Starting July 1, a slew of new state laws go into effect. Here are a few.
Assault Weapons
Virginia will now ban the manufacture and sale of certain semi-automatic firearms and large-capacity magazines. The law has some exceptions for antique firearms or those that are no longer operable. This only applies to new sales. Violations are Class 1 misdemeanors.
Employment Laws
A collection of employment laws includes:
- A wage transparency law prohibiting employers from asking an applicant about current or prior salary
- An increase to the state minimum wage from $12.77 per hour in 2026 to $13.75 in 2027 and $15 in 2028
- Employers cannot enforce noncompete agreements on employees discharged without cause — unless they provide severance pay
- Expansions of employer definitions under the Virginia Human Rights Act, which includes lowering the employee threshold for being considered an “employer” from 15 employees to five
SOL Testing
Standardized tests will look different in the 2026–2027 school year. Effective July 1, Standards of Learning tests will have a 100-point scoring system and will count for 10% of a student’s final grade. They will only be administered in the last two weeks of school.
Cyberstalking
Virginia law will be updated with new definitions covering cyberstalking, including online harassment through email or social media. The first offense is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the second within five years is a Class 6 felony.
Reckless Driving
Some reckless drivers may now be required to install intelligent speed assistance devices in their cars. The court-ordered devices — an alternative to license suspension — detect the speed limit at a driver’s physical location and cap their speed accordingly.
There are also new definitions related to exhibition driving and racing. Reckless driving charges for these offenses could result in license suspensions of six months to two years.
Facial Recognition
Local police departments and college campuses will now be allowed to use facial recognition technology. There are significant limitations on how it can be used, including bans on real-time location tracking, live video databases, and commercial database enrollment.
Criminal Records
The Clean Slate Law will kick in July 1 after several delays. This will allow for automatic record sealing of several offenses, including misdemeanor convictions, possession of marijuana, and traffic infractions.
Landlord Laws
There are two changes to tenants’ rights. One requires landlords to accept rent in the form of check or money order. It also limits landlords’ ability to charge excessive processing fees.
Another similar law requires that landlords give tenants a 14-day notice of eviction. This is an increase from the previous five-day notice period.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
This story originally ran in our July issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
