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Here are the new laws going into effect in Virginia on July 1
New laws from Virginia’s General Assembly could soon make a difference in your day-to-day. From seatbelts, to yielding to pedestrians, to even the container that your favorite chain restaurant serves your drink in—beginning on July 1, changes are coming. A number of those zero in on roadway safety, which often starts with the click of a seatbelt.
New laws in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. range from seat belts to taxes
Adults will have to buckle up in the back seat, students give up cellphones in school and large restaurants must quit packing takeout in polystyrene containers in Virginia come Tuesday, when new laws take effect in the Old Dominion. Just across the Potomac, the District will boost its minimum wage and Maryland will hike an array of taxes and fees, launch a teacher-recruitment program and a suicide hotline, and help unemployed parents who owe child support find jobs. As the calendar flips to July 1, Virginia and Maryland mark the start of their respective fiscal years — a moment when most of their new state laws kick in.
Walkinshaw’s primary win buoyed by legacy of late Gerry Connolly
It can be hard to pinpoint where Gerry Connolly ends and where James Walkinshaw begins. Walkinshaw appeared to have no reservations about leaning into his close ties to the longtime representative for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District in his bid to succeed his political mentor and former boss. . . . But once all the votes were tallied on Saturday (June 28) after a blitz of a Democratic primary, Walkinshaw emerged overwhelmingly as the victor, validating the effectiveness of the campaign’s approach.
Virginia’s LGBTQ Caucus reacts to first openly gay candidate for statewide office
As Pride Month comes to a close, Virginia’s 2025 election cycle stands out: the Commonwealth has its first openly gay candidate to run for a statewide office. But members of the state legislature's LGBTQ+ Caucus question if he's got the community's best interests in mind. Celebrating Pride in 2025, with President Donald Trump using the Department of Justice to attack school districts that support LGBTQ students, hasn’t been easy for Delegate Rozia Henson.
N.Va. leaders: Messaging will determine political success or failure in November
Control of state government in 2026 will hinge on which political party better connects with voters’ top concerns in coming months. That’s the view of Del. Marcus Simon (D-13), speaking at a June 28 forum sponsored by NAACP’s Northern Virginia branches. Though the event was a nonpartisan gathering, local politicians weighed in on the Nov. 4 general election that will see the entire House of Delegates and statewide offices of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general on the ballot.
Statewide Democratic ticket makes landfall in Northern Virginia
On an overcast Friday afternoon, with rain clouds threatening overhead, a large, blue bus pulled into Falls Church’s Eden Center, a Vietnamese-American strip mall known for an abundance of diverse restaurants and small businesses. Exiting the bus were Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, and state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, the newly-minted Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor following a June 17 primary election. Former Del. Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, was already on site awaiting his running mates’ arrival as the statewide “Span Virginia” bus tour made its way to the Eden Center June 27.
Youngkin sets veto record as energy, AI fuel gridlock
Few observers of the Virginia General Assembly expected any groundbreaking legislation to emerge from this election year session, and for the most part, they were right. And Gov. Glenn Youngkin certainly did his part to keep that from happening as well. In the last full year of his term, the Republican firmly cemented his record as the Virginia governor with the most vetoes during his term — more than 400 total. This session alone, he killed 158 bills and amended 159 others.
Buc-ee's opens first Virginia store in Rockingham County
Courtney Carr traveled 291 miles to be at the grand opening of Buc-ee's in Rockingham County. She left her Pennsylvania home around 7:30 a.m. the day before and arrived in Mount Crawford six hours later. After a nap to prepare for the day (and night) ahead, Carr and her traveling companions were in the parking lot of the new travel center by 8 p.m. June 29. They weren't alone.
VPAP Visual New Laws in Effect July 1, 2025
See a summary of nearly 40 new laws that go into effect today in Virginia.
Hospital associations in Va., 13 states warn against proposed cuts to Medicaid and hospital funding
As Congress debates funding changes to Medicaid that could negatively impact rural hospitals and patients’ access to care, hospital associations in Virginia and 13 other states sent a joint letter to U.S. Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, warning of the potential risks to health care access for people who need it the most. Provider assessment rates and state-directed payment programs are at risk — two funding mechanisms that are critical to hospital operation in Virginia and that determine how hospitals chip into the state’s expanded Medicaid coverage. The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association estimated each program could take a $2 billion hit, if the proposal is fully implemented.