(The Center Square) – Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed 10 executive orders Saturday on her first day in office, directing reviews of public university governance, executive branch authority, and Virginia’s response to potential federal funding cuts.
The orders, signed at the Virginia State Capitol following Spanberger’s inauguration, cover a range of policy areas, including affordability, education, emergency authority, and law enforcement. Several require commonwealth agencies to submit reports or recommendations to the governor within the coming months.
One of the orders directs a formal review of how members are appointed to governing boards at Virginia’s public colleges and universities. The Department of Education, working with the secretary of the commonwealth, is tasked with examining appointment terms, reappointments, start dates and how appointees are evaluated.
Another directive creates an Economic Resiliency Task Force to help coordinate the commonwealth’s response to potential federal workforce reductions, funding cuts, tariffs and immigration-related impacts. The task force is charged with assessing possible federal funding losses and developing strategies to respond, including reviewing impacts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and identifying ways to support displaced federal workers and contractors.
Spanberger also signed an order directing state agencies to identify ways to reduce costs for Virginians, including in housing, health care, energy, education and child care. Agencies are required to outline potential budgetary, regulatory or policy changes as part of that review.
Housing policy is addressed through a separate order directing a multi-agency review of regulations and permitting practices that affect housing development. That order also establishes a commission tasked with recommending legislative, regulatory, and administrative changes aimed at increasing housing supply in the commonwealth.
Education is one of the areas Spanberger targeted on her first day in office. One executive order directs the Department of Education to focus on strengthening literacy and mathematics instruction in public schools, while beginning work on recommendations outlined in a 2025 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report. The order also calls for a statewide listening tour intended to gather feedback from students, parents, educators and school leaders.
Other executive orders focus on how the executive branch operates day to day.
One order establishes standby authority allowing the governor’s chief of staff or designated cabinet officials to act during emergencies if the governor is unavailable. The order specifies that the governor retains final authority. A separate order formally delegates planning, budgetary, and personnel authority to the chief of staff.
Spanberger also signed an executive order creating a statewide nondiscrimination policy that applies across state government. The policy covers state employment and public services and prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation, or veteran status.
In a separate order signed, Spanberger rescinded Executive Order 47. That order had required and encouraged state and local law enforcement agencies to use state and local resources to assist in enforcing federal civil immigration laws. The rescission states that enforcement of federal civil immigration law is the responsibility of federal authorities and directs state and local agencies to focus on enforcing state and local laws and public safety responsibilities.
Most of the orders include follow-up requirements, with agencies directed to submit reports, reviews, or recommendations in the coming months as Spanberger begins her term and the 2026 General Assembly session continues.
