2025 Session Recap

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

It is an honor to serve as your representative to the Virginia House of Delegates! I’m proud to represent the 3rd  House of Delegates District, which includes South Arlington and parts of the City of Alexandria.

Every spring, shortly after the conclusion of the regular legislative session, I prepare a summary of new laws and actions taken by the Virginia General Assembly. This year’s regular legislative session took place from January 8th to February 22nd, with an additional reconvened legislative session on April 2nd to consider gubernatorial recommendations and vetoes. The General Assembly will likely return for at least one Special Session before the year’s end to attempt to address the draconian cuts being made by the Federal Government. On the topic of Federal actions, if you are impacted, please visit www.alfonsolopez.org/resources for a list of resources that may be helpful to you during this difficult time.

I serve as the Chair of the full House Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee. This committee deals with two of the Commonwealth’s largest industries, agriculture and forestry. It also handles all issues related to environmental protection and policy, including conservation, safe drinking water, hazardous waste mitigation, clean air, and protection of our waterways. I am also a member of the Labor & Commerce Committee and serve as the Chair of the Labor & Workforce Subcommittee. In addition, I serve on the Public Safety Committee as well as the Communications, Technology, and Innovation Committee. 

The following is a summary of some of the issues addressed during the 2025 Regular Session. As of the printing of this letter, negotiations concerning the Commonwealth’s biennial budget and some legislative items are ongoing. So, some of the information contained below may change. For an updated list of every legislative item considered and action taken by the General Assembly this year, visit www.LIS.Virginia.Gov and select Bills and Resolutions from the menu on the homepage. Please note that an asterisk (*) indicates an issue area where I introduced a bill or an issue that I worked on extensively. 

Thank you for taking the time to read through this letter. If you have any questions, concerns, or issues before our state government, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at (571) 336-2147 or by e-mail at DelALopez@house.virginia.gov. You may also always visit my website for more information at AlfonsoLopez.org. I look forward to hearing from you!

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

This year, we’ve passed three constitutional amendment proposals that are among the most important achievements of the 2025 session. They are the first step towards enabling Virginians to weigh in on the crucial issues of reproductive freedom, voting rights, and marriage equality. While they do not require the Governor’s approval, they will need to be passed again by the House and Senate next year to be put on the ballot for public approval. Below are brief summaries of the amendments.

Abortion and Reproductive Freedom

In light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade and threats to contraception and fertility care, this constitutional amendment protects the right of Virginians to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions. The amendment would codify that “every individual has the fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including the ability to make and carry out decisions relating to one's own prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, abortion care, miscarriage management, and fertility care.” I was proud to vote in support of this proposal when it narrowly passed the House and Senate. (HJR 1/SJR 247)

Voting Rights

According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, the Commonwealth is one of only two states that still has a Jim Crow-era lifetime prohibition on voting for those convicted of a felony (unless the governor decides to restore their rights individually). This is a shameful relic of our segregationist past. Thankfully, we passed amendments to the Constitution ensuring that people who are convicted of a felony and have served their time, are given their rights back automatically. This is not only an issue of fairness. It’s also a tool to help formerly incarcerated people more easily reintegrate into society. Analyses have also shown that individuals with restored rights have lower rates of recidivism than their counterparts who live in states that don’t restore rights. This effort passed the House with bipartisan support, including my vote, and passed the Senate on a party-line vote. (HJR 2/SJR 248)

Marriage Equality

Even after the Obergefell Supreme Court decision that legalized same sex marriage in all 50 states, Virginia’s Constitution still contains a provision limiting marriage to opposite sex couples, thus banning same sex couples from marrying. Obviously, it cannot be enforced because of the court decision, but recent history has shown us why this provision still needs to be removed. It will only take one decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to put this ban back into effect. This amendment would give voters the chance to remove this discriminatory provision from our Constitution and state clearly where we stand on this issue. I wholeheartedly supported this amendment proposal, and it passed by overwhelming bipartisan margins in the House and Senate. (HJR 9/SJR 249)

