Dominion NextEra Merger

 Imagine you live in a neighborhood with a homeowners association. You don't get to choose whether to belong and you must pay whatever dues the association charges. Now imagine the HOA board announces that it's considering merging with a much larger association in another state.

The board tells you the merger will create efficiencies, save money, and improve services. Maybe it will. But before you vote, you'd probably have a few questions. Will my dues go up? Will our neighborhood still have a say in how our money is spent? And who exactly benefits from this deal?

Those are essentially the questions Virginians should be asking about the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and Florida-based NextEra Energy.

Dominion isn't just another company headquartered in Virginia. It provides electricity to millions of Virginians, employs thousands of people, and plays an enormous role in our economy. Decisions about its future have consequences for everyone who lives or does business here. This is why a merger of this magnitude raises legitimate questions about electric rates, Virginia jobs, and investments in our energy infrastructure.

In exchange for the exclusive right to serve customers in a particular area, electric utilities are subject to oversight by the State Corporation Commission (SCC), which is responsible for making sure rates are reasonable and service is reliable. It's a system that depends on strong oversight and accountability to consumers. That makes the SCC's review of this proposed merger especially important.

Speaker Don Scott raised some of these same questions in a letter to the SCC last month, emphasizing that affordability must be at the center of its review. Any potential benefits from the merger should go first to the customers who are already paying the bills, not simply to shareholders or corporate executives. That means more than promises about keeping rates low. It means enforceable, long-term commitments that protect residential customers from paying more because of the merger.

It also means making sure Virginians aren't asked to subsidize operations in other states. NextEra has substantial operations in Florida, where hurricanes and other natural disasters can create enormous costs. Virginia customers should not be responsible for expenses incurred elsewhere simply because two companies have combined.

But I have concerns that go beyond what might happen to our electric bills in the immediate future.

Dominion already wields considerable influence in Virginia, both economically and politically. Its role in shaping energy policy and its longstanding relationships with state government have been debated in Richmond for years. Adding the resources of another major utility raises questions about whether regulators and policymakers will be able to exercise meaningful oversight over an even larger company. The public needs to have confidence that the rules are being written and enforced in their interests. The larger and more influential a utility becomes, the more important independent oversight becomes.

This merger is also being considered at a time when Virginia's energy needs are changing dramatically. Northern Virginia is home to the world's largest concentration of data centers, and their electricity demand continues to grow. Meeting that demand requires significant investment in our electric grid. Residential customers and small businesses should not be left paying for infrastructure built primarily to serve some of the largest and most profitable technology companies in the world, regardless of who owns the utility. The SCC should require greater transparency about how these costs are allocated.

Beyond this, any merger must preserve Virginia's clean energy commitments, protect our natural resources, and provide meaningful assurances about Virginia jobs and continued investment in our communities.

The SCC is an independent regulatory body, and it needs the time and information necessary to conduct a thorough review. I support Governor Spanberger's decision to intervene in the proceedings to help ensure that Virginia consumers have a meaningful voice in the process. This review cannot be rushed, particularly when the long-term implications for consumers and regulatory oversight are so significant.

While mergers can create opportunities for investment and greater efficiency, those potential benefits need to be demonstrated, not simply promised. We should be asking whether creating an even larger utility will strengthen Virginia's energy future or make it harder to protect the interests of the people who depend on it.

Virginia has spent years debating how to ensure that our utilities are accountable to the people they serve. We shouldn't approve a merger that makes that job even harder. Dominion and NextEra should have to demonstrate that this merger will benefit Virginians, not simply ask us to trust that a bigger company will act in our best interests.

Working for a Living

We have a way of losing track of what our holidays are really about. St. Patrick’s Day has become a reason to wear lots of green and drink beer. Memorial Day means sales and the opening of the neighborhood pool. And Labor Day has become the unofficial end of summer — one last long weekend, one last backyard barbecue, and one last chance to enjoy the pool before school and fall routines take over.

 

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying any of that. But as we celebrate the unofficial end of summer, it’s also worth remembering what Labor Day represents — the contributions of working people and the generations of workers who fought to make our workplaces fairer, safer, and more secure.

 

It’s also a reminder that things we now take for granted — the 40-hour work week, weekends, workplace safety protections, and fair wages — didn’t just happen. Working people organized, fought for them, and, in many cases, made real sacrifices to secure them.

