Legislation Update: What Your State Delegates 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 100 delegates who serve two-year terms. Between Jan. 8 and Jan. 30, 2,370 bills were introduced by delegates and senators. A total of 287 have failed the House of Delegates so far, and 306 have passed the House, many of which have moved into a committee for further review.

Delegate Joshua Cole (D) represents the 65th District, which includes the City of Fredericksburg and parts of Spotsylvania and Stafford. Cole won re-election in November 2024 and is a member of three committees: General Laws, Health and Human Services, and Privileges and Elections.

Cole did not cast any votes on Jan. 30. On previous days, he voted Yes on all floor votes. Cole was a Patron or Chief Patron of 131 bills. We explored a few:

HB1600 Budget Amendment

Cole has requested $25,000 from the General Fund to support Stafford County’s Rappahannock Education Farm.

HB1598 Individual income tax; first-time homebuyer tax credit.

This bill would create a one-time tax credit for first-time homebuyers. From 2025 to 2029, eligible homebuyers can receive a nonrefundable income tax credit of up to $10,000 for expenses related to buying their first home. The credit is based on the purchase price of the home. However, if the buyer sells the home within three years of purchasing it, they will have to repay the credit.

The bill passed two committees with 5-3 and 11-10 split votes and is currently waiting for review by the Commerce, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee.

HB1599 Certain end-of-course Standards of Learning assessments; elimination and replacement.

This bill would eliminate the Department of Education’s end-of-course
Standards of Learning tests for Chemistry and World War II. Instead, localities would be required to create an end-of-course assessment for both courses.

The bill was referred to the Education Committee.

HB1601 Siting of data centers; site assessment; high energy use facility.

This bill would require localities to have applicants for data centers to perform and submit site assessments of sound assessments for residential areas and schools within 500 feet of the property boundary. Localities will also be allowed to require assessments of the impact of a new data center on agriculture, water, parks, historical sites, and forestlands.

The bill passed the house 57-40 and was referred to the Committee on Local Government on Jan. 24.

HB1635 Certified nurse midwives; licensed, certified midwives; independent practice; organized medical staff.

This bill allows licensed certified midwives (LCMs) to practice independently after completing 1,000 hours under a practice agreement, as long as they confirm the physician or midwife they worked with. It also lets certified nurse midwives (CNMs) and LCMs form practice agreements with other CNMs or LCMs who are authorized to practice independently. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Health to update regulations so that organized medical staff can include independent practice midwives, physicians, and dentists.

The committee voted 21-0 to pass, with Cole not voting.

Delegate Paul Milde (R) was elected in 2023 and represents the 64th District, part of Stafford County. Milde serves on the Privileges and Elections and Transportation Committees.

Milde and Cole were sponsors of HB2164 Public school funding, specific funding calculations.

This bill requires the Dept. of Education to remove the value of real estate property eligible for tax exemptions for disabled veterans or surviving spouses when calculating a locality’s ability to pay for each school division. This bill would increase funding for areas with significant veteran populations.

The bill was set aside by the Appropriations committee.

Milde and Cole were both patrons of the HB1991 Domestic and Sexual Assault Conviction Database; established.

This bill would require the State Police to establish a database of persons convicted of certain crimes against family members or household members. The public could access this information on the State Police website, and persons listed would be able to petition for their removal from the database.

The bill was referred to the Committee for Courts of Justice.

Milde introduced 56 bills as a Chief Patron or Co-Patron. We explored a few:

HB2127 Local gov’t. employees; establishes a framework for the locality to establish & implement telework policy.

This bill allows localities to establish a framework to allow telework for local government employees. Employees would have to commit to a telework agreement, and requests for remote work would need to be approved by different authorities based on the number of remote workdays per week.

The bill was submitted January 7, before President Donald Trump  mandated federal employees return to the workplace. It was set aside by the Counties, Cities and Towns committee on Jan. 17.

HB1551 Income tax, state; removes sunset on elevated standard deduction amounts, etc.

This bill would remove the sunset provision which currently applies to the current standard deduction amounts, which were established in 2017’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As a result, the current standard deduction amounts would apply permanently and not expire after Taxable Year 2025.

Under current law, the standard deduction amounts are $8,500 for single individuals and $17,000 for married persons filing jointly. Because of the sunset provision, the standard deduction is currently set to revert to $3,000 for single individuals and $6,000 for married persons filing jointly after Taxable Year 2025. If enacted during the regular session of the 2025 General Assembly, this bill would become effective July 1, 2025.

This bill was assigned to a Finance subcommittee on Jan. 25.

HB1885 Juvenile/adult adjudicated delinquent/convicted of violent juvenile felony; immigration status.

This bill would require the Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice to report any juveniles or adults found guilty of violent juvenile crimes to ICE if they are found to be in the country illegally.

The bill was referred to the Committee for Courts of Justice.

HB2129 Exchange of items on roadways; the ability of localities to prohibit.

This bill would allow localities to ban the exchange or attempted exchange of any item between a pedestrian and the occupant of a motor vehicle on a roadway. Violators could receive a fine of $50 or less.

The bill was set aside by the Counties, Cities and Towns committee on Jan. 24.

HB1985 Child support orders; date of conception.

For children conceived on or after July 1, 2025, this bill would make child support orders retroactive to the date of conception. Under current law, child support orders are retroactive to the date of the filing for child support.

This bill was struck from the docket on Jan. 15.

Candi Mundon King (D) represents the 23rd District, which covers part of Prince William and Stafford Counties. She chairs the Counties, Cities and Towns committee; is Vice Chair of Public Safety, and a member of the Finance and Labor and Commerce Committees. King was a Patron or Co-Patron of 80 bills. King voted Yes on all Floor votes except HB2595, related to tax credits for firearm safety devices. That bill later passed 99 – 0 after a passage was reconsidered. We explored a few of King’s bills:

HB1614 Postpartum doula care; DMAS to amend state plan for medical assistance services.

This bill directs the state medical plan to provide payments for post-partum doula care.

The bill passed the house 89 to 9 on Jan. 28. Cole was also a patron of this bill.

HB1844 Baby Food Protection Act; testing and labeling requirements for toxic heavy metals.

This bill provides for a work group to study the presence of toxic metals in baby food products and requires manufacturers to comply with limits and testing requirements set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This bill was assigned to the Commerce, Agriculture and Natural Resources subcommittee.

HB2041 Speed safety cameras; placement and operation.

This bill allows localities to install speed cameras. New cameras must be announced publicly and requires a warning by mail for the first 30 days instead of a ticket or fine. It also requires localities have periodic reviews of the cameras and traffic impacts, provide public information about usage of the cameras, and form advisory groups related to the use of the cameras.

The bill was amended by the Transportation Committee.

HB1928 Minimum wage.

This bill raises the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2027. The increase will be done in increments: minimum wage was $12.41 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2025 and will raise to $13.50 effective Jan. 1, 2026.

The bill passed the House 50-46 on Jan. 30; the voters’ list was not available at the time of writing.

The House of Delegates is scheduled to adjourn on Saturday, Feb. 22. Delegates will continue introducing and reviewing bills throughout the period.