AFFORDABILITY

Tax Relief in the Budget

Virginians are struggling to make ends meet, especially due to stubborn inflation that is likely to be reignited by the recently imposed federal tariffs. Overall, the budget that passed the House and Senate provides $1.1 billion in immediate and ongoing tax relief to hard-working Virginians in a way that will not harm the fiscal health of the Commonwealth. It authorizes a one-time tax rebate of $200 for individuals and $400 for joint filers. It also adjusts the standard deduction to $8,750 for individuals and $17,500 for joint filers. For lower-income citizens, the budget also increases the refundable portion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to 20% of the federal EITC. Budget negotiations are ongoing, and we are hopeful that the Governor will realize that the tax provisions of the General Assembly budget are the best and most sustainable path forward.

* Cracking Down on Junk Fees

Junk fees, the hidden extra costs that are tacked onto transactions, have become a significant challenge for hardworking families. Our entire economy is built on the concept that consumers should be able to see the price of something upfront and make a decision on whether to buy it. Junk fees undermine that principle while squeezing not only customers but also small businesses that have to work with vendors that charge them. That harm is why I agreed to serve as the Chief Co-Patron of HB 2515 and helped shepherd it, as well as SB 1212, the Senate version of the bill, through the Labor & Commerce Committee. These bills would regulate some of the most egregious uses of junk fees and require that extra fees be included in the advertised prices for goods and services. To avoid having to come out against these common-sense pieces of legislation, the Governor amended them so they would have to be passed again in 2026, when he will be out of office. We rejected his amendments. The Governor will now have to take a stand on this issue and sign these bills - or veto them. 

Prescription Drug Costs

Once again, the General Assembly passed legislation that would have created a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. The Board would have been tasked with protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth and other stakeholders within our healthcare system from excessively high costs for prescription drugs. It would do this by performing affordability reviews and, where appropriate, limiting the prices that can be charged for certain drugs. Despite the bipartisan support for this effort, the Governor vetoed the bill. (HB 1724)

Child Care

In addition to the tax relief discussed above, the General Assembly’s Budget included money to increase state-supported early childhood care and education slots by approximately 4,500 while maintaining affordable copayments for working families. I was proud to support this important provision in the budget.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & WORKER PROTECTION

* Supporting Our Federal Workers and Contractors and Addressing Federal Cuts 

As the Chair of the Labor & Workforce Subcommittee, I was deeply involved in efforts to make our unemployment assistance program more robust (HB 1766/SB 1056). These changes were recommendations from the Commission on Unemployment Compensation and were necessary even before the reckless cuts of the federal government workforce by the new presidential administration. Additionally, efforts were made (HB 1767) to expand unemployment insurance to independent contractors of the federal government. However, the latter effort failed. I expect discussions on this issue to continue as part of the special session on federal cuts later this year.

In preparation for the special session, Speaker Don Scott formed the House Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions. The committee will assess the potential economic and budgetary consequences of federal cutbacks and provide policy recommendations to mitigate negative effects on Virginia’s families, economy, and state budget.

* Increasing and Expanding the Minimum Wage

Another set of bills that I was proud to guide through the Labor and Workforce Subcommittee were those to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by January 1, 2027 (HB 1928) and remove the unfair exemption of farm workers from minimum wage requirements (HB 1625). Unfortunately, the Governor vetoed both bills.

Small Business Procurement

Legislation was introduced that would have created a program to increase the amount of government contracting that goes to small, woman-owned, and minority-owned businesses. The Governor vetoed the bill over a supposed lack of clarity about what businesses would qualify. This was even though the bill largely relied on established rules and definitions that have worked for years in other programs. (HB 1922)

* Simplifying and Strengthening our Worker Protections

When employees experience wage theft, they often have to bring claims against employers under all three wage theft statutes (wage payment, minimum wage, and overtime), meaning that both the employee and employer are stuck navigating three separate laws, with differing procedures and damages provisions, to resolve a single incident. My bill (HB 2561) would have simplified the process by ensuring damages, statutes of limitations, and other rules under these laws were the same. This would have made it easier for workers to protect their rights and simplified compliance for our businesses. Despite its passage and support, the Governor vetoed my bill.