So, as we prepare to celebrate Labor Day, I thought I’d use this month’s column to highlight several new labor-related laws that took effect on July 1st, expanding protections and benefits for workers and families across the Commonwealth.

 

Raising the Minimum Wage

 

Virginia’s minimum wage is going up again. After a brief pause under the former Governor, the most recent General Assembly put us back on course to hit $15 per hour by January 1, 2028. After that, the minimum wage will be adjusted based on increases in the Consumer Price Index.

 

It’s taken a while to get there, (I first introduced a $15 minimum wage in 2015), but regardless of the work you do, a higher minimum wage is one way we can make sure that Virginia’s workers share in the prosperity they help create.

 

Paid Sick Leave You Can Actually Use

 

We also took a major step forward on paid sick leave. Virginia law now guarantees paid sick leave for most workers, including employees of private businesses and state and local governments. Workers will earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked and, in most cases, workers can carry their accrued leave with them, including when a business changes ownership.

 

Paid sick leave can be used for more than staying home when you have the flu. Workers can use it to care for themselves or a family member, address a physical or mental health issue, or seek help and services related to domestic, sexual, or physical abuse. No one should have to choose between going to work while sick and paying the bills or staying home to care for a loved one and losing a paycheck. And someone trying to escape an abusive situation shouldn’t have to worry that taking time to get help will cost them their job.

 

The paid family and medical leave insurance program is also now law and will eventually give eligible workers access to paid time away from work for major life events and serious health needs. Together, these laws recognize that people have responsibilities outside of their jobs, and our workplace policies should reflect that.

 

Further, we have tools to hold employers accountable for knowing violations, including civil penalties. Workers can also take legal action in certain circumstances when they are denied the leave they are entitled to, potentially recovering unpaid leave and damages.

Another new law addresses a different kind of workplace inequality: salary history. Employers are now prohibited from asking job applicants about their salary or wage history. What you earned at your last job shouldn’t determine what you’re worth at your next one.

 

No Salary History

 

For too long, salary history has been used as a shortcut for determining compensation, which can perpetuate unfair pay disparities from one job to the next. By taking salary history out of the equation, we give applicants a better opportunity to negotiate based on the job they are applying for, not what they happened to earn somewhere else.

 

That is what Labor Day is about - recognizing the people whose work keeps our communities and our Commonwealth moving forward, and making sure our laws recognize their contributions.

 

And what better way to celebrate that progress than by gathering together? I hope you’ll join me for my annual Labor Day BBQ on Monday, September 7th, for good food, good company, and a chance to celebrate the people who make our communities and our Commonwealth strong. I’d love to see you there.

Making History - The State Budget

Sometimes what you learn in civics class about how the government is supposed to work doesn’t seem to match up with the reality of policy making you see play out in the news. Particularly at the national level.

 

When asked why I decided to run for the state legislature I often tell people that I fell in love with the law making process when I went to work for my predecessor Jim Scott back in 1992. The thing I loved about it was that it actually worked the way you imagined it would in a 4th grade government class, or watching the story of “Bill” on School House Rock.

 

Last year I got a visit from a class of 5th grade students from Falls Church City who were engaged with a “write our own law” project. Their project: find a way to spend more time learning outside. Thanks to their advocacy and Governor Spanberger’s signing of our biennial budget, they’ve succeeded and we’re going to make that happen.

 

They came to Richmond to lobby me and other legislators, prepared talking points for me to use in testimony before the budget committee, and as a result, we now have a $100,000 grant program for school systems to create outdoor learning spaces. And that’s just a fraction of new education funding that Virginians will receive over the course of these next two years. Teachers can expect to receive a 4% pay increase per year (from 2026 to 2028), with state employees receiving 3.5% raises.

 

An Overall Historic Budget

 

This budget is historic: it allocates almost $2 billion to our education system, which currently stands as the biggest investment into Virginia’s public education and children since its founding. This includes specific funding for special education students and English learners. As a Virginian, I serve to protect and uplift young learners and will continue to do so in the face of Republican opposition and malpractice.

 

Higher education will also receive economic aid, as we’ve allocated $346 million over our previous baseline to facilitate operations and reduce tuition costs for undergraduates.

I am proud to support this investment in higher education not only because it makes students’ lives easier, but because it works towards an academic culture that protects young learners against political attacks. Young Virginians must be provided learning spaces which protect their freedom and intellectual curiosity. And this budget is going to help make that happen.

