Dear Friend,

The third week of the 2026 legislative session was fast-paced and deeply consequential. I sit on key committees in the Senate, and each committee holds hearings on as many as 100 bills or more. Moreover, the kind of progress we want to accomplish during this trifecta requires robust debates and careful deliberations. We must “get it right” on consequential bills that will make a difference in the lives of Virginians.

I am committed to advancing legislation that protects vulnerable communities, addresses affordability, and ensures that safety net programs serving those suffering from food insecurity and the lack of access to health care are prioritized.  I am reminded daily about how hurtful President Trump’s HR1 legislation is to Virginians. The HR1 legislation, supported by congressional Republicans, rolls back federal support for life-saving safety-net programs, biomedical research, and other important initiatives, just to give tax cuts to billionaires.  This action represents a value statement and policy choice that abandons the many who are struggling to keep themselves and their families financially stable and healthy.

Several of my bills are continuing to move through the legislative process with strong bipartisan support. However, Senate Republicans are taking a hardline position on certain topics, like gun safety measures, even though a majority of Virginia voters are seeking a better balance between public safety and the exercise of one’s constitutional right to bear arms.

Below, you’ll find updates on the major issues we tackled this week and progress on some of my key bills.

Contentious Topics – Partisan Differences:

Assault Weapons Ban and Other Gun Safety Measures:

As a member of the Courts of Justice Committee, I listened to over four hours of debate on gun safety legislation. It is worth noting that my Democratic colleagues honored the values they campaigned on and joined me in moving several important pieces of legislation forward.  These proposals included a ban on assault weapons, gun storage (both at home and in cars), concealed carry reciprocity, ghost guns and weapons in public spaces. Thanks to Everytown, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, Moms Demand Action, Giffords, and others for their research, policy advice, and advocacy on these important issues.

The gun safety proposals reported out of the Courts committee on a party-line vote and have been re-referred to Senate Finance and Appropriations, where a fiscal analysis will be done before the bills reach the floor of the Senate for passage.

My bill SB38, a bill to protect victims of domestic violence, was successfully reported out of the Courts of Justice Committee and was re-referred to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee (SFAC). I am not expecting a fiscal impact on this bill, so hopefully, the proposal gets to the Senate floor next week. I reintroduced SB38 after Governor Youngkin vetoed the bill in 2024 and 2025. This bill relates to the transfer of firearms from a person either convicted of assault and battery of a household member or is the subject of a protective order. SB38 aims to prevent subject individuals from bypassing the current firearm prohibitions by transferring their firearm to someone residing in their household or to an individual not otherwise legally eligible to possess a firearm. In short, SB38 is an enforcement bill. The legislation requires the offender to file a court form identifying the firearm recipient and affirming that the recipient is at least 21 years of age, does not live in the same household, and is legally eligible to possess a firearm.

Protection of Individual Rights Amid ICE Actions:

The Senate Courts of Justice Committee (Courts Committee) also heard a series of bills, sponsored by Senator Saddam Salim, related to the actions of the Immigration and Enforcement Agency (ICE) and designed to limit the actions of ICE where Virginia law and court cases support state actions. I plan to sign onto these bills as a co-patron.

The proposals before the Courts Committee aimed to protect individuals who must do business in Virginia courts from harassment and intimidation. Language in these bills prohibits civil arrests on courthouse grounds without strict judicial review and authorization (SB351). Another proposal regulates the use of masks by certain state and federal law enforcement officers, except for narrowly defined safety exceptions, and creates meaningful disciplinary and civil remedies for bad actors (SB352). Moreover, an additional proposal places limits on state and local law enforcement agencies regarding any cooperation with ICE (SB783). This bill also requires local law enforcement and the state police to document the presence of an immigration officer during a vehicle stop, a stop and frisk incident, or another stop.  State and local law enforcement officers must also submit documentation if they are made aware that an immigration officer has taken an action that is a violation of state law.  

It is unclear whether the proposals described above, if enacted into Virginia law, would hold up in court because of the federal Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution. But I believe Virginia lawmakers must do whatever we can to protect the constitutional rights of all who reside in our state.  It is unfortunate that only Democrats voted to move these protections forward.

Local Issues —Tyson’s Casino:

Northern Virginia Lawmakers have heard a lot of feedback on SB756, a bill very similar to the one introduced last session, that would allow Fairfax to join the five Virginia localities eligible for a casino, if a local referendum approving the casino passed. This bill was introduced last session but failed to make it to Governor Youngkin’s desk. I opposed the legislation last year and I will oppose the legislation again.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has notified the General Assembly of their opposition to this legislation in their 2026 legislative package. See the “Land Use” section of the document on page 16. Chairman MacKay makes some valid points in stating the position of the Fairfax County Board. Among other reasons, he notes that the Board of Supervisors did not ask for the referendum authority and the revenue split benefits the state more generously than Fairfax County. Moreover, police, EMS and other support services that the casino facility and the surrounding neighborhoods will need would have to be funded by the locality. The elected leaders of the other jurisdictions that have been granted authority to host a casino all supported the casino without any dissension.

