Freedom Loving Virginian

You expect Democrats to vote for the gun grab but not Republicans. Today, Delegate Lee Ware voted for the 11% tax on ammunition and Senator Richard Stuart (R) introduced bill against gun owners. This is shocking to me. Both Stuart and Ware I know, respect and always found them to be reliable Republicans. I remember being in the pressure cooker in Richmond with little sleep but wow.

If you told me Senator Richard Stuart (R) would introduce a bill SB807 that prohibits hunting within certain areas of Monroe Bay in Westmoreland County, I wouldn't believe you. For the 8 years I served in the Senate, Stuart never waivered on the Second Amendment. That's why this bill is so puzzling to me. So I watched the committee video.

After listening to the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee discussion, I am sympathetic to his constituent's cause, but still don't think this was a good bill for any Republican to introduce. It's still a gun control bill. This bill makes it unlawful for any person to take, attempt to take, or pursue wildlife within the waters and shoreline of Monroe Bay in Westmoreland County, except when fishing. The bill passed out of the committee 11- Y 4-N. 4 Republicans voted no. And 2 Republicans which includes the bill patron voted yes, Senators Stanley and Stuart. It's disheartening.

YEAS--Marsden, Stuart, Stanley, Williams Graves, Perry, Pekarsky, Salim, Mulchi, Roem, Srinivasan, Jones--11

NAYS--Obenshain, Suetterlein, Hackworth, French--4

I hope Senator Stuart strikes this bill. Those of us who vote Republican are counting on our Republicans to stand up to the Democrats who are trying to take away or guns and it's disheartening when one of our own joins them. I really hope Senator Stuart realizes this is a bad bill for any Republican to carry and strike it. He's usually a very reliable Republican vote. We've all carried a bill we regretted and we've all taken a vote we later wish we could change but couldn't, but wow. Please give Senator Stuart a call tomorrow and ask him to please strike his bill.

Another unfortunate surprise. Delegate Lee Ware (R) votes for

HB 919 Lopez Retail Sales and Use Tax; impose firearm and ammunition tax.

Imposes a firearm and ammunition tax equal to 11 percent of the gross receipts from the retail sale of any firearm or ammunition by a dealer in firearms, firearms manufacturer, or ammunition vendor, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill provides that proceeds from such tax shall be distributed to the Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund.

PASSED WITH A SUBSTITUTE 7-Y 2-N

YEAS--Anthony, Keys-Gamarra, Cole, N.T., Dougherty, Franklin, M.A., Ware, Watts--7

NAYS--Carroll, Garrett--2

ABSTENTIONS--0

NOT VOTING--Bennett-Parker, Walker--2

• Why did Republican Lee Ware vote for this and Walker (R) not vote?

Republican voters expect their elected officials to vote against gun control. When Republican elected leaders vote for gun control, Republican voters get discouraged and ask the question, "What's the difference between the Republicans and Democrats?" It hurts our brand and more Republicans stay home during the next election. And then we lose more seats.

Be sure to watch the Senate Floor debate that took place this afternoon as the gun grab and redistricting through the budget move ahead and as Senate Republicans push back. You may watch it here. You will need to fast forward through the official recording to the debate. Democrat Gubernatorial appointments passed unanimously 40-Y to 0-N in the Senate after a heated debate.

Some legislators are posting their floor speeches on Facebook. I am doing my best to share the best ones with you on my Facebook page. To watch floor speech videos you will want to "like" my Facebook page found here. My hope is to upload them to YouTube as time allows, so that I can also share them on here as well.

Next Wednesday, February 18 is crossover. Crossover is the deadline in which all Senate bills must be heard in the Senate and all of the House bills must be heard. Right now all of the HB or House Bills are being heard in the House. These are bills sponsored by Delegates in the House. Additionally, all of the SB or Senate Bills are being heard in the Senate. These are bills sponsored by Senators. Once crossover takes place the Senate will only hear HB or House Bills and the House will only hear SB or Senate Bills. SB123 stands for Senate Bill 123. You may already know that, but I don't want to take anything for granted here.

On crossover, the House and Senate no longer work on legislation sponsored in their respective chamber and only deliberate on bills coming out of the other chamber. Also, only the bills that pass out of one chamber, head to the other chamber, so we're looking at a lot less bills that have to go through the legislative process in the other chamber, beginning with subcommittees in the other chamber.

As a result of crossover being next Wednesday, the number of bills increases on the chamber floor and the number of bills in committee will diminish until all bills have been heard. Once all bills are heard in a particular subcommittee or full committee, the committee meeting gets canceled.

