Virginia’s General Assembly is the legislative body of the state. The General Assembly’s responsibilities include reviewing and passing or rejecting bills and laws, approving the state budget, levying taxes, and confirming appointments by the Governor. The General Assembly is a bicameral legislature, and consists of elected officials from the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia.

House and Senate meetings typically occur in the General Assembly Building and Capitol Building extension. Daily floor sessions are held in the respective chambers on the second floor of the Capitol Building.

The General Assembly Building is located at 201 North 9th Street Richmond, VA, 23219 and is open weekdays from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Non-credentialed lobbyists, media, and members of the public can enter at the Broad Street Entrance. During Legislative Sessions, the General Assembly Building will open at 6:00 AM.

You can find out who your legislators are by using the Virginia General Assembly’s “Who’s My Legislator?” service.

VCN’s bill tracker shares the positions and talking points of bills supported or opposed by Virginia’s conservation community.

You can find all of the General Assembly’s legislation on the Legislative Information Services (LIS) website.

Before, during, or after the legislative session, you can find the phone numbers, emails, and office addresses for your Senator HERE and your Delegate HERE. Using this information, you can schedule a meeting with your legislator. During Session, it is often quicker to call your legislator’s Capitol office number to request a meeting.

When calling: state who you are, if you are a constituent, why you want to meet. Most importantly, be friendly. You may also need to follow up by calling back or sending an email.

These meetings are brief, so you should narrow your argument down to a few key points . If you have multiple people attending, make sure everyone has a role during the meeting. During the meeting, focus on tying your particular issue to a story and real individuals in your legislator’s district. Personalizing your argument will make it more memorable for your Legislator.

Keep it short – a minute or two at the most. Additionally, finish with a specific ask. You don’t want to merely ask your legislator to “support conservation initiatives” or something else vague. Have a yes or no question prepared. For example, “Will you support/introduce/sponsor legislation to fund the Chesapeake Bay cleanup?” Most importantly, be friendly and cordial throughout the meeting!

After you meet with your legislator, follow up with an email, letter, or even a card thanking your legislator for their time. You should stay in contact with your legislator by sending a thank you for positive action, a gentle reminder for neutral action, and a friendly (as possible) show of disappointment for negative action. 

Always remember that by keeping in touch with your legislator regarding your priority issues, you are doing them a favor. State and local legislators do not hear from their constituents as often as you might imagine, so your request and your persistence will stand out and remind them of the important work that needs to be done in their district.