 

Over the past few years, we’ve experienced rapid healthcare cuts by a Republican Congress and President Trump. With the aid of data center consumption taxes, Virginia will provide $150 million to help those who will experience economic hardship first.

 

While my district in Falls Church and Fairfax county isn’t impact as heavily as our neighbors in rural Virginia, I am extremely proud of the work we did to cushion the blow delivered by the HR 1 (The Big . . . I’m going to go with UGLY . . . Bill) to patients and health care facilities dependent on Medicaid. This budget invests $350 million in a Medicaid Emergency fund to backfill some of the money that disappeared from the system. We’ve got to do everything we can to offset the effects of those MAGA lawmakers who are working to dismantle our national health insurance benefits. They do not have our best interests at heart.

 

The biennial budget also addresses homelessness prevention, eviction, and skyrocketing housing prices. We’re investing over $90 million in affordable housing options, homeless services, and eviction prevention programs. This means more resources all over: stabilizing workers, building new homes, and protecting families from separation. This means affordability in a very real and tangible way.

 

Then there’s the marijuana question: what’s happening and how does it affect Virginia? This budget has helped facilitate a smart solution to adult-use cannabis markets that are research-driven and informed.

 

Dispensaries are state-regulated and prioritize the safety of all Virginians - especially children. Academics have proven over decades that more government oversight on marijuana means kids have less access to cannabis on the streets.

 

This is a system which also protects consumers, fosters accountability, and contributes to our state earnings. With the help of this Democrat-driven budget, we’ve given adults a place to safely purchase cannabis, as is protected by Virginia law.

 

This budget is a culmination of everything that Virginians represent. Compassion and courage in the face of adversity, protection of children and families, and continued support for front-line workers. I like the direction we’re moving in. And I’m excited for what these next two years bring to Virginia.

Budget Time

Virginia, we finally have a Budget. With just days to spare before the Virginia State Government authority to spend money ran out, the House of Delegates and State Senate voted on a compromise budget Monday, June 22^nd. The Governor now has seven days to offer amendments, which the General Assembly must act on before midnight June 30^th.

So, what took us so long?

Typically, select members of the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee meet in a conference committee to hammer out the differences between the House and Senate budgets in March, with a final vote take on or about the last day of our 60-day regular session. Virginia's Constitution requires us to maintain a balanced budget. Unlike the federal government, we cannot simply borrow our way through difficult decisions. We must make choices about priorities, live within our means, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.

This year was particularly challenging because we have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars backfilling essential services that were eliminated in HR1 – the big ugly bill. Unfortunately, reaching agreement on a budget took longer than anyone would have liked.

The delay, as you may have read or heard about, was about whether we should continue a tax incentive program voted on with broad bi-partisan support years ago to attract data center development to the Commonwealth. The Senate proposed ending those incentives immediately, even though they were scheduled to last until 2035.  The House was uncomfortable going back on our commitment and cancelling these incentives some eight years early, worried about the impact on our ability to win the trust of potential partners in future economic development deals.

I’ll admit, the Senate position has a great deal of appeal, policy-wise and politically.  We’ve reached a critical mass here in Virginia where we are an extremely attractive place to build a data center, with or without the added sweetener of a sales tax exemption. And the exemption has grown tremendously, with an estimated windfall of $2.8 billion annually available by simply cancelling it. 

Politically, the simplicity of the Senate message – “No more tax breaks for billion-dollar businesses” is undeniable.

What we settled on, I think, is a better policy that takes a little bit longer to explain but better serves the people of the Commonwealth. This budget helps protect Virginia ratepayers, supports long-term energy affordability, and ensures data centers contribute their fair share while preserving Virginia's position as the nation's leading technology hub.

We protect ratepayers by establishing a new Data Center Energy Consumption Fee, ensuring that the industry's growing energy demands do not fall on residential customers and small businesses. The fee is expected to generate up to $600 million annually – or $1.2 billion over the biennium – helping Virginia address the infrastructure and energy demands associated with rapid growth.

This approach aligns the data center operators’ incentives with our public policy priorities. Rather than simply ending the sales tax exemption, this approach gives data centers a big reason to find ways to make their facilities as energy efficient as possible to reduce their tax liability.

The budget also directs state agencies to develop data center noise regulations, identify cooling water scarcity areas, and collect additional information on electric service agreements, water usage, and generator permitting so policymakers have the tools they need to make informed decisions as the industry continues to grow.

