John
Last week was another busy week in Richmond during the General Assembly Session, and I wanted to share a comprehensive update on what has taken place at the Capitol, along with news from constituents who visited my office.
Weekly Update from the Senate
Virginians got a clear look at the Democrats’ real priorities in Richmond: higher taxes, larger government, and forcing working families to pay the price.
While the Governor and Democrats talk endlessly about “affordability,” they rammed through three major bills that will directly raise costs for Virginia families, workers, and taxpayers.
• Paid Family Medical Leave (SB 2) – a new forced payroll tax on both employees and employers. Democrats promised it would cost “the price of a cup of coffee.” Reality: $260 taken from the average worker and another $260 from their employer – a $520 hidden tax hike on Virginia families every year.
• Collective Bargaining for Public Employees (SB 378) – strips away Virginia’s longstanding right-to-work protections for state and local government workers. The result? Localities and universities will face 10-20% cost increases, forcing higher real estate taxes, personal property taxes, and college tuition.
• Prevailing Wage Expansion (SB 518) – drives up the cost of public construction projects, including schools and critical water/sewer infrastructure, by more than 10%.
Next week, Democrats have their agenda ready: massive new tax hikes totaling over $4 billion.
• SB 730 – new taxes on streaming services, lawn care, haircuts, and countless everyday services ($2.6 billion total, $765 per family).
• SB 66 – a statewide local-option sales tax increase ($1.5 billion, $441 per family).
They killed Republican efforts to provide real relief: eliminating the grocery tax, increasing the standard deduction, and removing taxes on overtime and tips. Democrats also blocked good bills that would have protected Virginians from higher energy penalties, new processing fees on small businesses, and required parental consent for minors on social media.
Our caucus held a press conference Thursday morning to expose the Democrats’ affordability con job hoax. While they claim to care about lowering costs, they’re pushing policies that will raise prices at the pump, the grocery store, on your power bill, and nearly everything else – all to fund their liberal special interests.
Legislative Update: My Bills
SB 231 – Virginia Community College System; development of new funding model.
Directs the State Board for Community Colleges and the VCCS to develop a funding model and implementation plan that balances base adequacy support and performance with outcomes-based funding. Requires an interim report by Nov. 1, 2026.
Status this week: Continued to 2027 by the Committee on Finance and Appropriations (Feb 3).
SB 240 – Retail Franchise Agreements; governing law; competition restrictions.
Provides that retail franchise agreements shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth and prohibits any person from entering into an agreement that includes competition restrictions that extend beyond termination unless approved by a court.
Status this week: Passed Senate (40-Y, 0-N) on Feb 6.
SB 242 – Roanoke Higher Education Authority; board of trustees; reduces membership.
Reduces from 19 to 18 the total membership of the board of trustees of Roanoke Higher Education Authority by removing the presidents of ODU and UVA and adding the president of Appalachian College of Pharmacy.
Status this week: Previously passed the Senate 40-0. Referred to House Committee on Education (Feb 3).
SB 429 – Nursing homes; standards of care and oversight; accountability.
Directs the Department of Health and State Health Commissioner to take steps to improve care quality, protect residents, and strengthen oversight. Requires a plan to expand workforce capacity in the Office of Licensure and Certification.
Status this week: Reported from Ed & Health (Feb 5). Headed to the Full Senate for a vote.
SB 680 – Regulatory boards; adjustment of fees, recovery of costs.
Permits regulatory boards within DPOR and DHP to annually revise fees to be sufficient but not excessive. Allows recovery of administrative costs associated with investigation and monitoring (capped at $500 for DPOR; $1,500 for DHP).
Status this week: Repprted from the Committee on General Laws and re-referred to Finance (Feb 4).
Welcoming Constituents to the Capitol
I was grateful this week to welcome many visitors from across Senate District 3 and the Commonwealth. Hearing directly from citizens, students, advocates, and local leaders helps ensure that Richmond stays connected to the needs of our communities back home.
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