standard deduction and the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit, both of which are currently set to expire in January 2026.
Status: This bill was merged with another bill, SB 951, by Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover County, which was left in committee. Instead, the Senate’s proposed budget extends the deduction for two years.
Stillborn birth credit
SB 789, by Sen. Chris Head, R-Botetourt County
This bill would have created a tax credit for families with a stillborn birth.
Status: Killed in Senate committee 13-1.
Venison donation tax credit
HB 1741, by Del. David Reid, D-Loudoun County
This bill would have created a tax credit for people who donate venison to nonprofit groups such as Hunters for the Hungry.
Status: Died in House Finance Committee for lack of action.
Transportation
Animal-drawn vehicles
SB 1075, by Sen. Mark Peake, R-Lynchburg
This bill was prompted by the growth of the Amish community in parts of Southside and a growing number of collisions between vehicles and horse-drawn buggies. It would have increased the requirements for lighting on horse-drawn carriages.
Status: Died in Senate Transportation Committee for lack of action.
EV charging stations
HB 1791, by Del. Rip Sullivan Jr., D-Fairfax County
This is Sullivan’s third attempt at creating an Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Program Fund, which would incentivize investment in farther-flung areas of the commonwealth. Both House and Senate passed it last year, but there was no money in the budget to fund it.
Status: Passed House 56-41, moved to Senate.
Utility-owned charging stations
HB 2087, by Del. Irene Shin, D-Fairfax County
Shin’s bill would permit Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Co. to build and operate their own public fast-charging stations. The State Corporation Commission would determine their distance from privately owned stations.
Status: Passed House 54-44.
Workplace
Minimum wage
HB 1928 by Del. Jeion Ward, D-Hampton
Increases the minimum wage incrementally through 2027. The bill codifies the adjusted state hourly minimum wage of $12.41 per hour that was effective Jan. 1, 2025. and increases the minimum wage to $13.50 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2026, and to $15 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2027.
Status: Passed House 50-46.
Public employee unions
SB 917, by Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax County
HB 2764, by Del. Kathy Tran, D-Fairfax County
These bills would give public service workers — including teachers, firefighters, home care workers and employees of public universities — the right to unionize.
Status: Passed House 51-46, passed Senate 20-19.
