We just wrapped up the fourth week of session!
I am particularly happy to announce that this week, three of my bills (HB329, HB330, and HB331) all passed the House. Each one delivers on my commitment to protect the rights of Virginia’s tenants, find sustainable, dedicated funding for transportation, and ensure justice for all.
With most of the snow and ice gone, it was great to welcome constituents back in my office this week. I have been putting in 12+ hour days to complete our work before Crossover. That means really long subcommittee and committee meetings to ensure that we hear all public testimony, discuss bills thoroughly, and cast our votes before they hit the House floor.
Keep reading to find out what I have been up to this week!
Legislative Updates
On Monday, I started my morning by presenting two bills in the Studies subcommittee of the Rules committee: HB839 and HB1498. Both have been recommended to be carried over to the next legislative session.
HB839 was continued with a letter from the Speaker, which incorporated aspects of the bill to form a work group made up of domestic violence advocates, lawyers, judges, and domestic violence survivors. This workgroup will discuss the best approaches to supporting victims of family abuse and coercive control. Next year, we will have their recommendations to further strengthen this bill for the 2027 General Assembly session. I thank every survivor who courageously shared their story with me and the committee continuing this critical work.
HB1498 would have formally established the Virginia Interagency Council on Homelessness so that it can implement a state plan to address homelessness across the Commonwealth and identify barriers to housing stability. I once served on this council and would love to see it codified in the next year.
Also, on Monday, my first bill passed the House and is now heading to the Senate: HB329, which would protect tenants from landlord retaliation. This bill passed through the House floor with a vote of 85-13. It will now make its way through the Senate and has been assigned to the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee. More to come!
Tuesday was another early morning, which began with my presentation of HB835 to the Campaigns and Candidates subcommittee of the Privileges and Elections committee. This bill would provide elected officials and candidates the choice to protect their personal contact information from appearing on public facing documents, unless they have consented to do so. With the increase in political violence across the country, our public officials and candidates should be afforded the opportunity to feel safe in the communities they serve. This bill is now headed to the House floor for a final vote next week. Stay tuned!
During the floor session on Tuesday, another one of my bills, HB331, which would prevent an individual from being convicted simply for having outstanding court fees, passed the House floor and is headed to the Senate Courts of Justice committee during Crossover. This bill passed through the House floor with a vote of 65-32.
On Wednesday, two of my bills were reported out of House Appropriations subcommittees: HB19 and HB20. HB19, which would close the deadly “dating partner loophole” in our gun laws to protect survivors of domestic abuse from known convicted abusers. This bill was reported on a vote of 5-2 out of the Transportation and Public Safety subcommittee of the Appropriations committee.
HB20, which will finally provide our farmworkers with long overdue minimum wage protections, reported out of subcommittee on a vote of 5-1. Both these bills will likely appear on the House floor early next week.
On Wednesday, my third bill, HB330, passed its third reading in the House and is now heading to the Senate: This is my first bill of the 2026 session to pass unanimously through the House! HB330 will allow locally approved ads to appear on Metro property, which will create revenue opportunities for the WMATA to support their operations and service improvement efforts.
Thursday was another long and busy day presenting and hearing bills, which meant I had to figure out how to be in 5 places at once (no exaggeration)! That day I presented HB527 to the Housing/Consumer Protection subcommittee of House General Laws. HB527 would expand and make permanent the Eviction Reduction Program to help prevent evictions, support housing stability, and identify barriers that lead to evictions. I am proud to share that this bill was recommended to be reported and referred to appropriations on a vote of 8-2.
Late on Thursday evening, I also presented two bills to the Social Services Subcommittee of the House Health and Human Services committee: HB838 and HB1405.
HB838 would provide the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) the authority to update the existing state plan to include language from my bill that passed last year (HB1614) to include payments for doula services. I am pleased to report that it was recommended to be reported by the subcommittee and will now be heading to Appropriations. I am thrilled to see this bill that supports mothers, babies, and birth professionals move forward.
HB1405 would provide DSS the authority to begin issuing regulations to allow local social services departments to pay reasonable funeral expenses for a deceased person who is eligible for the program. No one should have to go into debt over the loss of a loved one, and it is my hope that this legislation will assist with these unexpected expenses and allow people to mourn without added financial stress. The subcommittee recommended reporting on a vote of 6-2.
And early this morning, I presented HB833 to the House Counties, Cities, and Towns committee. This bill would allow local governments the authority to require new commercial, industrial, and multi-family developments to include infrastructure for electric vehicle charging. This bill also directs the Commonwealth to further study and report on grid needs for future EV charging in new residential developments. It was unanimously reported!
Finally, also on Friday, the House nearly unanimously voted to pass my bill HB18, which will create the Employee Child Care Assistance Program. I have been working for the past three years to get this program established, and I am so proud that my colleagues joined me in supporting this critical effort once again. This is my fourth bill that has passed the House floor this session!
Committee Activities
It was yet another week full of committee meetings. My first committee meeting this week was in the Department of Motor Vehicles subcommittee of House Transportation. We took action on 14 bills, including Chairwoman Sewell’s HB1226 which would allow higher institutions to enter into data release agreements with the DMV in order to get reports on how many vehicles registered with their specific institution license plates. Review the full docket here.
On Tuesday afternoon, I chaired the last Procurement / Open Government subcommittee meeting before crossover, where we took action on five bills. Watch the full meeting here.
