Author: Emily Leayman

Emily Leayman is a senior reporter at ARLnow, ALXnow and FFXnow. She was previously a field editor covering parts of Northern Virginia for Patch for more than eight years. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she lives in Northern Virginia.

Countywide

Virginia’s first paid family and medical leave program in pipeline under Boysko legislation

By Emily Leayman
State Sen. Jennifer Boysko speaks at a town hall in McLean as Del. Rip Sullivan looks on (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A paid family and medical leave program will be set up for the first time in Virginia after Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed legislation from Fairfax County state Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-38) and Prince William County Del. Briana Sewell (D-25).

Boysko, who represents Reston, Herndon, Great Falls and McLean in the Virginia Senate, told FFXnow she has worked on the legislation for eight years.

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Countywide

General Assembly rejects amended bill on collective bargaining for public workers

By Emily Leayman
Public workers associated with unions called for Gov. Abigail Spanberger to sign the original legislation expanding collective bargaining rights (via Bert Shepherd)

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D)’s substitute to Fairfax County legislators’ collective bargaining bill has been rejected by the Virginia General Assembly.

The General Assembly is holding a reconvened session to consider the governor’s amended and vetoed bills, including SB 378 and HB 1263 from Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-34) and Del. Kathy Tran (D-18). The General Assembly did not take up Spanberger’s substitute to the legislation yesterday or today (Thursday).

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News

Spanberger proposes delaying start of retail marijuana sales allowed by Fairfax delegate’s bill

By Emily Leayman
Person weighs marijuana (via Add Weed/Unsplash)

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has proposed amendments to marijuana legislation that include delaying the launch of a recreational sales marketplace for adults.

The governor’s substitute for HB 642 and SB 542 would move the start of the legal retail market for marijuana from Jan. 1 to July, 1, 2027. It also changes marijuana possession limit from 2.5 to 2 ounces — still up from the current 1-ounce possession limit — and reduced the number of permitted stores from 350 to 200 until Jan. 1, 2029.

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Countywide

Fairfax senator decries ‘toothless’ amendments to bills restricting ICE activities

By Emily Leayman
Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (photo via Senator's Office)

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has recommended changes to bills on immigration enforcement from a Fairfax County state senator.

State Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37) had introduced Senate versions of the bills to restrict federal immigration enforcement in certain places, prevent law enforcement from wearing masks and ban state and local law enforcement agreements with federal immigration enforcement.

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Countywide

Va. tightens student cell phone bans under newly signed law from Fairfax senator

By Emily Leayman
Stella Pekarsky (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Cell phone bans will be strengthened at Virginia’s K-12 schools after a bill from a Fairfax County state senator was signed into law.

The bill tightening restrictions from state Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-36) was signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) last week and will take effect on July 1.

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News

Gov. Spanberger signs energy, contraception bills from Fairfax County legislators

By Emily Leayman
Abigail Spanberger speaks at a campaign event in Annandale (staff photo by Jared Serre)

As the deadline for her to act on 2026 General Assembly legislation approaches, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed additional bills yesterday (Wednesday) on health care, housing and energy, including a few championed by Fairfax County lawmakers.

The governor has approved hundreds of bills since the General Assembly session ended on March 14. The latest round of bills includes a codified right to contraception, limits on prior authorizations on prescription drugs from insurance plans, stricter emissions standards for data centers, tools to incentivize and preserve affordable housing, and a longer mandatory waiting period before landlords pursue evictions.

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Countywide

Bill in memory of Oakton students would expand possible speed camera locations

By Emily Leayman
Del. Holly Seibold speaks about HB 994 on the House floor (via Virginia General Assembly)

A Virginia bill crafted in memory of Oakton High School students killed on Blake Lane in 2022 is on its way to becoming law.

Del. Holly Seibold (D-12), whose district includes part of Oakton, has been pushing for a bill (HB 994) to expand speed camera locations to “safety red zones” designated by the state. The bill passed the Virginia General Assembly and is awaiting action from Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

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Around Town

Brewpub aims for late spring opening at Herndon’s Arrowbrook Centre

By Emily Leayman
Arrowbrook Centre in Herndon (staff photo by Emily Leayman)

Retail at Herndon’s Arrowbrook Centre continues to grow toward capacity, as more businesses have opened or are in the process of doing so.

NH44 Indian Brewing Company is the latest business planning to open at the Arrowbrook Centre, a mixed-use community near the Innovation Center Metro station with apartments, condos, townhouses and business uses that began opening in 2023.

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Countywide

General Assembly’s data center tax dispute leaves Va. budget unresolved

By Emily Leayman and Associated Press
CoreSite's Reston data center campus (staff photo by James Jarvis)

A dispute over ending a sales tax exemption on data centers stood in the way of the Virginia General Assembly passing a state budget passing before its regular session ended.

Over the past 18 years, Virginia became the world’s largest data hub, but community opposition to data centers has swelled. Most recently, in Fairfax County, environmental groups are questioning plans to sell part of a county-owned parcel at 3721 Stonecroft Blvd in Chantilly to data center developer Starwood Capital Group.

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News

Potential Oakton transportation improvements need more study, residents say

By Emily Leayman
The scope of Fairfax County's Oakton congestion mitigation and safety study (via FCDOT)

As part of a transportation study spurred by a planned redevelopment of the former AT&T campus in Oakton, potential roadway changes were presented at a community meeting on Tuesday (March 10).

The Oakton Congestion and Safety Study was initiated by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors as a follow-up to its unanimous approval of a comprehensive plan amendment to allow mixed-use development on the company’s now-vacant, 33-acre Oakton office campus in 2025.

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