Freedom Virginia — a non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to building a Commonwealth where all families have the financial freedom to thrive — works to advance economic security policies and ensure a more fair and affordable Virginia. This session, Freedom Virginia advocated for and tracked votes on key bills that would create a Virginia that hardworking people and families can afford. The legislation impacted areas including health care, paid leave, labor and consumer protection, fair taxes, child care, energy and housing.
Virginians should know what votes their legislators took this session on issues that would lower costs for people across the commonwealth. All of the bills included in the scorecard will ensure hardworking families can keep more of their hard-earned money, including by lowering the cost of medicine, providing paid medical leave in the event of health and family emergencies, and expanding access to affordable childcare and housing.
Freedom Virginia is highlighting the following leaders as champions and allies of our policy agenda. Legislators are chosen both from their affirmative votes for economic security policies and if they are the chief or co-patron on four or more of our priority bills.
Legislators of the Year
Senator Creigh Deeds
Delegate Joshua Cole
Affordability Champions
Senator Louise Lucas
Senator Lashrecse Aird
Senator Jennifer Boysko
Senator Travis Hackworth
Senator Jeremy McPike
Senator Stella Pekarsky
Delegate Ellen Campbell
Delegate Karrie K. Delaney
Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling
Delegate Adele McClure
Delegate Briana Sewell
Delegate Kathy Tran
Economic Security Allies
Senator Lamont Bagby
Senator Elizabeth Bennett-Parker
Senator Jennifer Carroll Foy
Senator Barbara Favola
Senator Angelia Williams Graves
Senator Mike Jones
Senator Mamie Locke
Senator Dave Marsden
Senator Russet Perry
Senator Danica Roem
Senator Aaron Rouse
Senator Saddam Salim
Senator Kannan Srinivasan
Senator Scott Surovell
Delegate Kimberly Pope Adams
Delegate Jessica Anderson
Delegate Bonita Anthony
Delegate Alex Askew
Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling
Delegate Gretchen Bulova
Delegate Katrina Callsen
Delegate Karen Robins Carnegie
Delegate Betsy Carr
Delegate Stacey Carroll
Delegate Nadarius Clark
Delegate Laura Jane Cohen
Delegate Nicole Cole
Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler
Delegate Rae Cousins
Delegate Lindsey Dougherty
Delegate Mark Downey
Delegate Michael Feggans
Delegate Lily Franklin
Delegate Margaret Franklin
Delegate Debra
Gardner
Delegate Jackie Glass
Delegate Elizabeth Guzman
Delegate Cliff Hayes
Delegate Dan Helmer
Delegate Rozia Henson
Delegate Phil Hernandez
Delegate Charniele Herring
Delegate Patrick Hope
Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra
Delegate Paul Krizek
Delegate Amy Laufer
Delegate Alfonso Lopez
Delegate Marty Martinez
Delegate John McAuliff
Delegate Adele McClure
Delegate Garrett McGuire
Delegate Ellen McLaughlin
Delegate Delores McQuinn
Delegate Leslie Mehta
Delegate Will Morefield
Delegate May Nivar
Delegate Cia Price
Delegate Sam Rasoul
Delegate David Reid
Delegate Charlie Schmidt
Delegate Holly Seibold
Delegate Marcus Simon
Delegate Shelly Simonds
Delegate JJ Singh
Delegate Irene Shin
Delegate Josh Thomas
Delegate Virgil Thornton
Delegate Luke Torian
Delegate Kathy Tran
Delegate Jeion Ward
Delegate Vivian Watts
Delegate Rodney Willett
Lowering the Cost of Medicine
Affordable Medicine Act – SB 271 & HB 483
The Affordable Medicine Act modeled its first-in-the-nation approach on the federal Medicare-negotiated Maximum Fair Prices (MFPs) for certain high-cost prescription drugs that are already in effect and have been adopted – and expanded– by both the Biden and Trump administrations. The legislation received overwhelming bipartisan support in the General Assembly this year, passing the Senate 34-6 and the House 95-4. The Act would have saved Virginians nearly $100 million annually in out-of-pocket costs and premiums and would have used existing state authority to draw down the negotiated MFPs for hundreds of thousands of hardworking people not enrolled in Medicare, maximizing efficiency and minimizing fiscal impact on the Commonwealth.
