New And Noteworthy Laws Going Into Effect in Virginia on July 1

On July 1, many of the bills recently approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by the governor will officially go into effect in Virginia. The 2021 General Assembly session saw bills covering a wide range of topics, including education, voting rights, criminal justice, and more. Here’s a look at some of the most noteworthy laws that will go into effect come 12:01 a.m. Thursday. 


The recreational use and possession of marijuana will be legal in Virginia starting July 1. Perhaps one of the most newsworthy laws going into effect this year, the law positions Virginia as the first state in the South to legalize the drug. Virginians who are 21 years of age or older will be able to possess up to one ounce of marijuana for personal consumption, though it’s still illegal to sell or purchase plants or seeds. Retail sales won’t be legal in the state until 2024. And while it will remain illegal to consume marijuana in public, the law permits Virginians to grow up to four plants in their homes. 


In the interest of promoting social equity, Virginia is using the legalization of marijuana to advance certain criminal justice reforms. Beginning July 1, all records of arrests, charges, and convictions related to misdemeanor possession with the intent to distribute will be sealed from public view in Virginia State Police systems. 


The General Assembly also took action during the 2021 session to expand protections for voting rights. The laws are so comprehensive that the New York Times called Virginia a “voting rights bastion.” Starting July 1, voting absentee in Virginia will be easier than ever before; localities are now required to offer drop-off boxes for absentee ballots, and voting precincts will be able to open on Sundays for early in-person voting. And as Virginia emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, when being physically close to others came with health risks, absentee ballots no longer require a witness signature during public health emergencies.


Additionally, Virginia teachers will finally see a pay raise for the fiscal year starting July 1, thanks to a budget amendment approved by the General Assembly this year. The five percent pay raise will still not bring teacher pay in Virginia up to the national average; still, advocates say that the raise is a step in the right direction. 

Another law going into effect July 1 pertaining to education prohibits local school boards from filing lawsuits against the parents of students who have debt from school meal costs. This law will help keep the focus in schools on education, rather than potentially causing students to worry about how they’ll be able to afford to eat during school lunches. 


Starting July 1, certain essential workers will be guaranteed paid sick leave in Virginia. Home health care workers who work an average of at least 20 hours per week or 90 hours per month will earn at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. The paid sick leave benefit can be used for personal medical issues, or to care for a family member in need of medical care.



Finally, executions in Virginia will no longer be permitted starting July 1. This law has been particularly newsworthy considering that Virginia has executed more people in its history than any other state in the country. Similar to its new stance on marijuana, Virginia will be the first state in the South to abolish the death penalty; July 1 will see major reforms to criminal justice in Virginia.

[Virginia Public Media] Data: Virginia’s Early Childhood Education Providers Are Succeeding

By VOW Ops • January 21, 2026
The second year of results from Virginia’s recently established Quality Establishment and Improvement System (VQB5) for early childhood education found that 99% of childcare providers receiving state funding meet or exceed quality expectations. As of early December 2025, over 154,000 views have been recorded on the system’s website since its October 2024 debut, revealing the many parents and families who appreciate the information that VQB5 offers them. None of these wonderful results would even be available to admire without the support and success we had in passing HB 1012 and SB 578 back in 2020! The data focuses on classroom interactions between children and caregivers and notes how said interactions encourage kids to express themselves at a young age. The state has also enacted categories of excellence for providers who score in the top 10%, exceed quality expectations, or even show significant improvement from an evaluation the year before. On top of that, a new data system called VAConnects helps integrate information on students over the years to track their learning progress. The Department of Education wishes to sustain the program and has requested $735,000 to do so. Overall, Virginia is serving as a model for other states to use in establishing best practices for their early childhood programs. Read more here .

[Richmond Times Dispatch] Virginians want General Assembly Action on Housing, Survey Finds

By VOW Ops • January 21, 2026
An August survey reveals that large majorities of Virginians want state lawmakers to address the rising cost of housing. The survey was conducted by Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia and Freedom Virginia. More than 8 in 10 Virginians said the General Assembly needs to act. More than 3 in 4 Virginians want lawmakers to prevent landlords from raising rents each year by more than 7%. Many Virginians also supported the idea of the state incentivizing localities to build more housing and providing developers with an ability to appeal rejected housing projects. Many proposals that were made to address all these public concerns were struck down during the 2025 legislative session. One of the main reasons why all the mentioned proposals failed to pass the General Assembly is because of the large influence the local government lobbies have in Richmond in protecting what little authority they are granted by the state. However, 6 in 10 Virginians indicated that they are more concerned with providing more housing than protecting local government authority. Read more here.

[Richmond Times Dispatch] Spanberger Details Affordability Measures in Health Care, Energy, Housing

By VOW Ops • December 19, 2025
Governor-elect Spanberger has released details on how her administration will work with the General Assembly to address affordability issues for Virginians regarding health care, energy, and housing. Democrats in the General Assembly argue the proposals are needed to mitigate the effects of President Trump’s tariff policies and reduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. Some of the solutions being proposed are legislation from the previous session that were vetoed by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. In health care, Spanberger and Virginia Democrats will tackle pharmacy benefit managers’ ability to compel patients toward using affiliated-only pharmacies. The incoming administration also wants to limit the number of times insurance companies can request approvals from patients receiving certain cancer cares and medicines for chronic conditions. Democrats are also reviving legislation that would prohibit insurance companies from charging tobacco smokers higher premiums. Further, Spanberger supports implementing a pilot program to help Virginians who will face unaffordable insurance premiums resulting from the expiration of the ACA enhanced tax credits. In energy, Spanberger called to make it easier for Virginians to utilize small-scale solar panels which don’t require hard labor to install. She also wants the previously vetoed legislation that would set energy storage standards for utility companies brought back to her desk (Governor Youngkin vetoed it because of his belief that the Virginia Clean Economy Act associated with it was ineffective). In housing, Spanberger and Democrats are reviving legislation from 2025 that would extend the grace period tenants have before being evicted for missing rent payments. They are also proposing changes that would give local governments priority in acquiring affordable multi-family units supported by tax credits when the owner wants to sell or convert them. Further, Democrats are reintroducing a bill which would allow all localities to change their zoning ordinances to create dense and affordable housing (currently, only the counties of Albemarle and Loudoun and the cities of Alexandria, Charlottesville, and Fairfax are granted such provisions). Read more here.
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