Bipartisan Legislators Encourage Governor to Unite Virginia by Signing the Save Local Pharmacies Act

Charlottesville, VA – Today, Delegates Katrina Callsen, Terry Kilgore and Otto Wachsmann and Senator Aaron Rouse released the following statement encouraging Governor Glenn Youngkin to sign the Save Local Pharmacies Act:

Delegate Katrina Callsen: “As legislators from across Virginia, from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the shores of Hampton Roads, we know that what unites us makes us stronger. One of the most bipartisan unifying bills that the General Assembly passed this year was the Save Local Pharmacies Act. The act passed the House 95-2 and the Senate unanimously.

“This act is a mandate from the General Assembly to the people of Virginia. We care about your local pharmacy. We care about your access to local health care services. We care about your community, and we want to make sure you stay healthy and strong. That’s why we are calling on Governor Youngkin to join with 135 Delegates and Senators, and sign the Save Local Pharmacies Act.”

Delegate Terry Kilgore: “Coming from the far southwestern corner of Virginia—where we border both Tennessee and West Virginia—we know that local pharmacies are more than just places to pick up medication or health supplies. They’re cornerstones of our communities.

“When I worked alongside my fellow Delegates and Senators on this bill, we knew this wasn’t a partisan issue or a regional one—it was about ensuring access to pharmacies for every Virginian.

“I’m proud to have served as one of the original Chief Co-Patrons of this legislation, not just for the pharmacies in my own district, but for the hometown pharmacies in communities all across the Commonwealth.

“This was one of those rare moments in the General Assembly where broad, bipartisan support carried the day. The near-unanimous vote should send a clear message to Governor Youngkin: Virginians value their local pharmacies, and we want them to survive and thrive. I urge him to sign the bill into law by Friday.”

Senator Aaron Rouse: “When I’m out talking with people in Virginia Beach and across the Commonwealth, I hear the same question over and over: Why does it feel like nothing ever gets done? And I get it, people are frustrated. But this year, we showed what’s possible when we put politics aside and put people first. We passed the Save Local Pharmacies Act and that’s a big deal.

"This bill wasn’t about red or blue, urban or rural. It was about doing what’s right for Virginians — all Virginians. Because whether you live in Virginia Beach, out in Abingdon, or somewhere in between, your local pharmacy matters. It’s where you pick up your prescriptions, where you talk to someone you trust about your health, where community lives.

"The Save Local Pharmacies Act makes sure our pharmacies stay open, stay strong and keep serving our communities. Now, it’s time for Governor Youngkin to step up and finish the job. Governor — you’ve got the ball. Virginians are watching. Let’s do what we were elected to do: work together, deliver results, and get this signed into law.”

Delegate H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr. PharmD: “As a pharmacist and former owner of a family pharmacy that served patients who relied on Medicaid, I understand the value a pharmacist can provide in rural areas of our state. Access to a pharmacist is more than just being able to get much needed medications in a timely manner. It is having someone contact their doctor when something goes wrong. It includes having someone reassure the patient they are taking their medication correctly. It is having someone help the patient navigate insurance challenges so they can get their medicine or be told they need to see their doctor, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant when necessary.

"We need this legislation for the state to have one transparent agent that pays our pharmacies for prescriptions which do not operate pharmacies of their own. We need to stop the growing number of pharmacy deserts across the state and save our state money like has already been done in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. While it is too late for so many of my pharmacist colleagues and many of our patients to keep their pharmacies, we need this legislation to ensure patients in our rural communities across Virginia have the access to the medical care they deserve.”

The deadline for the Governor to act on the legislation is May 2, 2025.