NEW: More Than Half of Governor Spanberger’s “Affordable Virginia Agenda” Passes Virginia House of Delegates or Senate 

From Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s office:

NEW: More Than Half of Governor Spanberger’s “Affordable Virginia Agenda” Passes Virginia House of Delegates or Senate 

Bills Backed by the Governor Aim to Lower Healthcare, Housing, & Energy Costs for Virginians 

Spanberger: “My Overarching Focus in 2026 Is to Deliver Relief for Virginia Families Who Are Feeling the Strain of High Costs” 

RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger and General Assembly leaders are continuing to make lowering costs for Virginia families a top priority during the 2026 legislative session. The House of Delegates or Senate have passed more than half of their “Affordable Virginia Agenda” proposals to bring down healthcare, housing, and energy costs.

“My overarching focus in 2026 is to deliver relief for Virginia families who are feeling the strain of high costs — particularly at the pharmacy, in the housing market, and on their utility bills,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “I look forward to continuing to work with General Assembly leadership to make sure I can sign every piece of our Affordable Virginia Agenda into law.”

On Friday, legislation backed by the Governor to stop predatory middlemen — pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) — from hiking up the cost of prescription drugs passed through the Senate with unanimous support. Governor Spanberger made clear on the campaign trail that she would crack down on PBMs responsible for inflating the cost of medication that Virginians rely on.

Governor Spanberger is also using the full power of her office to make life less expensive for Virginians. On her first day as Governor, she signed executive orders to start building a stronger, more affordable future for all Virginians — including by directing her cabinet secretaries and all executive branch agencies to quickly identify ways to reduce costs for families. The Governor also made clear in her first joint address to the General Assembly that she will work with both Republicans and Democrats to drive down costs.

See below the full list of “Affordable Virginia Agenda” legislation passed by the Virginia House of Delegates or Senate:

HB2 (Del. Carr) — Reducing heating and energy costs for Virginians who need it most

HB3 (Del. LeVere Bolling) — Establishing a Virginia Weatherization Task Force to improve energy efficiency

HB4 (Del. Bennett-Parker) — Empowering localities to preserve and protect the long-term availability of affordable housing

HB15 (Del. Price), SB48 (Sen. Rouse) — Improving protections for Virginia renters (passed by House and Senate)

HB220 (Del. Hope), SB630 (Sen. Carroll Foy) — Eliminating additional fees on healthcare premiums (passed by House and Senate)

HB395 (Del. Krizek) — Facilitate the adoption of portable small solar systems to lower energy costs

HB434 (Del. LeVere Bolling) — Optimizing grid utilization to get more out of the current distribution system

SB669 (Sen. Rouse) — Stop predatory middlemen from hiking up the cost of prescription drugs

HB820 (Del. Helmer) — Create a revolving loan fund for the production of mixed-income housing development

HB867 (Del. Cousins), SB74 (Sen. McPike) — Give every community the opportunity to adopt an affordable housing program (passed by House and Senate)

HB1227 (Del. Thomas) — Leverage the Commonwealth’s bonding authority to

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Virginia House Democrats Pass Bills to Lower Housing Costs
Richmond, VA — ICYMI yesterday, Virginia House Democrats passed a package of commonsense housing bills focused on lowering housing costs. House Democrats held a press conference today to celebrate the passage of these bills.

Together, these bills cut unnecessary fees, strengthen tenant protections, support military families and domestic violence survivors, and keep people in their homes — all key steps toward building an Affordable Virginia.

Lowering housing costs

  • HB1005 (Del. Kathy Tran) requires landlords to accept rent payments in common, lawful ways — including checks, electronic payments, and cash — and bans unnecessary maintenance and repair fees that drive up housing costs.
  • HB1093 (Del. Phil Hernandez) caps excessive attorney fees when tenants catch up on rent before their court date, helping families avoid spiraling eviction costs.

Stable Housing

  • HB281 (Del. Katrina Callsen) and HB848 (Del. Rae Cousins) remove unfair court requirements that forced tenants to pay large sums upfront just to defend themselves in eviction cases, making the process more balanced and realistic.
  • HB837 (Del. Adele McClure) expands access to Virginia’s Eviction Diversion Program and ensures tenants receive clear information about help that can keep them housed.

Quality Housing

  • HB519 (Del. Marty Martinez) recognizes landlord-provided air conditioning as an essential service, protecting tenants during extreme heat.
  • HB834 (Del. Adele McClure) requires landlords to work with tenants after fire or casualty damage before terminating a lease, instead of forcing families out with little notice.

Fair treatment

  • HB616 (Del. Bonita Anthony) improves transparency by requiring landlords to provide tenants with clear, itemized records of rent, fees, and utilities.
  • HB1078 (Del. Phil Hernandez) prevents large landlords from denying housing to people based solely on old or dismissed eviction cases, removing barriers to stable housing.
  • HB1325 (Del. Michelle Maldonado) strengthens tenant protections by requiring landlords to provide rental agreements and tenant rights statements within 10 business days, and include specified flood insurance and fee disclosures.

Supporting military families and survivors

  • HB174 (Del. Michael Feggans) makes it easier for service members to end a lease when military orders require relocation.
  • HB1408 (Del. Charlie Schmidt) strengthens protections for survivors of family abuse so they are not penalized or evicted because of violence against them.

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