NFIB State Director Julia Hammond says the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization is launching a statewide radio, newspaper, and digital advertising campaign in Virginia, urging the General Assembly to protect the state’s small business community from higher costs, harmful mandates, and policies that threaten jobs and opportunity.

The campaign directs Virginians to ProtectVirginiaSmallBusiness.org, where small business owners and the communities they serve can learn more about key issues under consideration in Richmond and send a message to their lawmakers.

“Small businesses are already dealing with high prices and economic uncertainty,” Hammond said. “Now, lawmakers are debating proposals that would raise costs, limit flexibility, and make it harder for Main Street businesses to survive and grow. This campaign is about reminding legislators that their decisions have real consequences for local employers and the communities they serve.”

During the 2026 General Assembly, NFIB is urging lawmakers to focus on several key issues:

Preserving Right-to-Work

Right-to-work protects worker choice by ensuring no one is forced to join or pay a union to keep a job. NFIB warns that repealing Virginia’s right-to-work law would reduce flexibility for both employers and employees and could discourage job creation, particularly among the Commonwealth’s more than 880,000 small businesses. Right-to-work has been a key factor in Virginia’s strong business climate and continued economic growth.

Energy Costs

Affordable energy is essential for small businesses. Lawmakers are debating bills that would expand a carbon trading program for power generation, requiring producers to purchase carbon allowances through state-run auctions. NFIB warns these added costs would be passed directly to consumers through higher electricity bills, increasing expenses for restaurants, manufacturers, farms, and other energy-dependent small businesses.

One-Size-Fits-All Mandates