Richmond’s criminals have won this year, as Democrats try to rewrite the history of gun rights by gutting them.
by Victoria Manning
Virginia Democrats passed far-left laws restricting citizens’ rights in the 2026 General Assembly, which concluded on 14 March. The Democrats have made Virginians less safe and criminals’ lives easier. They have ignored the right to bear arms and Virginia’s right-to work laws.
Abigail Spanberger, who was elected governor in 2010, tried to portray herself as a moderate, but if the bills she signed are passed, voters will realize that she lied.
Spanberger is expected to sign more than 60 new laws. All of these bills were passed almost entirely along party lines with the full support of Democrats. Republicans were powerless to stop the Democrats, as they controlled all branches of government.
2026 Virginia laws that passed the General Assembly
Second Amendment
HB21: Allows the firearms industry to be civilly sued for a number of illegal acts. The bill also makes manufacturers and sellers of the most innocent firearm accessories like a buttstock or gun case liable for civil lawsuits if they don’t “properly protect” the item from theft or misuse. Summary by the Virginia Citizen’s Defense League.
HB40/ S.B. 27: Ends the centuries-old tradition of individuals making lawful firearms to be used for personal purposes without interference from the government by banning the manufacture of firearms with serial numbers. The law also penalizes people who bought unfinished receivers and frames before the effective date of the bill.
HB93/ SB 38: Extends restrictions already in place on firearms for individuals living with prohibited persons.
HB110: It is a crime to keep a firearm in an unattended car unless it’s in a lockable container that’s bolted to or welded to the vehicle, even if it’s locked.
HB626/ SB272: Guns are prohibited in public higher education institutions unless part of a program authorized inside the building.
HB702: All counties and cities must establish a gun buy-back or give-back program before Jan. 1, 2028. Guns returned to the program must be destroyed, unless they are determined to have been lost or stolen. Each agency is required to submit an annual report which includes the number received.
HB871: Guns must be locked in a cabinet or container if there are minors in the house. The law requires gun dealers to post a notice on their premises. Violations are punishable by a misdemeanor class 4.
HB901: Expansion of the Red Flag Law–expands the definition for who can petition the courts to allege someone is a substantial threat to them or others. The current law stipulates that it must be an attorney or law enforcement officer for the Commonwealth. Anyone from a list of qualified individuals is now eligible, including school administrators, therapists, social workers, members of the Community Services Board, and many more. The individual’s firearms will be taken from them and they won’t be able to buy any other firearms without due process.
HB909: Prohibits the carrying of firearms within 100 feet from a voter registration office, a building that is used to conduct absentee voting or as a precinct. It also prohibits any person from holding a gun in a building that is used for meetings by electoral boards.
SB27: This law requires members of the firearms industries to implement “reasonable” controls that are vague and subjective over the manufacturing, sale, distribution and use of firearm-related goods. It also establishes an expansive civil cause of actions, which allows the Attorney General to sue gun businesses for damages, injunctions and costs.
SB 643, Increases the purchase age for a handgun, or “assault weapon” from 18 to 21 years old. A person under 18 years old cannot use a “assault weapon” or handgun to hunt legally without an adult’s presence.
SB727: Prohibits the carrying of semi-automatic rifles or pistols with fixed magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, 2) semi-automatic rifles or pistols that accept a removable magazine of any type and have any cosmetic features. 3) semi-automatic shots with a magazine fixed that can hold more than 7 rounds for the longest ammunition it can chamber, or with a magazine detachable of any kind, with any cosmetic features on or around a person in public streets, roads, alley Carrying to or from a place of repair, purchase, or shooting range is allowed. Summary of VCDL
SB749: Prohibits the purchase, sale, or transfer of so-called assault firearms. This definition includes: “any semiautomatic centerfire rifle or handgun which can fire single or multiple projectiles through an explosion caused by a combustible substance and which is equipped, at the time of offense, with a magazine that will hold over 20 rounds of ammunition; or is designed by the manufacturer to accept a silencer; or is equipped with a foldable stock.”
Education
HB38: Requires that teachers and other personnel in schools, as determined by the school board, complete mental health training. This includes best practices developed by American Psychological Association for youth who identify as LGBTQ+.
is the official policy statement of the APA. It advocates “gender affirming care” for children, including medical interventions like hormones and mastectomies. Teachers will therefore be forced to take part in trainings that may violate their religious and moral beliefs.