I also support legislation introduced by Delegate Rip Sullivan that would tie future eligibility for the sales tax exemption to environmental and performance standards. If Virginia is going to offer tax incentives, those incentives should advance public policy goals. Rewarding energy efficiency, sustainability, and responsible development is a smarter long-term approach than offering benefits without expectations.

The data center debate is far from over. The study included in this budget will help inform future decisions, and I expect the General Assembly will continue examining how best to balance economic development, energy policy, environmental concerns, and the interests of ratepayers. But this compromise represents a meaningful step forward.

While data centers received much of the attention during budget negotiations, the final agreement also includes significant investments in education, public employees, working families, and local communities.

The budget extends Virginia's refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) at 20% through 2030, continuing an important tool that helps working families. Beginning in 2027, the standard deduction will increase to $9,200 for individuals and $18,400 for married couples filing jointly, providing tax relief to millions of Virginians.

The budget also gives local communities a new tool to address aging school facilities, overcrowded classrooms, and growing enrollment by allowing localities to seek voter approval for a local sales tax of up to 1% dedicated to school construction and modernization. Importantly, any such tax must first be approved by local voters.

This budget takes an important step toward ensuring that major energy users contribute appropriately to the costs they create. And it demonstrates that even when disagreements arise, we can still come together to find common ground and move Virginia forward.

The story of Virginia

The story of Virginia cannot be told without the voices, leadership, and resilience of Black Virginians. Their contributions have helped build our Commonwealth and move our nation forward. This is a time to celebrate that legacy, but also to acknowledge that meaningful progress requires honest reflection and continued action to expand opportunity and justice.

That same sense of responsibility—to honor the past while doing the work of the present—has been on full display at the Capitol. Last week marked the final stretch before crossover, the halfway point of the legislative session, when the pace quickens and the days grow longer. Extended House floor sessions and marathon committee meetings are part of this moment, ensuring that every bill receives the careful hearing, debate, and vote it deserves. As hundreds of proposals move forward, our focus remains steady: advancing legislation that delivers real, tangible results for families, workers, and communities across Virginia.

Transparency & Efficiency

Transparency and efficiency remain central to our work. Several bills this session are designed to protect consumers and make public and private systems work more clearly and fairly. HB 484 stops insurers from using automated tools to reduce medical claims unfairly, ensuring patients and providers receive the coverage they are owed. HB 618 improves how health plan information is collected and reported so it is easier for the public and regulators to access. HB 676 allows providers to submit information electronically while requiring insurers to offer payment options without extra fees. In housing, HB 616 and HB 1325 require landlords to provide clear, itemized statements, written leases, and a summary of tenant rights, including disclosures about fees and flood risk.

Affordability

Affordability continues to be a major priority. HB 519 treats air conditioning as an essential service in rental housing, protecting tenants during extreme heat. HB 625 caps out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, while HB 837 expands eviction diversion programs and ensures tenants know about available rental assistance. HB 1005 requires landlords to accept common payment methods and limits extra fees for maintenance. HB 1078 prevents large landlords from denying applicants based on old eviction records. HB 1093 limits excessive attorney fees when tenants pay overdue rent before court, HB 1214 lowers the monthly insulin cap to $35, and HB 1408 protects survivors of family abuse from eviction penalties. These measures make daily life more manageable for Virginians and ensure that fairness guides our laws.

Economic & Social Justice

The House has also advanced a slate of bills on public safety, civil rights, and economic fairness, now under consideration in the Senate. Economic and environmental justice legislation includes HB 1, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2028; HB 4, allowing localities to preserve affordable housing; HB 397, preparing Virginia to re-enter RGGI to combat climate change; and HB 449, giving Virginians the tools to hold powerful companies accountable through class action lawsuits.

Public Safety

Gun violence prevention remains a top priority. HB 21 creates civil accountability for firearm manufacturers. My HB 40 to ban ghost guns once again passed the House. HB 93 prevents illegal firearms from reaching domestic abusers. HB 217 prohibits assault weapons, HB 229 bars firearms in hospitals that provide mental health services, and HB 871 requires safe firearm storage in homes with minors or prohibited individuals. Together, these measures make our communities safer while respecting lawful gun ownership.

Redistricting

With the Governor’s signature on the enabling legislation, the approval of funding in the budget, and the election calendar now finalized, the mid-decade redistricting process is officially underway. The legal framework and resources are now in place to implement the updated congressional district maps, and the timelines for the April 21st election have been set so voters can plan accordingly. Our focus now shifts to executing this process smoothly and transparently to ensure voters have clear information and confidence in the updated congressional districts and upcoming election schedule.

