New Virginia Laws

With Democrats controlling both the House of Delegates and the State Senate, and a Republican Governor, you’d be forgiven if you expected this year’s General Assembly session to be gridlocked. After all, here in Falls Church we live in the shadow of the Nation’s Capital and watching nothing happen in Congress is our unofficial spectator sport. 

While the partisan split did prevent us from making major progress on preventing gun violence, shoring up protections for reproductive freedom, and continuing to move Virginia up the chart of easy-to-vote states (we’re currently stuck at 11, though up from 49th), we did get a lot done in sharp contrast with our federal counterparts. 

Personally, this year’s legislative session was by far my most productive. At the end of our 46-day short session, the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) ranked me the most effective legislator in the General Assembly — with 14 of the 16 bills I introduced successfully passing both chambers. 

In 2024, I proudly held the record for the most vetoes by an individual Delegate. This year, only two of those bills were vetoed, with 12 becoming law on July 1. 

That change in outcome reflected a shift in approach. During the 2024 Session, I focused on drawing a contrast between the Governor’s vision for Virginia and the vision of a freer, fairer, more vibrant Commonwealth that lifts all families and unleashes our full potential. Having made that point, I decided to focus on bills that solve problems for constituents or at least move the ball forward on issues where everyone agreed something needed to be done, even if we disagreed on the details. 

Affordable Housing & Real Estate 

As a real estate attorney and Chairman of the Housing and Consumer Protection Subcommittee, I leaned into the issue of housing affordability — both by empowering localities to require more of it, and by helping them act more efficiently to reduce the cost of increasing supply. 

At the request of the City of Falls Church, beginning July 1, the Little City will have the same authority as other Northern Virginia jurisdictions to establish and enforce an affordable dwelling unit (ADU) program. Another new law imposes tighter timelines on local planning commissions and staff to review and approve plats and plans for new projects. 

As the owner of a real estate title company, I work with a lot of local Realtors — one of whom reached out to me about an annoying practice by Homeowners and Condo Associations. They required the name of the buyer before issuing resale certificates, forcing agents to either guess or wait until a property was under contract to get the ball rolling. 

Beginning July 1, they’ll no longer be allowed to require a buyer’s name before initiating resale inspections or issuing resale certificates, giving buyers and sellers more time to know what, if anything, must be done to comply with HOA rules before closing. 

Consumer Protection 

Straddling the consumer protection and real estate categories is a new law establishing a work group to tackle the rising issue of deed fraud — a new variety of identity theft where scammers impersonate the owners of vacant property and try to trick real estate professionals and court clerks into helping them sell property they don’t own. Bringing together those in a position to detect and prevent this type of fraud should help establish minimum standards and best practices, sending the message that Virginia is not an easy target. 

I also passed a bill that will help tenants renting property better understand the most important terms of their lease. Beginning July 1, the first page of every lease must itemize the fees landlords may charge, either upfront or monthly. 

Also prompted by a constituent request: Virginia’s current anti-SLAPP laws will now be expanded to include immunity for statements made in connection with Title IX complaints. That means people who participate in Title IX proceedings will be protected from defamation lawsuits which is a crucial safeguard for survivors, students, and others engaging in good faith in these important processes. 

Starting July 1, ear piercing will be safer and better regulated. When I learned there were gaps in how Virginia oversaw these services, I worked with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) to give them authority to establish rules and safety standards for businesses specializing in ear piercing, ensuring public safety and consistency for these increasingly common services. 

Campaign Finance Reform 

And finally, after many years, we achieved a big victory in campaign finance. Campaign funds can no longer be used for personal expenses. This may seem small, but Virginia was one of the last states to make this a law — and it matters. 

Jay Jones for Virginia AG

Just days after Donald Trump took office, Trump and unelected billionaire Elon Musk started slashing federal jobs without rhyme or reason. This left and, in many cases, continues to leave our neighbors in Falls Church and across Virginia in limbo about their jobs and their future.

 

Democratic-Led States Step Up

In response, attorneys generals from 20 states filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s illegal mass firings of federal workers. In the states where attorneys general acted, workers have gotten some protections. But in Virginia, Attorney General Jayson Miyares failed to act, leaving Virginia workers out to dry and showing Virginians he is more concerned with pleasing Donald Trump than fighting for his own constituents.

The Trump Administration has moved swiftly to implement a sweeping agenda through executive orders and agency directives. His team has wasted no time raising costs through tariffs, targeting reproductive freedom, voting access, federal workforce rules, immigration protections, and environmental safeguards. Many of these moves are deeply controversial. Several may be unlawful. But what matters now is who is willing and ready to fight back.