HB139: School boards must approve up to 4 years of unpaid education leave for teachers who are union officers. Teachers who are officers in the teachers’ union would still be eligible for retirement credits.
HB201/ S.B. 109: School boards are required to inform parents every year about the safe storage of prescription medications and their legal responsibility to store firearms in the home.
HB 3333: Specifies what teachers can instruct students about the events that took place on Jan. 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol. Teachers are not allowed to tell students that peaceful protestors were present or that credible evidence exists that the 2020 presidential elections was rigged.
HB913: Requires all DEI initiatives to be returned in the VA Dept of Education, including the EdEquityVA Website.
HB1037: The Virginia Board of Education is required to adopt model policies regarding climate change to be provided to school boards by the Virginia Board of Education. Local boards are not required to adopt these policies by the legislation, but may choose to do so.
HB1113: This legislation requires the Virginia Board of Education adopt model policies for local school boards in order to “provide culturally-responsive and language appropriate mental health services and support to students”.
HB1165: Eliminates an option that would have allowed those with extensive leadership experiences, such as senior military officers, to be ineligible for the position.
HB1437/ SB 785: This bill requires school boards to submit to the Department of Education an annual report on the race of those who leave their posts.
Voting/elections
HB82: Extends deadline for receiving an absentee vote to 5:00 pm on the third day following the election. The bill’s effective date is January 1, 2027.
HB773: Extends deadline to correct errors or omissions on absentee ballot applications from third day following the election until the Monday following the election.
HB774: Requires that the voter registrar notify a voter in the event of a material mistake or omission when submitting a provisional vote and allow them to correct the error up to the Monday after an election. The current law does not allow for such changes.
HB835/ SB 632: Prevents voter registrars revealing the addresses of candidates on paperwork. Voters won’t be able to verify that the candidate actually lives in the district they are seeking to represent.
HB 963// SB 6: Referendum on constitutional reform in November 2026. This bill allows anyone who has been adjudicated as mentally incompetent by a judge to vote, unless the court specifically determines that they are unable to understand how to vote. This measure is included in the same referendum which would allow felons vote.
HB 96: Prevents the counting of ballots by hand for any reason. A defective ballot must be duplicated and labelled as such if it is found.
HB1244: Expands absentee vote by allowing those who have requested an absentee poll by the deadline, but not received it in the 10 days before the election. They can receive an extra “emergency absentee ballot”. Virginia offers 45-days of early voting in person, along with permanent absentee voter registration.
SB57: Mandates that the Virginia Department of Elections participate in ERIC — Electronic Registration Information Center. ERIC was created by radical far-left dark-money groups who claimed that it would help to clean up voter lists. It was the exact opposite.
SB162: Removes the language prohibiting felons to vote and allows felons on probation, parole, or supervised release who have been released to vote. This bill is not the same as other legislation that includes a constitutional amendment referendum.
SB169: Any legal challenge to a candidate’s ballot qualification must be filed 90 days prior to a general election and 65 days prior to the primary election.
SB. 176: Allows for ranked choice voting in local elections.
SB438: Expands absentee in-person voting by adding the second and third Sundays immediately prior to an election, between 11am-5pm.
SB582 Any voter who submits a provisional vote and is found to have made a material mistake or omission, will be notified and given until Monday following the election. The votes shall then be counted.
Criminal leniency
HB357: Eliminates the requirement for a person to post bond if they have been arrested and charged with a crime, and if they are on probation or parole.
HB 93/ SB 283 A court must be lenient to accused parties who do not appear at their court hearings. The courts will consider a variety of excuses, including illness, transportation issues, inability to provide care for dependents, etc.
SB23: Prohibits any plea agreement that includes provisions prohibiting the expungement from a defendant’s record.
SB62: Any person convicted of certain felonies involving possession, manufacturing, selling, giving away, distributing, transporting, or delivering marijuana prior to July 1, 2020, and who is still in prison or under community supervision at the time of July 1, 2026 may be eligible for an automatic hearing on whether to modify their sentence.
SB 351,: Prohibits federal police from arresting criminal aliens in a courthouse or other public place, such as a school, hospital, commonwealth office, etc. without a warrant. The attorney general can bring civil action against those who violate these provisions.
SB352: Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing facial coverings while performing their official duties. Violation of this law will result in a class one misdemeanor.