Championing the issues that matter the most to my constituents means showing up, standing up, and lifting up the voices of all our neighbors. It means advancing policies that improve lives, build trust, and create opportunities. Together, we can make Virginia a Commonwealth that works for everyone. And the legislation that is advancing this session is designed to do just that.

The True State of Virginia's Economy

There’s a debate playing out in Virginia right now about the true state of our economy. If you believe Governor Glenn Youngkin, everything is fine: Virginia is outperforming national averages in the job market, our revenue collections are above projections, and the Commonwealth’s financial picture is solid. But if you believe the signs that economists, analysts, and even bipartisan legislators are pointing to, we’re in for a heap of trouble.

 

The truth is both perspectives can be true. And that’s the real challenge when you’re cruising at 70 miles an hour down the interstate, everything can look smooth until you spot a bright sign flashing: “Accident Ahead.” Most of us, faced with that warning, take our foot off the gas, check the GPS, and prepare for what’s coming. The question is whether we’ll do that as a Commonwealth or whether we’ll plow forward at full speed, insisting the road is clear until it’s too late.

 

Final Report | Emergency Committee on Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions

 

Last week, the Emergency Committee on Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions held its final meeting and issued a sobering report. After months of testimony, data collection, and economic analysis, the conclusion was clear: Virginia is on a collision course if Congress continues cutting federal spending at this pace.

 

Nearly a quarter of our Virginia’s economy is tied to federal spending, more than any other state. When Washington makes deep cuts, Virginia feels the pain first and worst. We’ve already lost more than 11,000 federal jobs, with another 10,000 at risk. These statistics represent families who’ve lost paychecks, small businesses who’ve lost customers, and local governments who’ve lost tax revenue for schools and public safety.

 

The threats go well beyond the workforce. The President signed H.R. 1, allowing federal premium tax credits to expire at the end of 2025, spiking health insurance costs for more than 200,000 Virginia families with many seeing premiums more than double. Replacing those credits would cost the state $250 million annually, money that could otherwise fund schools, infrastructure, or job creation.

 

Food assistance is another area where families will pay more for less. H.R.1 adds $90 million in costs to Virginia in 2027 and $270 million in 2028 just to keep SNAP running. At the same time, it layers on red tape and blocks benefit increases, even as grocery bills climb higher.

 

Hospitals are bracing for a $2.1 billion annual loss in federal funding once these cuts take hold. That is enough to push many community and rural hospitals already operating on razor-thin margins to close their doors. Losing a hospital doesn’t just mean losing access to doctors and nurses. It means longer drives in an emergency and reduced healthcare access for entire regions of the Commonwealth.

 

Education is under the knife too. The U.S. House Appropriations Committee has proposed the deepest cuts in decades, slashing overall federal support for K–12 schools by 27% and Title I by 34%. On top of that, they would claw back $2.6 billion that schools already planned to use. These cuts eliminate programs for English learners, adult education, migrant and homeless students, and teacher training.

 

And it’s not just abstract future obligations, but critical current projects. Portsmouth saw $24.2 million for dam repairs evaporate. Richmond lost $12 million for water treatment upgrades. Hampton lost $20 million for climate resilience. Norfolk lost nearly $40 million for an offshore wind logistics park. These weren’t “nice to have” projects. They were urgent, job-creating investments. And now they’re gone.

 

The Governor would have you believe our current surplus protects us. But that “cushion” is temporary and these costs are ongoing. You can’t build long-term stability on short-term dollars. That’s why the Committee called for transparency from the Youngkin Administration and real-time data so Virginians can see the risks clearly. We also recommended practical protections for workers blindsided by layoffs: the right to break leases they can’t afford, eviction prevention, extended unemployment benefits, and retraining programs. These are common-sense ways to soften the blow when federal cuts land hardest here at home.

 

As his term winds down, the Governor may prefer to look away. But Virginians don’t have that luxury. The warning signs are flashing. Our choice is simple: do we slow down, take stock, and adjust course or do we press the accelerator and hope the road really is as clear as it looks right now?

 

Virginia has always thrived when we planned ahead, diversified our economy, and invested in our people. That’s the road to long-term prosperity. Pretending there’s no accident ahead is not leadership. It’s denial. And Virginians deserve better than that.

VELA - A 90's Comeback?

