Virginia Lawmakers React to Spanberger's Major Legislative Amendments

Proposed changes to marijuana, collective bargaining, and assault weapons bills face pushback from Democrats and Republicans

Apr. 15, 2026 at 3:03am

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A vibrant, abstract painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and fractured lines in shades of blue, green, and orange, conceptually representing the complex political debates surrounding Governor Spanberger's proposed legislative changes.Spanberger's legislative amendments spark heated debate over the future of Virginia's marijuana, labor, and gun policies.Richmond Today

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger is facing criticism from state lawmakers after proposing significant amendments to major legislation, including bills on a retail recreational marijuana market, collective bargaining for some public sector workers, and an assault weapons ban. Senate leaders say the changes were 'basically entire rewrites' made too late in the process, while Republicans oppose the collective bargaining and assault weapons bills altogether.

Why it matters

The proposed amendments from Governor Spanberger touch on several high-profile and politically divisive issues in Virginia, including the legalization of recreational marijuana, the expansion of collective bargaining rights for public sector workers, and restrictions on assault weapons. The reactions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle highlight the challenges Spanberger faces in navigating these complex policy debates and getting her legislative agenda enacted.

The details

Spanberger proposed changes to bills on retail marijuana, collective bargaining, and assault weapons. For the marijuana bill, she wants to move up the start date, lower the cap on the number of stores, and increase the state's tax rate. For the collective bargaining bill, she proposed delaying the removal of the opt-in requirement for localities until 2030. On assault weapons, Spanberger's amendments aim to ban the sale of certain firearms without criminalizing current ownership.

  • Spanberger proposed the amendments on Monday, April 14, 2026.
  • Lawmakers will be back in Richmond next Wednesday to vote on whether to reject or accept the vetoes and amendments.

The players

Abigail Spanberger

The Governor of Virginia who proposed the significant legislative amendments.

Scott Surovell

The Senate Majority Leader, who sponsored the collective bargaining bill and criticized Spanberger's proposed changes as 'basically entire rewrites'.

Ryan McDougle

The Senate Minority Leader, who opposes the collective bargaining bill in any form, saying it will lead to tax increases.

Saddam Salim

The Democratic state senator who sponsored the assault weapons ban bill and supports Spanberger's proposed amendments.

Terry Kilgore

The House Minority Leader, who criticized Spanberger's assault weapons amendments as an infringement on civil rights.

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What they’re saying

“We've never really had the chance to sit down actually have a policy conversation. The conversation so far, we'll hear the 20 some changes I want to make in a very compressed period of time. So it's not really a lot of time for real serious policy dialogue.”

— Scott Surovell, Senate Majority Leader

“It is clear, whether you talk to Democratic jurisdictions or Republican jurisdictions, it will raise your taxes. It is bad policy. We should not institute it. Whether it's 2029, 2030, or forever.”

— Ryan McDougle, Senate Minority Leader

“Assault weapons are designed for use on the battlefield to inflict maximal damage in minimal time. As long as criminals can easily get weapons that are more deadly than those carried by law enforcement, mass shootings will continue to happen more frequently in America than anywhere in the world.”

— Saddam Salim, State Senator

“If there was any doubt that Governor Spanberger was coming for our firearms, this substitute removes it. Not only does it keep in place the de facto ban on some of the most common firearms in Virginia, it goes further and appears to create a ban on any firearm that can accept a magazine of more than 15 rounds.”

— Terry Kilgore, House Minority Leader

What’s next

Lawmakers will be back in Richmond next Wednesday to vote on whether to reject or accept the vetoes and amendments proposed by Governor Spanberger. If they reject an amendment, the bill goes back to Spanberger, who can either accept the original bill or veto it. Lawmakers have the option to preemptively block that veto, but it would require a two-thirds majority, meaning Democrats would need Republican help.

The takeaway

Governor Spanberger's proposed legislative amendments on high-profile issues like marijuana, collective bargaining, and assault weapons have sparked intense debate and pushback from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Virginia. The reactions highlight the political challenges Spanberger faces in enacting her policy agenda and the need for more collaborative policymaking in the state.