I also introduced and passed a bill (HB 2559) to allow localities to require that certain employers give their building services workers, like cleaning crews and security guards, a transition period and small accommodations when mass layoffs occur due to a change in contractor at their work site. While other workers receive similar protections when traditional layoffs occur, these workers do not. Their employment is often tied to a specific location, like a stadium or a large office building. However, since they are technically employed by a contractor, they are exempted from the accommodations that other workers receive. Unfortunately, the Governor also vetoed this bill.

HOUSING

Protecting Existing Affordable Housing and Incentivizing New Construction

Several complementary efforts to promote affordable housing were undertaken this year. There was a bill to create a right of first refusal that localities could use to ensure that existing affordable housing is maintained (HB 1973). Another bill sought to extend a pilot program that incentivizes localities to adopt policies that promote mixed-income communities, affordable housing, and moderately priced housing (HB 2149). A final bill would have allowed localities to use a variety of strategies to encourage and facilitate the development of affordable housing on land owned by property tax-exempt nonprofits like churches and community groups (HB 2153). However, these efforts have hit roadblocks in the form of vetoes by the Governor, concerns over costs, and a Governor’s amendment that limits the provisions of the bill. I’m hopeful that efforts like these will continue in the future because our need for affordable housing is not going away - and significant action is needed.

* Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund

As the creator of the Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund, I’m proud of my work over the years to increase its funding (from $6.1 million to $87.5 million per year). This year's updated budget did not include further increases in funding, but given the fiscal uncertainty caused by federal government actions, maintaining our spending levels is an acceptable outcome. That being said, my efforts to increase funding for the Trust Fund will continue.  As I have noted in previous years, for every project that we currently fund in Northern Virginia, there are SEVEN that we don’t fund. In Southwest and Southside Virginia, for every project we fund, there are FOUR we don’t. Ultimately, I believe we will need to increase the funding to at least $200 million per year, which, according to experts, is the amount needed to address our affordable housing challenges. This is a fundamental quality of life issue. 

EDUCATION 

* Fully Funding AP, IB, and Cambridge Exam Fund

Last year, I was finally successful in creating a program to cover all but $20 of the cost of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge Assessment test fees for students eligible for free and reduced lunch programs. The goal of this program was to help these bright students access college credits that they were previously unable to afford. Indeed, a family of four making approximately $25,000 a year simply cannot afford a full slate of AP/IB exam fees. I’m happy to say that the program was a hit! However, its popularity meant that the program was about $150,000 short of covering all of the students who requested help. Fortunately, as a part of the General Assembly’s budget, we were able to cover the gap and keep our promise to these students. Budget negotiations are continuing, but as of the writing of this letter, the funding is still there. 

* Increasing TAG Grants for Marymount University

Virginia’s Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG) Program was created to make education more affordable for Virginia students. Several years ago, we expanded it by giving an additional supplemental grant to students at historically Black colleges and universities. The results were outstanding! Retention rates soared as the number of students dropping out due to financial challenges fell significantly. I was able to secure $1.8 million in the General Assembly’s budget to provide a $2,000 bump to TAG for students at Virginia’s only HSI or Hispanic-Serving Institution, Arlington’s Marymount University. This money not only helps these students, but is a workforce investment in areas where we are experiencing shortages or have strong needs, such as Nursing, Computer Science, Engineering, Cybersecurity, IT, AI, and Education. In his amendments to the budget, the Governor cut the amount of money going to Marymount. He also added additional verification requirements for students and limited the supplemental grants to nursing students only. While it was not my preference, I accepted the Governor's limitations to ensure that at least some students receive help from this initiative. It is a win-win-win, where we support our commonwealth’s only HSI, support students, and build up our workforce in a crucial area. Rest assured, under a new Governor, I will bring the rest of the budget language back. 

Ensuring Students are Prepared for College and the Workforce

Over the years, it has become very clear that we need to do better at making sure high school students are graduating with the skills necessary for their next chapter, whether that is employment, continuing education, or military service. As part of our effort to improve in this area, a bill (HB 2454) was proposed to direct the Board of Education to update its post-high school readiness framework and integrate work-based learning experiences into it. In an unsettling theme of his bill amendments, the Governor added a requirement that the bill pass again next year, once he is out of office. This amendment was rejected by the General Assembly, meaning the Governor will have to take a stand on this reasonable bill and either sign or veto it.

