General Laws

Tuesday, March 3, 2026·25m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Virginia General Laws Committee advanced all eleven bills on its agenda, with most passing unanimously or near-unanimously. The most contested items were SB 258, which adds menopause and perimenopause as protected classes under the Virginia Human Rights Act, and SB 50, which expands lobbying disclosure requirements to cover local government officials — both passing 14 to 6 and referred or noted for further action.

Key Actions

·SB 125 – Children's Ombudsman Records and ReportingNo Vote

+ 8 more actions

Controversies

SB 258 – Menopause and perimenopause as protected classes

No named speakers articulated opposition during the full committee meeting. However, the subcommittee voted 6 to 2 and the full committee voted 14 to 6, indicating dissent. The names of dissenters are not recorded in the transcript.

+ 3 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Line amendment is a delayed enactment to date to July 1, 2027, to give landlords time to come up with the forms they need to be able to comply.”
Chair Simon — Chair Simon was explaining the purpose of a line amendment to SB 294, which requires landlord termination notices for non-payment of rent to include a 12-month utility billing history.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Report SB 125 and SB 565 in a block votePassed

Report SB 258 with substitutePassed

Report SB 574Passed

Report SB 294 with substitutePassed

Report SB 613 with substitutePassed

Report SB 543 with amendmentPassed

Report SB 50 with substitute, referred to AppropriationsPassed

Report SB 326, referred to AppropriationsPassed

Report SB 575Passed

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TranscriptPreview

General Laws Committee will come to order. Welcome to our last meeting of this 2026 session. And I want to thank the committee especially for all their hard work. And I want to thank our clerks. And before we start, I want to give our. Also. Well, I just want to thank Robin and George and Troy and Ashley to our attorneys. But most importantly, we want. We have a card for George because he's going to be. He's going to get some rotator cuff surgery because he's an athlete out there and he's been. And we all want to thank. Thank you for all your hard work and wish you the best on Thursday. All right, that's enough of that messing around. Now it's back to work. All right, we have. The first report is from. It's Chair Delaney Professions Occupations Administrative Process Subcommittee report. I think you have three bills, right? Do you want to do roll call? Okay, one last roll call for. We're gonna. George, Is everybody all right? The clerk will close the roll. We have 20 present. Thank you very much. And now we will go to Chair Delaney's. And she's got two in…

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