Saddam Salim | FFXnow

Published January 28, 2026 at 9:15AM | Updated January 28, 2026 at 9:42AM

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

With the nation’s eyes on Minneapolis after residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal agents this month, Democratic lawmakers have become increasingly critical of the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement, with some calling for Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s impeachment.

In Richmond, state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim is pushing three pieces of legislation that he says will keep “the chaos, lawlessness, and violence that we have seen perpetrated against Minnesotans from coming to Virginia.”

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Virginia Senate panel advances gun safety bills once vetoed by Youngkin

By Markus Schmidt / Virginia Mercury

Published January 27, 2026 at 10:10AM

Virginia Senate Courts of Justice Committee hears testimony on State Sen. Jennifer Boysko's firearms storage bill (via Virginia Senate/YouTube)

Democratic lawmakers on Monday advanced a sweeping slate of gun safety proposals — many of them previously vetoed by former Gov. Glenn Youngkin — as they test whether Virginia’s new Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, will take a more favorable view of firearm restrictions.

Over nearly four hours, the Democratic-led Senate Courts of Justice Committee approved more than half a dozen bills tightening rules on assault-style firearms, gun storage, concealed carry reciprocity, ghost guns and weapons in public spaces, while rejecting the lone Republican proposal that would have increased mandatory minimum sentences for repeat firearm offenses.

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Fairfax legislator to resurrect bill enabling local gas-powered leaf blower bans

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 6, 2026 at 10:00AM

Person using a gas-powered leaf blower on stairs (via Callum Hill on Unsplash)

An expanded Democratic majority in the Virginia House of Delegates could bode well for a revived bid to let local governments ban gas-powered leaf blowers.

When the General Assembly convenes this month, Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6) recently confirmed to FFXnow that he intends to reintroduce legislation authorizing localities to prohibit or regulate the machines after previous attempts faltered along party lines.

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Fairfax Democrats: Election results a ‘direct message’ rebuking Trump, Republicans

By Jared Serre

Published November 5, 2025 at 2:45PM

Democrats watch governor-elect Abigail Spanberger deliver a victory speech during a watch party for the Nov. 4, 2025 general election at Banditos in Fairfax (staff photo by Jared Serre)

After Virginia Democrats exceeded expectations in yesterday’s elections, optimism is high among Fairfax County lawmakers.

Flipping each of Virginia’s statewide offices with Abigail Spanberger, Ghazala Hashmi and Jay Jones winning, respectively, for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general was only a portion of the party’s statewide success on Election Day.

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Fairfax County senators react to governor’s veto of minimum wage bump

By Daniel Egitto

Published April 5, 2024 at 11:45AM

VA Governor Glenn Youngkin delivers remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for the I-495 Express lanes extension in 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A bill to raise Virginia’s minimum wage got the ax in Richmond despite the support of three Fairfax County state senators.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed legislation on March 28 that would’ve increased the minimum wage from $12 to $15 an hour by 2026. Sens. Jennifer Boysko, Saddam Salim and Adam Ebbin, who all represent parts of Fairfax County, were among several Democrats to sponsor the bill.

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Va. governor signs bills to combat hate crimes, vetoes civil penalties for invasive plant sellers

By Nathaniel Cline / Virginia Mercury

Published April 4, 2024 at 9:30AM | Updated April 5, 2024 at 1:23PM

English ivy seen at McLean Central Park (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

In the latest round of action on bills, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed 100 bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly, including one to protect Virginians from unlawful discrimination, hate crimes and antisemitism. The governor vetoed four others, including one to create civil penalties for shop owners who fail to advertise they are selling invasive plants that could harm other species.

Among the 100 bills signed is a measure that will codify a recommendation by the Commission to Combat Antisemitism that Virginia revise its laws to better protect Jewish citizens from hate crimes, along with Muslims, Sikhs and other ethnic-religious groups.

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Virginia House seeks more data for Fairfax senator’s bill to allow more accessory living units

By Angela Woolsey

Published March 7, 2024 at 10:15AM

State Sen. Saddam Salim testifies before the House Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns on his bill to require accessory living units (via Virginia General Assembly)

Final consideration of state Sen. Saddam Salim’s (D-37) proposal to expand the availability of accessory housing units in Virginia will wait until next year.

A Virginia House of Delegates committee voted on Feb. 23 to table Senate Bill 304, until 2025, suggesting that the delay would give Salim and other legislators more time to refine the bill and collect data on existing local policies allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs), which are known in Fairfax County as accessory living units (ALUs).

News

Vienna seeks faster timeline for developers to provide tree coverage

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 7, 2024 at 11:00AM

Trees line Park Street near the Church Street intersection in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Future developers in Vienna may have half as much time to cultivate tree shade on their properties.

The Virginia State Senate recently passed legislation that would enable Vienna to adopt 10-year tree canopy requirements in place of the current 20-year time frame, getting the town a step closer to accomplishing one of its top priorities for the past couple of years.

Countywide

Fairfax senator proposes expansion of accessory living units that would override county rules

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 22, 2024 at 3:30PM | Updated March 6, 2024 at 3:44PM

An accessory dwelling unit detached from the primary residence (via City of Alexandria)

(Updated at 4:20 p.m.) A state-level push to ease restrictions on accessory residential units could put Fairfax County at odds with one of its own senators.

The proposed Senate Bill 304 from state Sen. Saddam Salim (D-37) would require localities to permit accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in residential districts and prohibit them from setting certain conditions, including the provision of dedicated parking for the unit.