A bill allowing church-based by-right housing development and several other laws passed during the 2026 Virginia General Assembly will require or allow local action, according to a presentation to Alexandria City Council last week (May 12).
Wendy Ginsberg, the city’s legislative director, provided an update on key bills the city has been tracking or will be impacted by during City Council’s May 12 meeting. Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, which means localities can only use authority granted through state law.
Of the 2,448 bills introduced this session, 1,208 passed and 716 failed or were carried over to the next year. Most bills will take effect July 1 unless otherwise specified. Ginsberg said 303 of the 607 tracked bills that align with city priorities or could affect its policies or constituents were passed…