Democratic-led states stepped up. Blue state attorneys general have sued to stop Trump’s mass deportation directive, challenged his rollback of offshore wind energy development, and filed briefs defending access to abortion medication and protections for LGBTQ+ workers.

Virginia has been on the sidelines and Miyares’s inaction is failing Virginians.

Why Virginia's AG Race Matters

 

If the first 100 days of Trump’s second term have taught us anything, it’s that the pace of legal attacks on fundamental rights is only accelerating. Every day, it becomes more urgent that we have an Attorney General in Virginia who’s ready to fight not just philosophically, but functionally.

This job requires real experience managing complex litigation, coordinating with other states, and standing up in federal court. We need an AG who knows how to block an unconstitutional executive order before it takes effect. Who can organize a multistate legal strategy to protect clean energy investments. Who will take swift action when healthcare, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, or voting access are threatened.

That’s why I’m proud to support Jay Jones in the Democratic primary for Attorney General. Jay has the background, the energy, and the integrity to meet this moment head-on. As a former Assistant Attorney General, former Delegate, a seasoned attorney, and the son of a civil rights trailblazer, Jay understands both the courtroom and the communities he serves. He knows what it means to fight injustice. And he won’t hesitate to join his fellow Democratic AGs in standing up to federal overreach and fighting for Virginians’ rights.

 

Let’s choose an Attorney General who will fight like our future depends on it. The courts are one of the last places where truth still matters, where facts still hold sway, and where power can be held accountable. But only if we show up.

One Bill's Life - A True Origin Story

Most of what I know about legislating I learned from watching School House Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill” song, where I met an anthropomorphic “Bill” who was hoping to become a law someday. He sang the process to the young boy who found him sitting alone on the steps of the Capitol on Capitol Hill.  

One of the reasons I’ve always loved state level politics and the Virginia General Assembly so much is that, unlike Congress, things still follow a pretty regular and predictable order in Richmond.

In 2025, 13 of my bills grew up to become laws, and they followed the School House Rock process almost exactly, with a few twists and turns thrown in. 

 

One Bill's Life - A True Origin Story

Last September, I met with a constituent who was being sued by the person who had sexually harassed her after she filed a complaint under Title IX and testified during the ensuing investigation. The law professor who was the subject of the complaint was ultimately dismissed from the university for reasons unrelated to this complaint.

He has since filed a defamation lawsuit against her using statements made during the investigation, seeking over $100 million in damages. She believes that the suit is retaliatory and unfounded, designed to inflict extreme economic hardship rather than to win a judgement.

 

Why Virginia is Different

In many states, there are ways to dispose of frivolous lawsuits relatively quickly, and to recover attorney’s fees and have sanctions imposed if the court agrees that the suit was brought for improper purposes.

Virginia has what’s called an Anti-SLAPP statute, (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Policy) but its application is extremely narrow and hard to invoke, making Virginia a “law tourism” destination for people looking to bring these kinds of defamation suits.  

 

Initially, we expanded the scope of the existing law to include immunity for statements made in connection with all official proceedings and added a mandatory award of attorney’s fees and sanctions to deter people from bringing these suits in the first place.

 

Session Semantics

The bill’s first stop after being drafted was in the Civil Law Subcommittee, which I happen to chair. My constituent drove down from Falls Church that morning and had about 10 minutes to testify and explain her particular situation.  

While my fellow legislators were sympathetic, they were concerned with the mandatory award of sanctions, so we made that optional again, advancing the bill with only one NO vote. At full committee, an attorney who frequently worked for those bringing defamation suits surprised us with testimony that he thought the bill, even as trimmed by the subcommittee, went too far. We passed it over his objections on a narrow vote, but when the bill came to the House Floor, where we couldn’t afford to lose any votes, we took out the mandatory attorney’s fees as well.  

So far, things were going just like the cartoon - we went to committee where it was argued and amended, then to the Floor, where it was amended some more, and voted on and passed. The next stop was the State Senate, to start all over again.

In the Senate, I didn’t have the advantage of chairing the committee where the bill would be heard, so I spent a lot of one-on-one time talking with my Senate colleagues. My constituent returned to Richmond to have individual meetings with Senators and their staff, once again sharing her traumatic story with the hope that she could tip the scales.

Some wordsmithing later, the Senate Courts Committee and ultimately the Senate passed the amended version, 39-1. The House accepted the changes and the bill headed to the Governor.  

 

The Bill Passes With a Twist

One Virginia specific twist. While the President can only sign or veto a bill, the Governor can recommend amendments, which he did. His amendment narrowed the scope even further so that it only applies to Title IX processes.  