Remember Friday nights at Blockbuster, keeping your Tamagotchi alive between classes, or rocking a pair of wide-leg jeans with Doc Martens? The ’90s are back on TikTok, in our closets, even in the soundtrack of our kids’ Spotify playlists. And maybe, it’s time for one more revival: the Virginia Education Loan Authority (VELA). Like the Beanie Babies in your attic, VELA was packed away in 1997 under Governor George Allen. But with Washington pulling back on student lending, Virginia may need to bring this retro policy back into circulation.

On August 14th, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) appeared before the House Emergency Committee on Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions to lay out the hard truth. The federal government’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” (H.R. 1) is about to make paying for college a lot harder. Pell eligibility will shrink. Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS loans, which are already lifelines for many working- and middle-class families, are being capped. And new “earnings outcome” rules could put pressure on Virginia colleges that serve a higher share of first-generation and lower-income students.

SCHEV’s analysts showed us the stark numbers. Virginia families already face billions of dollars in unmet need every year, even before these federal cuts. Without access to federal lending capacity, students will be forced to cobble together private loans with higher interest rates or, more likely, to walk away from higher education altogether. Add to that declining demographics, skepticism about the return on investment, and the loss of international students, and Virginia’s higher-ed system is staring at a perfect storm.

If this feels familiar, it should. The last time federal support was dialed back and college affordability became a crisis, Virginia responded by creating VELA. It was a homegrown solution that recognized education as an investment in our own future workforce and economy.

And this isn’t the first time the idea of reviving VELA has been floated. Back in 2016, I introduced legislation to reimagine VELA as a student loan refinancing authority. The proposal would have allowed Virginia to sell tax-free municipal bonds and let qualified borrowers refinance their student debt at lower rates. The goal was to give responsible borrowers a fair shot to get out from under crushing monthly payments, freeing up resources to buy homes, start families, and invest in our communities. At the time, SCHEV and our Treasurer’s office studied the model and found it feasible, though the bill never made it out of committee. Yet the blueprint remains on the shelf, ready to be dusted off.

Some may think this is too ambitious. However, we’ve already laid groundwork to protect borrowers. In 2020, I carried legislation establishing Virginia’s Student Borrower Bill of Rights, licensing student loan servicers, and creating the Qualified Education Loan Ombudsman housed at SCHEV. The Ombudsman serves as a hands-on liaison for borrowers, cuts through red tape with servicers, and produces public reports that keep us honest about what’s working and what isn’t. Those protections were upheld and implemented, and they remain among the strongest in the country.

The need for a state-based solution is even more urgent. If the federal government is edging out of the business of making student loans workable, maybe it’s time Virginia edges back in. We don’t need to recreate VELA exactly as it was in 1990’s. But we can revive the spirit of a state-level partner that could once again help Virginians bridge the affordability gap, this time with the added tools of refinancing, smarter lending practices, and modern oversight.

While it may or may not be the right solution today, it’s certainly an idea whose time could be coming back. And before any decisions are made, it’s worth a broader conversation. I welcome feedback on whether reviving VELA or something like it could be part of how we keep higher education affordable for the next generation. An updated VELA with strong consumer protection and measured financial tools can keep more talent here, grow our economy, and prove again that when the federal pendulum swings, Virginia doesn’t have to swing with it.

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.

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.

New Laws in 2024 Part 2

Ideas for legislation come from so many sources – constituent casework, conversations with a colleague, a community meeting, or even an NPR segment. While not all bill ideas are created equal, the general idea is to improve the lives of all Virginians whether we’re tweaking an existing law to avoid unintended consequences or creating a whole new Code Section to address a larger issue.   

Building on my article at the beginning of the month, here are some additional laws that went into effect on July 1st. Chances are, one or more of them will affect you or someone you know.  

Reducing Costs for Virginians  

Housing affordability and helping families avoid eviction has become a hot topic these last several years. To that end, we extended Virginia’s Eviction Diversion Pilot Program, giving the Virginia Housing Commission more time to assess its effectiveness, and perhaps recommend extending it further.   

If the Governor issues a state of emergency, electric, gas, water, and wastewater utility companies are prohibited from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during said emergency. The suspension will last for 30 days after such declaration of the state of emergency.   

To reduce predatory towing, towing operators for a multifamily dwelling unit parking lot must post a written notice on a vehicle, providing at least 48 hours' notice to a resident prior to removing a resident's vehicle. This is specifically for vehicles with an expired registration or expired vehicle inspection sticker. The landlord must also receive a copy of such notice.  

