General Assembly Crossover Update

As of the February 17–18, 2026, crossover deadline, the Virginia General Assembly has advanced significant legislation regarding gun control, a phased minimum wage increase, data center regulations, and cannabis, while leaving hundreds of other bills in their chamber of origin. Over 800 House bills and 500+ Senate bills passed to the opposite chamber for consideration.

Key legislation that is still alive and moving forward includes:

• Gun Control: Several bills, including restrictions on gun rights following certain misdemeanors (HB 19, SB 160) and potential bans on certain types of firearms and high-capacity magazines (HB 217, SB 749), are advancing.
• Economy & Labor: A phased minimum wage increase and various affordability measures, including those aligned with Governor Spanberger’s agenda, remain active.
• Energy & Environment: Legislation focusing on energy efficiency for low-income residents (HB 2) and data center regulations regarding electricity grid impact.
• Cannabis: Legislation to establish a regulated retail market for adult-use cannabis is alive.
• Constitutional Amendments: Three proposed amendments passed to the ballot, along with a potential referendum on mid-term congressional redistricting.
• Taxes & Regulations: Proposals to allow local split taxation (HB 282) and various other tax-related measures.

Bills that did not pass their house of origin by the deadline are considered dead for the 2026 session. Lawmakers will now focus on the remaining legislation and the state budget until the session ends on March 14.

This Virginia Mercury article does an excellent job of highlighting specific bills by category and providing perspective. See our Learn More box below for additional information on what’s still in play and what didn’t make the cut.

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