Virginia Legislature approves Del. Martinez bill to revise unemployment law and boost benefits

Legislation introduced by State Del. Marty Martinez has advanced, seeking to revise Virginia’s unemployment statutes by raising weekly benefit levels and updating benefit tables after winning approval from both chambers, the Virginia State House reports.

The bill was approved in both chambers and officially enrolled as of March 30, 2026, receiving a 61-35 vote in the House and a 21-19 decision in the Senate.

Filed as HB1320 on Jan. 16, 2026, during the regular session, the bill was summarized by the state legislature as: “Unemployment benefits; increase weekly benefit amount.”

Below is an overview, based on the actual bill text, including interpretation to help clarify its key elements.

Essentially, the bill revises Virginia’s unemployment framework by providing higher weekly benefits, replacing prior benefit tables with updated ones that offer increased payments. It continues to base calculations on a worker’s highest two earning quarters within the base period. The law creates various benefit tables for claims submitted between 2008 and January 1, 2026, followed by a new table that applies as of the earlier of six weeks after the bill’s effective date or July 1, 2026. Set as an emergency measure, the bill is slated to take effect immediately, with projections indicating it will lower the solvency level of the Unemployment Trust Fund over eight years, while employer tax effects remain uncertain.

During the House vote, 61 Democrats supported the bill, while 35 Republicans opposed it.

In the Senate, 21 Democrats favored the bill, and 19 Republicans voted against it.

The sponsors included Del. Marty Martinez (Democrat-29th District), Sen. Adam P. Ebbin (Democrat-39th District), and Del. Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democrat-5th District), as well as three additional co-sponsors.

Martinez earned a BS from Portland State University in 1986.

A Democrat, Martinez was elected to the Virginia State House in 2024, representing the 29th House district, succeeding former representative Bill Wiley.

In Virginia, the legislative process starts with a bill being introduced in either the House of Delegates or the Senate before it is sent to relevant committees for review and possible changes. If a committee approves it, the bill goes to the floor of each chamber for debate and a vote. If both chambers pass the legislation, it is sent to the governor, who may sign it, veto it, or let it become law without signing. The Virginia General Assembly meets each year in regular session starting the second Monday in January. Legislators present hundreds of bills every session, but only some become law.

Information in this article was sourced from the Virginia State House. The original data can be accessed here.