House Dems Ready For 2026

By Rosaland Tyler
Associate Editor
New Journal and Guide

When the members of the Virginia House of Delegates convene in Richmond in 2026 with a Democrat-majority, bread-and-butter issues will be on the table.

Old but sometimes rejected legislation in many cases will have to be introduced again, during the 2026 session before the bills go to the voters in a referendum. Proposed bill topics range from a minimum wage increase to upgrades for electric utilities to weatherization to paid sick leave. Constitutional amendments regarding abortion access, same-sex marriage, restoration of voting rights for formerly incarcerated people and a new congressional redistricting effort will also be on the table.

This means House Democrats are refiling a flurry of bills that were filed during Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s tenure which will end on Jan. 17, due to term limit laws. Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger will replace Youngkin. Democrats in the General Assembly held a slim one-seat majority in each chamber during his tenure.

Now, Democrats hold 64 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates, following their recent gains after the November 2025 elections.

Specifically, Democrats went into Election Day holding 51 House of Delegates seats. They emerged with at least 64, according to unofficial results. The Virginia House of Delegates consists of 100 members, who each represent approximately 86,000 Virginians. Delegates serve two-year terms.

House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, said in a recent statement, “Virginians elected the largest House Democratic Majority in nearly four decades because they trust us to fight for them and deliver real results.”

Scott added, “These first bills honor that trust. Our agenda is focused on lowering costs, lifting wages, expanding opportunity, protecting Virginians’ rights, and ensuring fair representation as Donald Trump pushes Republican legislatures across the country to manipulate congressional maps for partisan gain.”

This means Virginia voters decided a Democrat will soon occupy the governor’s seat and live in the governor’s mansion. Democrats will control the House of Delegates with a wide 64-seat majority, the state Senate with a slim 21-seat majority. The incoming lieutenant governor is a Democrat who will cast a tie-breaking vote if needed.

Next year, the passage of upcoming bills will require the signature of Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger.

The upcoming bills include:

HB 1, introduced by Del. Jeion Ward, Hampton: To increase the minimum wage in Virginia to $15 per hour by 2028.

HB 2, introduced by Del. Mark Sickles, Fairfax County: To require Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power to make an effort to provide efficiency measures and improve by the end of 2031. The bill also requires the energy companies to file a report on those efforts by 2028;

HB 3, patroned by Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling, Henrico County: To establish a task force that would identify barriers to entering current energy efficiency programs for income-qualified customers and to address improvements to coordination among state and federal government agencies for utility services and resources;

HB 4, patroned by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Alexandria: To create a framework for localities to preserve affordable housing;

HB 5, patroned by Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler, Virginia Beach: To expand provisions of the Virginia code that require one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked for home health workers to cover all employees of private employers and state and local governments; and

HB 6, patroned by Del. Cia Price, Newport News: To protect access to contraception.