2026 SPECIAL SESSION I

INTRODUCED

26200418D

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 4001

Offered October 21, 2026

Encouraging the Governor to take measures to alleviate financial strain on citizens of the Commonwealth.

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Patrons—DeSteph, Diggs, Craig and Sturtevant

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Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations

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WHEREAS, across the Commonwealth, Virginians are experiencing significant financial strain as the costs of everyday necessities continue to rise; and

WHEREAS, steadily increasing grocery prices have left Virginians paying more week by week for the same basic goods and essentials, or else stretching their food budget by buying fewer or lower-quality items; and

WHEREAS, increasing fuel costs in 2026 place a heavy burden on Virginians who rely on their vehicles to commute to work, go to school, attend medical appointments, and meet day-to-day obligations; meanwhile, soaring diesel prices are increasing the costs of transporting goods throughout the Commonwealth, ultimately resulting in high prices for food and other essential goods; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative places an additional direct economic burden on Virginians, with Dominion Energy projecting a potential increase of $13 per month on residential customers' electricity bills; and

WHEREAS, easing the financial burden of affording basic everyday necessities is essential to the health, stability, and well-being of Virginia's families and communities; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Governor be encouraged to take measures to alleviate financial strain on citizens of the Commonwealth. In so doing, the Governor is encouraged to take executive action to:

1. Eliminate the one percent local sales and use tax imposed on food purchased for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products, commonly known as the grocery tax;

2. Suspend, until July 1, 2027, the statewide motor fuel tax and the tax on alternative fuel, commonly known as the gas tax; and

3. Withdraw the Commonwealth from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the Governor, requesting that the Governor further disseminate copies of this resolution to her constituents so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.