What Bills from Local Legislators are Still Moving Forward?
The 2026 General Assembly session ends Saturday. Here are the bills from Fredericksburg-area representatives that are likely heading to Gov. Abigail Spanberger's desk.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele
The 2026 session of the Virginia General Assembly wraps up on Saturday. Here’s a look at what bills from local legislators are heading to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk.
Josh Cole (D—House District 65)
Cole introduced 22 bills this session. Of those, eight failed, and four—bills prohibiting isolated confinement and expanding program assignments in state correctional facilities, imposing a corporate welfare tax on large employers, and prohibiting civil or criminal penalties imposed on unhoused people—were continued to the 2027 session.
The remaining bills have either passed both houses, been incorporated into other bills, or are awaiting action from the Governor.
House Bill 34 establishes a Sexual Offense Prevention and Response program within the Department of Military Affairs, and establishes an officer to perform advocacy services for survivors of military sexual assault. HB24 passed the Senate by a vote of 26-to-14 on Monday, March 9.
HB53, which adjusts the definition of "bullying" in the context of public education, was incorporated into a larger anti-bullying bill. The Senate on Monday requested a conference with a House committee to discuss proposed substitutes to this bill.
HB73, a recommendation of the Virginia Commission on Youth, allows the custodian of a child, in addition to the child’s parents, to file a petition for relief of the care and custody of the child. HB73 passed the Senate unanimously and was sent to Spanberger on Monday.
HB242 prohibits public utilities from increasing the monthly payment of a customer who is enrolled in a budget payment plan more than once per year or without 60-days advance notice. HB242 passed the Senate last week by a vote of 37-to-2 with an amendment stating that the bill does not apply to water or sewer providers. The House of Delegates on Monday agreed to this amendment.
HB320 prohibits livestreaming while driving. The Senate approved this bill last week with an amendment stating that this does not apply to social media platforms “with the primary function of providing audio or video conferencing or calling services.” The House agreed to this amendment on March 5.
HB360 makes it illegal to sell kratom products to anyone younger than 21. The bill passed the Senate unanimously and was sent to the Governor on Tuesday.
HB702 directs local law enforcement agencies to implement firearm give-back or buy-back programs by January 1, 2028. The bill is modeled after Fredericksburg City’s gun give-back program. This bill narrowly passed the Senate (21-to-19) in February and was sent to the Governor on Tuesday.
HB1282 establishes a pathway to licensure by endorsement as a substance abuse treatment practitioner for applicants who have been certified substance abuse counselors. The Senate passed this bill unanimously on Monday.
Nicole Cole (D—House District 66)
Freshman delegate Nicole Cole, whose district includes parts of Caroline and Spotsylvania counties, introduced 16 bills this session. Seven failed and four—bills setting up a timeline for approval of residential rezoning requests, providing for the reopening of rate increase proceedings with the State Corporation Commission, requiring consideration of lost profits when determining compensation for condemned public waterworks, and removing bond requirements for the Virginia Erosion and Storm Management Program—have been continued to the 2027 session.
The remaining bills are either awaiting a vote in the full Senate, have been incorporated into other bills, or are headed to the governor.
HB418, allowing manufactured housing in all zoning districts where site-built housing is allowed, was incorporated into HB655, which has passed both houses.
HB422, prohibiting public water or sewer utilities from filing rate increase applications more than once every three years, was reported from a Senate committee on Monday and is awaiting a vote by the full Senate.
HB1164, prohibiting employers from seeking wage or salary history from prospective employees, was incorporated into HB636, which has passed both houses.
HB1176, which lowers the quorum requirements for the Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers, and Landscape Architects; and the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists, passed the Senate unanimously in February and went to Gov. Spanberger on Monday.
Philip A. Scott (R—House District 63)
Scott introduced 15 bills this session. Ten failed and four were continued to the 2027 session. The bills that have been continued would define concurrent enrollment for high school students; require school boards to require additional information from applicants applying to work directly with children; amend the Property Owner’s Association Act; and amend the authority of Fire Marshals.
HB1229, which requires the Department of Education to provide school boards with regulations governing the use of seclusion and restraint and and provide a report on its procedures for enforcing these regulations, is still in the Senate, but was passed-by for the day on Monday.
Stacey Annie Carroll (D—House District 64)
Freshman delegate Carroll, whose district is entirely within Stafford County, introduced eight bills this session. Five failed and one—requiring the Virginia Department of Education and stakeholders to study strategies for decreasing the number of referrals of students with disabilities to private day school placements— was continued to 2027.
Two of Carroll’s bills are progressing:
HB870, which directs the Board of Accountancy to establish “Inactive” and “Emeritus” Certified Public Accountant license statuses, is awaiting action from Gov. Spanberger, after passing the Senate unanimously in February.
HB1166, providing that check cashers registered with the State Corporation Commission shall have their registrations expire if they fail to pay the annual fee by July 1 of each year, was reported from a Senate committee on Monday and is awaiting action by the full Senate.
Tara Durant (R—Senate District 27)
Durant introduced 16 bills this session and 10 failed. Five were continued to next session—bills affecting Medicaid waivers, charitable gaming, bond requirements for the Virginia Erosion and Stormwater Management program, the Property Owners’ Association Act, and the use of AI chatbots by minors.
SB602, a recommendation of the Behavioral Health Commission that clarifies that an individual's information may continue to appear on a voluntary Marcus alert system (for individuals in mental health crises) after such individual reaches 18 years of age, is still in the House of Delegates, though it has now been “passed by for the day” four times.
Bryce Reeves (R—Senate District 28)
Reeves introduced a total of 22 bills this session, nine of which have failed. Bills establishing the Virginia Gaming Commission and reducing the minimum core acreage required to create an agriculture and forestal district were incorporated into other legislation.
Bills clarifying the definition of an auction, expanding the definition of illegal gaming, and requiring that at least $50,000 from the Virginia National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program grant funds be used for recruitment were continued to the 2027 session.
The following bills are moving forward:
SB559, amending where crimes of forgery can be prosecuted, passed the House last week with an amendment that was approved by the Senate.
SB573, which authorizes Department of Military Affairs emergency vehicles to (i) be equipped with flashing, blinking, or alternating red or red and white combination warning lights and (ii) disregard certain regulations regarding the operation of vehicles without being subject to criminal prosecution while responding to an emergency, passed the House unanimously and was sent to Gov. Spanberger on Monday.
SB574, clarifying that no citizen member of the Auctioneers Board can have training as an auctioneer or be related to an auctioneer, passed the House by a vote of 91-to-6 last week.
SB575, amending the Virginia Public Procurement Act, passed the House unanimously last week.
SB577, requiring that property’s proximity to any military installation be included in the residential property disclosure statement, passed the House unanimously in February and was sent to the governor’s office on Tuesday.
SB600, removing the restriction that prevents Virginia National Guard members with more than 10 years or the rank E-5 or above from having their rank reduced as a result of disciplinary proceedings, passed the House unanimously last week.
SB683, allowing circuit courts to appoint receivers for public as well as private waterworks, was sent to the governor’s office on Tuesday.
SB753, expanding the statute of limitations for seeking damages for the unauthorized use of voice or likeness, was reported from a House committee on Monday and is awaiting action by the full House.
Richard Stuart (R—Senate District 25)
Stuart introduced 27 bills, all of which were either continued or successfully “crossed over” from the Senate to the House of Delegates. Since then, six have failed in the House.
The following bills have either passed the House or area awaiting action by the governor:
SB360, prohibiting the sale of nitrous oxide, passed the House unanimously with a substitute that was agreed upon by the Senate. The bill was went to Gov. Spanberger on Tuesday.
SB386, directing the owners of sewage treatment plants to have representative samples tested for the presence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), passed the House unanimously on Tuesday.
SB391, restructuring and expanding the oversight of the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program, passed the House unanimously on Tuesday.
SB453, establishing a maximum civil penalty of $50,000 per violation for any person found to have intentionally discharged untreated sewage onto land or into waters of the Commonwealth, passed the House unanimously last week.
SB459, requiring petrolelum gas fitters to offer to remove any remaining petroleum from a customer’s storage tank after the customer has discontinued service, passed the House unanimously on Monday.
SB532, related to banquet licenses provided to municipalities or nonprofit organizations, was sent to the governor’s office on Tuesday.
SB784, prohibiting bioslurry injections in groundwater wells, was sent to the governor on Tuesday.
Spanberger has a deadline of 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 13, to act on these bills. The General Assembly will reconvene on April 22.
Local Obituaries
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