Roanoke committee adopts 2026 legislative agenda, folds in school priorities after procedural correction

The Roanoke City Legislative Committee voted Monday to adopt the city's 2026 legislative agenda and to include the Roanoke City Public Schools' priorities after correcting a procedural error.

The committee, convened by Vice Mayor Terry Maguire, approved a set of priority requests to be advanced to the city's Richmond delegation and staff. Key items include asking the General Assembly to permit Roanoke to opt into the state inclusionary housing program; increasing the property-value limit for land bank acquisition from $75,000 to $150,000; support for an impact and feasibility study of runway improvements at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport; converting the Virginia Transportation Museum into a state agency; seeking state funding for expansion of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine; a placeholder request for $10 million toward a downtown Amtrak station; and measures to strengthen local authority to protect urban tree canopy and expand solar siting opportunities on impervious surfaces and brownfields.

The committee also endorsed a public-safety priority asking the General Assembly to authorize state funds to assist patients discharged from Level 1 trauma centers who cannot afford transportation home. Preston Bryant, participating on the phone as a legislative liaison, recommended early engagement with the Roanoke-area delegation on items that potentially affect multiple jurisdictions.

Council Member Peter Vollison moved to adopt the committee's legislative agenda with final editorial changes to follow; the motion initially carried. After discussion, the committee rescinded that vote to address a procedural issue related to the school board's priorities and recusal statements filed by two members employed by Roanoke City Public Schools. Vice Mayor Maguire and Council Member Vivian Sanchez Jones each formally stated they would refrain from participating in matters involving the school division and asked that the statements be entered into the meeting minutes, citing Virginia Code section 2.2-3112.

Following the rescind, the committee voted to adopt the city's legislative agenda with the school division's legislative priorities folded in. The final roll call as recorded showed Council Member Hagan voting "nay" and other named members recorded as voting "aye;" the measure passed.

Committee leaders said staff and the city attorney's office will refine bill language and coordinate with legislators before the 2026 session. Members asked that final materials be formatted for handouts and for advocacy in Richmond.

The Roanoke City Council recessed its morning meeting into scheduled closed sessions and will carry the adopted legislative agenda forward to subsequent meetings and to the city's legislative outreach in Richmond.