Building on campaign promises by the governor and Democratic lawmakers, health care and housing affordability bills dominated the 2026 legislative session
Virginia lawmakers worked this session to address high housing costs.
Nearly eight in 10 cost-burdened renters in Virginia spend more than 30% of their income on rent, which qualifies them as extremely low-income, according to federal standards. The state has 35 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 households
Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday announced she signed another slate of bipartisan bills as part of her affordability agenda, just days before her Monday action deadline. The latest tranche of legislation set to become law focused on health, housing and ratepayer protections.
Utility costs have skyrocketed in the state and
Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed another batch of legislation into Virginia law, the most recent bills aiming to connect more residents with career opportunities and raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2028.
"Today, we are putting more money in the pockets of Virginia workers," said Gov. Spanberger.