SB783: The law prohibits local law enforcement agencies from entering into agreements with federal immigration enforcement, except in very limited circumstances.
Economy
HB 164 — Allows local government employees to receive housing subsidies funded by taxpayers.
HB167: Eliminates tax exemptions from historic organizations with affiliation to the Confederacy, such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans or the Stonewall Jackson Memorial.
HB373/ SB 248 Requires that restaurants provide a notice on their menus in seven different languages stating: “If you are allergic to food, please let us know.” They must also display the notice on the business website and in an obvious place for the employees.
HB550: Authorizes the localities to charge a tax of up to 10% of the admission fee for any event.
HB557: Allows municipalities to tax electric-powered landscaping equipment for business purposes at a lower rate than equipment powered from a different source.
HB602: Requires movie theatres in the Commonwealth that have five or more locations to show movies with subtitles.
SB1: Raising the minimum wage from $15/hour to $15/hour on Jan. 1, 2028.
SB74: Encourages municipalities to increase housing densities and convert single-family zoned properties to multi-unit dwellings.
SB215: An employer must disclose the wage, salary or range of wages for each position, job, promotion or transfer in every public and internal announcement. Employers are prohibited from asking for current salary information. Employers who violate this provision are liable for actual damages, attorney’s fees and statutory damages between $1,000 and $10,000.
SB378: Establishes collective bargaining rights for government unions. This provision exempts general assembly employees from the right of collective bargaining.
Energy
: Utilities are responsible for identifying households with low income that qualify for “energy efficiency measures to reduce household heating, cooking or water heating costs in order to reduce overall household energy costs.”
HB397: Department of Environmental Quality and State Air Pollution Control Board required to implement the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative by establishing a cap and trade system to reduce CO2 emission.
HB1002: The bill requires utility companies to send all disconnection notices in different languages. After 60 days, no utility may disconnect a residential client unless it has offered bill payment assistance to the customer, arranged a payment schedule, or provided information about other energy saving programs or bill payment assistance.
Other
HB6: Establishes the right to contraception and sterilization. No age limit is required, nor parental consent. A “healthcare provider” can sterilize a child as young as 13 without parental consent, knowledge or consent. This legislation could also include the pill for abortion.
HB60: Prevents insurance companies charging higher rates to anyone who has taken “pre-exposure” prophylaxis for HIV prevention.
HB86 A 4-page bill that taxes sleep. It places recycling requirements on mattresses and charges an average of $20 per mattress.
HB 311 / HB 612: Constitutional amendments on the ballot in November 2026 that require equal treatment by the law for two adults, regardless of gender or sex. No exceptions for religious leaders who are against same-sex marriages or transgender unions.
HB 910: Allows illegal aliens to get a license if they have been granted permission by a federal court to be in the U.S. The expiration of the driver privilege cards, which can be issued to any illegal alien, is extended from two years to at least five years.
HB925: Allows the filing of a complaint against a city council for violating the Virginia Human Rights Act.
HB1147: This bill requires anyone licensed by the Board of Medicine or the Board of Nursing, to complete training about “how unconscious and consciousness racial prejudice affects care in pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum.” “The training shall address the way that the inappropriate substitution of individualized clinical assessments for race-based assumptions, coupled with implicit bias, can lead to delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment and disparate outcomes.”
HB1377: Creates a taskforce to examine and recommend any changes Virginia Military Institute should make to “distance themselves from the Lost Cause narrative”, foster an inclusive atmosphere, and address other concerns raised by task force. It also requires that VMI review whether it has admitted “a diverse body of student.”
HB1395: Prevents localities from setting age restrictions for trick-or treaters beyond the age restrictions set by localities. This will allow trick-or treaters up to 17 years old in many localities.
SB258: Addition of menopause and perimenopause to the list of protected classes under Virginia Human Rights Act.
HB781: Legislation allowing a constitutional referendum to be held in November 2026, which would allow abortions up to birth without any consequences for a doctor, abortion provider or mother.
Now Gov. Spanberger must decide if these bills will be signed. Will she show voters that she lied about being a liberal on the campaign trail or will she stand up to her power-hungry Democrat legislators and do what is best for Virginians. She has only a few weeks left to make a decision. The deadline for signing legislation is April 13 .
Victoria Manning, Senior Investigative Reporter at Restoration News, specializes in immigration and military issues, as well as education freedom. This column was republished by Restoration News with their permission.