SB 271: Vetoed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 483: Vetoed by the governor
Vote History Here
Other Bills We Supported:
SB 669, HB 830: Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform
Signed by the governor
HB 184: Directs Virginia Department of Health to conduct an evaluation of the All-Payer Claims Database
Signed by the governor
HB 327: Directs SCC to apply to the federal government for extension of reinsurance waiver, and remove 20% premium reduction cap
Signed by the governor
HB 829: Directs VDH to establish a hospital price transparency comparison tool
Left in the House Health and Human Services
HB 1458: Directs HHR Secretary to convene work group examining impact of private equity on health care
Continued to 2027 in the House Committee on Rules
SB 593: Prohibits an out-of-network health insurance provider from balance billing any enrollee for transportation provided by an emergency medical services vehicle
Left in House Labor and Commerce
Improving Workers’ Lives
Paid Family and Medical Leave – SB 2 & HB 1207
Paid Family and Medical Leave will ensure that all Virginians can take up to 12 weeks of paid leave each year when they need it, such as when a new baby arrives or to recover from a serious illness or injury. Virginians will be eligible for Paid Family and Medical Leave after 120 days of employment. It will provide four weeks of safe leave for survivors of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, and stalking. It will also expand the definition of family to include extended relatives and “chosen” family. Finally, Virginians who use Paid Family and Medical Leave will receive 80% wage replacement and protection of their health care coverage for the duration of their leave.
SB 2: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 1207: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Paid Sick Leave – SB 372 & HB 5
Paid Sick Leave will ensure Virginia workers have access to paid time off when they’re sick. The program allows employees to accrue one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked, and also specifies that in addition to using leave for their physical or mental illness or to care for a family member, employees may also use leave to obtain certain services or to relocate or secure an existing home due to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.
SB 372: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 5: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Raises the Minimum Wage – SB1 & HB1
This will incrementally raise the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2028. It will require the minimum wage to be adjusted to reflect increases in the consumer price index annually as of January 1, 2029.
SB 1: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 1: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Protecting Consumers from Predatory Corporate Practices
Click to Cancel – SB 493 & HB 1022
Click to Cancel will ensure that Virginia consumers have easy, accessible ways to end certain services, memberships and subscriptions. Click to Cancel will protect Virginia consumers from subscription traps and allow them to keep more of what they earn by canceling when and how they want. This innovative state policy is modeled on Federal Trade Commission regulations enacted during the Biden administration that were overturned last year when a federal court agreed with corporate opponents, and now puts Virginia at the forefront of state and national consumer protection.
SB 493: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB1022: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Virginia Gaming Commission – SB 195 & HB 271
This would have established a Virginia Gaming Commission, an independent agency of the commonwealth, to oversee and regulate all forms of legal gambling in Virginia except for the state lottery.
SB 195: Incorporated into SB 609
Vote History Here
HB 271: Continued to 2027
Vote History Here
Other Bills We Supported:
SB 585: Prohibits a landlord and a multiple listing service from setting or adjusting rent prices, rental terms, etc based on algorithmic pricing recommendations
Passed by Indefinitely by Senate General Laws and Technology
HB 515: Prohibits use of credit cards as payment for sports betting
Signed by the governor
SB 615, HB 121: Prohibits the use of surveillance pricing in connection with a consumer transaction
Continued to 2027 by Senate General Laws and Technology, Continued to 2027 by House Commerce and Labor
HB 654: Provides that no company shall process user’s biometric data without consent
Left in House Communications, Technology and Innovation
HB 825: Requires ticket sellers/platforms or resellers to display total price of a ticket for sale
Left in House Labor and Commerce
HB 1399: Limits toll charges to $200 per month
Stricken from the Docket by House Transportation
Making Virginia a Place Hardworking Families Can Afford
The 2027-2028 biennial budget contains the following provisions that will make life more affordable for hardworking families:
- Cutting taxes for regular people by increasing the standard deduction by nearly $500 per person to $9,200 for single filers and $18,400 for joint filers;
- Lowering the cost of health insurance by 70% for tens of thousands of hardworking Virginians;
- Establishing Virginia’s Paid Family and Medical Leave insurance program to expand access to paid leave for nearly 3.5 million Virginians;
- Boosting housing development through increased investments in the Virginia Housing Trust Fund;
- Expanding access to affordable childcare, including the creation of a new Employee Child Care Assistance Program to help working parents gain access to quality care.
While this is an important first step toward addressing the affordability crisis in Virginia, it does not solve the problem. The General Assembly must address our outdated tax system, a system that has not been updated since the 1990s and groups teachers and millionaires in the same tax bracket. It must also close tax loopholes for corporations and the trillionaire class, in turn generating revenue to fund affordability priorities. We also applaud Governor Spanberger for rejecting gaming as a source of revenue for the 27-28 biennial budget, but we must ensure the General Assembly keeps a focus on sustainable, not regressive, revenue in the years to come.
