Bills of Interest:
In addition to bills I sponsored that passed both chambers, there were other interesting bills that I advocated for and helped shape that are worth noting. See below:
License Plate Readers:
HB2724, a bill that was defeated last year, regulated the use of automatic license plate readers, but also expanded the use of those devices to state-owned highway right-of-ways. The bill was revised during the legislative process to add important protections including prohibiting law enforcement from sharing information that is not related to a violation of Virginia law and limiting the time for which data can be stored to 21 days.
However, given the backdrop of federal ICE activities and abortion investigations by other states, I was still very troubled by the expansion of surveillance provided for in the bill. I therefore made a motion to place the expansion language into a reenactment clause that would have to be acted on by the General Assembly in the 2026 session before the expansion could become law. A majority of committee members voted for my amendment and the amended bill passed the House and Senate. My amendment was a disappointment to some of the lawmakers who had worked on the bill, but I was compelled to follow my conscience.
Financial Fraud & Protecting Vulnerable Adults:
My bill, SB825, allowed the seizure of financial assets by the court when the Commonwealth Attorney or other interested parties petition the court to act in cases of suspected fraud that is perpetrated on vulnerable adults. Sadly, elderly Virginians are often targeted for financial fraud schemes. My version of this bill was unfortunately left in the House Courts of Justice Committee at the last minute. However, the House version (HB2120, sponsored by Delegate Maldonado) passed both chambers after I led the conference committee and ensured that key parts of my bill were included in the final version. I believe this bill will provide a much-needed tool to combat financial abuse.
Women’s Rights: Contraceptive Bills to the Governor:
For the second year, the Virginia legislature passed bills providing women with protection from the onslaught of initiatives to restrict contraception. These bills, HB1716 and SB1105 are now on the governor’s desk. Last year, Governor Youngkin vetoed similar bills and we are expecting the same treatment this year.
My bill, SB743, sought to protect women and doctors who engage in legal reproductive healthcare in Virginia from being extradited to states with abortion bans that have led to individuals being prosecuted and jailed. SB743 passed the Senate, but was left without a vote in the House Courts of Justice Committee. This is an extreme disappointment to all who worked tirelessly to protect women from government intrusion into their private reproductive healthcare decisions. Virginia is the only southern state where abortion remains legal under the Roe v. Wade framework, and as more states pass abortion bans, this bill would have been an important step towards making Virginia a safe haven for the women who come here for life-saving care and for our healthcare providers who serve those women. Although the Governor vetoed this bill last year, I believe it was important to give the governor an opportunity to veto the bill again. This would have allowed Democrats to remind voters about where Republicans stand on reproductive freedom.
Preventing Rapists from Obtaining Child Custody Rights:
“We need to stand with the woman on this issue.” That was my lead statement on the floor in support of HB1727, a bill to allow a rape victim, after a court determines that there was clear and convincing evidence that a rape occurred, to avoid a child custody arrangement with her rapist. We had a vigorous debate on the floor. But in the end, I, along with many other senators, decided that we should give a woman the opportunity to avoid a co-parenting relationship with her rapist. The bill passed 38-2.
Helping Federal Workers:
We passed a bill, SB1430, to restrict foreclosures in the event of a federal government shutdown. Under current law, there is a 30-day limit on foreclosure proceedings for homeowners who default on secure notes or who default on notes secured after the closure of the federal government. This legislation would extend this to 60 days.
