Here are the 10 executive orders Spanberger signed on her first day as governor
Abigail Spanberger sworn in as Virginia’s first female governor, signs executive orders
Virginia marked a historic day as Abigail Spanberger was sworn in as the commonwealth’s first female governor. In her inaugural address, Spanberger struck a unifying tone, calling for cooperation across party lines and pledging to focus on service, accountability and restoring trust in government. Within hours of taking office, Spanberger signed 10 executive orders aimed at setting the tone for her administration, with a focus that includes housing affordability, lowering health care costs and academic excellence. She also emphasized making Virginia more affordable, strengthening public education, expanding access to health care, growing the economy and governing with transparency and respect. Former Gov. Glenn Youngkin delivered farewell remarks highlighting economic projects and education efforts. The Justice Department also filed a lawsuit against Virginia alleging it did not hand over statewide voter data, according to the report.
RICHMOND, VA. - On Saturday, Jan. 17, Virginia swore in its first female governor—Abigail Spanberger.
During her first day on the job, she signed a total of 10 executive orders covering a wide swath of policy issues.
From affordability to housing and public education, Spanberger used Day 1 of her governorship to set the tone for her administration's policy.
Let's delve into what each of these executive orders say.
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General affordability
Executive Order 1
Big picture view:
Executive Order 1 directs the governor's agencies and secretaries across the state to "prepare recommendations on reducing costs for Virginians" in specific policy areas: housing, health care, child care, education, energy and living expenses such as groceries.
The secretaries have 90 days to each prepare a report and then deliver it to Spanberger with "recommendations for changes that may be readily implemented across their departments and agencies," according to the order text.
Health care and housing affordability
WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 10: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) discusses affordability at a press conference on December 10, 2025 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The Republican leaders discussed healthcare plans with a vote regarding a
Executive Order 2
Executive Order 2 also deals with affordability.
This order directs the secretary of health and human resources to create an "Interagency Health Financing Task Force" to "take action to ensure health care affordability for all Virginians," according to the order's text.
Working with the secretary of finance, the state's health commissioner and other agency heads, Spanberger has directed this task force to "create a financing strategy…that maximizes opportunities to leverage federal funds and eliminate duplicative spending to strengthen Virginia's long-term health care infrastructure."
By the numbers:
Health care spending per capita in Virginia was $10,625 in 2023, according to Onpoint Health Data.
Executive Order 3
Executive Order 3 directs multiple state agencies to conduct a review of the permitting and regulation practices that affect housing development throughout the state of Virginia, according to a press release from the governor's office.
According to the Pew Research Center, costs to buy or rent in the Commonwealth are close to an all-time high. The organization estimates that the state faces a shortage of 105,000 homes, and when there are fewer homes to go around, the cost of the available supply goes up.
Strengthening public education
Executive Order 4
Executive Order 4 addresses public education in the state.
The order directs the state's education department to "strengthen core instructional systems in literacy, mathematics, school accountability and assessment," according to a press release.
The order also establishes "expert work groups" that will be tasked with improving the state's implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act, which was passed in 2022 in order to improve the state's literacy outcomes for students, according to the Virginia Department of Education.
Dig deeper:
The order also directs the department to review the School Performance and Support Framework, which the federal Department of Education approved the amendments to last year. Through this review, the department will be tasked with identifying areas where it can better serve Virginia students, according to the governor's office.
Addressing federal workforce reductions
Commuters leave the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, which houses several US Federal Government offices, as they head to a DC Metro station in a lower floor at the end of the work day in Washington, DC, on March 18, 2025. As dra
Executive Order 5
Executive Order 5 establishes an Economic Resiliency Task Force "to coordinate a statewide response to federal workforce reductions, funding cuts, tariffs and immigration impacts," according to a press release.
The force will be tasked with additionally completing "an assessment of federal funding losses or projected losses and recommendations for potential mitigation measures."
The backstory:
Virginia was particularly affected by the Trump administration's cuts to the federal workforce due to the state's proximity to the nation's capital.
The order also directs agencies to further determine how the state intends to deal with changes to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 17: Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signs executive orders after being sworn into office at the Virginia State Capitol January 17, 2026 in Richmond, Virginia. Spanberger is the first woman elected to the Commonwealth
Governing in higher education
Executive Order 6
Executive Order 6 directs the Department of Education and the Secretary of the Commonwealth to "review and evaluate the process for appointing members to public higher education governing boards, per the press release.
This order comes following the resignations of several University of Virginia board members.
After the review is conducted, they are to submit a report with recommendations to Spanberger on potential legislative and policy changes, as well as any changes they believe should be made to appointment terms.
Chief of staff duties
Executive Order 7
Executive Order 7 deals with who in the state of Virginia can declare a state of emergency, in succeeding order, if Spanberger is "unreachable or incapacitated," according to a press release.
The chief of staff, followed by designated cabinet officials, may also activate the Virginia National Guard in these circumstances if deemed necessary.
Executive Order 8
Executive Order 8 "delegates significant planning, budgetary, personnel, and administrative authority" to the chief of staff, although it notes that Spanberger still ultimately reserves "final decision-making power," a press release notes.
The governor's chief of staff will be Bonnie Krenz-Schnurman, whom she has worked with for years.
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 17: Joined by (L-R) mother Eileen Davis, daughters Catherine (2nd L) and Claire (R), Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger (C) is sworn into office by the Honorable William Mims, Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Virg
Establishing equal opportunity
Executive Order 9
Executive Order 9 declares that it is "the firm and unwavering policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia to ensure equal opportunity in all facets of state government," the order's text states. It further prohibits discrimination based on "a broad range of protected characteristics" such as race, sexual orientation and more.
The order further directs state agencies to take "affirmative recruitment measures without lowering standards," per a press release.
Changing law enforcement priorities
Executive Order 10
Executive Order 10 rescinds Executive Order 47, which former Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed last year.
The order directed Virginia law enforcement to deputize themselves for federal immigration enforcement. It also opened up Virginia's jails for federal immigration processing and detention.
The Source: Information above was sourced directly from the text of the executive orders, a press release from Gov. Abigail Spanberger's office, Onpoint Health Data, Pew Research Center, the Virginia Department of Education, The Washington Post, The New York Times and VPM.