Funding Our Schools

The General Assembly’s budget provided a $782.4 million increase in state funding for public education, including $223 million to finally remove the last portion of the cap on state funding for school support staff that was put in place during the Great Recession. The removal of the support staff cap is long overdue and benefits all schools, whether they are in urban, suburban, or rural areas. Unfortunately, the Governor attempted to amend the budget to remove all of the funding for this endeavor. His amendment was rejected, but he can still block the funding through a line-item veto or by vetoing the entire budget. I hope the Governor will understand the importance of this funding and allow it to remain in the final budget.

In addition to lifting the support staff cap, the General Assembly’s budget included $134.4 million for a $1,000 bonus to teachers with no local match requirement, $52.8 million to increase state support for special education, and $26.8 million to increase student financial assistance for higher education.

Parental Notification 

After continuous work with stakeholders, bills were signed into law to ensure that parents are made aware of school-connected drug overdoses within 24 hours. The bills also protect the privacy of the students involved and seek to avoid overburdening the schools in the wake of these tragic events. (HB 2774/SB 1240)

Similar commonsense pieces of legislation (HB 1678/SB 1048), which would have required schools to inform parents of the laws and best practices about the safe storage of prescription medications and firearms in homes with children, were passed with bipartisan support. Instead of supporting this effort, the Governor decided to add an unrelated amendment attacking transgender students. This amendment was rejected. I hope the Governor will come to his senses and support this effort to protect children.

ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY, AND AGRICULTURE

* Preserving Oak Hill Farm

President James Monroe’s Oak Hill Farm estate in Loudoun County is the last presidential homestead that remains in private hands. Fortunately, the estate’s owners want to see it become a state park so everyone can enjoy its 1,200 acres of farmland, forestland, open fields, and extensive river frontage. On top of its historic value, the property is also suitable for camping, fishing, hiking, biking, and birdwatching. The owners are willing to sell it for significantly less than half the price it could fetch on the open market, and Loudoun County has already agreed to cover acquisition costs. Also, tens of millions of dollars from grants, donations, and other funds have been set aside to provide an endowment to cover the operational costs of the new park. That is why I introduced HB 2306 to allow the Department of Conservation and Recreation to agree to this once-in-a-lifetime deal. Unfortunately, despite passing the House overwhelmingly, the bill stalled in the Senate because of ill-founded concerns about what this park may cost the Commonwealth in the future. I fought tooth and nail to keep the project alive, but unfortunately, it was tabled for the year. Since the session ended, I’ve continued to educate my fellow members on the project. I’m confident, based on the progress I’ve made, that we will be successful next year. 

Protecting Our Environmental Progress

A multitude of efforts to turn back the progress we’ve made on combating climate change and improving our environment were defeated this session, including attempts to repeal the Virginia Clean Economy Act and roll back other environmental regulations. The Governor’s unlawful removal of Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the Clean Car Standard are still making their way through the courts, but initial results indicate that state laws requiring Virginia’s participation in these programs will be upheld.

PFAS – Forever Chemicals 

To continue the work done on PFAS last year, the General Assembly created a de facto PFAS reduction pilot program in the Occoquan Reservoir, a body of water with some of the highest levels of PFAS in Virginia. The goal of this effort is to track and stop the discharge of PFAS into local waterways, which will prevent the need for expensive backend water processing to remove them from the reservoir. (HB 2050)

* Regulating Above-Ground Chemical Storage Tanks 

After several years working with the Virginia Manufacturing Association, the Agribusiness Council, and the environmental community, I passed legislation finally regulating the storage of hazardous chemicals/substances in aboveground storage tanks. This effort was an attempt to prevent a disaster similar to what occurred in West Virginia’s Elk River, where a tank leaked into the waterway and left multiple counties without drinking water for more than a week. My legislation passed unanimously and has been signed by the Governor. (HB 2516)

* Replacing Aging Water Infrastructure 

Although we’d been working on the issue of aging water infrastructure before the incident in Richmond that left much of the City without water and postponed the start of the General Assembly session, my bill (HB 2711) garnered considerably more attention in its aftermath. The bill allowed privately-owned water utilities that service some communities to receive accelerated recovery of their investments in infrastructure replacement. This can help them attract more private investment for these projects. This program was based on a similar one used for natural gas utilities, but we provided an additional layer of consumer protection. We required the State Corporation Commission to collect data and review whether the spending on these projects was reasonable and whether earnings from them were justified. These analyses will be reported to the General Assembly so the program can be adjusted (if needed). On top of that, the program was given a sunset date to prevent it from running indefinitely without being reconsidered. The bill passed and was signed into law by the Governor.

* Large Animal Veterinarian Shortage

Last year, I introduced a bill to study the shortage of large animal veterinarians in Virginia, which represents a threat to public health, our food supply, and one of Virginia’s largest industries. This year, I introduced and passed a bill (HB 2303) based on some of the study’s recommendations. It will provide grants to large animal veterinarians who practice in areas with a shortage. These incentives are meant to help keep existing practices operating and attract new professionals to practice in areas experiencing shortages. 

* Pushing Large Energy Users to Clean Energy

With energy demand in Virginia growing, we face challenges with future grid reliability and how we reach our clean energy goals. With that in mind, I introduced a bill (HB 2528) that would have allowed large energy customers like data centers to leave utility power if they continue to pay their fair share of infrastructure and transmission costs and buy electricity from third-party producers who are generating energy that is compliant with our clean energy goals (“Retail Choice”). This bill would have reduced the strain on our power grid and allowed us to keep our transition to clean energy on track. Unfortunately, in the face of utility opposition, the bill did not pass, but significant progress was made. I plan on continuing this effort because of the clear benefits and the fact that it will make it easier for businesses to shop for cheaper/cleaner energy. It is a win-win.

Increasing Energy Efficiency and Modernizing the Grid

Several bills were introduced to increase energy efficiency and modernize our electricity grid. Some bills required utilities to engage in more energy efficiency efforts (HB 2744/SB 1342). Others created a task force to study how we can get lower-income homeowners/renters access to weatherization and energy efficiency programs (HB 1935/SB 777). A final group of bills would have created a “virtual power plant” pilot to test the use of batteries that are already connected to the grid (home battery back-up, plugged in electric vehicles, etc.) as a source of energy during high-demand periods (HB 2346/SB 1100). Unfortunately, these efforts were vetoed by the Governor or, in the case of the virtual power plant pilot, turned into a study by a Governor’s amendment. Though they may not become law this year, these efforts will continue. Smart investment in energy efficiency programs is one of the best ways to tackle climate change and decrease overall energy costs.

Incentivizing Solar 

I have always been in support of an all-hands-on-deck approach to reaching our clean energy goals. With this in mind, I supported efforts to allow local governments to require the use of solar canopies (overhangs with solar panels on them) on certain newly created parking lots. The more energy we produce on already disturbed land (parking lots, rooftops, light industrial, “big box” stores, brownfields, etc.), the less agricultural and green spaces will be needed for solar farms. Despite its obvious benefits, the Governor vetoed the bill. (HB 2037)

PUBLIC SAFETY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

* Providing Clarity in Court Cases Involving Immigrants 

To ensure a fair legal proceeding, defendants must understand the rules and have the potential outcomes made clear to them.  That is the goal of my bill, HB 2560. It will ensure that undocumented individuals and immigrants who are in the process of being naturalized are made aware of the specific immigration status consequences of their legal proceedings. This will help create a fairer overall process. The issue is that even if an individual takes a plea deal that charges them with a Level One Misdemeanor and gives them only a fine or community service, they are still subject to immigration proceedings. Under federal regulations, the mere “potential” for a year in prison triggers the ICE detention process. In Virginia, a Level One Misdemeanor can involve a penalty of up to a year in prison (in some cases, even for minor violations like drinking a beer underage). Given the current hostile posture of the federal government towards immigration, this is something we must do to ensure those caught up in the system receive fairer treatment. People deserve to know the full breadth of the consequences they face, so they can make informed decisions. I’m thankful my bill was passed and signed into law. 

Banning Trigger Activators, Assault Firearms, and High-Capacity Magazines

Efforts were made again this year to ensure that weapons of war, and accessories that make normal firearms behave like weapons of war are not on Virginia’s streets. One piece of legislation would have banned assault weapons and large-capacity gun magazines (HB 1607/SB 1181), while another would have banned the use, sale, and production of “trigger activators”, which are devices that increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic weapons, so they effectively become automatic (HB 1660/SB 886). Despite their benefits to the safety of Virginians, the Governor vetoed all of these sensible gun safety measures.

Creating the Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention

Gun violence is an issue that touches everything from public safety to public health to community development. For that reason, legislation was introduced and passed to create the Virginia Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention. It would have been able to look at this issue holistically and weigh in on how best to tackle it. The Governor did not recognize the value in this approach and vetoed the bill. (HB 1736)

Limiting Concealed Carry Permits

Our neighboring state of North Carolina is considering allowing anyone who is 18 years of age or older to carry a concealed handgun with no permit or training. In addition, they will provide any person with the necessary paperwork so that they may legally concealed carry in states like Virginia, which have permit requirements, but under reciprocity, accept other states’ permits as valid. HB 1797 would have simply required a review of our reciprocity agreements and revoked any agreements with states that do not meet or exceed Virginia’s requirements for a concealed carry permit. In a time when other states are giving concealed carry permits to anyone with a pulse, this is a prudent step to protect Virginians. Unfortunately, the Governor vetoed this bill.

Keeping Guns out of the Hands of Domestic Abusers

Another set of common-sense gun violence prevention bills that I supported, and that the Governor vetoed, were SB 744 and HB 1960. Under current law, a domestic abuser who has been ordered to give up their firearms can transfer them to their 18-year-old child with whom they live and be compliant with the order. Though for all intents and purposes, this would still give them access to their firearms, circumventing a lawful court order meant to protect everyone involved. This is a clear loophole in the law that needs to be addressed. These bills would have done that. Unfortunately,  the Governor refused to take this reasonable step to protect victims of domestic violence and vetoed the bills. 

Limiting Use of Automatic License Plate Readers 

Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) are a technology that has the potential to be very beneficial when used properly. They can help find dangerous fugitives and assist in the recovery of missing persons. But, they come with significant privacy concerns because they collect data on all drivers, not just those who have committed a crime. This year, we had legislation to both expand and regulate ALPR use. Advocates were successful in decreasing the length of time that records from these readers were kept and in adding further guardrails. Instead of agreeing to the carefully negotiated compromise that passed the General Assembly with significant bipartisan support, the Governor amended the bill to undo the privacy protections that had been added. The General Assembly rejected the Governor’s amendments. We hope that he will respect the good-faith effort that was made to legislate this complex issue and accept the version of the bill that passed the House and Senate. (HB 2724)

Ensuring Humane Treatment of Incarcerated People and Those Facing Trial

While we can all agree that those rightfully convicted of crimes must face their punishment, we can also agree that their punishment should not include inhumane conditions. The General Assembly passed measures to both limit the harmful practice of solitary confinement (HB 2647/ SB 1409) and ensure that prisons and jails are not keeping inmates in dangerously hot or cold facilities (HB 1894). The Governor vetoed both of these measures.

One area where we made some progress was on limiting the use of restraints on juveniles in court. The Governor signed these compromise bills. (HB 2222/SB 1255) 

COMMUNITY

* Allowing Local Inspections of Animal Boarding Facilities 

After several dogs died at an understaffed boarding facility in Alexandria last year, I began working with the City to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again. That is why I introduced HB 2313, which would have allowed local animal welfare officials to inspect these facilities to ensure proper care was being given to the pets housed in them. This is currently something that can only be done when a complaint is filed or by the State Veterinarian when resources allow. The bill would have also convened a work group to discuss creating licensing requirements for these facilities modeled after those required for animal shelters. The Governor amended this bill to limit it to only the licensing workgroup. Rather than risk a veto and get no progress on this issue, we accepted the Governor’s amendments so the work can continue. I will continue working on this issue next session. 

