Legislation Update: What Your State Senators Are Working on This Session

Virginia’s General Assembly convened on January 8 for the start of its 30-day session; to keep readers informed on their local representatives’ efforts, we’ve reviewed some of their bills and votes. Virginia shares bills, votes, and schedules online through the Legislative Information System.

Virginia has 40 Senators who serve 4-year terms.

Senator Tara Durant (R) represents District 27, which encompasses the City of Fredericksburg and some parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties. Durant was elected in 2023. She serves on the Education and Health, Local Government, and Privileges and Elections committees.

Durant is Patron or Co-Patron on 50 bills. We explored a few:

SB749 K-12 schools and institutions of higher education; student participation in women’s sports; civil cause of action.

This bill mandates that all athletic teams or sports sponsored by public schools, Virginia High School League members, or public higher education institutions be designated based on the biological sex of participants. Teams must be labeled as male, female, or coed/mixed if open to both sexes. A signed physician’s statement is required to affirm the biological sex of any student wanting to join a designated team.

It prohibits female-designated teams from allowing male participants and ensures that no government entity, accrediting organization, or athletic association can take action against a school or institution for not following this rule. The bill also allows schools or institutions to take legal action if harmed by violations and permits students to file a civil suit if they are harmed due to a violation or for reporting one.

This bill was passed indefinitely by the Education and Health committee.

SB1241 Charitable gaming; certain common interest communities to conduct bingo.

This bill allows common interest communities serving residents 55 or older to become qualified organizations for conducting Bingo. Virginia currently has 520 organizations that are registered and allowed to conduct charitable gaming.

The bill is in the Finance and Appropriations committee, having passed the General Laws and Technology committee 10-5.

SB1244 Ed. opportunities for children of fed. employees; students transferring from foreign countries.

This bill aims to smooth the transition for children of federal employees who are transferring from foreign education into a Commonwealth school. The bill states delays in receiving school records from other countries and variances in attendance, curriculum, or other policies should not delay the student’s admittance to their Virginia school.

The bill passed the Education and Health committee 15-0 and is in the Senate.

SB1238 Health insurance; cost sharing for breast examinations.

This bill prohibits health insurance carriers from requiring cost sharing (such as copayments or deductibles) for diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations under certain health insurance policies, subscription contracts, and healthcare plans in Virginia, starting January 1, 2026. The bill defines these examinations to include diagnostic mammography, breast MRI, and breast ultrasound. This legislation is based on a recommendation from the Health Insurance Reform Commission.

The bill was incorporated with SB1436, which passed the Senate 40-0.

SB1289 Public elementary and secondary schools; nutritional standards for school meals and other foods.

This bill prohibits public elementary and secondary schools from offering or making students any foods that contain one of seven artificial dyes. The prohibited dyes include Red No. 3 and No. 40.

The bill passed the Education and Health committee and is in the Senate.

SB1443 Income tax; state; establishes car tax credit.

This bill would offer a tax credit for taxable years 2025 through 2027 to individuals who meet certain criteria in order to offset personal property taxes on vehicles. The bill notes that the personal property tax relief program has not been adjusted for changes in population, number of vehicles, and average vehicle value since 2004, when it established a $950 million program to distribute tax relief statewide.

The bill was passed indefinitely in the Finance and Appropriation Committee.

Jeremy McPike (D) represents District 29, which encompasses parts of Prince William and Stafford Counties. He is the Chair of the Local Government Committee, and serves on the Commerce and Labor, Finance and Appropriations, General Laws and Technology, and Rules committees.

McPike is listed as Patron or Co-Patron on 40 bills. We explored a few:

SB1301 Workers’ compensation benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder incurred by firefighters, etc.

The bill extends the duration of workers’ compensation benefits for law enforcement officers and firefighters suffering from mental health disorders incurred in the line of duty. It increases the maximum duration for anxiety or depressive disorders from 52 weeks to 104 weeks, and for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from 52 weeks to 500 weeks.

This bill passed the Commerce and Labor Committee 15-0 and was referred to Finance and Appropriations on Jan. 20.

HJ1 Constitutional amendment; fundamental right to reproductive freedom (first reference).

Senator McPike was the Senate patron for this bill; Del. Cole and many others were patrons in the House.

This bill affirms that every individual has a fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including decisions related to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care. This right can only be restricted by a compelling state interest and the least restrictive means.

The Commonwealth can regulate abortion in the third trimester, but cannot prohibit it when necessary to protect the health or life of the individual, or if the fetus is not viable.

The bill passed 21-18 on Jan. 31. Vote detail was not available at the time of writing.

SB1312 Real property tax; high exemption locality reimbursements.

This bill would establish a reimbursement program for high exemption localities starting in tax year 2025. These localities will receive 50% reimbursement from the Commonwealth for the exemption value of real property that is exempt from taxes for disabled veterans or surviving spouses of fallen service members.

The exemption value is based on real property exceeding one percent of the locality’s total property value in 2022. A “high exemption locality” is defined as a locality where at least one percent of real property was exempt for these reasons in 2022.

The bill also mandates the Department to assist local revenue commissioners with data for administering the program. The bill would take effect on July 1, 2025, if passed during the 2025 General Assembly session.

This bill was passed by indefinitely on Jan. 23 by the Finance and Appropriations Committee with a 7-6 vote.

SJ249 Constitutional amendment; marriage between two adult persons, etc., (first reference).

This bill affirms the right of two adult persons to marry, regardless of their sex, gender, or race, and prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from denying a marriage license based on these factors. It also mandates that all lawful marriages be recognized and treated equally under the law.

This amendment repeals the provision that defined marriage as only between one man and one woman, along with related provisions invalidated by the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.

This bill passed Jan. 21 with a 24-15 vote. McPike and Durant both voted Yea.

SB1303 Public elementary and secondary schools; diabetes medical care and management in public schools.

This bill makes several changes to how public schools manage and care for students with diabetes. Students with parental consent and a provider’s approval may carry and use diabetic care supplies and manage their condition independently while at school. School Boards must ensure a certain number of school employees complete diabetes care training, and the bill expands the care services that school employees may assist with.

The bill is in the Senate.

SB1306 Taxation, Department of; repealing Virginia Free File Tax program.

This bill directs the state Tax Commissioner to end the Virginia Free File program and its agreement with the Consortium for Virginia.

It requires the Tax Commissioner to develop a new free individual state income tax filing program, starting in taxable year 2028, which will be similar to and compatible with the federal IRS Direct File program. To create this program, the Tax Commissioner must work with the IRS through a memorandum of understanding.

The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on Saturday, Feb. 22. Senators will continue introducing and reviewing bills throughout the period.