While it’s not all we were hoping for, our bill makes it clear that someone who is suffering sexual harassment in an academic setting can file a Title IX complaint and feel safe to testify about their experience without living in fear of a 9 figure lawsuit being filed for the purpose of bringing about financial ruin and years of emotional distress. This bill will become law on July 1, 2025.

The Compromise State Budget

The General Assembly wrapped up its regular session last month, sending 917 bills to the Governor for action. In Virginia, the Governor has until the end of March to sign, veto, or recommend amendments to the legislation we pass.

That’s out of more than 2,000 bills that were introduced. 

I’m proud to report that the 2025 session was a highly successful one for me. According to a recent Virginia Public Access Project analysis, I was ranked the most effective legislator in the state, with 14 of the 16 bills I introduced passing both chambers.

One of the most critical responsibilities of the General Assembly during our short session is adjusting Virginia’s two-year budget. This year, we’re looking at a significant surplus, though the ongoing dismantling of the federal government and workforce could have major implications for those numbers.

I’ve been tapped by the Speaker of the House to serve on a bi-partisan Emergency Committee to work to ascertain exactly what the impact will be on Virginia’s budget and help make policy recommendations to address the potential loss of revenue, providing for the needs of newly unemployed federal workers, and long term strategies to allow our economy to adapt the reality of an eviscerated Federal Government. 

With that in mind, here’s a look at what we accomplished in January and February.

Putting money back in the pockets of hard-working Virginians

The House-Senate compromise budget includes over $1 billion in tax cuts for Virginians, including tax rebates of $200 per individual and $400 per couple by October 2025, plus a permanent increase in the standard deduction to help lower tax burdens.

We’re expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), providing more relief to lower-income households. 

Affordable Housing

I hear about this issue a lot – from constituents and in my day job as a real estate title attorney. To help address it, this budget has significant investments to help Virginians achieve homeownership, address high rental costs for low-income Virginians, and increase the state’s supply of affordable housing.

Specifically, there is a pilot program that will provide direct rental assistance to families in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, so that the cost of housing does not exceed 30% of their income. A new grant program for first-time homebuyers to receive a grant of up to $10,000 was also established to help offset the cost of homeownership.

Public Education

This budget includes a historic $782 million increase in state funding for our K-12 public education system. Along with the already promised 3% raise, teachers and support staff will receive a $1,000 bonus.

We also set aside $150 million to improve school facilities, ensuring safe and modern classrooms for Virginia’s students. And we’re investing in early childhood education by adding 4,500 new early childhood education slots while keeping childcare costs affordable for working families.

Healthcare & Mental Health Services

Better and sustainable healthcare for all Virginians is a top priority. As a result, the budget includes an $869 million investment in health and human services, ensuring more funding for Medicaid, maternal health, and mental health services.

Of this, $41.2 million is earmarked for behavioral health, including crisis services, mental health workforce support, and expanded psychiatric resources. There is also $32.3 million to address critical improvements in state mental health facilities.

In addition, there is $8.7 million to hire additional support coordinators at Community Service Boards to ensure individuals receiving a DD waiver get timely access to services and to help with the increased caseload due to the significant addition of DD waiver slots this biennium.

We added an additional $1 million to expand pilot programs to divert and discharge individuals with dementia from state hospitals to community placements. Fairfax County will be able to expand their pilot program that reduces the risk of social isolation among older Virginians, with the goal of expanding the program statewide.

Environment & Infrastructure

Protecting our environment and shoring up our infrastructure projects are critical to Virginia’s continued economic success. As such, we’re maintaining our commitment to the Chesapeake Bay Cleanup by fully funding agricultural best management practices for the biennium. 

The Stormwater Local Assistance Fund will get $40 million to cover projected costs and the we will fully fund the state share of costs for wastewater treatment plant improvements. We’re also adding $25 million for drinking water grants to localities to upgrade or replace existing drinking water infrastructure.

This budget includes restores $3.3 million for operating support for WMATA.

Safer Communities

There is an additional $5.9 million to support grants for local community violence intervention programs, plus an additional $3.5 million for sexual assault and domestic violence victim agencies and victim witness programs.

All I Do is Win

The 2025 General Assembly Session is officially over and I'm glad to be back in the 13th District! With over 3,000 bills and resolutions reviewed, it was a productive, short session.

 

I’m proud to share that I was the most successful legislator this session in getting bills passed! Among lawmakers who introduced more than one bill, I had the highest batting average - meaning more of my legislation made it through the process than anyone else’s.

