| RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger signed 25 bills passed during the 2026 General Assembly Session.
The signings include measures to bring long-overdue fairness to Virginians still serving sentences for marijuana offenses that are no longer illegal, prohibit the future sale of assault firearms and keep weapons out of hospitals, protect immigrant workers from employer retaliation, strengthen the integrity of Virginia’s voter rolls, and reduce repeat drunk driving.
House Bill 26 and Senate Bill 62: Marijuana Resentencing
More than 1,000 Virginians remain incarcerated or under community supervision for marijuana-related convictions for conduct that since 2021 is no longer a chargeable offense. This bill creates an automatic hearing process for eligible individuals convicted of certain marijuana offenses prior to the 2021 law change that allows these Virginians to seek modification or reduction of their sentence, unless the Commonwealth demonstrates during these hearings that doing so would not be in the best interest of the public.
“As laws have changed in Virginia, it is important to ensure that those who have been previously convicted of offenses under since-changed laws receive fair treatment and sentencing review. My administration will work to ensure this process is implemented effectively across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Spanberger. “For decades, marijuana enforcement disproportionately impacted minority communities and communities of color, contributing to inequities in the criminal justice system that Virginia must no longer ignore.”
House Bill 217 and Senate Bill 749: Assault Weapons Ban
This legislation prohibits the future sale and manufacture of assault firearms, and the sale of magazines with a capacity of more than 15 rounds. As a former federal law enforcement officer, Governor Spanberger has long championed this measure as a critical step toward protecting families, communities, and the law enforcement officers who serve them.
“I am signing this bill into law because firearms designed to inflict maximum casualties do not belong on our streets. We are taking this step to protect families and support the law enforcement officers who work every day to keep our communities safe,” said Governor Spanberger. “While the General Assembly chose not to adopt my amendment that specifically carves out certain firearms frequently used for hunting, I will work with the patrons to clarify this language.”
House Bill 675: Immigration Retaliation
This bill protects immigrant workers from retaliation by their employers when they report wage theft or minimum wage violations.
“All Virginia workers should be able to report any violations of their rights without fear of employer retaliation,” said Governor Spanberger. “I am glad to sign these protections into law today.”
House Bill 561: Interlock Devices
This legislation allows courts to issue a restricted license and the immediate installation of an ignition interlock device for certain individuals charged with driving while intoxicated. Interlock devices have a proven track record of reducing repeat DUI offenses and keeping Virginia’s roads safer.
“These devices play a key role in reducing repeat drunk driving,” said Governor Spanberger. “I look forward to working with the General Assembly moving forward to find opportunities to address non-alcohol-related DUIs.”
House Bill 229 and Senate Bill 173: Weapons in Hospitals
This bill prohibits individuals from bringing weapons into hospitals and other healthcare facilities that provide psychiatric care — taking an important step to protect healthcare workers from violence and keep patients safe as they receive care.
House Bill 972: Voter List Maintenance
This bill establishes a consistent, transparent process for maintaining Virginia’s voter rolls to ensure their accuracy — including requirements for what identification information must be included in list maintenance data, how that data is reviewed, and how registrars notify voters before canceling their registration.
House Bill 1393 and Senate Bill 253: Energy Assistance and Weatherization
This legislation delivers millions of dollars in shareholder-funded weatherization and energy assistance for low-income, elderly, and disabled Virginians — helping lower monthly utility bills for the families who need relief the most. Weatherization programs meaningfully reduce energy usage and lower monthly bills, saving households hundreds of dollars each year.
The bills also include a cost allocation provision that ensures large energy users pay their fair share — rather than passing costs to residential customers — and an extension of Virginia’s power line undergrounding program through early 2033. Dominion Energy has committed to the Spanberger Administration not to seek approval from the State Corporation Commission (SCC) beyond what was originally contemplated in the 2018 Grid Transformation and Security Act for undergrounding projects.
“High energy bills are among the top concerns I hear from Virginians across every corner of the Commonwealth. I am proud to sign these bills to provide tangible relief to families who need it most,” said Governor Spanberger. “I appreciate that the General Assembly accepted my amendments directing the SCC to make sure that data centers are paying their fair share for energy generation and distribution, to make sure those costs are not being unfairly allocated to residential customers. I look forward to continuing to work with the General Assembly, the SCC, consumer advocates, and utilities to move forward energy policies that prioritize reliability, fairness, transparency, and lower costs for working families.”
The Governor continued, “As part of this program expansion, Dominion Energy has committed to my administration that it will limit undergrounding projects to help contain costs while prioritizing the areas of the Commonwealth that experience the most frequent and severe outages during extreme weather events.”
House Bill 1444 and Senate Bill 225: Clean Energy Innovation Bank
This bill codifies into law the Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank within the Virginia Department of Energy, formally establishing a dedicated funding vehicle to accelerate the deployment of clean energy projects across the Commonwealth.
The full list of signed bills is available here. |