Here's a list of bills of interest that I highlighted for you yesterday along with what happened to the bill in the subcommittee or committee today.

There is some good news:

The Second Look House bill was continued to 2027. This bill will not move forward this year but will probably come back up again next year.

HB853 Cousins

Petition for modification of a sentence; eligibility; procedures; report also called the "Second Look" is dead. This bill would have given felons the ability to have the courts take a second look at their sentence and possibly suspend the unserved portion of their sentence.

Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote)

7:30 AM

Senate Finance and Appropriations - General Government Subcommittee

Subcommittee Info (View Meeting)

SB831 Srinivasan

Elections; challenges of qualified voters; duty of local electoral board to certify; civil penalty. Provides that the certification of the results of an election is a clear ministerial duty of the local electoral boards and that a member of the local electoral board who neglects or refuses to perform such duty in accordance with law shall be subject to removal proceedings by the State Board of Elections and assessed a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000. The bill also authorizes the State Board of Elections to intervene and carry out the duties related to election certification in the event a local electoral board fails or refuses to do so. Additionally, the bill prohibits challenges to a voter's qualification to vote from any person who is not an officer of election.

ACTION: BILL REREFERRED TO SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE

8:00 AM

House Transportation-Department of Motor Vehicles

(Agenda)(View Meeting)

HB911 Lopez

Limited-duration licenses, driver privilege cards and permits, and identification privilege cards; expiration. Extends the validity of limited-duration licenses, driver privilege cards and permits, and identification privilege cards, other than REAL ID credentials, as defined in the bill, and commercial driver's licenses and permits, to a period of time consistent with the validity of (i) driver's licenses, which under current law is a period not to exceed eight years or for a person age 75 or older, a period not to exceed five years; (ii) permits, which under current law is the period of time until a driver's license is issued or the person is no longer eligible for such permit, a period of 12 months for motorcycle permits, or a period of the 60 days prior to the person's first behind-the-wheel exam for persons 25 years of age or older; and (iii) special identification cards, which under current law is a period between three and eight years, with exceptions, or for a person younger than the age of 15, until such person's sixteenth birthday, unless extended under certain circumstances for a period no longer than 90 days. The bill directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to implement the extended validity periods for such documents upon reissuance.

ACTION: BILL REPORTS WITH A SUBSTITUTE HERE.

HB1344 Helmer

Special license plates; Sons of Confederate Veterans and Robert E. Lee. Repeals authorization for the issuance of Sons of Confederate Veterans and Robert E. Lee special license plates and provides that such special license plates already in circulation will remain valid until their expiration and shall not be renewed.

02/10/2026 House of Delegates: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 3-N)

YEAS--Sewell, McQuinn, McClure, Anthony, Feggans, Guzman--6 Democrats

NAYS--Austin, Wiley, O'Quinn--3 Republicans

ABSTENTIONS--0

NOT VOTING--Bennett-Parker--1 Democrat

ACTION: BILL REPORTS. HEADING TO HOUSE FLOOR.

8:30 AM

Senate Finance and Appropriations - Resources Subcommittee

Subcommittee Info(View Meeting)

SB542 Aird

Cannabis control; retail market; penalties. Establishes a framework for the creation of a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth, to be administered by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. The bill provides that no retail sales may occur prior to November 1, 2026.

ACTION: NONE TODAY

SB543 Aird

Marijuana and hemp products; enforcement. Amends various provisions of law to increase enforcement and penalties related to the illegal sale of marijuana or marijuana products by persons licensed by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, and the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA). The bill also requires the Board of Directors of the CCA to (i) establish, advertise, and administer a tip line, which may be accessed by phone and by internet, for members of the public to anonymously report concerns about, or suspected instances of, illicit retail marijuana practices in violation of current law and (ii) create and require a decal for retail marijuana store licensees to prominently display on the premises of such store that allows consumers to electronically verify the validity of such store's license from the Board. The bill requires such decal to be displayed by licensees, with a civil penalty of $10,000 for each day that such decal is not displayed in the establishment. The bill also creates a $10,000 civil penalty for creating or falsifying such decal.

ACTION: NONE TODAY

9:30 AM

Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee

Committee Info (View Meeting)

SB542 Aird Cannabis control; establishes framework for creation of retail marijuana market, penalties, report.

ACTION: NONE TODAY

SB543 Aird Marijuana and hemp products; enforcement. 

