Bill to Open Virginia Courts to Class Action Remedies Hits Governor Spanberger’s Desk

April 30, 2026 — Press Release

Advocates Urge Gov. Spanberger to Allow Residents Harmed by Widespread Corporate Wrongdoing to Band Together to Seek Accountability

WASHINGTON – Today, nearly a dozen public interest, civil rights, and consumer organizations urged Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger to allow Virginia consumers to band together and seek accountability in class actions when they are harmed. By signing SB229/HB449, Virginia would join almost every other state in securing this vital protection for its residents. As the cost of living rises and regulations reining in large corporations are pulled back, advocates say now is the time to grant Virginians access to legal remedies. 

“Virginia courthouse doors have been closed to groups of people who have suffered similar losses, such as discrimination, widespread illegal junk fees and charges, and corporate bad actors have been able to skirt responsibility,” said Patrick Crotty, senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center. “By signing this bill, Governor Spanberger will finally ensure that Virginians can bring class actions to hold wrongdoers accountable in Virginia courts.”

When a corporation’s bad behavior is so pervasive that it harms a group of people, individual dispute resolution is often insufficient. Class action lawsuits are the most effective tool in halting systemic and widespread misconduct, deterring harmful behavior, and compensating injured people. Frequently, class actions provide access to remedies for low-income renters, borrowers, and workers who could have never afforded to take their cases to court individually.

Every other state, except Mississippi, recognizes class actions as an essential legal tool and allows individuals to band together to obtain justice and hold corporate wrongdoers accountable.

This bill also modernizes the Virginia Consumer Protection Act (VCPA), a key protection against deceptive business practices. The bill brings the VCPA in line with federal and other state consumer laws with clarifications that improve Virginians’ access to rights and protections.

Advocates warn that a veto would deprive renters, shoppers, and workers of the ability to exercise their rights when corporate bad actors engage in misconduct, including racial and other forms of discrimination, charging abusive junk fees, and invading Virginians’ privacy with wrongful collection and sale of their personal data.

“We urge Governor Spanberger to stand up for ordinary Virginians against predatory businesses and sign SB229/HB449 into law,” said Crotty. “This important legislation will equip Virginia’s working families with the legal tools they need to protect themselves against rising costs and corporate misconduct.”

Related Resources

• Press release: Consumer Advocates Demand Congress End Forced Arbitration, Nov. 10, 2025
• Press release: 99% of Consumers Unaware they are Subject to Forced Arbitration, July 27, 2023
• How to Opt-Out of a Forced Arbitration Clause, July 27, 2023