Thursday was another committee heavy day for me. I attended the Transportation committee meeting in the morning, followed by General Laws in the afternoon, where I was able to share my Chairwoman’s report from the Procurement / Open Government subcommittee. Watch my report here.
I also had the opportunity to sit on the Innovations subcommittee of House Transportation for the first time this session on Thursday. We took action on a lot of issues that affect the daily lives of Virginians on our roads, including self-autonomous vehicles and towing. I was particularly proud to vote in support of Delegate Tran’s HB1003, which would allow Uber and Lyft drivers earn a fair wage and improve wage transparency. Review the full docket here.
Early this morning, we had the first meeting of Subcommittee #3 of the House Public Safety committee, where we took action on important bills that will protect all Virginias, especially some of our most vulnerable who are being systematically targeted by the federal government/ICE. Following that meeting, I served as the Vice Chair of the Public Safety committee, where we heard subcommittee reports from throughout the week. Twelve bills were reported during this committee meeting and will now go to the House Floor for a final vote before Crossover. Review the full docket here.
During the Subcommittee #3 report by Chairman Simon in our full Public Safety meeting, I took over the chairmanship while he delivered his report on the ICE/federal-related bills that we passed out of our subcommittee earlier in the day. Watch here.
Farmworkers Press Conference
On Monday, I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the Labor Rights: Protecting Workers and Ensuring Fair Pay Press Conference, alongside Lieutenant Governor Hashmi, Delegates Hernandez, Ward, Guzman, and Franklin, labor leaders, and community leaders. We discussed important legislation that would protect farmworkers throughout the Commonwealth, including my bill HB20, as well as HB1092 and SB288, patroned by Delegate Hernandez and Senator Aird. HB1092 and SB288 would establish safety and health code standards to protect workers from heat-related illnesses.
Meanwhile, my bill, HB20, would ensure the overdue inclusion of farmworkers in Virginia’s Minimum Wage Act by removing the existing exemption and excising this damaging Jim Crow era relic from the books.
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On the House Floor
On Monday, I had the honor of delivering the first Black History Month (BHM) speech on the House Floor to set the tone for BHM during the 2026 session. Monday, February 2nd marked the 67th year anniversary to the official end of segregation of public schools within Arlington, Virginia. It is important to honor this history and acknowledge not only our nation’s progress, but how much progress still needs to be made. Watch my full House Floor speech here.
On Wednesday, I welcomed the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia, also known as SAARA, to the House Chamber. I would like to thank SAARA for its thirty years of advocacy and support for families impacted by substance abuse. Policies that strengthen prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts for individuals suffering from substance use disorder are absolutely critical, they are lifesaving, and SAARA’s advocacy for our fellow Virginians does not go unnoticed. Watch my House Floor introduction here.
Happenings in the Second District
Flyering with Arlington Dems
Join your neighbors and fellow Arlington Democrats to distribute flyers to voters in Crystal and Pentagon City, informing voters about the upcoming Special Election for State Senate District 39!
Crystal City Information:
Where: This event is in person; address given upon sign up.
When: Saturday, February 7th, 2 to 4 p.m.
Sign up to volunteer here
Pentagon City Information:
Where: This event is in person; address given upon sign up.
When: Sunday, February 8th, 2 to 4 p.m.
Sign up to volunteer here.
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Arlington Young Dems Coffee Hour
Connect with other Arlington Young Democrats for a drop-in Coffee Hour! This is a great opportunity if you’re curious about getting involved in Arlington politics, commissions, boards, volunteering, running for office, or simply collaborating as allies and partners. There will also be information about upcoming events, including our lobby day, our general body meeting before lobby day, and the Virginia Young Democrats Convention, taking place in Hampton Roads this year. For more information, click here.
Where: Kaldi’s Social House, 3100 10th St N Arlington, VA 22201
When: Saturday, February 7th, 10 a.m. to noon
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Upcoming Special Election
This is a reminder that Tuesday, February 10th is Election Day! Stay involved and cast your vote for State Senate District 39, which includes voters in Pentagon/Crystal City, Aurora Highlands, and East Arlington Ridge. To verify your eligibility to vote in this election, where to vote, and to find more information, please visit https://vote.arlingtonva.gov/
Election Day Voting: February 10th, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Important Immigration Resources
If you or your loved ones are in need of legal resources or assistance in matters involving ICE and immigration, the Legal Aid Justice Center hosts free immigration legal consultations, on the first Wednesday of each month, at the Arlington Mill Community Center. This is strictly for Arlington residents. To schedule an appointment for general family preparedness planning, please call 703-778-3450. Appointments are not required for general immigration consultations and walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis.
When: First Wednesday of each month
Where: Arlington Mill Community Center, 909 S Dinwiddie St, Floor 5, Arlington, VA, 22204.
If you believe your loved ones have been arrested or detained by ICE, please contact the PoderVA hotline. PoderVA is a rapid response defense network that may be used to report and track ICE activity, provide resources and know-your-rights information, and connect families to reliable legal support. The PoderVA Hotline number is 1-844-253-7882.
We are hard at work in Richmond, and I always want to hear your feedback, ideas, and concerns. Never hesitate to reach out to my office. You can also email my office in Richmond at [email protected], or give us a call at (804) 698-1002. I look forward to hearing from you!
Yours in Service,
Delegate Adele McClure, HD-2
