Delegate Phil Hernandez

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day!

In the 2026 legislative session, I was proud to:

🔥 Carry landmark legislation to protect workers from extreme heat on the job (making us the first place in the South to do so!)

💰 Serve as Chief Co-patron on legislation to raise the minimum wage and end the Jim Crow era loophole excluding farmworkers.

❤️ Co-patron legislation creating Virginia's first-ever Paid Family & Medical Leave program, covering up to 80% of wages during times of protected leave, including the birth of a child.

🩺 Co-patron legislation guaranteeing paid sick days to more workers across the Commonwealth.

09/01/2026

This is the biggest energy news in Virginia in 2026: a proposal that would make NextEra the largest utility in the world by acquiring Dominion Energy. I'll have lots more to say on this, but for now:

Such a merger, if approved, would impact millions of Virginians. The public absolutely deserves a fair chance to weigh in, not just in Richmond, but everywhere Dominion serves.

I sent a letter to the State Corporation Commission today asking them to hold in-person hearings across Dominion's entire service territory. That's not a favor. That's the minimum for a decision this size.

08/31/2026

One of the best parts of being a legislator: knowing what started as a bill idea is now a law that will protect Virginians.

Today I got to visit the Norfolk office of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry and sit down with Commissioner Jim Frederick and his team. We talked through where things stand on implementing heat stress protections (my HB 1092 was signed by the Governor this year, making us the first state in the South to pass these protections!) and the other work they're doing every day to keep Virginians safe on the job.

08/21/2026

I'm looking forward to this timely conversation about energy policy in Virginia and, in particular, policy changes that can help to lower costs for families. Join Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi and members from our 757 delegation on September 8th at The Slover Library.

08/14/2026

Who's excited about another new business coming to our community? Me! Hopefully you are, too! Look forward to welcoming The Bakehouse at Chelsea soon!

08/13/2026

Always a pleasure to be in Staunton for a board meeting of the Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind! Grateful for how well this school serves students from all across the Commonwealth. 🤟🏽

08/11/2026

A tour of the Garden of Tomorrow at Norfolk Botanical Garden left me feeling inspired!

This is a world-class facility that I'm so proud to have in our city. Yes, it features incredibly rare plants from around the globe, including some that are nearly extinct! But it will also showcase art (the glass collection is next level), create space for music performances, tell the fuller history of the NBG, and serve as a place to learn and grow with dedicated classrooms on site.

Excited for the grand opening later this year! Congratulations to Peter Schmidt and the entire NBG team.

08/10/2026

Spent time today at the Harry E. Diezel Fire Training Center in Virginia Beach, and I left so impressed!

Watched a live fire demo and a group of recruits gearing up under the sun, working hard to prepare and learn. This is the pipeline that keeps Norfolk and Hampton Roads safe!

Grateful to the folks who do this every day, and to the ones training to join them. Thanks for having me out this morning!

08/07/2026

One of the most satisfying aspects of public service is seeing both the implementation and impact of legislation.

In 2025, I passed a consumer protection bill overhauling Virginia's approach to unclaimed property. We called it the "Cash Now Act" and it's helped the Treasury Department return record-setting amounts of money to people across the Commonwealth.

"The Department of Treasury recently posted on Facebook that they have shattered previous records. According to data provided by the Department of Treasury, the state paid out $159 million across 160,000 claims in fiscal year 2026 — a massive jump from the $59 million paid out just four years ago."

To see if you have any unclaimed property, you can check out the following site: https://www.vamoneysearch.gov/

The Virginia Department of Treasury is currently holding $4.4B in unclaimed property belonging to the public. Thanks to recent changes, it is getting easier for Virginians to get their money back.

08/07/2026