Senate District 37 sent me to Richmond to fight for you, and in the opening weeks of the 2026 General Assembly, I have tried to show exactly what that means in practice.
At the top of my agenda this year is my assault weapons bill, SB 749, which would stop the sale, manufacture, and new transfer of the kinds of high-capacity firearms that turn everyday disputes into mass-casualty events.
I wrote this bill very deliberately so that we are not criminalizing current lawful owners. Instead, we draw a line going forward, so that over time, the most lethal weapons gradually become less common in our communities. In a commonwealth that has lived through Virginia Tech, Virginia Beach, and too many smaller tragedies to count, this is not an abstract debate for me, it is about whether we are willing to accept another decade of preventable grief.
If SB 749 is my answer to the gun violence epidemic, my three-bill “End ICE Abuses” package is my response to a different kind of fear: the fear that walking into a courthouse, talking to the police, or simply going about daily life could put you or your family in the crosshairs of federal immigration enforcement. One bill bars civil immigration arrests in and around courthouses without a true judicial warrant, so victims and witnesses can seek justice without worrying that ICE agents are lying in wait. A second limits the use of face coverings by law enforcement officers and creates a civil cause of action when officers violate those transparency rules, because anonymity in routine policing undermines public trust. A third bill restricts which state and local officers can act as de facto immigration agents, making clear that Virginia’s job is to keep people safe, not to do Washington’s bidding in the most heavy-handed way possible.
I know some critics have tried to caricature these efforts as “soft on crime” or “lawless.” I see them very differently. Communities are safer when witnesses are willing to testify, when victims feel comfortable reporting abuse, and when people trust that the person knocking on their door in a badge and uniform is there to uphold the law, not to hide behind a mask or misuse their power. My goal is a system where the law is enforced in a way that is visible, accountable, and focused on genuine public safety, not on stoking fear in already vulnerable communities.
Alongside these high-profile fights, I am also carrying quieter but important bills that address the day-to-day concerns I hear from you. I am working on measures to help localities tackle invasive plant species, clearing a path for students, affordable housing and tackling emerging tech and its unintended consequences we see every day.
In past Richmond Reports, I promised to defend fundamental rights, strengthen our schools, improve affordability, and invest in cleaner, safer communities. This year, those promises are taking the form of concrete bills, hearings, and votes. I know not every bill I introduce will pass on the first try. But I also know that you did not send me to Richmond simply to manage the status quo, you sent me to push for a fairer, safer, and more welcoming Virginia. That is the standard I am holding myself to this session, and it is the kind of representation I will keep working to deliver for you.