Telephone companies that operate within local correctional facilities must now reinvest their net profits into each facility for educational, recreational, or medical purposes for the benefit of incarcerated individuals. This can include programs related to behavioral health, substance abuse, reentry, and rehabilitative services. This will reduce price gouging in these facilities while helping inmates get their lives back on track.  

Empowering Localities  

Local governments can now adopt an ordinance to support the planting and replacement of trees during the land development process by allowing a tree canopy fund, on both public and private property. The law also makes it easier to collect tree canopy funds while expanding the canopy credit.  

Another tool to curb predatory towing, localities have the authority to create a permitting system for all towing companies to better track them and hold them accountable.  

Counties that that do not maintain their own roads are now allowed to reduce speed limits to less than 25 miles per hour in business or residential districts. Localities can also restore a speed limit that was previously reduced. 

Making Virginia More Welcoming and Inclusive  

Reinforcing our non-discrimination laws, no one who is authorized to issue a marriage license can refuse to fulfill their obligation based on a couple’s sex, gender, or race. The law also requires that these marriages be recognized by the Commonwealth.  

Families that receive assistance through Medicaid or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children are also automatically eligible to receive assistance through the Child Care Subsidy Program.  

We amended the financial eligibility standards for those receiving the Family and Individual Support Waiver, Community Living Waiver, and Building Independence Waiver (the DD Waivers). This increases the number of people eligible to receive DD Waivers and requires a report on how many Virginians could benefit from changes to the eligibility standards.  

To ensure our most Virginians living with disabilities get the support and resources they need, a new law requires state agencies to seek federal authority to update Home and Community Based Services Waivers to remove burdensome regulations on parental caregivers.   

Protecting the Vulnerable  

Emergency services providers must now provide a behavioral health assessment, as well as further examination and treatment, when treating a patient. This will help ensure that a patient’s mental health doesn’t deteriorate while receiving emergency treatment.  

Elderly and vulnerable adults can submit and update a list of trusted persons that financial institutions can contact in the case of suspected financial exploitation. The law also permits financial institutions to train staff on how to identify and report suspected cases of financial exploitation. New training guidelines will be published on January 1, 2026.   

Local school boards are required to develop policies that ensure high school students learn to prevent and reverse an opioid overdose. The policy encourages students to complete this program before graduating.  

If you have questions about one of these new laws, please don’t hesitate to contact my office. Or if you’ve got a bill idea you’d like to share, I’m all ears! Although we’re limited in the number of bills we can introduce (15!) during the 2025 Session, hearing from constituents is always helpful in putting together my legislative agenda.  

2024 Sine Die - Right On Time

Today, we've officially gavelled out of the 2024 General Assembly Session! And you won't believe what we've accomplished.

Education

If all we had time for this session had been to pass bills to set us on a path to make sure Virginia teachers are compensated at least at the national average (HB 187), to protect our at-risk students (HB 825), improve student mental health (HB 919 & HB 603), ease the teacher shortage, and to secure our kids future through a world class education, it would have been a great session.

But wait, there’s more.

We also passed bills to protect the rights and freedom of a Virginians, including the right to obtain contraception (HB 609 & HB 819), to keep their health and medical data private (HB 78 & HB 1539), their right to a marriage license regardless of sex, gender or race of the parties (HB 174), the right to vote in free and fair elections (HB 623).

 

Abortion Access

Even if we’d only had time to block efforts to ban all abortions in Virginia with no exceptions (HB 404), that would have been a great session. But we did all that AND we built an economy that works for Hardworking Virginia families.

 

Economic Justice

We raised the minimum wage (HB 1), removed Jim Crow era exceptions to the minimum wage (HB 157). We established a prescription drug affordability board (HB 570) so Virginians don’t have to choose between paying for essentials like rent and groceries so they can buy their medicines.

 

Gun Violence Prevention

We also had time to pass important bills to protect victims of domestic violence from deadly gun violence (HB 46 & HB 362), to ban weapons of war from Virginia’s streets and neighborhoods (HB 2 & HB 175), to ban dangerous devices that can convert an ordinary firearm into a virtual automatic weapon (HB 22), and to ban the ghost guns (HB 173).

 

A Compromise Budget

In the last few days of session, we only had a handful of outstanding conference reports yet to be signed, and, for the first time in at least 3 years, a completed budget conference report sitting on our desks. Right. On. Time.

