GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2021
Should every school have a police officer?
Legislation that would require every public school in Virginia to have a full-time police officer on duty is expected to come before House and Senate committees this week. Sen. Bill DeSteph and Del. Karen Greenhalgh, both Republicans from Virginia Beach, filed matching bills in the Senate and House of Delegates that would require each school district […]
Top Northam administration officials say state should not forbid new fossil fuel plants
In a New Year’s Day letter to Gov. Ralph Northam, two top Virginia officials recommended that the General Assembly not forbid any new carbon-emitting power plants “at this time,” saying that the state can meet its ambitious decarbonization goals without a moratorium. “The 2045 carbon-free electricity generation goal can be met through existing natural gas […]
Trump EPA head, coal lobbyist tapped as Virginia’s environmental chief
Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin announced Trump EPA chief and former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler as his pick for Virginia’s next secretary of natural and historic resources. “Virginia needs a diverse energy portfolio in place to fuel our economic growth, continued preservation of our natural resources, and a comprehensive plan to tackle rising sea levels,” said […]
How far can Youngkin’s school-choice push go?
Education has been the number one priority for Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, both on the campaign trail and as he prepares his transition to the Executive Mansion in Richmond. Youngkin promised to boost teacher pay and rebuild crumbling facilities, keep schools open throughout the ongoing pandemic and eradicate “critical race theory” from the classroom. Budgets come […]
Fluctuating work week: the devil’s in the details
By Kim Bobo Late one night during the General Assembly’s special session this month, when the Senate was working on its budget amendments, senators approved Amendment 132 offered by Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin, by voice vote, which usually means it is not expected to be a close vote. The amendment was described as simply conforming […]
Virginia lawmakers already discussing speeding up retail marijuana sales
Virginia lawmakers are already discussing speeding up the three-year delay between marijuana legalization last month and the beginning of retail sales. “We have legalized the use of marijuana, but we have not legalized the actual purchase of marijuana,” said Del. Paul Krizek, D-Alexandria, during the inaugural meeting Tuesday of the legislature’s Joint Commission on Cannabis […]
Virginia Democrats reshape Court of Appeals with eight new appointments
Virginia Democrats quadrupled the number of Black judges and doubled the number of women on the state’s Court of Appeals with the election of eight new judges Tuesday. Members of the party said the selections would make the court the most diverse in the state’s history. “I think it’s important that when individuals look at […]
Budget includes $120 million in additional utility assistance
Another round of utility assistance is poised to be directed toward Virginia residents who have struggled to keep their lights on and water running during the COVID-19 pandemic even as the end of a statewide moratorium on disconnections nears. On late Friday, lawmakers in the House of Delegates and Senate reached a deal after a […]
‘It’s not enough:’ Anti-gun violence money in Va. relief package falls far short of requests
The pandemic relief spending plan crafted by Democratic leaders includes $5 million for community-based gun violence prevention initiatives, an amount that falls far short of the $37 million advocacy groups had suggested. The original proposal was only $2.5 million. Legislators decided to double that in budget negotiations late last week, an apparent nod to the […]
Facing pressure from lawmakers, DMV says it’s still not ready to resume walk-in service
A year and a half into the pandemic, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is still operating on an appointment-only basis. Some state lawmakers, angered by wait times that can last months, say it’s time for that to change. “I get complaints all the time about DMV and people not being able to get in,” […]
Virginia Democrats meet in private to choose finalists for eight Court of Appeals appointments
Democrats in the Virginia House and Senate met privately Wednesday to choose finalists for eight open positions on the Virginia Court of Appeals, prompting GOP lawmakers to accuse the party of breaking tradition by holding secret group interviews. “I can’t think of a single instance in which we’ve had a judicial candidate come and appear […]
The Va. House GOP came up with a spending plan. It lasted 2 minutes.
Republicans in the Virginia House of Delegates offered their own proposal Tuesday for how to spend billions in federal rescue funds, floating a plan they said would ban door-to-door vaccination campaigns, give $5,000 bonuses to every police officer in the state and limit how students are taught about race and discrimination. After a two-minute floor […]