Update
Consumer and Housing Protections Moving in the 2026 General Assembly
2026 Legislation on the Move
Published
As the General Assembly moves into the second half of the session, lawmakers are advancing a slate of bills that would strengthen protections for consumers and renters across Virginia—particularly for people already struggling to make ends meet.
On the consumer protection front, legislators are moving bills that would curb extreme wage and bank account garnishment practices. These proposals focus on a simple idea: even when someone owes a debt, they should still be able to keep enough of their paycheck and bank balance to cover necessities like rent, groceries, transportation, and utilities. Lawmakers are also considering legislation that would allow consumers harmed by unlawful practices to bring state-level class actions—an accountability tool that can matter when individual claims are too small to pursue alone.
At the same time, housing bills advancing in both chambers aim to reduce unnecessary evictions and strengthen tenant protections. Measures moving this session would require payment plans in certain situations, increase the time tenants have to catch up on rent before eviction proceedings begin, expand protections against retaliation, allow local enforcement of key landlord-tenant provisions, and remove barriers for low-income tenants seeking to appeal eviction cases.
Many of these proposals are still moving through committees or awaiting action in the opposite chamber. VPLC advocates continue to monitor this legislation and provide technical expertise as the session unfolds.
TRACK 2026 LEGISLATION HERE: LIS