The following legislators this session carried critical measures that would have made Virginia a more affordable place through tax fairness:
- Senator Mamie Locke
- Delegate Vivian Watts
- Delegate Phil Hernandez
- Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler
Bills We Supported:
SB 662: Extends sunset to 2029; $8750 standard deduction and 20% EITC
Left in Senate Finance and Appropriations
SB 676: Extends and makes permanent; $8750 standard deduction and 20% EITC
Incorporated into SB 662 by Senate Finance and Appropriations
HB 372: Increases EITC refundability to 20% and makes permanent
Continued to 2027 by House Finance
HB 1074: Tax reforms: millionaire’s tax (7.75%); increased standard deduction ($10k); child tax credit ($400); ACA premium tax credit extension; higher income tax subtraction for military benefits
Continued to 2027 by House Finance
HB 188: Millionaire’s tax; taxes income in excess of $1 million at a rate of 10 percent
Incorporated into HB 979 by House Finance
HB 378: Creates net investment income tax for people making $500k+
Left in House Finance
Item 261 #4s: Mandatory Worldwide Combine Reporting
Not Included in Conference Budget
SB 664: Provides that Virginia will not conform to HR 1 tax measures
Left in Senate Finance and Appropriations
SR 6, HJ 34: Directs Department of Taxation to study repealing the car tax
Continued to 2027 by Senate Finance and Appropriations
SB 591, HB 1180: Directs Department of Taxation to create free tax filing program
Signed by the governor
HB 979: Increases standard deduction to $10k; eliminates 1% grocery tax; establishes two new income brackets ($600k and $1M)
Continued to 2027 by House Finance
Investing in Affordable Childcare
Dedicated Child Care Funding Formula – SB 134 & HB 1208
The dedicated funding formula, alongside other investments in childcare, will help to increase access to affordable childcare for Virginia families. This will reduce the burden families feel to care for their children and should set Virginia kids up for success.
SB 134: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 1208: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Creates Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program – SB 3, SB 119 & HB 18
This establishes the Employee Childcare Assistance Pilot Program to provide matching funds that incentivize employers to contribute to their employees’ childcare costs. The Program will be conducted through the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and requires the Foundation to report to the General Assembly in 2028 and 2030 on the effectiveness and impact of the Program.
SB 119: Incorporated into SB 3
Vote History Here
SB 3: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 18: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Other Bills We Supported:
SB 268, HB 1004: Child tax credit (one-time, $300, through 2030)
Continued to 2027 by Senate Finance and Appropriations; Left in House Finance
SB 20, HB 254: Requires DOE to establish income phase-out from child care subsidy program so benefits go down if income goes up
Left in House Education; Left in House Appropriations
Item 126 #2s: Fully funding child care system by expanding access and boosting worker pay
Not Included in Conference Budget
Ensuring Access to Affordable Housing
Faith in Housing – SB 367, SB 388 & HB 1279
Faith in Housing will direct localities to allow faith communities to develop housing on their property by-right. Virginia currently faces a shortage of 300,000 homes, and this bill will help close that gap, especially as Virginia has more than 70,000 acres of faith community-owned land.
SB 367: Incorporated into SB 388
Vote History Here
SB 388: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 1279: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Requires localities with 20,000+ people to allow one-and two-family dwellings and townhouses by right – HB 1212
This will require localities with 20,000+ people to allow one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses by right. This allows localities more opportunities to build homes, helping to address the shortage of 300,000 homes in Virginia.
HB 1212: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Bans parking minimums – SB 354 & HB 262, HB 888
This eliminates burdensome parking minimums in new residential development, making it easier to build more homes without restrictive parking requirements.
SB 354: Failed to Report from Senate Local Government
Vote History Here
HB 262: Incorporated into HB 888 by House Counties, Cities and Towns
Vote History Here
HB 888: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Other Bills We Supported:
HB 594: Allows locality to authorize a zoning administrator to use administrative process to approve rezoning for affordable housing
Signed by the governor
SB 674, SB 747, HB 1211: First-time homebuyer’s tax credit
Continued to 2027 by Senate Finance and Appropriations; Left in House Finance
SB 454, HB 816: Housing Near Jobs
Left in House Counties, Cities and Towns; Defeated by Senate
SB 355: Anti-Rent Price Gouging (locality permissive)
Continued to 2027 by Senate Local Government
SB 488, HB 804: Requires localities to increase housing stock by 7.5% over 5 years (housing targets)
Stricken at the Request of the Patron in Senate Local Government
HB 202, HB 910: Restricts partnerships, corporations, or trusts from buying single-family homes
Left in House Courts of Justice; Signed by the governor
SB 490, HB 820: Allows DHCD to use 20% of funds in Housing Trust Fund on loans to developers of mixed-income housing projects
Signed by the governor
HB 1042: Zoning for Housing Production Pilot Program funding to localities; 2027 to 2029 sunset
Left in House Appropriations
Making Energy More Affordable
Standards on local solar siting and approval decisions – SB 347 & HB 711
The legislation to “Ban the Bans” sets standards for local siting and zoning approvals of solar projects so that localities cannot blanket-ban the most affordable form of electric generation. This is a first step to building and deploying more solar which will help lower the cost of energy in Virginia.
