Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a series of bills aiming to push her agenda for an affordable Virginia.
“I am signing this legislation to respond to the real, pressing concerns I have heard from Virginia families across the Commonwealth about high costs — particularly at the pharmacy counter, in the housing market, and on their utility bills. I’m grateful to the lawmakers who made addressing rising costs a priority during this legislative session,” Spanberger said in a statement sent to News 3.
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Specifically, this series of legislation targets the rising costs in the healthcare, housing and energy sectors. Below is a list of the bills that were recently signed into law by the governor:
Healthcare
- SB669:
- Requires health insurance carriers to use a "pass-through" payment system for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
- Limits PBMs revenue to only administrative fees.
- New restrictions on retroactive actions taken by PBMs.
- SB405:
- Allows the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority to manage nursing scholarship programs.
- HB220:
- Prohibits health insurance carriers from varying its premium rates based on tobacco use.
- "The provisions of the bill apply to health benefit plans providing individual or small group health insurance coverage entered into, amended, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027."
- HB60:
- Stopping discriminatory practices conducted by insurers against those who have received pre-exposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV.
Watch related coverage: Virginia ACA enrollment drops by more than 44,000 as federal tax credits expire
Housing
- HB1227:
- Increases the housing allocation of the Virginia state ceiling on private activity bonds from 57 to 67 percent.
- The Virginia Housing Development Authority and local housing authorities would be allocated a higher share of these bonds.
- SB628:
- Creates the Eviction Reduction Program under the Department of Housing and Community Development.
- HB655:
- Requires that manufactured homes be allowed wherever standard site-built homes are permitted, with some exceptions.
- Stops local governments from treating manufactured homes more harshly than site-built houses in zoning rules.
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Energy
- HB1191:
- Allows electric cooperatives to invest in new energy infrastructure.
- The costs "shall be excluded from the cooperative's general and base rates and shall not be recovered from any other ratepayer."
- HB369:
- Revises how clean energy buyers can get renewable energy certificates through contracts with Appalachian Power or Dominion Energy.
- This bill aims to encourage investment in "cutting-edge energy technology, like fusion and nuclear."
- SB505:
- Authorizes the State Corporation Commission to evaluate methods to protect ratepayers from excessive costs.
- This commission will provide legislative recommendations regarding fuel and power cost regulations.
- HB562:
- Electric cooperatives are authorized to create a "virtual power plant program."
- An electric cooperative may offer incentives to residential customers to purchase battery storage devices and is required to evaluate various methods to optimize demand.
- HB889:
- Makes it official state policy to give priority to existing rights-of-way (corridors) when looking for sites for new electric transmission infrastructure.
- Directs VDOT to make a work group that will suggest ways to update regulations so transmission lines can be more easily fixated along state highways.
- HB1225:
- Allows Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power to work to create more infrastructure to support electric vehicle charging stations.
- Requires them to submit long-term EV infrastructure plans to the state.
- Sets limits on building utility-owned fast chargers near private charging locations, pending a rule on minimum allowable distance.
Watch related coverage: Spanberger announces $1.5M to repair aging infrastructure across Hampton Roads
Other bills
- HB94:
- Expands exemption from annual vehicle registration fees for disabled veterans — or their unremarried surviving spouses — so it applies to vehicles with standard license plates, not just those with special “disabled veteran” plates.
- HB1180:
- Directs the Tax Commissioner to develop a free online system for individuals to file state income tax returns (similar to the IRS Direct File Program).
