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A sweeping set of Virginia laws taking effect largely on July 1, 2025, will change rules covering health insurance, consumer fees, school safety, transportation, social media and protections for minors.
During the 2025 session, the General Assembly sent 916 bills to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. He signed 599, amended 159 and vetoed 157.
Health care and pregnancy protections
HB2083, introduced by Irene Shin, requires the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange to create a special enrollment period allowing a qualified pregnant person to enroll in a health plan at any time.
Under HB2235, introduced by Rae Cousins, local and regional correctional facilities generally cannot restrain prisoners known to be pregnant or recovering after childbirth. Restraints may be used following an individualized determination that the prisoner could harm herself, a fetus, a newborn or another person, poses a flight risk, or presents a serious security risk.
New consumer safeguards
SB1339 expands the Virginia Telephone Privacy Protection Act to cover solicitations sent by text message. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, recipients may reply “UNSUBSCRIBE” or “STOP” to end the messages, and solicitors must honor that request for at least 10 years. David W. Marsden introduced the bill.
HB2515 and SB1212, introduced by Adele Y. McClure and Stella G. Pekarsky, prohibit suppliers from advertising goods or services without clearly displaying the total price, including mandatory fees and surcharges.
The legislation addresses utilities, telecommunications providers, certain real estate settlement costs, air transportation and food-delivery platforms. Delivery platforms must disclose added fees or percentages and show an itemized subtotal after customers select their items but before checkout.
Changes involving alcohol and vaping
HB2058 and SB811, introduced by Paul E. Krizek and Aaron R. Rouse, make permanent a previously temporary policy allowing restaurants and other licensed businesses to use third-party providers to deliver wine, beer and cocktails to go.
HB1946, introduced by Patrick A. Hope, prohibits anyone younger than 21 from possessing retail tobacco or hemp products intended for smoking.
Child support calculations rise
SB805, introduced by Scott A. Surovell, updates Virginia’s basic child-support obligation schedule by extending its gross monthly income range from $35,000 to $42,500.
Nazi-symbol vandalism can bring a felony charge
HB2783, introduced by Marcus B. Simon, makes it a Class 6 felony to vandalize property with a Nazi symbol, including a Nazi swastika, when the act is intended to intimidate. The provision applies to private property as well as highways and other public places.
Schools face new requirements
SB738 and HB1961, introduced by Stella G. Pekarsky and Sam Rasoul, require every Virginia school board to develop age- and developmentally appropriate policies governing student cellphone possession and use on school property during regular hours.
Schools must restrict cellphone activity that disrupts learning while allowing limited exceptions, including those required for a medical condition under a student’s individualized education program or Section 504 plan. Students cannot be suspended or expelled solely for violating the cellphone policy.
Virginia districts had already been enforcing bell-to-bell cellphone restrictions following an executive order Youngkin issued in summer 2024.
HB2774 and SB1240, introduced by JJ Singh and Glen H. Sturtevant Jr., require public school principals and private school leaders to notify parents within 24 hours of a confirmed or suspected student overdose connected to the school.
Seat belts and pedestrian safety
HB2475, introduced by Karen Keys-Gamarra, requires every adult passenger to wear a seat belt while traveling in a vehicle on a public highway. Previous state law required adult passengers to buckle up only when sitting in the front seat.
SB1416, introduced by Adam P. Ebbin, makes failing to stop for pedestrians a traffic infraction. A driver whose failure to stop causes serious bodily injury or death to a vulnerable road user legally crossing a highway may face a Class 1 misdemeanor.
HB2116, also introduced by Keys-Gamarra, directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to add a non-apparent disability designation to a driver’s license when an applicant requests it and provides a signed statement confirming the condition.
Under HB2501, introduced by Rasoul, the DMV must establish a program to produce and distribute envelopes intended to help law-enforcement officers communicate with autistic drivers. The envelopes will include communication guidance, space for registration, insurance and emergency-contact information, and instructions for drivers.
Social media and online child labor
SB854, introduced by Schuyler T. VanValkenburg, requires social media applications to verify account holders’ ages. Users younger than 16 will be limited to one hour of use unless a parent consents to additional time.
HB2401 and SB998, introduced by Jackie H. Glass and Angelia Williams Graves, require compensation for qualifying children younger than 16 who participate in online content creation. Parents or guardians who earn money from content featuring children must place a share of those earnings in a trust account that the children can access when they turn 18 or become legally emancipated.