SB 347: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 711: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Surplus interconnection – SB 508 & HB 1065
This makes it easier to develop and deploy new, affordable solar generation by directing utilities to identify where there is existing — and unused — capacity, and to deploy new, affordable energy generation that can get on the grid faster to lower costs.
SB 508: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 1065: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Increases energy battery storage targets for utilities – SB 448 & HB 895
This increases the amount of battery storage that Virginia utilities have to build and deploy, ensuring that renewable resources like wind and solar can be fully amplified by storing power so it can be deployed when it’s needed 24/7.
SB 448: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
HB 895: Signed by the governor
Vote History Here
Other Bills We Supported:
HB 897: Requires data centers to transition to carbon-free operation, generators and to invest in energy efficiency in order to receive sales tax exemption
Passed by Indefinitely in Senate Finance and Appropriations
SB 465: Requires data centers to meet energy efficiency standards to be eligible for the sales tax exemption
Left in Senate Finance and Appropriations
SB 250, HB 395: Permits any electric customer to own and operate a small solar device up to 1200 W
Signed by the governor
SB 26, HB 457, HB 1234: Provides that localities may require solar be built on canopies over parking lots
Signed by the governor
SB 175, HB 628: Increases RPS requirements for Dominion to deploy rooftop/behind the meter solar or wind; expands PPA access; encourages solar development on previously developed sites
Signed by the governor
HB 503: Prohibits cost recovery for costs incurred for data centers
Continued to 2027 in House Labor and Commerce
SB 339, HB 658: Directs SCC to conduct cost proceedings to review transmission cost allocation for data centers vs regular customers
Continued to 2027 in House Labor and Commerce; Left in House Labor and Commerce
HB 784: Requires Dept. of Taxation to publish an annual report with the names of all data centers receiving sales tax exemption, amount of exemption, and any investment/jobs
Incorporated into HB 897 by House Finance
SB 505, HB 1256: Requires the SCC to establish by regulation a cost-sharing mechanism for the recovery of fuel costs, including the costs of purchased power
Signed by the governor
HB 1360: States it will be the policy of the Commonwealth that no investor-owned utility shall engage in practices that distort wholesale energy markets (uneconomic dispatch)
Signed by the governor
SB 700: Establishes Large Scale Electricity Consumer Infrastructure Impact Fund funded by annual infrastructure impact fee paid by data centers based on energy usage
Continued to 2027 by Senate Finance and Appropriations
Enshrining Virginians’ Constitutional Freedoms
Redistricting of Congressional Districts – SB 769 & HJ 4, HB 1384
These constitutional amendments would have temporarily adjusted Virginia’s redistricting process to ensure that Virginians are fairly represented at the federal level to advocate for pro-middle-class policies. The amendments were agreed upon by the General Assembly for a second time, but following a winning referendum vote, the Supreme Court of Virginia overturned the results.
Reproductive Freedom Constitutional Amendment – SJ 1 & HJ 1
These constitutional amendments ensure an individual’s right to reproductive freedom and the right to make one’s own decisions about all matters related to reproductive care, including pregnancy, contraception, and IVF. Now that the General Assembly has passed these amendments two times consecutively, they will be on the November 2026 ballot for Virginians to approve or deny.
SJ 1: Agreed Upon for the Second Time by the General Assembly
Vote History Here
HJ 1: Agreed Upon for the Second Time by the General Assembly
Vote History Here
Marriage Equality Constitutional Amendment – SJ 3 & HJ 3
These constitutional amendments define marriage as being between two adult persons, repeal the same-sex marriage prohibition, and affirm the right to marry. Now that the General Assembly has passed these amendments two times consecutively, they will be on the November 2026 ballot for Virginians to approve or deny.
SJ 3: Agreed Upon for the Second Time by the General Assembly
Vote History Here
HJ 3: Agreed Upon for the Second Time by the General Assembly
Vote History Here
Fundamental Right to Vote Constitutional Amendment – SJ 2 & HJ 2
These constitutional amendments provide that every person who meets the qualifications of voters set forth in the Constitution of Virginia shall have the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth, except for persons who have been convicted of a felony and persons who have been adjudicated to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. Now that the General Assembly has passed these amendments two times consecutively, they will be on the November 2026 ballot for Virginians to approve or deny.
SJ 2: Agreed Upon for the Second Time by the General Assembly
Vote History Here
HJ 2: Agreed Upon for the Second Time by the General Assembly
Vote History Here
View the 2025 Affordability Scorecard HERE.
