The Virginia General Assembly has adjourned sine die, completing the 2026 legislative session… almost. This session brought a little bit of everything: an expanded Democratic House of Delegates majority at 64 strong, a trifecta government for the first time in four years (Democrats controlling the House, Senate, and Governor’s office simultaneously), the historic inauguration of the first female Governor of Virginia, Abigail Spanberger, and an ice storm in January that brought snowcrete that lasted through mid-February. Regardless of circumstances and unpredictability that legislative session can bring, for Virginia REALTORS®, this was another strong session, and your engagement made a real difference.

Before we get to the bills, one notable footnote to this session: the General Assembly adjourned without a budget agreement and has already called a special session for late April to resolve it. For Virginia REALTORS®, our legislative work is nearly complete regardless of that outcome. Our deed fraud prevention bill was included in both the House and Senate budgets, a strong indicator of where that funding stands heading into the special session.

All legislation that successfully passed both chambers during this session now awaits Governor Abigail Spanberger’s review. She will decide whether to sign legislation into law, or amend or veto each bill ahead of the reconvene session on April 22nd, when the General Assembly returns to consider any executive actions. Given the strength of our bills, many of which passed unanimously and with broad bipartisan support, we are confident in where we stand.

A sincere thank you to the more than 500 REALTORS® who visited Richmond for Day on the Hill, and to the more than 2,000 of you who answered our Call For Action this session. You showed up when it counted.

Your team has shown up every day in Richmond on your behalf: General Counsel/Chief Advocacy Officer Erin Kormann, Chief Lobbyist Mary Lawson, and Vice President of Government Relations and Political Operations D.J. Spiker. The results speak for themselves. Below is a full summary of every bill in this year’s Legislative Agenda.

The Legislative Agenda — Bill by Bill

Protect Early Lease Termination for Retiring Military Personnel

HB174 – Del. Michael Feggans | SB325 – Sen. Russet Perry

STATUS: Passed Both Chambers Unanimously — Awaiting the Governor’s Signature

This legislation removes Virginia’s 60-day lease termination notice requirement for servicemembers, bringing state law into full compliance with the Federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and ensuring military families can respond to orders without penalty.

Deed Fraud Prevention

HB163 – Del. Marcus Simon | SB316 – Sen. Travis Hackworth

STATUS: Passed Both Chambers Unanimously — Awaiting the Governor’s Signature. Funding included in both the House and Senate adopted budgets.

Following a year-long statewide workgroup, this bill strengthens protections against deed fraud and title theft through enhanced notary training, a free property alert notification system at local clerks’ offices, and tighter identity verification at key points in the transaction.

Limit Homeowner’s Insurance Cancellations and Refusals Due to Roof Age

HB677 – Del. Michelle Maldonado | SB402 – Sen. Scott Surovell

STATUS: Passed Both Chambers Unanimously — Effective January 1, 2027. Awaiting the Governor’s Signature.

This bill prohibits insurers from canceling or non-renewing coverage solely due to the age of an asphalt shingle roof, and restricts predatory contractors from soliciting storm-damage claims without consumer protections. Many of you answered our Call For Action on this one, and your engagement was decisive in achieving unanimous passage against significant industry opposition.

Increasing Consumer Choice in Septic Inspection

HB1178 – Del. Kimberly Pope Adams | SB401 – Sen. Emily Jordan

STATUS: Passed Both Chambers Unanimously — Awaiting the Governor’s Signature.

This cleanup bill resolves ambiguities in last year’s septic inspector licensing law, clarifying what constitutes a “readily accessible” component, requiring written inspection reports within 10 business days, and confirming that reports must address whether the system is functioning as intended.

Increase Local Government Workforce Homeownership Grants

HB164 – Del. Josh Thomas | SB328 – Sen. Russet Perry

STATUS: Passed Both Chambers with Bipartisan Support — Awaiting the Governor’s Signature.

This bill removes the existing $25,000 cap and income restrictions on local government workforce homeownership grants, giving localities greater flexibility to help recruit and retain essential employees. It passed with support from both sides of the aisle.

