NVRC Policy Watch 2026: Understanding the Decisions That Affect Our Community
We hope you find this resource useful. View it at your leisure, and then feel free to ask any questions or make any comments about it below. We actively monitor these resources, and will try to answer any questions you have about it. We hope to engage in a productive discussion here to increase the utility of these resources.
About this Resource
On July 29, NVRC hosted Policy Watch 2026: Laws, Budgets, and Decisions Affecting the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community, bringing together community members, advocates, and partners for a conversation about the policies shaping our daily lives.
From Virginia’s new Open Caption Law taking effect July 1, to changes in local government budgets and community services, the presentation explored how decisions made at the federal, state, and local levels impact access, independence, and inclusion.
Executive Director Darren Marquardt highlighted important policy areas including disability rights protections, employment, healthcare access, technology, aging services, and the importance of community advocacy. Participants also discussed real-world concerns affecting Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, including workplace accommodations, scams targeting vulnerable populations and changes to local services.
One of the key messages of the evening was that policy is not something distant—it affects our everyday experiences. Whether it is accessing healthcare, communicating at work, participating in the community, or finding needed resources, laws and funding decisions shape the opportunities available to us.
“Changes happens when communities stay informed, share their experiences, and work together with decision-makers,” said Marquardt. “When our community shares its experiences, we help shape the policies and decisions that affect our lives.”
NVRC thanks everyone who attended and participated in this important conversation. We look forward to continuing these discussions and keeping our community informed about policies and decisions that affect Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, DeafPlus, and DeafDisabled individuals throughout Northern Virginia.
We hope you found this resource helpful. If you have any questions about it, enter them in the discussion below and we'll try to get you an answer as quickly as we can.