Democratic agenda advances in the General Assembly

These are some of the bills moving through the General Assembly:

Clean energy – SB225 (Sen. Scott Surovell – Mount Vernon) creates a Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank to provide grants and loans to greenhouse gas emission and other clean energy projects. Passed by the Senate Feb. 10.

Water rates – HB770 (Del. Charniele Herring – Alexandria) allows public utilities to provide discounted rates for water and sewage services to low-income households. Approved by the House Labor and Commerce Committee on Feb. 10. 

Minimum wage – HB1 (Del. Jeion Ward – Hampton) increases the minimum wage to $15 per hour by Jan. 1, 2028. Passed by the House on Feb. 3 and referred to the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.

Weapon restrictions – HB229 (Del. Phil Hernandez – Norfolk) prohibits weapons in mental health facilities.

Religious freedom – HB131 (Del. Marcus Simon – Falls Church) requires public colleges and universities to reasonably accommodate students’ faith-based needs, like scheduling conflicts. Passed the House on Feb. 3

Solar energy – HB683 (Del. Charniele Herring – Alexandria) establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Program to help public bodies connect solar facilities to the grid. Passed by the House on Feb. 6 and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor.

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Drug costs – SB669 (Sen. Aaron Rouse – Virginia Beach) prohibits pharmacy benefit managers from hiking up the cost of prescription drugs. Passed the Senate on Feb. 6.

Affordable housing – HB820 (Del. Helmer – Clifton) creates a revolving loan fund to support the development of mixed-income housing.

Invasive plants – HB388 (Del. Katrina Kallsen – Charlottesville) allows localities to create service districts to control the spread of invasive plants. Passed by the House on Feb. 5 and referred to the Senate Committee on Local Government.

Crypto ATMs – HB665 (Del. Michelle Lopes Maldonado – Manassas) establishes a regulatory framework for cryptocurrency kiosks. Passed by the House Feb. 6. SB489 (Sen. Saddam Salim – Merrifield) passed by the Senate on Feb. 9.

School meals – SB42 (Sen. Danica Roem – Manassas) requires school boards to cover students’ unpaid school meal balances.   

Human trafficking – SB182 (Sen. Angelica Williams Graves – Norfolk) requires employees and operators of short-term rental properties to complete a course on human trafficking awareness. Passed by the Senate Feb. 9.

Flood mitigation – HB397 (Del. Charniele Herring – Alexandria) requires the commonwealth to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and establishes an auction program to sell allowances into a market-based trading program for flood mitigation and clean energy. Passed by the House on Feb. 3 and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources.

Taxes – HB900 (Del. Rip Sullivan – McLean) decreases the retail sales and use tax from 4.3 percent to 4 percent and expands the tax to include services and digital personal property. House Finance Subcommittee recommends continuing to the next session.