ACTION: NONE TODAY

At noon each day, except Fridays, both the House and Senate take a break from hearing bills in committee and subcommittee to debate and vote on the floor. On Fridays, session begins earlier, to allow members to head back home for the weekend.

Debate will take place on 2nd read in the House and 3rd read in the Senate. Amendments are added on 2nd read.

Many bills pass in a block on the uncontested calendar. These are bills that both Republicans and Democrats agreed on in committee and will be passed in a block on the floor of each chamber. Bills can be pulled out of the uncontested block if a member wants to vote against a bill.

12:00 PM

House Convenes

(View Meeting)

(Floor Calendar)

Bills of interest voted on Tuesday:

HB167 ASKEW (D)

Tax exemptions; Confederacy organizations.

PASSED: PARTY LINE VOTE HOUSE FLOOR (62-Y 35-N 0-A)

HB355 Gardner (D)

Public school students in grades six through 12; annual mental health screening.

PASSED 64-Y 22-N

HB557 Reaser (D)

Tangible personal property tax; establishes classification for electric landscaping equipment.

PASSED 62-Y 35-N

HB1437 Dougherty (D)

Teacher, other instructional personnel, etc., exits; data collection, disaggregation by race.

PASSED 63-Y 35-N

HB1499 LeVere Bolling (D)

DOE; policies relating to instructional material that contains sexually explicit content.

PASSED 62-Y 35-N

HB29 Torian (D)

Budget Bill.

Has the redistricting maps in the language along with charts which are here.

PASSED 63-Y 35-N

HB459 Cohen (D)

Hate crimes; crime victim's right to nondisclosure of certain information.

PASSED 93-Y 4-N

12:00 PM

Senate Convenes

(View Meeting)

(Floor Calendar)

Bills of interest that will be debated and voted on the Senate floor on Tuesday:

SB348 Jennifer B. Boysko (Chief Patron)

Storage of firearms in a residence where a minor or person prohibited from possessing a firearm is present; penalty. Provides that any person who possesses a firearm in a residence where such person knows that a minor or a person who is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm is present shall store such firearm and the ammunition for such firearm in a locked container, compartment, or cabinet that is inaccessible to such minor or prohibited person. Under the bill, any person who violates this provision is guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. The bill also requires any dealer, as that term is defined in current law, to post a written notice informing the public of the penalty imposed for failure to comply with the bill's provisions.

ACTION: PASSED BY FOR THE DAY

SB115 Stella G. Pekarsky (Chief Patron)

Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. Provides that the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, shall determine whether other states meet the statutory qualifications for Virginia to recognize the concealed handgun permit of a person from such other state. Under current law, any out-of-state permit is recognized in the Commonwealth, provided that (i) the issuing authority provides the means for instantaneous verification of the validity of all such permits or licenses issued within that state accessible 24 hours a day; (ii) the permit or license holder carries a photo identification issued by a government agency of any state or by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. Department of State and displays the permit or license and such identification upon demand by a law-enforcement officer; and (iii) the permit or license holder has not previously had a Virginia concealed handgun permit revoked. The bill prevents a Virginia resident, except for an active duty service member or such service member's spouse, who has not been issued a valid resident concealed handgun permit from using a concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by another state to carry a concealed handgun in the Commonwealth. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

02/10/2026 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Deeds, Ebbin, Favola, Jones, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McPike, Pekarsky, Perry, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--21 Democrats

NAYS--Cifers, Craig, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, French, Hackworth, Head, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Obenshain, Peake, Pillion, Reeves, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein--19 Republicans

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (21-Y 19-N 0-A) PARTY LINE VOTE

SB29 L. Louise Lucas (Chief Patron)

Budget Bill. Amends Budget, which appropriates the public revenues for two years ending, respectively, on June 30, 2025, and June 30, 2026. The language included the Democrat proposed redistricted Congressional maps.

Supporting Documents:

View the Proposed 2026 Virginia Congressional Map here.

View the Data Table for the Proposed 2026 Virginia Congressional Map here.

Download the shapefile and block equivalency files for the Proposed 2026 Virginia Congressional Map.

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (21-Y 19-N 0-A) PARTY LINE VOTE

SB273 Mamie E. Locke (Chief Patron)

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program; eligibility. Permits localities to establish eligibility requirements for tenant participation in the Eviction Diversion Program at the general district court with jurisdiction in such locality. The bill additionally requires a general district court to provide information about the Program, including eligibility criteria, to any summons for unlawful detainer. Finally the bill alters eligibility requirements for a tenant to participate in the Program.

