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Less than a month before she takes the oath of office, Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on Thursday rolled out a comprehensive legislative blueprint she said will lower costs for Virginia families 鈥� from prescription drugs to utility bills to housing 鈥� in a session she framed as a turning point for the commonwealth鈥檚 economic health.
Spanberger鈥檚 Affordable Virginia Agenda, announced one day after outgoing Gov. Glenn Youngkin introduced his to the General Assembly, outlines a suite of legislative proposals aimed at reducing consumer costs across three major categories: health care, energy and housing.
The plan comes against a backdrop of rising living expenses that many voters cited as their top concern during the 2025 elections, when Democrats and increased their majority in the House of Delegates by 13 seats.
鈥淭oday, I am proud to unveil the beginning, the first step of these efforts, our agenda, to build a more affordable Virginia,鈥� Spanberger said at a news conference in the state Capitol. 鈥淲e cannot accept the status quo when it comes to the high cost of living. It is hurting the financial security of our economy, our communities, and our neighbors.鈥�
Spanberger 鈥� the first woman to be elected governor in Virginia 鈥� rallied Democratic leaders behind her push but emphasized her willingness to work with Republicans where possible.
She said affordability is not merely a household concern but 鈥渆ssential鈥� to Virginia鈥檚 economic competitiveness, a message she says resonated with voters from the Eastern Shore to Southwest Virginia.
Health care: scrubbing costs, curbing middlemen
At the heart of Spanberger鈥檚 agenda is a multifaceted health care package designed to tackle out-of-pocket costs and limit insurance practices she says have siphoned money from patients and providers. Much of her plan echoes the health care priorities she earlier this year.
A centerpiece of the plan would restrict the role of pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, which Spanberger鈥檚 plan describes as predatory middlemen that can inflate drug prices. A that created a sole PBM for the state鈥檚 Medicaid program was signed into law by Youngkin in May, setting the stage for further reforms in the coming legislative session.
The proposed 2026 bill would prevent PBMs from steering patients to affiliated pharmacies, require that drug rebates be passed through to health plans or patients, ban misleading statements, prohibit retroactive payment clawbacks and establish reimbursement standards for independent and community pharmacies.
鈥淣o Virginian should have to choose between paying their healthcare and putting food on the table,鈥� Spanberger said, emphasizing the need to hold PBMs accountable for driving up drug costs.
Another proposal would limit prior authorization requirements, which often require insurer approval before patients receive medications or treatments. Spanberger argued that excessive prior authorizations delay care, can lead to complications and ultimately raise costs for patients and the system alike.
House Majority Leader Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, said Spanberger鈥檚 health care proposals address real problems that families hear about every day.
鈥淲e need common sense answers to real issues of affordability that these families hear in the commonwealth,鈥� Herring said. She cited lowering prescription drug costs, reforming prior authorization processes and expanding access to health care as critical steps forward. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a brand new day for the commonwealth,鈥� she added.
Spanberger鈥檚 agenda also calls for investing in the health care workforce, including a proposal to transfer management of health incentive programs from the Virginia Department of Health to the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority, which she says will help ensure patients have access to both routine and complex care.
In addition, her plan would stabilize the Affordable Care Act marketplace through targeted premium assistance, establishing a pilot program for individuals most likely to drop coverage due to federal premium increases 鈥� a concern echoed by health policy analysts across the country.
Another measure, , sponsored by Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, earlier this year but vetoed by Youngkin, would remove the sunset on a law banning extra insurance premium charges for tobacco users.
Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, said rising costs have forced difficult decisions for many families this holiday season, including choosing between heat and housing or prescriptions and groceries.
Locke said the time for posturing is over. 鈥┾�滸ov.-elect Spanberger is ready to govern, and so are we,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he people are watching, and they are counting on us to deliver.鈥�
Energy: efficiency, forecasting and storage
Spanberger also made stabilizing energy costs a priority, highlighting widespread concerns about utility bills in the midst of growing peak demand driven in part by data centers and other high-load infrastructure across the state.
Starting in January, she said, lawmakers will pursue to help lower peak power prices by allowing stored energy to be used during periods of high demand. A revived 2025 proposal would raise energy storage capacity targets for Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power subject to approval by the State Corporation Commission.
鈥淲e will make expanded energy storage a top priority,鈥� Spanberger said, 鈥渁nd we will improve energy efficiency across our commonwealth.鈥�
The agenda also calls for expanding programs to reduce heating and energy costs for low-income Virginians and establishing a weatherization and energy efficiency task force within the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Small solar systems, such as , would be exempted from typical utility approval requirements under her plan, facilitating wider adoption.
The agenda further advocates for improving utility demand forecasting to avoid overestimations that can lead to unnecessary infrastructure investments and higher rates for consumers.
Herring praised the plan鈥檚 emphasis on solar and renewable energy, saying it reflects a commitment to using technology to reduce costs and ensure a strong, resilient grid.
Housing: boosting supply, strengthening protections
Addressing the ongoing housing affordability crisis, Spanberger further seeks a combination of tenant protections and measures to expand the supply of affordable housing across the commonwealth.
Her proposals include extending the grace period before landlords can file eviction proceedings, authorizing localities to adopt affordable housing dwelling unit programs and giving local governments a right of first refusal to preserve existing affordable housing stock.
Spanberger鈥檚 plan also calls for creating a revolving loan fund for mixed-income developments, expanding the , and using the commonwealth鈥檚 bonding authority to support affordable housing projects.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter, either in Northern Virginia or Southside Virginia,鈥� Spanberger said, 鈥渟tarting in January, we will give every locality the option to increase the supply of affordable housing in their community.鈥�
Balancing affordability and fiscal stability
When Youngkin his budget proposal Wednesday, he stressed a thriving economy and cautioned against policies he said could jeopardize Virginia鈥檚 business environment. The outgoing governor鈥檚 plan continues tax cuts and boosts spending on education, public safety, and Medicaid, though analysts have noted potential strains ahead due to federal shifts and slower revenue growth.
While Youngkin鈥檚 budget warns of anti-business policies, Spanberger underscored concerns about rising costs for families and the need to safeguard Virginia鈥檚 fiscal health.
She reiterated her support for maintaining the state鈥檚 AAA bond rating and fulfilling the constitutional requirement to balance the budget. Spanberger acknowledged that growth projections for the coming years are weaker than in the recent past and that lawmakers must navigate 鈥渞eal fiscal challenges鈥� in crafting the next biennial budget.
鈥淭hat is why many of these efforts to lower costs for Virginians either don鈥檛 utilize general fund dollars or are cost-neutral,鈥� she said, noting that her team hopes to plan for worse economic scenarios than might materialize.
Spanberger鈥檚 pitch drew broad support from Democratic legislative leaders, who characterized the agenda as a direct response to voter concerns about everyday costs 鈥� and a mandate to act.
House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, said voters didn鈥檛 send Democrats to Richmond to admire architecture but to deliver results.
鈥淭hey sent us here to do a job, they want us to lower costs,鈥� Scott said, taking aim at federal economic policies and asserting that Spanberger鈥檚 focus aligns with constituent priorities.
Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, emphasized fiscal responsibility and stability, noting that Senate budget negotiators strive to protect taxpayers while investing in communities and ensuring prosperity.
Spanberger said her agenda represents a starting point from which lawmakers and stakeholders will build over the coming legislative session. She also expressed optimism about bipartisan cooperation, saying conversations with House and Senate leaders indicate a shared willingness to act on affordability.
鈥淲e will work to make everyday life more affordable for Virginians,鈥� she said.