A budget that makes important investments in our infrastructure, in our teachers, in our public employees. It directs the Governor to reenter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), to invest $149.5 million transportation improvements and WMATA, includes  $100 million for the Community Flood Preparedness Fund, $400 million to meet Chesapeake Bay improvement goals, and $25 million for Coastal Risk Storm Management Projects.

We’ve delivered on our promises to Virginians and we got it all done right in time.

 

Now, it’s up to the Governor. He’s on the clock – will he sign these bills and make sure Virginians get the education, the freedoms, the economic opportunities and the environment they want and deserve? Only time will tell.

Best of 2023

 My December column comes so late in the year I decided to make it a “Best of 2023 Edition.”

Here are my favorite lines from my 11 monthly Richmond Reports here in the Falls Church New Press.

In January, I wrote about having to participate in the opening days of the new legislative session remotely because I’d finally contracted COVID-19. My favorite line:

While I was out, I missed the kerfuffle that occurred outside my office in the Pocahontas Building over my Little Banned Book Library. 

Fortunately, it was just a kerfuffle and the library will return in 2024.

In February, I was already writing about the waning days of our short session. My favorite line described the developing budget impasse:

Unfortunately, the House budget, crafted by Republicans, falls short in meeting the needs of hardworking Virginians. At the heart of the budget are over $350 million in corporate tax breaks, which disproportionately benefit big businesses rather than the average Virginian.

By March the short session was over, and I dedicated this column to shouting out retiring legislators while predicting November’s election would focus a on a very small number of seats:

By packing us all into nice, geometrically pretty districts, we’ve created 46 or 47 safely Democratic districts where you can win without a single Republican or independent vote, and about 42 or 43 on the Republican side. This leaves maybe 10 -12 competitive seats up for grabs in November. 

In April, I reported on the retirement announcement of Kaye Kory, with whom I’d been drawn together in redistricting, and the results of our reconvened session, which ended without a budget deal. We’d also learned that Governor Youngkin had stopped restoring the voting rights of former felons who had completed their jail sentences, and I wrote:

I urge the Governor to return to the automatic restoration of voting rights, as it's a crucial step in promoting a more inclusive and just society.

In May, I took the gloves off with the Governor and his administration over another issue involving voting rights:

As the parent of two very young adults who are coming of age at a time when social media is often their primary source of news about current events, I’ve had to spend a lot of effort teaching my kids how to be smart and discerning consumers of quality information. How to tell facts from fiction and identify intentional disinformation campaigns.

Unfortunately, that skill set doesn’t seem to be a prerequisite for employment in Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin's Administration.

In June of 2023, Donald Trump was indicted and our Governor tweeted in support of the former President. I took him to task for it:

Youngkin couldn’t be more wrong about the nature of the charges against the former President. I wonder if he regrets his decision to tweet before the indictments were unsealed.

In July, we still didn’t have a state budget and I wrote about what that would mean to our local school systems here in Falls Church City and Fairfax:

Unfortunately, when the kids do go back to school in just a few short weeks, public school students here in Falls Church and Fairfax will be in classrooms staffed by teachers who are once again being asked to do more with less.

Why? 

Because Governor Glenn Younkin’s Department of Education flunked math last semester and miscalculated the state’s share of education funding by about $201 million.

August’s column was written after Ohio proponents of abortion rights won the day passing a referendum to enshrine abortion access in their state constitution. I made this promise:

With control of both the House and Senate, we can pass a resolution to put a Constitutional Amendment on the ballot that would make access to abortion a constitutionally protected right in Virginia, just as it was at the federal level before the Dobb’s decision.  

By September we finally had a state budget:

The Governor’s agenda of giving big tax breaks to corporations at the expense of public education funding was soundly defeated as the conferees’ budget largely resembled the draft put forth by Senate Democrats at the end of February.

In October, I made some dire predictions about what would happen if Republicans gained majorities in both houses of the General Assembly giving the Governor’s party total control of state government:

Frankly, I’d rather not find out if these predictions come true.

Fortunately, last month I was able to report back that Virginians had given Democrats a majority in both houses. The takeaway:

This was a major rebuke to Governor Glenn Younkin and a setback for his presidential ambitions. Hopefully he’ll be humbled by the result and step back from some of the incendiary actions he took during his early years, with executive orders establishing a teacher snitch line, and attempting to limit teaching of history under the guise of a ban on divisive concepts in the class room.