02/10/2026 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (31-Y 9-N 0-A)

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Craig, Deeds, DeSteph, Diggs, Ebbin, Favola, Head, Jones, Jordan, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, 

McDougle, McPike, Obenshain, Pekarsky, Perry, Pillion, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Stanley, 

Suetterlein, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--31

NAYS--Cifers, Durant, French, Hackworth, Mulchi, Peake, Reeves, Stuart, Sturtevant--9 Republicans

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (31-Y 9-N 0-A)

SB294  Lashrecse D. Aird (Chief Patron)

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; tenant records; submetering, energy allocation, and ratio utility billing systems. Requires a landlord to provide a tenant with tenant records and a written statement identifying all debits and credits incurred by the tenant when serving the tenant with written notice of termination of the rental agreement due to the tenant's material noncompliance with the terms of the agreement or certain violations materially affecting health and safety. If the rental agreement provides for use of submetering equipment, energy allocation equipment, or a ratio utility billing system, the landlord shall identify debits and credits incurred by the tenant for energy and utility bills and any permitted additional charges. The bill requires the owner of any residential building to maintain adequate records indicating how tenant monthly energy and utility billing fees are calculated and including a history of billing fee payments for each tenant over the duration of the tenancy or the past 12 months, whichever is shorter. Such records shall be made available to the tenant upon request. Finally, the bill removes a provision allowing for the collection of fees when a tenant requests such records.

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Deeds, Ebbin, Favola, Jones, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McPike, Pekarsky, Perry, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--21

NAYS--Cifers, Craig, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, French, Hackworth, Head, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Obenshain, Peake, Pillion, Reeves, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein--19

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (21-Y 19-N 0-A) PARTY LINE VOTE

SB313 Adam P. Ebbin (Chief Patron)

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; prohibited provisions; fees for maintenance and periodic payments. Prohibits landlords subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act from requiring a tenant to pay any fee for the maintenance or repair of any dwelling unit unless the repair is necessitated by the tenant's violation of a requirement of the Act. Under current law, only landlords who are public housing authorities are prohibited from charging a tenant any fee for the maintenance or repair of any dwelling unit unless the repair is necessitated by the tenant's action or omission. The bill additionally prohibits all landlords subject to the Act from requiring a tenant to pay a fee to submit periodic rent payments or other amounts due, regardless of the method of payment.

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Deeds, Ebbin, Favola, Jones, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McPike, Pekarsky, Perry, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--21

NAYS--Cifers, Craig, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, French, Hackworth, Head, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Obenshain, Peake, Pillion, Reeves, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein--19

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (21-Y 19-N) PARTY LINE VOTE

SB332 Barbara A. Favola (Chief Patron)

Medical marijuana; administration to terminally ill patients.

Department of Health; administration of medical marijuana to terminally ill patients; work group. Directs the Department of Health to convene a work group to develop policies for the safe administration of medical marijuana to terminally ill patients. The bill directs the Department to promulgate regulations establishing such policies by January 1, 2027, unless there is a delay in the federal reclassification of marijuana as a Schedule III drug.

02/10/2026 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A)

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Cifers, Craig, Deeds, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, Ebbin, Favola, French, Hackworth, Head, Jones, Jordan, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McDougle, McPike, Mulchi, Obenshain, Peake, Pekarsky, Perry, Pillion, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--39

NAYS--Reeves--1 Republican

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (39-Y 1-N 0-A)

SB373 Jennifer B. Boysko (Chief Patron)

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; noncompliance as defense to action for possession for nonpayment of rent. Removes the provision requiring that a tenant in possession of a dwelling unit, prior to asserting a defense against an action for rent or possession, pay into court the amount of rent found by the court to be due and unpaid and for such amount to be held by the court pending the issuance of an order. The bill also limits the discretion of the court in actions for possession based upon nonpayment of rent and actions for rent by a landlord when the tenant is in possession of a dwelling unit.

02/10/2026 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Deeds, Ebbin, Favola, Jones, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McPike, Pekarsky, Perry, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--21

NAYS--Cifers, Craig, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, French, Hackworth, Head, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Obenshain, Peake, Pillion, Reeves, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein--19

02/10/2026 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (21-Y 19-N 0-A) PARTY LINE VOTE

SB495 R. Creigh Deeds (Chief Patron)

Emergency substantial risk order; allowable petitioners. Adds a family or household member, a mental health service provider, and an appointed evaluator from a community services board to the list of persons who may petition a court for an emergency substantial risk order. Current law allows an attorney for the Commonwealth or a law-enforcement officer to file such petition.

