Today, Wednesday, Jan. 14, is the first official day of the 2026 General Assembly legislative session. The session this year is a “long” one, which means legislators meet in Richmond for 60 days instead of 45. One of the biggest legislative items in an even-year session is the Commonwealth’s budget, which Governor Glenn Youngkin presented to the joint money committees in early December. Since he will soon be leaving office and Governor-elect Spanberger will be taking his place, it stands to reason that her administration – and the Democratic-led House and Senate – will likely ignore many of his fiscal priorities and institute their own. I will have more to report on the budget once House Democrats make their priorities known.
During the first week of session, much of the work is procedural. The House and Senate will meet and vote on their rules, the outgoing and incoming governors will give addresses to the joint assembly, and bills will begin to be assigned to committees and subcommittees. The Speaker of the House will also assign each member to committees – I currently serve on the House Committee for Courts of Justice, the Committee on Labor and Commerce, and the Committee on Transportation. It is my hope that I retain these important assignments. Next week, I expect that bills will begin to receive their initial committee hearings, and I plan on submitting nearly 20 pieces of legislation.
I also plan on meeting with many of you as you travel to Richmond to advocate on behalf of the issues most important to you, or if you just want to see your government working in action. It brings me great joy to see my friends and neighbors from the New River Valley in Richmond, and if you are looking to set up a tour of the Capitol or obtain seating in the gallery during one of our floor sessions, I hope you will not hesitate to contact my office.
Governor-elect Spanberger has begun appointing members of her cabinet, and several selections challenge the notion of her platform of “moderation.” Her Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, Stanley Meador, is directly related to a scandal that still haunts the FBI. As you may recall, in 2023, the Richmond FBI office – led by Meador – issued a memo to agents to launch an investigation into “radical traditionalist” Catholics and their “possible ties to the far-right white nationalist movement.” The unfounded memo caused a firestorm of controversy, as Virginia Catholics suddenly found themselves under suspicion for no reason. And Spanberger’s choice for lead Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officer has said that she supported the mobs that pulled down statues in Richmond.
Meanwhile, we learned that some of the very programs Virginia Democrats want to start here have been the subject of massive fraud in Minnesota, where Somali immigrants have allegedly defrauded the state and federal governments out of billions of dollars by running fake childcare centers. Be wary of these developments and promises of massive state-run programs – you work hard for your money, and you should have the freedom to keep as much of it as possible.
As the Delegate representing the 42nd House District in the Virginia General Assembly, your concerns are my greatest priority. If ever I may be of assistance to you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at DelJBallard@House.Virginia.Gov. You can also follow me on Twitter @JasonBallardVA or like my Facebook page, Jason Ballard for Delegate, to keep up to date with what I am doing in Richmond and in our community on your behalf.
