Week of 02/08/2026
Dear Virginian,
Welcome to this week’s 2026 Legislative Rundown. The General Assembly continues with more and more concerning and divisive policies being considered and voted on. In the past few days, the Democrat trifecta in Richmond has sought to approve bills that would impose strict gun control laws in the state, increase taxes on everyday services, transfer control of VMI to VSU, and much, much more!
That’s exactly why we need your voice. To help Virginians push back against these tyrannical bills effectively, we’ve built FORGE—an exclusive advocacy platform that gives citizens a direct, coordinated way to speak on legislation through social media, the press, and direct outreach to lawmakers.
FORGE takes just 15 minutes a week, and hundreds of liberty-minded Virginians have already joined to amplify their voices where it counts. If you’re ready to be part of a focused, disciplined, patriotic effort to defend freedom in the Commonwealth, please consider joining us on FORGE!
Sign up for FORGE here: https://www.forge-virginia.org/join
Below are just a few of the bills this session that Virginians are engaging on this week!
Please reach out to your legislators NOW and share your position!
ACTION ALERT: SUPPORT HB721
HB721 affirms and protects the educational right of parents to opt their children out of instruction or school activities involving gender identity, sexual orientation, transgenderism, and drag shows.
ACTION ALERT: OPPOSE HB359
HB359 would coerce private schools into incorporating state SOL testing standards and state accountability ratings in public schools. It would also force private faith-based schools to allow opt-outs for students not wishing to receive religious instruction, and require mandatory non-discrimination mandates regarding “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” for private, religious school enrollments.
ACTION ALERT: OPPOSE HB1374
HB 1374 would punitively dissolve VMI’s Board of Visitors and transfer control and stewardship of the Institute to Virginia State University.
ACTION ALERT: OPPOSE SB763 and SB749
SB763 seeks to impose a new 11% tax on all firearm and ammunition sales in the Commonwealth. SB749 seeks to ban the sale, importation, or possession of any assault weapons including assault rifles like the AR-15 and even certain types of handguns used for self-defense. This bill would make it a Class 1 Misdemeanor to own, sell, or import one of these weapons in Virginia. This bill does not include a grandfather clause, and also seeks to ban magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.
ACTION ALERT: OPPOSE SB831
SB831 addresses absentee ballots, electoral boards, and voter challenges in ways that raise serious concerns about election integrity and voter choice. The bill would automatically place new voters on the permanent absentee voter list, limiting individuals’ ability to decide how they receive a ballot. It also weakens local election oversight by requiring electoral boards to certify results without sufficient safeguards for accuracy and accountability. For these reasons, SB831 should be rejected to protect election integrity, local control, and individual liberty.