02/10/2026 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Deeds, Ebbin, Favola, Jones, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McPike, Pekarsky, Perry, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--21

NAYS--Cifers, Craig, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, French, Hackworth, Head, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Obenshain, Peake, Pillion, Reeves, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein--19

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (21-Y 19-N 0-A) PARTY LINE VOTE

SB596 Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (Chief Patron)

Contraceptives; establishes right to obtain applicability, enforcement, etc.

Contraception; right to contraception; applicability; enforcement. Establishes a right to obtain contraceptives and engage in contraception, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill also creates a cause of action that may be instituted against anyone who infringes on such right.

Vote Detail Pending

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (21-Y 15-N 0-A)



SB785 Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (Chief Patron)

Department of Education; teacher, other instructional personnel, and support staff shortages; data collection and reporting; reporting of demographic data and reason for exits required. Requires each school board to include in its annual report to the Department of Education on the number and type of teacher, other instructional personnel, and support staff exits in the school division, for each such exit occurring during the reporting year, (i) the race and ethnicity of the individual and (ii) the reason for the exit, including whether the exit of such individual was voluntary or involuntary. The bill also requires the Department to annually report such data on its website with such data reported (a) in the aggregate and (b) by school division and disaggregated by race and ethnicity, employment category or classification, and reason for the exit, to the extent that such disaggregation would not result in the disclosure of any individual's personally identifiable information.

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Deeds, Diggs, Ebbin, Favola, Jones, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McPike, Pekarsky, Perry, Roem, 

Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--22

NAYS--Cifers, Craig, DeSteph, Durant, French, Hackworth, Head, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Obenshain, 

Peake, Pillion, Reeves, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein--18

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (22-Y 18-N 0-A)

SB803 R. Creigh Deeds (Chief Patron)

Virginia Fair Housing Law; discriminatory housing practices; quid pro quo harassment. Adds quid pro quo harassment, defined in the bill, as a discriminatory housing practice under the Virginia Fair Housing Law.

YEAS--Aird, Bagby, Boysko, Carroll Foy, Deeds, Ebbin, Favola, Jones, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McPike, Peake, Pekarsky, Perry, Roem, Rouse, Salim, Srinivasan, Suetterlein, Surovell, VanValkenburg, Williams Graves--23

NAYS--Cifers, Craig, DeSteph, Diggs, Durant, French, Hackworth, Head, Jordan, McDougle, Mulchi, Obenshain, Pillion, Reeves, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant--17

ACTION: PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE (23-Y 17-N 0-A)

We never know what time session ends each day. It just depends on how many bills are on the regular calendar and how long the debate takes on each bill. Also, the House and Senate can adjourn at different times each day as they finish debating and voting on bills. There are additional committee meetings that take place each day after session. Instead of seeing a specific time, you will see that a meeting takes place a certain number of minutes after a particular chamber adjourns.

Below I've included the docket of bills for each committee meeting along with your opportunity to view the meeting as they review the day's docket.

Senate Privileges and Elections

Chair: Aaron Rouse

15 minutes after the Senate adjourns

(View Meeting)

Docket Info

HB78 Patron: Price

Elections administration; duties of local electoral boards; certification of election; grounds for removal; civil penalty. Provides that the certification of the results of an election is a clear ministerial duty of the local electoral boards and that a member of the local electoral board who neglects or refuses to perform such duty in accordance with law shall be subject to removal proceedings by the State Board of Elections and assessed a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000

ACTION: NOT HEARD TODAY

HB113 Patron: Helmer

Elections; offenses; soliciting or accepting bribe to influence or procure voter registration; penalty. Provides that no person shall solicit or accept directly or indirectly any money or any thing of value to influence his or another's decision to register to vote. The bill also provides certain exceptions to the prohibitions on soliciting or accepting bribes to influence a person to vote or to register to vote.

ACTION: NOT HEARD TODAY

HB640 Patron: Krizek

Elections; challenges to a voter or voter's registration. Eliminates the process by which any voter could challenge, in a polling place on the day of an election, the right of any other voter to cast a ballot. The bill also eliminates the process by which any three voters could challenge a voter's registration before the general registrar; such challenges may still be made by filing a petition with the circuit court of the county or city where the voter is registered

ACTION: NOT HEARD TODAY

HB773 Patron: Thornton

Elections; absentee voting; cure process. Removes the requirement that absentee ballots be received by the Friday immediately preceding the day of the election for the general registrar to implement the process of curing errors or failures in such absentee ballots. The bill also moves the deadline for curing errors or omissions in absentee ballot applications from noon on the third day after the election to noon on the Monday after the election.

