The new Virginia laws taking effect July 1 touch drivers, gun owners, workers, patients, and anyone whose personal data sits on a company server. The biggest practical changes: the Move Over law now protects any stopped vehicle with hazards on, the “Carolina Squat” suspension modification is banned, auto sears and bump stocks are felonies to possess, wage theft over $10,000 is a felony, and healthcare providers have to itemize bills and pause before sending unpaid accounts to collections.
Driving Around Stopped Vehicles and Modified Suspensions
The Move Over law under § 46.2-861.1 no longer applies only to emergency vehicles and service trucks. If you approach any stationary vehicle on a highway with its hazard lights on, caution signs out, or flares set, you have to change to a non-adjacent lane or, if that isn’t safe, slow down and pass with caution.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-861.1 – Drivers to Yield Right-of-Way or Reduce Speed When Approaching Stationary Vehicles Displaying Certain Warning Lights on Highways; Penalties A driver pulled over with a flat tire now gets the same buffer that a state trooper does.
The penalty is not a routine traffic fine. A violation counts as reckless driving, a Class 1 misdemeanor,1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-861.1 – Drivers to Yield Right-of-Way or Reduce Speed When Approaching Stationary Vehicles Displaying Certain Warning Lights on Highways; Penalties which carries up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.2Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-11 – Punishment for Conviction of Misdemeanor A conviction leaves a permanent criminal record and typically raises insurance rates. For commercial drivers, reckless driving is a serious traffic violation under federal motor carrier rules, and two of them within three years triggers a 60-day CDL disqualification.
Virginia has also outlawed the “Carolina Squat.” Under § 46.2-1063, no passenger car, pickup, or panel truck may be driven on a public highway if the front bumper sits four or more inches higher than the rear bumper.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-1063 – Alteration of Suspension System; Bumper Height Limits; Raising Body Above Frame Rail The tilt cuts forward visibility and throws headlight aim into oncoming traffic. Officers can cite the driver and require the vehicle to be brought back into compliance.
Firearm Modifications, Ghost Guns, and Restricted Locations
Under § 18.2-308.5:1, it is now illegal to manufacture, import, sell, possess, transfer, or transport an auto sear, which is any device that converts a semi-automatic firearm to fire more than one round per trigger pull without manual reloading. The same statute covers trigger activators, including bump stocks. A violation is a Class 6 felony, punishable by one to five years in prison. A court or jury may instead impose up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.4Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-308.5:1 – Manufacture, Importation, Sale, Possession, Transfer, or Transportation of Auto Sears and Trigger Activators Prohibited; Penalty
The state has also tightened rules around unserialized firearms, often called ghost guns, which are built from unfinished frames or 3D printed and carry no traceable serial number. Certain government-owned buildings and public spaces are now designated as restricted zones where firearms cannot be carried, and violating those location rules can bring criminal charges.
Your Data Rights Under the Consumer Data Protection Act
The Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, in Title 59.1 Chapter 53, gives residents direct control over the personal information companies hold.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 59.1 Chapter 53 – Consumer Data Protection Act If a business qualifies as a data controller, you can ask to access, correct, or delete your stored data. You can also request a portable copy in a usable format to move to another provider. Companies must respond within 45 days.
Data collected from anyone younger than 13 is treated as sensitive data.6Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 59.1-575 – Definitions A controller may not process a child’s data for targeted advertising without verifiable parental consent, and any processing activity that poses a heightened risk of harm requires a data protection assessment that must be turned over to the Attorney General on request.
One important limit: the law has no private right of action. You cannot sue a company yourself under this statute. Only the Attorney General can investigate and enforce, with civil penalties up to $7,500 per violation. If you believe a company has ignored your rights, the complaint goes to the Attorney General’s office.
Wage Theft, Worker Classification, and What You Can Recover
Willful wage theft is a criminal offense in Virginia. Under the Virginia Wage Payment Act, § 40.1-29, an employer who intentionally fails to pay earned wages faces a Class 1 misdemeanor when the amount owed is under $10,000, and a Class 6 felony when the amount reaches $10,000 or more or the employer has a prior conviction.7Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 40.1-29 – Time and Medium of Payment; Withholding Wages; Written Statement of Earnings; Penalties The state labor commissioner can investigate complaints, recover withheld wages, and engage private counsel to pursue payment.8Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 40.1-29 – Time and Medium of Payment; Withholding Wages; Written Statement of Earnings; Penalties Retaliation against workers who report violations or take part in investigations is prohibited.
Worker classification rules are stricter as well. Section 40.1-28.7:7 presumes that anyone performing services for pay is an employee unless the hiring entity can show the worker qualifies as an independent contractor under IRS guidelines. If a court finds misclassification, the worker can recover lost wages, salary, and benefits, including out-of-pocket costs that insurance would have covered, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs.9Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 40.1-28.7:7 – Misclassification of Workers An employer that ran a full-time worker as a contractor for two years could owe back benefits, unpaid health insurance costs, and legal fees on top of any wage shortfall.
Medical Bills, Debt Collection, and Insurance Coverage
Healthcare providers now have to give patients clear, itemized bills and wait a set period before turning unpaid accounts over to collection agencies. That pause gives you time to set up a payment plan or dispute an error before the debt hits your credit. Hospitals must also disclose their financial assistance policies to every patient, not just those who ask, so that fee waivers and subsidies are on the table before a bill goes to collections.
On the insurance side, health plans sold in Virginia face updated mandates on contraceptive coverage and behavioral health services, aimed at cutting out-of-pocket costs for preventative care and putting mental health on equal footing with physical care. Insurers have to update benefit summaries so policyholders can see the coverage they are entitled to.