WABA’s Coverage of the 2026 Virginia General Assembly Session
Week of January 26th
While we’re still digging out of last weekend’s snowstorm, both here and in Richmond, legislators are plowing ahead with legislative hearings. I had a chance to walk the halls of the General Assembly Building on Wednesday, connecting with staff, elected leaders, and fellow advocates; I even managed to briefly testify on the bike safety omnibus bill being championed by the Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) before catching a train back home. Read on below for where things stand.
Bike Safety Omnibus. Del. Willett’s HB661 allowing bicyclists to ride two-abreast, make use of the pedestrian walk signal at crosswalks, and utilize the Safety Yield passed unanimously (8Y-0N) out of subcommittee and heads to the House Transportation Committee, likely next week. We don’t anticipate major hiccups in the House, but we are gearing up for pushback in the Senate. More on how you can help below.
E-Bike Regulations. Del. Reid invited and received feedback from VBF, WABA, and others on his HB269 that would impose onerous regulations on legal e-bikes in an effort to combat problematic e-motos. He is developing substitute language and we expect a subcommittee vote next week, along with Del. Singh’s HB1120 (VBF’s preferred bill) calling for a stakeholder group to study and make recommendations on e-motos.
Speed Safety Cameras. Sen. Peake’s two bills repealing speed safety camera use in school zones (SB297) and at red lights (SB306) narrowly passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee (8Y-7N), perhaps unexpectedly; Sen. Peake has asked for more time to work with stakeholders on some substitute language. Other bills expanding camera enforcement in school zones (SB221) and VDOT-identified vulnerable road user safety zones (SB832) also advanced out of committee, so it remains unclear which direction we’re headed vis-a-vis cameras.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
- Contact your state Senator and encourage them to support Del. Willett’s bike safety omnibus bill (HB661). It’s never too early for our bicycling community to start communicating our position on legislation-to-come. Find your Senator here.
- Two local Senators, David Marsden (D-Fairfax) and Stella Pekarsky (D-Fairfax), are critical swing votes on the Senate Transportation Committee who have voted NO on previous iterations of Safety Yield, Proceed on Walk Signal, and Riding Two-Abreast legislation—we need them to hear from bicyclists like you.
- If you live in Fairfax County, we also encourage you to contact your local Supervisor. State legislators will often defer to County leaders so we need Supervisors (especially Andres Jimenez, Rodney Lusk, and Chairman McKay) to hear from constituents, too.
- Contact your state Senator and tell them to keep speed camera enforcement. While no one likes getting tickets, automated camera enforcement is a critical tool in our road safety toolbox proven to reduce speeding and crash severity.
- Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax) is a key target for messaging this weekend; she provided the swing vote to advance camera-killing SB297 and SB306 out of committee. Let’s get her to change her mind ahead of full Senate votes next week.
- With so many camera-related bills, you can simply share your support for safety-focused camera enforcement in general, especially if revenues are reinvested locally to make our streets safer.
- And of course, you can still sign our petition in support of VBF’s bicycling safety agenda. There’s value in showing our leaders that the bicycling community stands united, and our numbers are growing.
Week of January 19th
The Virginia General Assembly started to pick up steam this week. A major shoutout to the Virginia Bicycling Federation’s John Hamilton and others for working the halls and offices in Richmond and for providing many of the updates below. More on VBF’s legislative priorities here.
Speed cameras in the crosshairs. Senator Peake (R-Lynchburg) has introduced two bills (SB297 and SB306) to repeal use of automated speed cameras and traffic light cameras in Virginia. Unfortunately, both bills passed out of committee 8Y-7N, with Senator Aird (D-Petersburg) voting with all Republican members of the committee to axe a critical safety strategy. These bills will next advance to the full Senate where we hope they will be nixed.
Doubling down on Safety Yield. Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra (D-Oakton) introduced HB1417, a standalone authorization of the Safety Yield (aka Idaho Stop or Delaware Yield). There are several key differences between Keys-Gamarra’s bill and VBF’s own Omnibus Bicyclist Safety bill (HB661) introduced by Delegate Rodney Willett (D-Henrico); we think our version, thoughtfully workshopped with VDOT staff and others, ultimately stands a better chance of passage but we love to see bike-friendly initiative!
Averting e-bike confusion. VBF and bicycling advocates are working with Delegate David Reid (D-Ashburn) and his staff to amend his HB269, a bill that would radically alter regulation and impose undue restrictions on legal e-bikes in an effort to crack down on illegal e-motos. We don’t disagree with the need to address out-of-class, high-speed devices and dangerous riding behavior (especially by younger riders), but we think Delegate JJ Singh’s HB1120 call for a post-session stakeholder group to holistically study and make recommendations is the more appropriate route.
- This comes on the heels of outgoing-Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey signing a law this week with draconian new regulations on ALL e-bikes and other devices in the Garden State.
- This graphic from the Florida Bicycling Association closely aligns with VBF’s perspectives on e-motos. More here.
As always, short emails from constituents like you to your state Delegates and Senators expressing support or opposition carry a lot of weight—let them know what you and our bicycling community think! Be sure to also sign the petition in support of VBF’s bicycling safety agenda—I’ll be headed to Richmond on January 28th and would love to tout having over 1,500 supporters behind me.