ACTION: NOT HEARD TODAY

HB1014 Patron: Tran

Incapacitated persons; finding of lack of capacity to understand act of voting. Provides that a finding that a person is incapacitated in a proceeding for guardianship or conservatorship shall not be synonymous with a finding that such person is "mentally incompetent," as such term is used in relevant law, and therefore not qualified to vote in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of Virginia. The bill provides that no person shall be deemed disqualified to vote due to a lack of capacity for the purposes of the Constitution of Virginia unless a court makes a specific finding by clear and convincing evidence that such person lacks the capacity to understand the act of voting.

02/10/2026 Senate: Rereferred from Privileges and Elections and rereferred to Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N)

Committee: Courts of Justice

YEAS--Rouse, Deeds, Ebbin, Hackworth, DeSteph, Carroll Foy, Durant, Perry, Diggs, Salim, Srinivasan, Cifers, Jordan, Jones--14

ACTION: REREFERRED TO COURTS OF JUSTICE 14-Y 0-N

SB368 Patron: Carroll Foy

Campaign finance; contribution limits and public campaign financing; counties and cities may establish for certain offices. Authorizes the governing body of a county or city to establish by ordinance limits on contributions to candidates for elected local offices and a system of public campaign financing for elected local offices. The bill specifies certain requirements for a system of public campaign financing established by a governing body, including the provision of the necessary funding and staff for such system and the provision of a public election fund to be administered by the treasurer of the county or city. A system of public campaign financing established under the provisions of the bill by a county or city is permitted to more stringently regulate the campaign finance activity of participating candidates and shall be subject to regulation and oversight by the State Board of Elections to ensure its conformity with state law and policy to the extent practicable.

YEAS--Deeds, Ebbin, Carroll Foy, Perry, Salim, Srinivasan, Jones--7

NAYS--Hackworth, DeSteph, Durant, Diggs, Mulchi, Cifers, Jordan--7

ACTION: BILL FAILED (7-Y 7-N 1-A)

SB502 Patron: Roem

Campaign finance; prohibited contributions to candidates.

Prohibits candidates, campaign committees, and political committees from soliciting or accepting contributions from any public utility, as defined in relevant law, and prohibits any public utility or political action committee established by such public utility from making any such contribution. The bill also provides that its provisions shall not be construed to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of contributions from a political action committee established by the employees of a public utility. Under the bill, such political action committee may be administered by the public utility so long as no general treasury funds of the public utility are used for the purposes of making contributions to any candidate, campaign committee, or political committee.

YEAS--Deeds, Ebbin, Carroll Foy, Perry, Salim, Srinivasan, Jones--7

NAYS--Hackworth, DeSteph, Durant, Diggs, Mulchi, Cifers, Jordan--7

ABSTENTIONS--Rouse--1

ACTION: BILL FAILED (7-Y 7-N 1-A)

Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

30 Minutes after adjournment of the Senate

(View Meeting)

Docket Info

SB386 Patron: Stuart (R)

Distribution of sewage sludge; perfluoroakyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances testing requirements; civil penalty.

Prohibits any person that holds a valid Virginia Pollutant Abatement permit to distribute or land apply sewage sludge in the Commonwealth from distributing or land applying sewage sludge that contains any trace of PFAS, as defined in the bill. The bill (i) requires such person to, prior to the distribution or land application of sewage sludge, submit to the owner or lessee of the site where the sewage sludge is to be land applied a written statement affirming that such sewage sludge contains no trace of PFAS and (ii) subjects such person to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for violating the provisions of the bill. The bill exempts any person engaged in an agricultural operation, as defined in the bill, and land applying sewage sludge on lands used for such agricultural operation.

02/10/2026 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 7-N)

Committee: Finance and Appropriations

YEAS--Stuart, Suetterlein, Williams Graves, Perry, Pekarsky, Salim, Roem, Srinivasan--8

NAYS--Marsden, Obenshain, Stanley, Hackworth, French, Mulchi, Jones--7

ACTION: PASSED COMMITTEE 8-Y 7-N

SB464 Patron: Stuart

Interest in agricultural land; foreign adversaries. Amends the definition of foreign adversary, as it relates to the prohibition on ownership of agricultural land by foreign adversaries, to include any business entity that is substantially funded by a foreign government or nongovernment person determined by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to have engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States or security and safety of United States persons. The bill also amends the definition of "interest in agricultural land" to (i) include any controlling lease, long-term land use agreement, mineral rights, or water rights and (ii) remove the exclusion for any interest that taken on its own or together with any other interest held in common or under common control does not give the holder of the interest the ability to possess or occupy the agricultural land in any manner or the power or authority to direct the conduct of the agricultural operation being conducted on the agricultural land.