Restoring WMATA Funding

The General Assembly’s budget also restored $3.3 million for operating support for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and METRO. The Governor took this money away in his proposed budget, despite recent funding challenges of the system and its significant economic value to our region and the Commonwealth.

Supporting Our Military Families

A bill (HB 2736) was passed into law to extend the Department of Veterans Services' employment assistance program to military spouses, a group that regularly faces career challenges because of the sacrifices they make to support their loved one’s service. Another measure that was enacted (HB 1868) will ensure that the surviving spouse of a service member with a Line of Duty Determination who died by suicide will qualify for the property tax exemption currently available to all other spouses of service members who have died in the Line of Duty.

Creating a Retail Cannabis Market 

Once again, attempts were made to finally create a retail cannabis market. Despite the negative impacts of keeping our state in limbo after we decriminalized cannabis possession, the Governor refused to engage in crafting a path forward and vetoed the legislation on this topic. (HB 2485/SB 970)

Protecting the Right to Vote

While federal laws prevent systematic purges of voters (with specific exceptions) within 90 days of a federal election, that rule does not apply to state elections like those we will have this year. The goal of this rule is to prevent chaos and political malfeasance before an election. So, an effort was made to ensure that the 90-day rule applies to state elections and that the process for removing individuals from the voter rolls is fair and reasonable. Sadly, the Governor vetoed this legislation. (HB 1657/SB 813)

Also, a bill was passed to make it clear what sources of information are suitable to use to cancel someone’s voter registration and ensure uniformed service members and other Virginians living abroad temporarily don’t have their voter registrations canceled unnecessarily. The Governor vetoed this bill. (HB 2002)

HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES 

Protecting Virginians from Medical Debt

Medical debt can be a financial spiral that traps people who get sick or injured through no fault of their own. Legislation was passed during this session to rein in some of the most egregious tactics used in medical debt collection. It limited excessive interest charges, prevented the use of extraordinary collection measures like foreclosure, and sought to ensure that patients were aware of financial assistance that could help them pay their debt. This carefully negotiated bill received bipartisan support. The Governor amended the bill so it would only help future people with medical debt, but not those currently trapped by it. His amendment was rejected, and the Governor will have to decide whether to sign or veto the bill. (HB 1725) 

Ensuring Coverage of Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment

A measure was also enacted that requires health insurance coverage for mental health and substance use disorders. It also ensured that insurance companies must follow generally accepted treatments and standards of care. (HB 2738)

Making Breast Cancer Testing Affordable

Thanks to legislation that will become law this year, patients cannot be forced, by their insurance plan, to pay deductibles, co-pays, or any other fees for breast cancer screening like mammograms, MRIs, or ultrasounds. (HB 1828/SB 1436)

Ensuring Access to Contraception

Once again, bills were passed that would have given Virginians the right to contraception (HB 1716/SB 1105) and required that insurance companies cover contraceptives (HB 2371/SB 780). Sadly, the Governor amended the bills to completely change their purpose and shoehorn in a religious exemption for physicians who don’t want to provide contraception. His amendments were rejected, and these bills now likely face a veto.

Improving Maternal Health

Several pieces of legislation will go into effect this year that will improve maternal health including: making pregnancy a qualifying event for accessing plans on the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange (HB 2083), requiring all medical facilities to implement standardized protocols for identifying and responding to obstetric emergencies (HB 2753), and ensuring Medicaid in Virginia will cover remote health monitoring for individuals with high risk pregnancies (HB 1976).

STAY CONNECTED 

For the most up-to-date information about the Virginia General Assembly and our 3rd House District, you can follow me and my team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Lopez4VA and on X at www.x.com/Lopez4VA. For additional information about constituent services, resources, and updates, please visit my website at www.AlfonsoLopez.org. 

Thank you for taking the time to read through this update and for staying informed about our Commonwealth’s government. As I mentioned earlier, if you ever need assistance with a state agency, would like to express your support or opposition on a policy issue, or are interested in arranging a meeting with me virtually or in-person, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with my office by email at DelALopez@house.virginia.gov or by phone at (571) 336-2147. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely, 

Alfonso H. Lopez

Member, 3rd District

Virginia House of Delegates