On Mar. 14, the 2026 Virginia General Assembly completed work on all non-revenue legislation – but at the time of this writing, the Commonwealth’s budget remained incomplete. That is a disappointing development given the Democrat trifecta of control in the House, Senate and Executive branch of government. In the wake of the 2025 General Election – in which Democrats secured a large majority in the House of Delegates as well as the entire executive branch of government – Republicans knew that we were in for a tough time as it relates to facing legislation that restricts firearms, creates new burdens on businesses, increases taxation on Virginians, and more. While we are still awaiting Governor Abigail Spanberger’s actions on most legislation and some bills failed to pass due to Republican pressure, many of our concerns were in fact valid.
I wrote in last week’s article about General Assembly Democrat attempts to erode Second Amendment rights, so I will not rehash that in detail. But as a brief update, they have sent their legislation to ban so-called “assault weapons,” to include many popular models of pistols to Governor Spanberger’s desk. This would be one of the most aggressive firearms restrictions passed into law, and it will almost certainly come under scrutiny due to Supreme Court rulings on the constitutionality of such bans.
One of the most egregious attempts by Democrats to make life less affordable for you (HB 978) was defeated only after Republicans pointed out the hypocrisy of this extreme tax proposal considering the Democrats so-called “affordability” agenda. HB 978 would have placed a new tax on pretty much every service Virginians enjoy, to include: pet grooming and boarding, residential home repair and landscaping services, admissions to concerts, gym memberships, delivery services (like food delivery apps), digital subscription services, and many more. The bill was continued to 2027, which means although it was defeated this year, the proposal is still very much in play for Democrats next legislative session. Democrats also defeated a budget amendment that would have repealed the car tax, and their own bill to “study” car tax relief died in the Senate.
HB 1207 would create a costly state-run Paid Family and Medical Leave program that is funded by employer and employee payroll contributions, and it would extend to state employees. This will be not only a huge financial burden for the state, but it will be an extra mandated cost for employers and employees alike. There are many ways that this program could be abused, and it will be difficult for small businesses to absorb up to 30 days of paid leave per employee, per year.
Additionally, House Democrats used their new power to push several constitutional amendments forward that will now be going to the voters in the form of a referendum. This includes a constitutional amendment enshrining abortion access with minimal limitations, including removal of parental consent and abortion up to the point of birth. And as you should know by now, another constitutional amendment that would gerrymander Virginia to give Democrats a 10-1 majority in Congress.
Not all was bad – seven of my bills passed through the Virginia General Assembly this session and now await Governor Spanberger’s signature. I am most proud of the success of HB 108, my legislation to create an Honor Guard Grant Program administered by the Virginia Department of Veteran Services. This program is meant to ensure that our veterans continue to receive the military honors they deserve at their funerals. Honor Guard members often bear the cost of uniforms and travel out of pocket or by small donations, and this state fund will help defray some of these costs so that Veteran Honor Guards continue to be available for Veterans and their families into the future. For a comprehensive list of my other legislation that passed, visit LIS.virginia.gov.
All-in-all, this session provided a great look at what happens when Democrats achieve single-party control in Virginia. Left unchecked, they advance legislation that would bring Virginia closer to states like California or New York. The first chance for voters to push back against them is by voting “NO” on their gerrymandering constitutional amendment on April 21.
As the Delegate representing the 42nd House District in the Virginia General Assembly, your concerns are my greatest priority. If ever I may be of assistance to you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at DelJBallard@House.Virginia.Gov. You can also follow me on Twitter @JasonBallardVA or like my Facebook page, Jason Ballard for Delegate, to keep up to date with what I am doing in Richmond and in our community on your behalf.