02/10/2026 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N)

Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

YEAS--Marsden, Obenshain, Stuart, Stanley, Suetterlein, Hackworth, Williams Graves, Perry, Pekarsky, French, Salim, Mulchi, Roem, Srinivasan, Jones--15

ACTION: PASSED UNANIMOUSLY OUT OF COMMITTEE

House General Laws-Subcommittee #5

15 minutes after adjournment of ABC/Gaming Subcommittee

(Agenda)(View Meeting)

HB1272 Hayes Va. Small Business Economic Dev. Act; established, regulation and taxation of skill game machines.

Establishes the Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act for the purpose of providing a regulatory and taxation scheme for skill game machines in the Commonwealth. The bill authorizes and specifies the registration requirements for the distribution, operation, hosting, and play of skill game machines, as defined in the bill. The bill imposes a monthly gaming tax equal to $800 per month for each skill game machine that a distributor licensee provided for play in the Commonwealth during the previous month. The bill directs the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to promulgate regulations by January 1, 2027, to implement the provisions of the bill and authorizes the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to grant a provisional registration, beginning July 1, 2026, to any entity that certifies that a skill game machine being distributed, operated, or placed in an establishment meets the definition and requirements of a skill game machine.

YEAS--McClure, Carr, Simon, Delaney, Cole, J.G., McLaughlin--6

NAYS--Morefield--1

ACTION: PASSED COMMITTEE WITH A SUBSTITUTE & REREFERRED TO APPROPRIATIONS (6-Y 1-N)

House Labor and Commerce

1/2 hour after adjournment of the House

(Agenda)(View Meeting)

HB675 Maldonado Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty

 Prohibits an employer, including the Commonwealth and its agencies and political subdivisions, from using coercion or issuing a threat to an employee based on immigration status in furtherance of committing a violation of the Virginia Minimum Wage Act or provisions related to the payment of wages. An aggrieved employee is permitted to file a complaint with the Commissioner of Labor and Industry within 180 days of the alleged coercive action or threat. The bill authorizes the Commissioner to investigate such complaints and, if the allegation is substantiated, to impose a civil penalty in the following amounts: (i) up to $5,000 for the first violation, (ii) up to $9,000 for the second violation, and (iii) up to $12,000 for any subsequent violation. The bill also authorizes the Commissioner to seek injunctive relief as may be necessary for enforcement.

YEAS--Ward, Sullivan, Lopez, Convirs-Fowler, Helmer, Maldonado, Shin, LeVere Bolling, Feggans, Clark, Cousins, Anthony, Cohen, Singh, Nivar--15

NAYS--Kilgore, O'Quinn, Webert, Wilt, Runion, Ballard, Williams--7

ACTION: PASSED Reported from Labor and Commerce and rereferred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)

.

HB1263 Tran Public employees; repeals existing prohibition on collective bargaining, etc. Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees. The bill creates the Public Employee Relations Board, which shall determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees. 

YEAS--Ward, Sullivan, Lopez, Convirs-Fowler, Helmer, Maldonado, Shin, LeVere Bolling, Feggans, Clark, Cousins, Anthony, Cohen, Singh, Nivar--15

NAYS--Kilgore, O'Quinn, Webert, Wilt, Runion, Ballard, Williams--7

ACTION: PASSED with substitute and rereferred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)

House Labor and Commerce-Subcommittee #3

Immediately upon adjournment of Subcommittee #1

(Agenda)(View Meeting)

HB591 Simonds Data centers; policy of the Commonwealth.

Establishes the Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act for the purpose of providing a regulatory and taxation scheme for skill game machines in the Commonwealth. The bill authorizes and specifies the registration requirements for the distribution, operation, hosting, and play of skill game machines, as defined in the bill. The bill imposes a monthly gaming tax equal to $800 per month for each skill game machine that a distributor licensee provided for play in the Commonwealth during the previous month. The bill directs the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to promulgate regulations by January 1, 2027, to implement the provisions of the bill and authorizes the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to grant a provisional registration, beginning July 1, 2026, to any entity that certifies that a skill game machine being distributed, operated, or placed in an establishment meets the definition and requirements of a skill game machine.

YEAS--Sullivan, Shin, Feggans, Clark, Anthony, Nivar--6

NAYS--Kilgore, Wilt, Williams--3

ACTION: PASSED REPORTED WITH AMENDMENT (6-Y 3-N)

4:00 PM

House Education-K-12 Subcommittee

(Agenda)(View Meeting)

HB532 Hamilton Sage's Law; minor students experiencing gender incongruence, etc.

FAILED 7-Y 3-N

HB534 Hamilton Students who receive home instruction; teacher evaluation letter of student academic progress.

FAILED 7-Y 3-N

HB719 Zehr Health & family life ed.; certain videos & animations relating to human development inside uterus.

FAILED 7-Y 3-N

HB721 Zehr Parents of public school children; fundamental right to opt children out of certain ed. content.

FAILED 7-Y 3-N

HB1146 Griffin Public elementary & secondary schools, etc. display of Ten Commandments in each classroom required.

NOT HEARD

HB1242 Oates K-12 schools and institutions of higher education; student participation in women's sports, etc.

FAILED 7-Y 3-N

HB1204 Scott, P.A .Local government; appropriation of local school funds to families for compulsory student attendance.

FAILED 7-Y 3-N

4:00 PM

House Health and Human Services-Health

(Agenda)(View Meeting)

• HB75 Keys-Gamarra Medical care facilities; expanded access to medical cannabis for terminally ill patients.
• PASSED: REPORTED WITH A SUBSTITUTE

• HB486 Shin Medical care facilities; expanded access to medical cannabis for terminally ill patients.
• INCORPORATED WITH HB75

• HB542 Hamilton Abortion; informed written consent, newborn safety devices.
• FAILS

• HB829 Helmer Hospital price transparency; price comparison tool, penalties for noncompliance.
• NOT HEARD TODAY

• HB998 Seibold Menstrual supplies ingredient labeling; restriction of substances, civil penalty.
• PASSED: REPORTED WITH A SUBSTITUTE

• HB1025 Walker Access to investigational drugs, etc.; patient with severely debilitating condition.
• FAILS

• HB1194 Scott, P.A. Minor's health records; parental access.
• FAILS

• HB1201Scott, P.A. Certificate of public need; exception for independent outpatient or ambulatory surgery facilities.
• FAILS

• HB1209 Oates Hospitals; itemized statements, non-emergent procedures, tests, or services.
• COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS STRIKING FROM THE DOCKET

• HB1337 Clark Certificate of public need; medical deserts, expedited review, etc.
• PASSED: SUBCOMMITTEE RECOMMENDS REPORTING

• HB1428 Griffin Pregnant women; SHHR to establish website to provide services and programs available.
• FAILS

4:30 PM

House Finance-Subcommittee #2

(Agenda)(View Meeting)

HB207 Keys-Gamarra Retail Sales and Use Tax; imposes firearm suppressor tax.

FAILS 10-Y 0-N

HB566 McNamara Tangible personal property tax relief; rate of taxation.

FAILS 7-Y 3-N

HB919 Lopez Retail Sales and Use Tax; impose firearm and ammunition tax.

 Imposes a firearm and ammunition tax equal to 11 percent of the gross receipts from the retail sale of any firearm or ammunition by a dealer in firearms, firearms manufacturer, or ammunition vendor, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill provides that proceeds from such tax shall be distributed to the Virginia Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Fund.

PASSED WITH A SUBSTITUTE 7-Y 2-N

YEAS--Anthony, Keys-Gamarra, Cole, N.T., Dougherty, Franklin, M.A., Ware, Watts--7

NAYS--Carroll, Garrett--2

ABSTENTIONS--0

NOT VOTING--Bennett-Parker, Walker--2

• Why did Republican Lee Ware vote for this and Walker (R) not vote?

HB954 Watts Local taxes; account balances and other charges, rounding procedures.

PASSED UNANIMOUSLY WITH A SUBSTITUTE

HB1008 Tran Retail Sales and Use tax; credit for taxes paid in another state.

PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH A SUBSTITUTE

HB1094 Laufer Firearms; excise tax on manufacturers.

INCORPORATED VIA VOICE VOTE. DOESN'T SAY WITH WHICH BILL

Stay tuned for more.

Stay vigilant.

Stay informed.

For God and Country,

Amanda Chase

Virginia's Honey Badger

Virginia Senator 2016-2023

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