REALTOR® License Plate Fee Modification

HB1339 – Del. Gretchen Bulova | SB204 – Sen. David Suetterlein

STATUS: Passed Both Chambers Unanimously — Awaiting the Governor’s Signature.

This bill converts the REALTOR® specialty license plate to a revenue-sharing plate, directing proceeds to the Virginia REALTORS® Disaster Relief Fund to provide sustainable long-term support for members facing natural disasters.

Streamlining the Real Estate Licensee Application Process

SB613 – Sen. Todd Pillion

STATUS: Passed Both Chambers Unanimously, As Amended — Awaiting the Governor’s Signature.

SB613 was amended in the House to require DPOR to study and map their full process, identify bottlenecks, and report findings to the General Assembly. With concrete data in hand, we can craft targeted legislation to solve the real problem. Our goal has not changed: get new licensees into the market faster.

Budget Priorities — The Conversation Continues

Both chambers’ money committees were navigating real economic uncertainty this session, a headwind that made even well-received proposals more difficult to fund. Both priorities below laid important groundwork, and with Governor Spanberger set to introduce her first full budget next year, we believe the environment for both will only improve. This is the start of the conversation, not the end of it.

Freeze of Capital Gains Tax on Primary Residential Sales

HB1210 – Del. Briana Sewell | SB139 – Sen. Jeremy McPike

STATUS: Continued to 2027 Session.

This bill would have provided a five-year state income tax subtraction on long-term capital gains from the sale of a primary residence for homeowners selling above the federal exemption threshold, removing a barrier that discourages long-time owners from selling and suppresses inventory. We will continue building the case for it in future sessions.

Create a First-Time Homebuyer Incentive

HB1211 – Del. Briana Sewell | SB747 – Sen. Todd Pillion

STATUS: Continued to 2027 Session.

This bill would have created a tax credit or grant for first-time buyers in the 80-120% AMI range, too often squeezed out of homeownership in Virginia’s markets. The policy is sound, the legislative relationships are in place, and we will continue making the case for this investment.

Beyond the VAR Agenda

Beyond the nine bills in our formal Legislative Agenda, the Virginia REALTORS® Public Policy Committee evaluated more than 130 bills this session, voting to support, oppose, or amend legislation with real consequences for Virginia’s real estate industry. That included significant work to defeat rent control proposals early in the session, turn back multiple mandatory property disclosure bills, and ensure that VRLTA legislation seeking additional modifications to rental fees was tabled for comprehensive study over the summer.

A sincere thank you to General Counsel/Chief Advocacy Officer Erin Kormann, whose work this session extended well beyond the General Assembly building as always, from reviewing every bill and making bill recommendations to the Public Policy Committee to ensuring committee members always have the full picture on any bills that could have a tangible impact on your business.

We also want to recognize the 23 local associations who participated in this year’s Day on the Hill, a record for our program. Your visits to Capitol Square, and the constituent voices you brought with you from back home, make a direct and measurable difference. If your association was not able to join us this year, we hope to see you in Richmond next session. And a very special thank you to Maura Pratt, whose coordination of our Days on the Hill program and ongoing work as the point of contact for local associations made this year’s record participation possible.

A special thank you to the elected officials who carried the Virginia REALTORS® Legislative Agenda this session: Delegates Kimberly Pope Adams, Gretchen Bulova, Michael Feggans, Michelle Maldonado, Holly Seibold, Briana Sewell, Marcus Simon, and Josh Thomas; and Senators Emily Jordan, Jeremy McPike, Russet Perry, Todd Pillion, David Suetterlein, and Scott Surovell. We are grateful for your partnership and your commitment to Virginia homeowners and the real estate profession.

Keep an eye on our social media channels and blog for updates as Governor Abigail Spanberger’s review period gets underway. Later this spring, look for legal education content from our team to help you prepare for the new laws taking effect. If you have questions in the meantime, please contact our Advocacy Team.