 

It’s not just about numbers - it’s about delivering real results for Virginians. I’ve worked hard to craft meaningful, effective legislation and build the support needed to get things done. I’ll keep fighting for the issues that matter to our community. Check out the stats for yourself: VPAP Legislator Batting Averages. Thank you for your support—I couldn’t do this without you!

 

The Last Week of Session

The 5th grade class from Oak Street Elementary School in Falls Church visited the Capitol to learn more about the legislative process and to visit with Senator Salim and myself. It was my pleasure to introduce them on the House Floor.

 

Early in the week, I participated in a press conference on campaign finance reform, specifically about legislation to prohibit the personal use of campaign funds. Although I have carried this bill for many years, my colleague, Delegate Josh Cole introduced it this year. And for the first time, the bill has passed both chambers, which means it is on its way to the Governor. The Washington Post also covered this monumental achievement.

 

On Wednesday, Delegate Webert and I presented a commending resolution for Col. Gary Settle who recently retired as the the Virginia State Police Superintendent. After nearly 50 years of service to the Commonwealth, his retirement is well-earned.

 

Emergency Committee on Impacts of the Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions

The Speaker appointed me to this special committee to study the potential impacts of the Trump Administration's cuts to the federal workforce and programs. The purpose is to ensure that the General Assembly can work to mitigate these impacts to Virginians and to the state budget.

 

Last Saturday, we had our first committee meeting. We heard presentations from the Washington Council of State Governments, the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, the Virginia Employment Commission, the Virginia Municipal League, and House Appropriations staff. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this critical issue as the uncertainty affects so many Virginians. You can watch the full stream of the meeting online.

 

For Fairfax County residents that are directly affected by this, the County has created a website of resources that may be helpful.

 

What's Next?

The 822 bills that the passed the House and the Senate will go to the Governor for his review, including 13 of my bills (more details below!). On April 2nd, we will return to Richmond to vote on the Governor's vetoes and recommendations.

 

We also passed a compromise budget that reflects many of our priorities. And I'm pleased to report that my budget request to provide $500,000 for the Lake Barcroft Dam to address critical infrastructure issues and maintenance is included.

 

Now, it's the Governor's turn. Over the next few weeks, we'll see what legislation he decides to sign, amend, or veto.

The End of the 2025 Session

This is the very last week of the 2025 General Assembly Session! With a short, 46-day session, it is always a challenge to make sure that we have enough time to review all the legislation that is introduced. I know it’s hard to focus on anything other than the chaos and constant stream of bad news coming from across the river in Washington, D.C, but I’m hoping that you’ll take a moment to look at what we’ve been able to accomplish so far down in Richmond.

Here in the State Capitol, the legislative branch still values the separation of powers and takes seriously its responsibility to provide a constitutional check on executive overreach. With the Governor also able to veto any bills we send to his desk and likely have them sustained, we’ve been forced to focus on items that don’t require his signature or items that are non-partisan. We’ve also been able to stop ill-advised ideas from advancing.  Here’s the round-up.  

Constitutional Amendments

One thing we can do without the Governor’s signature is propose amendments to Virginia’s constitution, enshrining personal freedom at the state level. Three constitutional amendments have passed the House and the Senate – the right to vote, the right to reproductive freedom, and the right to marriage equality. 

So, what’s next? Well, if we can keep the House majority after the election this November, then we’ll be able to pass these exact same amendments again during the 2026 Session. At that point, the last hurdle will be the 2026 ballot when voters will decide if these three constitutional amendments will become a part of Virginia’s Constitution. This means we’ve got a lot of work to do between now and then to ensure that happens! 

Northern Virginia Casino Bill Dies in Subcommittee

The bill to authorize a casino in Northern Virginia has officially died for this year. The only disappointment for me? It happened in a subcommittee I wasn’t on, so I didn’t get the chance to vote NO myself.

Regardless of where you stand on whether Northern Virginia should have a casino or whether we need the good union jobs a casino and entertainment district might provide, this bill was deeply flawed. Fairfax County never asked for the authority to put a casino referendum on the ballot. The bill’s restrictive language made it clear it was crafted to benefit a single landowner. Most importantly, I heard from thousands of constituents and neighbors opposed to it. I’m glad this bill won’t be moving forward this year. It would take a much different bill and much different circumstances to get me to a yes on a casino bill. It’s hard to imagine what those circumstances might be, but this iteration didn’t come close. 

