Virginia Doesn’t Prohibit Personal Use Of Campaign Funds

This is the first installment of a series on the state of campaign finance law in Virginia. This week, we’re taking a look at the personal use of campaign funds -- something that’s entirely legal for state candidates and officeholders in Virginia, but illegal at the federal level and in most states. Stay tuned for more information on how Virginia can improve campaign finance law to build a more accountable state government. 


The Federal Election Commission makes it clear: “using campaign funds for personal use is prohibited.” This means it’s illegal for a candidate for federal office to use campaign funds for expenses that wouldn’t exist if the candidate wasn’t running a campaign or holding office. 


The reasons for the ban on the personal use of campaign funds are likely self-explanatory. Campaigns can rake in millions of dollars, and we don’t want those who are supposed to be public servants to fundraise for the purpose of making a personal fortune. Prohibiting candidates for federal office from using campaign funds to, among other things, pay dues to country clubs, purchase clothing, or even make investments provides one method of ensuring that candidates and office holders are working for the people they represent, not to get rich. 


In Virginia, however, candidates for state office and those holding state office face no legal limits in how they spend campaign funds. A 2016 Associated Press report headlined “No rules means no accountability for Virginia campaign funds” revealed astonishing details about what Virginia’s lax campaign finance laws enable. Members of the General Assembly spent exorbitantly on meals at upscale Richmond restaurants and afforded stays at five star hotels using campaign funds. 


In at least 47 other states and at the federal level, using campaign funds for expenses like these would purchase an individual little more than a prison sentence. Most states tend to govern the personal use of campaign funds similarly to the FEC, which prohibits campaign funds from being used for any expense that wouldn’t exist unless the individual doing the spending is running for office or currently holding office. Using campaign funds for personal use in Michigan can come with 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both; Kansas imposes a $5,000 fine on anyone who violates similar rules. 


Though Virginia has no laws prohibiting the personal use of campaign funds, there have been consistent efforts to rein in this controversial form of spending. Former Governor Terry McAuliffe threw his support behind prohibiting personal use of campaign funds during his 2016 State of the Commonwealth address, and Governor Ralph Northam has expressed similar support. 


During the most recent General Assembly session, a bill that would have prohibited the personal use of campaign funds passed the House of Delegates before meeting its demise in the Senate Privileges and Elections committee. The bill contained a thoughtful provision that made an exception for child care-related expenses. It wasn’t the first time a bill of this nature has been introduced to the General Assembly. Legislators from both parties have proposed legislation to put an end to the personal use of campaign funds during every session in recent memory, but no effort has been successful. 



Similar legislation is likely to be considered during future sessions. In the interest of providing a mechanism for accountability and establishing trust among constituents, the General Assembly should take action to prevent candidates and office holders from using campaign funds for personal expenses.


[Virginia Public Media] New Virginia Law Will Expand Zoning for Manufactured Homes

By VOW Ops • April 23, 2026
Manufactured homes are constructed in a factory and then transported to a land plot instead of traditional homes which are built on site. Despite the cost-savings constructors and prospective homeowners earn from manufactured homes, outdated stigma prevents them from being located anywhere other than agricultural zones. As part of her Affordability Agenda, Governor Spanberger has signed legislation which will expand where manufactured homes can be located. Under HB 655 and SB 346, starting July 1st Manufactured homes can now be located within any residential zone intended for traditional homes (with exceptions for historic districts). Further, localities will not be permitted to place different rules or any additional restrictions on manufactured homes that would not be imposed on single-family homes. Both bills passed the General Assembly with near-unanimous support. Executive Director of the Virginia Manufactured and Modular Housing Association Randy Grumbine says the new laws “could be very significant” in removing barriers that have been in place for decades. In 2020, a single-section manufactured home cost 35% the price of a similar-sized traditional home. Virginians have been facing affordability challenges when looking for housing – especially over the last several years – and they continue to experience a housing shortage which only exacerbates the problem. Del. Maldonado and Sen. VanValkenburg have noted that the strong bipartisan support they received for their respective bills is because Virginia’s housing crisis affects everyone regardless of partisan affiliation. Beyond the expansion of locations for manufactured homes, Governor Spanberger also signed HB 1227, which increases the amount of state funding toward affordable housing. She also signed HB 4, which gives localities the authority to require property owners to give the local government or developer the first chance to purchase property to build affordable housing. You can read the full article here for more details.

[Virginia Mercury] Virginia Lawmakers Recess Special Session Without Budget Deal

By VOW Ops • April 23, 2026
[Virginia Mercury] Virginia Lawmakers Recess Special Session Without Budget Deal

[Virginia Mercury] Data Center Bills Dominated This Year’s General Assembly. Here’s What Happened

By VOW Ops • March 19, 2026
Virginia’s growing data center economy was the center of attention for this year’s General Assembly session, with lawmakers balancing the industry’s benefits against its costs to communities. Of the many bills that were proposed to regulate data centers, some passed both the House and Senate and now head to Governor Spanberger’s desk for either her signature or veto. SB 253 (Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth) would extend a program Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company offer low-income customers to reduce their monthly energy bills by weatherproofing their houses. The bill also gives the State Corporation Commission (SCC) the liberty to determine if more of the cost of generating electricity for data centers should fall onto them and large manufacturers instead of homeowners. SB 553 (Sen. Srinivasan, D-Loudoun) would direct water utilities to provide monthly or quarterly reports on how much water they are providing to data centers. Currently, data centers can withhold their water usage as an industry secret. SB 94 (Sen. Roem, D-Manassas) and HB 153 (Del. Thomas, D-Prince William) would require applicants who request localities to rezone for “high-load users” to submit site assessment reports. Localities would then be able to use the information from said reports to determine if the application conforms with their zoning requirements. HB 507 (Del. McAuliff, D-Loudoun) would mandate the Department of Environmental Quality to deny air permits for data center generators after July 2026 unless they meet stricter environmental regulations. Currently, data centers are allowed limited use of backup generators that run on diesel fuel, which have resulted in next-door neighbors complaining of noxious fumes spilling into their communities. HB 323 (Del. Sullivan, D-Fairfax) directs the Department of Energy to study how to best utilize waste heat generated by data centers to meet heating demands from neighboring buildings. One of the most robust debates involving data centers revolved around the sales tax exemption given to them on their server equipment and software. The Senate budget bill would end the exemption, hoping to recover the $1.6 billion they argue the state loses annually as a result. The House budget bill would keep the exemption but stipulate additional requirements for data centers to remain in compliance with receiving the exemption. The data center industry has rebutted the proposals to end the tax exemption, arguing that it has brought billions of dollars in investment into Virginia. Furthermore, the issue does not fall along clear, partisan lines, with both Democrats and Republicans arguing for against ending the exemption. The issue has ultimately ground Virginia’s budget approval process to a halt, with neither chamber coming to a consensus on the state’s biennial budget. Governor Spanberger has called for a special session beginning April 23rd so that the General Assembly can resolve the dispute. You can read the full article here for more details.
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