VIRGINIA POLITICS




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Cannabis Justice Moves Forward in Virginia After Years of Debate

Virginia’s effort to revisit outdated cannabis convictions is moving forward again, though in a revised form that shifts how people access relief. Governor Abigail Spanberger’s amendments to SB 62 / HB 26 replace the bill’s original automatic resentencing framework...

New Bill to Allow Psilocybin Treatment, per FDA Approval

Lawmakers are clearing the way for use of the psychedelic mushroom compound psilocybin as a potential medical treatment, once a formulation is approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Senate Bill 379 directs the state Board of Pharmacy to reschedule psilocybin...

Can Richmond Have Bars? New Virginia Law Eases Food-to-Alcohol Rules

Virginia lawmakers have approved changes to the state’s long-standing food-to-alcohol sales requirement for restaurants, easing restrictions that many operators have said no longer reflect how the industry works. The legislation, HB975, passed during the 2026 General...

Virginia Lawmakers Clash Over $1.6B Data Center Tax Breaks

State lawmakers will soon return to the Capitol after ending the General Assembly session without a budget, in part due to some debate whether to continue current tax breaks for data centers. The Democratic-led Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee put forth a...

Key Gun Control Bills Advance in Virginia as Firearm Sales Surge

Early indicators suggest Virginians responded to a slate of proposed gun control legislation with a noticeable increase in firearm background checks. The bills mark one the most significant shifts in the state’s firearm laws in recent years, and build on previously...

Everything I Built for My Family Is Being Taken Away

Editor’s Note: RVA Magazine has been covering Virginia’s evolving hemp and cannabis regulations, including proposed changes to THC limits and retail licensing. The following is a guest opinion from a Virginia hemp business owner directly affected by SB 542. By Barbara...

Sen. Warner Warns of Election Power Grab. Now What?

Senator Mark Warner went to the pages of The New York Times this week to warn that the biggest threat to American elections may no longer be foreign interference, but the federal government itself. That sounds dramatic until you realize we’ve been heading in this...

Recreational Cannabis Retail System Approved by Virginia Legislature

Virginia lawmakers have approved legislation that would create a legal retail market for recreational cannabis in the Commonwealth, ending years of uncertainty after possession was legalized but sales remained illegal.  The bill passed the General Assembly on the final day of the 2026 legislative session, with the House voting 64–32 and the...

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Are Virginia Primaries Being Decided Before Voters Weigh In?

Democratic candidates across Virginia are pushing back against early involvement by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) in competitive congressional primaries, arguing that national party leaders are shaping races before voters have weighed in. “I'm concerned that the DCCC is tilting the primary by signaling an "approved"...

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Prison Work And Court Fines: A Reform Proposal For Virginia

Editor’s Note: This article is based on reporting by Julianna Brown of Capital News Service, a student-powered newsroom at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Communication. RVA Magazine has edited and expanded the reporting for our audience. For years, Virginia has allowed community service to count toward court fines and...

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As Virginia Legalizes Cannabis, New Penalties Spark Backlash

Virginia’s long-running effort to build a regulated cannabis marketplace has hit a new turning point this legislative session. Since adult possession became legal in 2021, lawmakers and stakeholders have spent years negotiating a retail framework to replace the unlicensed gray market with a structured, licensed system. Much of that work appeared...

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