Campaign Finance Reform

Some items take more than a session, or two, or even three to become law. For all 12 of my sessions, I was Chief Patron or Chief Co-Patron of bills to clean up what I thought was an obvious loophole in Virginia’s campaign finance laws – prohibiting the use of campaign funds for personal use. We are one of the last few states not to have laws to specifically regulate this.

This year, I worked with Delegate Josh Cole, who introduced the bill. It has passed the House and will have passed the Senate by the time you read this column. Next step is the Governor’s desk!

My Legislation

I’ve been fortunate that 13 of the 15 bills I introduced this year have passed both chambers, most with broad bi-partisan support making them unlikely to be vetoed. My resolution to study the effect of recent changes to Virginia law making it easier to challenge books in public school libraries will pass as well. 

Whether we like it or not, the level of government that may have the greatest ability to protect our personal freedom and our democratic way of life may be the state level for the next few years. I want you to know you have a strong and effective advocate in the General Assembly.

Community Meetings

As this is the last week of session, I’ll soon be heading back to Northern Virginia, my regular day job, and get to see my family. I’m looking forward to being back in the district and attending community events. If you have an HOA, community association, youth group, or local organization that would like me to give an in-person session update, please reach out to my office.

Representing the 13th District

For the first time in almost 30 years, the Commanders have a real shot at being in the Super Bowl. As a die-hard fan, I’ve been watching each game on the edge of my seat, daring to hope that this could be our year. And after the team’s tumultuous few years, I think we’ve earned a win.  

It reminds me a lot of the transformation of the Virginia House of Delegates. When I started in the House of Delegates, Democrats were a super-minority, with just 33 of 100 seats. Kind of like going 4-13 during and NFL Season. Then, in 2017 we got to 49, and, but for a random drawing, could have tied the House. The next cycle we took over in 2019. Through the height of the pandemic, we did our best to navigate those uncertain times while also fulfilling our campaign promises to our constituents. After losing the majority in 2021, we once again came out on top in the 2023 election with a 51-49 majority.  

 

We are accustomed to working hard, to keeping our commitments, and working to ensure that Virginia remains the best place to live, to work, and raise a family.  

 

We've got over 2,000 bills pending in the House and Senate, so we have our work cut out for us these few weeks before Crossover! 

 

Possibly the biggest news of the week was that the House passed our top three Constitutional Amendments - the right to reproductive freedom (HJ 1), the right to vote (HJ 2), and the right to marriage equality (HJ 9). For these Amendments to get on the ballot so that you can vote on them, we'll have to pass them all again during the 2026 Session. But we are that much closer to enacting these critical freedoms and protections. 

 

Adding to this, President Biden declared that the ERA is now the law of the land as one of his last official acts. This is largely thanks to Virginia becoming the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in 2020. 

The State Budget 

As Chair of the Freedom of Information Advisory Council, I submitted two budget amendments that will address the Council's increased workload while ensuring its ability to fulfill its duties. One provides increased funding to the Council’s base appropriation to reflect operational cost increases. The second provides funding for two positions to increase staffing to address growing workload requirements, particularly regarding the statewide training for state and local officials and requests for formal and informal opinions. 
 

Now that I represent Lake Barcroft and its watershed district, I submitted an amendment to address a critical infrastructure project. This amendment provides $500,000 of state funding for maintenance required at the Lake Barcroft Damn. This is a result of the Department of Conservation & Recreation's Division of Dam Safety’s updated certification regulations and is just a small part of the overall $8 million funding needed for this project.  

 

My Legislative Agenda 

 

During this 46-day short session (which has a bill introduction limit),  I submitted 15 bills and one joint study resolution. Here are a few highlights. 

 

I introduced a bill authorizing localities to establish by ordinance a system of public campaign financing for local elected offices (HB 1761). This is part of my long-standing commitment to campaign finance reform. 

 

My HB 2039 requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in consultation with the FOIA Council, to establish a model policy on the use of encrypted telecommunications by law-enforcement agencies. Most likely, this bill will be referred to the FOIA Council for further review.  

 

At the request of the Falls Church City Council, I submitted HB 2137 to add the City of Falls Church to the list of localities with authority to create an affordable dwelling unit program. 

 

While it is already illegal to put swastikas in public areas with the intent to intimidate, HB 2783 simply adds private property to that list. 

 

For several years now, I’ve had a little banned book library outside my Richmond office. My joint resolution, HJ 440, directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) to study the removal of books from Virginia’s public school libraries. 

 

Just as the Commanders have worked hard to improve their standing in the NFL, we are working hard to represent our constituents and uphold our progressive values. While some of our goals may take some time to achieve, we will do what we can to make sure we ultimately come out on top.