Hello! 

The legislative session in Richmond is currently underway, and I would like to provide an update on several bills that I am sponsoring and how you can stay informed about their progress this year. Due to the ongoing water crisis in Richmond, our legislative session is shorter than usual. We convened on January 8th, although we officially commenced on January 13th due to the water crisis in Richmond, and the session will conclude on February 22nd. 

Below are some of the priority bills and budget amendments that I have introduced this session: 

Gun Violence Prevention: 

SB848: Raises the age to purchase an assault firearm to 21 years old. The age to purchase handguns is already 21, and multiple recent high-profile mass shootings have been committed by individuals under 21. 

SB891: Requires a five-day waiting period before purchasing a firearm. This measure will particularly help prevent impulsive acts of gun violence and suicide. Research suggests that waiting periods could reduce gun homicide by up to 17 percent and gun suicide by up to 11 percent. 

Budget Amendment 391#6s: Appropriates Federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act funding for Substantial Risk Orders (also known as Red Flag laws) to train and promote the law among state and local law enforcement and commonwealth’s attorneys. 

Housing Supply and Affordability: 

SB1011: Adds the City of Falls Church to the Affordable Dwelling Unit Program, aligning it with other Northern Virginia localities. This amendment enhances the city’s resources to address the ongoing affordable housing crisis. 

SB1400: Virginia Residential and Landlord and Tenant Act: Bans software which uses an algorithm to artificially inflate rent prices above fair market levels. 

Environment: 

SB1166: Requires signage at retail establishments that sell invasive plants, educating consumers about the potential harm these plants pose to the environment. Invasive plants annually cost the Virginia economy over one billion dollars and cause significant ecological damage. This legislation aims to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. 

Budget Amendment 109 #7s: Allocates $20 million annually to the Electric Vehicle Rebate Program, providing rebates on electric vehicles. Additionally, lower-income Virginians will be eligible for additional rebates. 

Budget Amendment 999 #10s: Amends the $9 million appropriated to the City of Falls Church for stormwater projects, enhancing the city’s flexibility in managing its stormwater infrastructure. 

You can see a full list of all the bills I am carrying at salimva.com/2025. In addition to these bills, there are a number of other important bills and resolutions that I am supporting this year. Chief among them are the three priority constitutional amendments. In Virginia, all constitutional amendments must be passed by the General Assembly twice, with a House of Delegates election in between. After that, it goes to the voters in a statewide referendum to approve. The Governor does not get a say in the amendment process and cannot veto an amendment. 

These are the three amendments: 

SJ247 – Fundamental Right to Reproductive Freedom 

This amendment would enshrine the right to abortion and other reproductive rights within our state constitution, thereby safeguarding these freedoms from potential future assaults by the General Assembly. 

SJ248 – Voting Rights Guaranteed 

Did you know that Virginia is the one of the only states in the entire country to automatically bar every single person who has committed a felony from voting for life, even after they have completed their sentence, unless the Governor restores their rights? This year, we are finally taking action to right this historic wrong. This amendment would replace Virginia’s outlier voting rights restoration process that disproportionately keeps Black Virginians from voting. Under the new amendment, after felons have served their time, their voting rights would be automatically restored. 

SJ249 – Marriage Equality Amendment 

Did you know that Virginia’s constitution still bars same-sex couples from getting married? Although the ban has not been enforced for a decade, if the Supreme Court ever overturned Obergefell and brought marriage back to the states, like Justice Thomas suggested in the Dobbs decision, same-sex marriage would once again be banned in Virginia. This amendment would bring Virginia’s constitution up to the current federal law and would ensure that same-sex marriage would still be protected in Virginia if that ever changed. 

All three of these amendments passed the House of Delegates and the Senate, where I was proud to vote in favor of them. They will come back again next year and then head to the voters next November to be enshrined into our constitution. 

You can keep up with these bills or anything other bills at lis.virginia.gov. You can always reach out to my office if you have any questions or concerns at senatorsalim@ senate.virginia.gov or (804) 698-7537.