One of the arguments in favor of the casino is the potential revenue for the state. I am not persuaded by this argument. I believe that the General Assembly should reform our income tax structure, so the very wealthy pay their fair share, rather than creating an environment where individuals are vulnerable to addictive behavior and significant financial losses.

My Bills That Have Passed the Senate:

This week, six more of my bills passed the Senate, which means they have crossed over to the House of Delegates for action in that chamber. These bills aim to reform the juvenile justice system (SB64 & SB70), bolster youth mental health services (SB171), improve access to technology tools to help students stay safe (SB39) and enable survivors of child sexual assault to hold their abusers accountable (SB37). I also passed a bill (SB177) amending my sexual and reproductive health data law to exclude information governed by the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act to avoid confusion between state and federal statutes in the banking space.

These bills were voted out of the Senate, either unanimously or with very few dissenting votes. You can see a full list of my legislation here.

My Bills Voted Out of Committees:

I also successfully defended five more of my bills in their respective committee hearings and I expect they will be heard on the Senate floor next week. This cluster includes my aforementioned bill about keeping firearms out of the hands of anyone convicted of domestic violence and assault and battery of a family or household member (SB38). You can read more about these bills below:

More Safety Nets for Foster Youth Involved with DJJ (SB125): This bill was a recommendation of the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman (OCO), a state agency with investigative authority for children who do not otherwise have an advocate (i.e., foster youth). It clarifies the authority of the OCO, including their ability to advocate for foster youth who have been committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice. It is important to give youth at the intersection of foster care and DJJ as many protections as possible. SB125 was reported out of the Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee unanimously.

Prohibiting Use of AI in Therapeutic Settings (SB269): This bill came to me from the Virginia chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and other counseling associations. The bill is intended to ensure that mental health professionals provide the highest standard of care by prohibiting the use of artificial intelligence in direct counseling. The bill specifies that AI may only be used for administrative tasks such as scheduling or notetaking (and this use requires consent from the patient). My legislation garnered the support of psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, and the telehealth industry. The General Laws & Technology Committee unanimously reported this bill, so the legislation should be heard on the Senate floor next week.  Fortunately, lawmakers are eager to regulate the use of AI, especially when it comes to protecting vulnerable populations.

Increasing Affordability of Prescriptions (SB418): This bill was a recommendation of a study group formed by a bill that I carried last session. SB418 authorizes pharmacists to perform therapeutic interchanges, which means a generic drug that has the same therapeutic effects as a brand name drug can be substituted for the brand name drug. The benefits of therapeutic exchanges mean a less costly drug is available to the consumer and in some cases, there is a shortage of the brand name drug, so a therapeutic exchange makes a needed prescription available, thereby saving a consumer multiple trips to a pharmacy. Therapeutic interchanges will be regulated by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy. This bill reported out of the Health Professions Subcommittee unanimously and will be heard in the full Education & Health Committee next week.

Bolstering Accessibility of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Medications (SB421): Under current law, nurse practitioners may prescribe opioid treatment medications but a pharmacist must be on site to enable the patient to leave the premises with the medication. In many parts of the Commonwealth, there is a severe shortage of pharmacists. My bill allows a licensed pharmacist to supervise the assembly of a prescribed opioid antagonist medication, virtually.  This change will enable patients to leave the treatment clinics with the medications they need, thereby ensuring a more continuous safety-net of care. SB421 reported out of the Health Professions Subcommittee unanimously. I expect the bill to report out of the full Education & Health Committee, a committee which I chair, next week.

In Conclusion: 

From advancing gun safety legislation, improving services to youth, making prescription
drugs affordable and so much more, progress is being made on issues that improve the
lives of Virginians. One of the most meaningful parts of my work is hearing directly from
constituents and meeting with advocacy groups who bring lived experience to the table.
I’m grateful for your continued engagement. Together, we will continue to find solutions
to the challenges that matter the most.

Senator Favola meeting with members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Lastly, thank you for the ongoing calls and emails. The volume of contacts from constituents and others has been very high.  But rest assured, every email is read and every call is listened to, I always appreciate hearing from you.

I hope you’ll visit my website at BarbaraFavola.org and subscribe to my regular newsletters. I also have a dynamic social media presence through Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). I hope you’ll follow my work using one or both of those platforms. You may also track legislation through Virginia’s Legislative Information System. The Commonwealth’s General Assembly website is a useful tool as well. You can follow events, find pertinent information, observe sessions, and monitor committee meetings through the site.

It is an honor and privilege to represent you in Richmond.

Sincerely,

Barbara Favola

Representing District 40