Dear John,
This Tuesday (July 1), most of the laws that passed the 2025 General Assembly Session will go into effect. Although Governor Youngkin vetoed many good bills, we were able to build consensus in some areas and enact several new laws that will improve your quality of life.
I was proud that Governor Youngkin signed 14 of my bills into law. Some of the most pertinent ones are listed below, and you can learn more about all of my enacted bills from the 2025 session here.
My Bills that will Take Effect July 1:
Reproductive and Sexual Health Data Protected: Companies can now be held accountable if they sell or share Virginians’ reproductive or sexual health data, including data contained on period-tracking and fertility apps. This protection will ensure that individuals’ very personal data will be kept private, and consumers will be granted the right to sue if companies do not honor this obligation.
Addressing the Nursing Shortage: A group of stakeholders, including the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), will create a common nursing curriculum so students enrolled in licensed practical nurse (LPN) programs at a community college can automatically transfer credits for completed course work into associate registered nurse (RN) degree programs. Through a common curriculum, the Commonwealth will shorten degree time and get more nurses in the workforce sooner.
Federal Benefits for Foster Youth: Youth in foster care aged 12 and over are now required to be notified of the federal benefits, such as Social Security and Disability Income or veteran family benefits, for which they may be eligible. This disclosure requirement is an important step towards ensuring that federal payments are retained in a trust fund for the eligible foster youth and not used to offset the state-required monthly maintenance payments to foster families.
Mobile Health Clinics: The Department of Housing and Community Development will include broadband access services for mobile health clinics as a priority in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. Mobile clinics often have difficulties operating in remote areas where their services are most needed because of challenges connecting to broadband.
Mental Health in Schools: The Department of Education is going to evaluate mental health services in schools through surveying local educational agencies (LEAs). This will also improve LEAs’ ability to connect students and families with resources in their community. We must prioritize mental health services in schools to ensure that all students have access to mental health services, regardless of their zip code.
Other Bills of Interest:
Many other important bills I supported alongside my colleagues will also take effect July 1. Some of these bills are highlighted below, and you can read through a more detailed list from the Division of Legislative Services here.
Mail Theft as a Felony: This new law makes it a class 6 felony to intentionally take, damage, hide or obtain someone’s mail through fraud. It also covers destruction of mail boxes and the theft/use of mail keys, strengthening protection against identity theft, fraud, and privacy violations.
Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis: Individuals who knowingly make, sell, or distribute a drug containing fentanyl that unintentionally causes someone's death will now be eligible to be charged with involuntary manslaughter. If the individual distributing shared the drug without intending to profit or cause harm they could potentially face a class 6 felony, a lesser charge.
Removing Financial Barriers from Early Detection: Health insurance companies will now be prohibited from charging cost-sharing fees for important follow-up tests like diagnostic mammograms, breast MRIs, and ultrasounds. It is important to note that while this law goes into effect on July 1, insurance coverage will begin on and after January 1, 2026.
No Fees for Documents for Homeless Youth: When a homeless youth seeks to access copies of vital records, such as a birth certificate, learner’s permit, driver’s license, special identification card, or identification privilege card or permit, there will now be no charge. These documents are critical to obtain housing, education, and employment for vulnerable young people.
Seatbelts for Everyone: All adult passengers in a moving vehicle on public highways in Virginia will now be required to wear a seatbelt in every seat of the car. Previously, this law only applied to passengers in the front seat, but this new law will help keep everyone safer on the road.
For detailed updates on important issues, visit my website at BarbaraFavola.org and subscribe to my regular newsletters. I also have a dynamic social media presence through Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Blue Sky. I hope you’ll follow my work using one or more of those platforms. You may also track legislation through Virginia’s Legislative Information System. The Commonwealth’s General Assembly Website is a useful tool as well. You can follow events, find pertinent information, observe sessions, and monitor committee meetings through the site.
I hope you found this summary helpful. It is an honor and a privilege to represent you in Richmond.
