Virginia Dems pass paid family medical leave, retail marijuana bills

RICHMOND,. Va. (WRIC) -- As the 2026 General Assembly Session reaches its halfway point, Virginia Democrats, who control both the House of Delegates and State Senate, are advancing several key priorities. 

Both chambers passed their versions of bills to create a state-run paid family and medical leave program in Virginia. 

The program would give Virginians up to 12 weeks of paid time off a year if they get sick, need to care for a sick loved one, have a baby and more. 

Senator Lashrecse Aird (D-Henrico) said the bills are good for both workers and businesses. 

“79% of small businesses have shown support for paid family medical leave programs. They have cited that this would be a huge asset to worker retention, to being able to attract quality workers, but more than that, to show compassion to their employees,” Aird (D-Henrico) told 8News. 

However, Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle (R-Hanover) said that because employees and employers will fund the program, it’s really a tax on Virginia families and businesses, as seen in other states. 

“If we just take the Washington State numbers, the average employee and employer will pay over $1100 a year in that tax. At least half of that will be borne by the employee,” McDougle said. 

Meanwhile, both the House and Senate passed separate bills on Feb. 17 to create a retail market for the sale of recreational marijuana. 

The version passed by the House would allow the sale of recreational marijuana to begin on November 1, 2026, while the version passed by the Senate calls for retail sales to begin on January 1, 2027. 

The bills also have different tax rates for retail marijuana sales, but neither includes an option for localities to hold a referendum to opt out of retail sales, something that had been included in similar bills in previous years. 

Aird, who wrote the Senate bill, said her effort is about getting rid of a dangerous illicit marijuana marketplace. 

“Those products were either laced with feces, bacteria, or mold,” Aird said, referring to a presentation given by a physician to lawmakers in 2025 on some of the illegal marijuana products being sold in Virginia. 

However, McDougle said the marijuana bills working their way through the legislative process won’t do anything to get rid of the illicit marketplace. 

“Right now, we’re just creating a more expensive marijuana marketplace. We’re not doing anything to prohibit there being an illegal marketplace,” McDougle told 8News. 

Any of the bills passed on Tuesday still need to be passed by the opposite chamber before they can be considered by Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger.