Virginia Human Rights Act; reasonable accommodation for known limitations related to menopause.
In plain English Prohibits discrimination based on menopause or perimenopause in employment, government programs, and public accommodations, and requires a study on workplace accommodations by 2028.
Official synopsis: Virginia Human Rights Act; menopause or perimenopause; discrimination prohibited; report. Prohibits discrimination under the Virginia Human Rights Act on the basis of menopause or perimenopause for purposes of nondiscrimination in government programs, public accommodation, employment hiring, and reasonable employer accommodation. The bill also directs the…
VetoedVetoed by Governor · 2026-05-19
Primary election; when filings to be made, extension for incumbents failure to file.
In plain English Extends the primary election filing deadline by five days for non-incumbents if an incumbent fails to file by the original deadline.
Official synopsis: Elections; primary election; when filings to be made; extension for incumbents failure to file. Provides that if an incumbent office holder fails to file the necessary paperwork to qualify to be on the ballot for a primary election for the office he holds by the…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0990) · 2026-04-22
Jury service; exemptions upon request, certain caretakers of persons with serious health conditions.
In plain English Allows people caring for children under 16 needing continuous care or children under 18 with serious health conditions to request exemption from jury service.
Official synopsis: Exemptions from jury service upon request; certain caretakers of persons with serious health conditions. Adds as persons who may be exempt from jury service upon request (i) a person with legal custody of and responsible for the care of a child (a) 16 years of…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0988) · 2026-04-22
Obstructing health care facility; penalties.
In plain English Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for using force, threats, or physical obstruction to injure, intimidate, or interfere with people obtaining or providing reproductive health services, or for damaging reproductive health care facilities.
Official synopsis: Obstructing reproductive health care facility; penalties. Creates a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person who (i) by force or threat of force, or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with, or attempts to injure, intimidate, or interfere with, another person because such other…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0991) · 2026-04-22
School bd. policies; communication & language accessibility for limited English proficient parents.
In plain English Requires school boards to develop and post a language access plan ensuring communication with parents with limited English proficiency by July 1, 2027.
Official synopsis: School boards; language access plan for limited English proficient parents. Requires each school board to develop, implement, and post in a publicly accessible location on its website a language access plan consisting of policies and procedures designed to ensure meaningful communication with and informational accessibility…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0765) · 2026-04-13
Public schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education, discrimination, etc.
In plain English Prohibits public schools from denying free education based on immigration status and requires schools to develop compliance policies and training by specified dates.
Official synopsis: Public schools; right to free public elementary and secondary education; discrimination based on immigration status prohibited; civil cause of action. Prohibits any child in the Commonwealth from being denied a free public education through secondary school on the basis of the actual or perceived immigration…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0681) · 2026-04-13
Consumer protection; automatic renewal or continuous service offers, disclosure and cancellation.
In plain English Requires sellers to make cancellation of automatic renewal services as easy as signing up, and removes exemptions for certain businesses from disclosure rules.
Official synopsis: Consumer protection; automatic renewal or continuous service offers; disclosure and cancellation. Amends certain definitions related to automatic renewal or continuous service offers, including the definition of "clear and conspicuous" as it relates to seller disclosures and requirements to provide a simple cancellation mechanism. The bill…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0932) · 2026-04-13
Artificial intelligence; use of systems for student instruction.
In plain English Requires the Department of Education to develop guidance on safe artificial intelligence use in schools and establish a pilot program to fund and evaluate innovative AI applications in public schools.
Official synopsis: Department of Education; artificial intelligence system use in instructional settings; development of AIS safety guidance required; AIS Innovation in Education Pilot Program established; report. Requires the Department of Education, in consultation with school divisions and other relevant stakeholders, to compile information on current uses of artificial…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0943) · 2026-04-13
Kinship foster care; barrier crime waiver, report.
In plain English Allows local social services departments to request waivers for certain Virginia criminal convictions to approve kinship foster homes, and requires annual reporting on the waiver process.
Official synopsis: Kinship foster care; barrier crime waiver; report. Establishes a process by which a local department of social services may apply for a barrier crime waiver on behalf of an individual who has been convicted of a Virginia barrier crime that (i) is not (a) included on…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0648) · 2026-04-13
Drug overdose and drug overdose deaths; VDH to develop plan for opioid overdose response.
In plain English Requires the Department of Health to develop a strategic plan to reduce opioid overdose deaths and report on its implementation to state officials by November 2026 and annually thereafter.
Official synopsis: Department of Health; reduction of opioid overdose and opioid overdose deaths; report. Directs the Department of Health to develop a strategic plan for opioid overdose response to reduce rates of drug overdose and drug overdose deaths in the Commonwealth and to provide a report on…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0668) · 2026-04-13
Candidates for office; challenges to candidate qualifications.
In plain English Requires legal challenges to a candidate's qualifications to be filed in circuit court by specific deadlines before elections and decided within 10 days before absentee voting begins.
Official synopsis: Elections; candidates for office; challenges to candidate qualifications. Requires any legal action relating to a person's eligibility to appear on the ballot on the basis that such person did not meet all qualifications or fulfill all requirements for candidacy to be filed in a circuit…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0882) · 2026-04-13
Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states.
In plain English Requires the state police superintendent to determine which states' concealed handgun permits Virginia will recognize, and prevents Virginia residents from using out-of-state permits starting July 1, 2027.
Official synopsis: Concealed handgun permits; reciprocity with other states. Provides that the Superintendent of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, shall determine whether other states meet the statutory qualifications for Virginia to recognize the concealed handgun permit of a person from such…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0879) · 2026-04-13
Geology; added to definition of "professional services," continuing education.
In plain English Adds geology to professional services in state procurement law and requires geologists to complete eight hours of annual continuing education for license renewal.
Official synopsis: Professions and occupations; regulation of geologists. Adds geology to the definition of "professional services" as used in the Virginia Public Procurement Act. The bill also eliminates the option for the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists to waive the examination requirement for…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0463) · 2026-04-08
Driver education programs; voluntary initiatives for drivers with autism spectrum disorder.
In plain English Requires driver education programs to include information about voluntary initiatives for drivers with autism spectrum disorder and directs the Board of Education to publish instructional materials about them.
Official synopsis: Driver education programs; voluntary initiatives for drivers with autism spectrum disorder. Requires driver education programs to include information about voluntary initiatives for drivers with autism spectrum disorder, including the driver communication improvement program, the driver's license indicator option, and the registration indicator option. The bill…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0341) · 2026-04-06
Health insurance claims; electronic information or attachments accepted, delayed effective date.
Health insurance; carrier business practices; electronic attachments. Provides that, in the following contexts, information may be submitted by a provider to a health insurance carrier through electronic attachment, as defined in the bill: (i) information related to services rendered as required by the carrier in…
Became lawActs of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0201) · 2026-04-06
“In plain English” lines are written by ThePolitibase with AI (Claude), from the official synopsis only; the synopsis is the authoritative text. Descriptions are the legislature’s own synopsis. Bill data from LegiScan, CC BY 4.0.