Governor Abigail Spanberger is putting her signature on some of the most high-profile issues of this legislative session - signing some bills into law while rejecting others.
There are dozens of new laws to sort through, but here are four new laws and vetoes you need to know.
The first bill deals with marijuana resentencing.
“We’re really trying to reduce the harm that’s been caused in the past 60-some years,” Nolef Turns executive director, Sheba Williams said.
The new law creates a process for some people still serving sentences for certain marijuana-related felonies committed before July first, 2021, to have their cases reviewed by a judge.
“This is a good example of putting people at the center of it,” Williams said.
Williams is the executive director of Nolef Turns - an organization focused on criminal legal system reform in Virginia.
She helped lobby for the bill, saying as Virginia’s cannabis industry continues to grow, some people are still behind bars for minor marijuana-related offenses.
“This is a huge thing, because we kept hearing, ‘retail market,’ ‘retail market,’ and we keep hearing nothing about the people who have been impacted, so I’m excited about it,” Williams said.
Another bill signed by the governor targets the cost of insulin.
The new law lowers the monthly cap on out-of-pocket insulin costs from $50 to $35 for people with state-regulated health insurance plans.
It also creates a $35 cap for certain diabetes equipment and supplies - a move supporters say could help Virginians who rely on daily medication manage rising healthcare costs.
The law makes it illegal for employers to use immigration status as a way to intimidate workers while violating Virginia wage laws - including cases involving unpaid wages or minimum wage violations.
Workers who believe they were threatened can file a complaint with the state, and employers found in violation could face thousands of dollars in civil penalties.
But while she signed several bills into law, Governor Spanberger also used her veto power.
She rejected a measure that would have expanded collective bargaining rights for public employees - including firefighters and other first responders.
It’s a decision that Roanoke Firefighters Association President Todd Reighley says they did not expect.
“Firefighters in Virginia feel betrayed,” Reighley said.
He tells 10 News the Virginia Professional Firefighters endorsed Spanberger on the campaign trail - saying it was based on the expectation that she would support and sign collective bargaining legislation.
“We just wish we had a governor that stood behind us in that mission to help us improve our working conditions,” he said.
Governor Spanberger also signed a controversial bill, placing a ban on assault weapons. You can read more about that bill here.