RICHMOND, VA – Jan. 12, 2026 — AARP Virginia volunteer advocates will urge lawmakers to act on the organization’s legislative agenda when the General Assembly convenes Jan. 14, including three priority issues: creating a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, establishing paid family leave and protecting consumers from cryptocurrency kiosk fraud.
AARP Virginia’s 2026 legislative agenda starts with lowering prescription drug costs. The organization supports a bill to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) with the authority to set upper payment limits on certain high-cost medications. The measure would complement recent federal changes allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and extend savings to Virginians not enrolled in Medicare. A 2025 poll found 84% of Virginians support the policy. The bill passed in 2024 and 2025 with bipartisan backing but was vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Delegate Karrie Delaney (D-Centreville) and Senator Creigh Deeds (D-Charlottesville) are introducing the 2026 bill.
At 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13, AARP Virginia will participate in a press conference with Freedom Virginia to announce the introduction of the Affordable Medicine Act to establish a PDAB and lower the cost of medicine. Deeds and Delaney will be joined at the press conference by Delegate Leslie Mehta (D-Chesterfield); Tim Barry, a Richmond resident affected by the legislation; Freedom Virginia Co-Executive Director Rhena Hicks; and AARP Virginia State Director Jim Dau…