The General Assembly adjourned sine die on March 14, bringing this year’s regular session to a close; it was an exciting and consequential few weeks. Although we did not finish all of our work, and we will need to return for a special session. Before I walk through some of the key actions we took, I want to start with the elephant in the room, the one thing we did not finish, the state budget.
The Biennial Budget
Under Virginia’s budget process, governors introduce budgets in December. In odd-numbered years after a gubernatorial election, this creates an unusual start for a new administration. Governor Spanberger began her term working from a budget proposed by her predecessor from a different party with different priorities. While some governors quickly rewrite the document and others wait for the General Assembly to act before shaping it, Gov. Spanberger opted for the latter.
The outgoing governor introduced a structurally imbalanced budget, relying heavily on one-time funding and setting up future shortfalls that could become unconstitutional. We navigated dramatic federal subsidy cuts shifting over $100 million in SNAP administrative costs to the state. We managed the $3.2 billion Medicaid re-forecast, though significant cuts associated with President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill are still on the horizon in 2027. The House and Senate addressed these challenges through their own budget proposals that must now be merged into a final budget. In the Senate, we worked on identifying new revenue, primarily from advancing the expiration of tax credits for data centers, to fill the gaps.
Virginia first offered a sales tax exemption in 2008 to attract data centers, at an estimated cost of about $1.5 million a year. The figure has grown to roughly $1.9 billion, raising important questions about fairness and long-term budget stability. Some argue the exemption is contractual, but each agreement allows for changes. As budget negotiations continue, we are working with data center companies to close the gap between the House and Senate proposals. The budget is the most consequential part of the General Assembly session, so stay tuned.
2026 – Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus
Major Initiatives from 2026
- The Prescription Drug Affordability Board has been a long time in the making, as it passed in previous years only to be vetoed by former Gov. Youngkin. This session I worked with stakeholders and Delegate Kerry Delaney to develop a new approach. Under the revised bill, the board will serve in an advisory role to ensure a comprehensive review of all factors affecting drug costs, and we establish maximum fair prices that align with Medicare negotiated prices, helping lower prescription drug costs beginning January 1, 2027.
- We made meaningful progress on worker protections this year, including passing legislation from Senate President pro tempore Louise Lucas and Delegate Jeion Ward to raise the minimum wage to $13.75 starting January 1, 2027 and to $15 on January 1, 2028. The bill then ties the minimum wage to inflation to ensure it keeps pace with rising costs.
- Collective bargaining for public employees moved forward and applies to local government employees and most state workers. The final bill, sponsored by Senator Scott Surovell and Delegate Kathy Tran, excludes higher earners at academic institutions and removed medical centers at the University of Virginia (UVA) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). According to Secretary of Labor Jessica Looman, implementation will take two to three years, creating an opportunity to refine the process.
- We also advanced reforms to strengthen higher education governance and reduce partisan influence on our colleges and universities. This was one of my priorities because our institutions of higher learning are critical infrastructure where the workforce of tomorrow is trained and ideas that will drive the economy are developed. What happened at the Virginia Military Institute, George Mason University, and UVA this past year was unacceptable. The legislation will limit board appointments to one six-year term, codify requirements for nonvoting faculty, staff, and students, and establish a work group to study the use of independent counsel. Del. Lily Franklin carried the House version of the bill. Other legislators who introduced bills that were incorporated into these bills are Senator Scott Surovell, and Delegates Katrina Callsen and Amy Laufer.
- Gun safety was a major focus this session, with legislation led by Delegate Dan Helmer and Senator Saddam Salim to ban the sale of assault style weapons beginning July 1, 2026, focusing on sales rather than possession. Delegate Rip Sullivan and I worked on legislation to update the red flag law. The changes we made spoke directly to the tragedy that occurred last year in Crozet. Under the legislation that passed, family members and mental health professionals will be able to petition for the temporary removal of access to firearms. Other changes involved making the law easier to implement and adding more training requirements. I carried legislation along with Del. Callsen to make firearm possession on college campuses a misdemeanor. This bill was in response to the horrific shooting at UVA.
- Establishing a regulated retail marijuana market gained legislative traction this year from Senator Lashrecse Aird and Delegate Paul Krizek. Bills passed in both chambers to allow for the legal sale of marijuana on January 1, 2027. If this becomes law, we can generate new revenue, support local entrepreneurs, and give Virginians a safer, more reliable marketplace.
- Finally, while I have covered them at length before, I wanted to highlight one more time that we came together in both chambers to pass three constitutional amendments for voter consideration in November, covering reproductive rights, marriage equality, and voting rights restoration. I feel this reflects an important movement where the Commonwealth’s constitution is evolving with its legal standards and public values.
The number of vital bills we passed are far too many to list from shoring up our energy grid and preserving access to contraceptives to protecting our immigrant communities and to enhancing tenant protections, so this just presents a snapshot. Bills that passed are now headed to the Governor for her consideration. One can never really write the story of a particular session until the budget is done, and maybe not for years after to see what effect the laws that were passed are going to have, but it was a consequential session.
I will continue to provide updates on the upcoming special session this April. In the meantime, I encourage folks to make their voices heard by voting in the congressional redistricting referendum. Election day is April 21st, but early voting is ongoing until April 18th. More information can be found here, and voting information is available here.
As always, it is a privilege to serve you in the Senate of Virginia. I am back practicing law and, on the road, mostly, but I am always here to support our community. If I can be of service or if you have questions or comments, please contact us at (804) 698-7511 or senatordeeds@senate.virginia.gov.
Sincerely,
