Bipartisan bill seeks to demonopolize state electric energy market
State Dels. Mark Keam, D-Fairfax, and Lee Ware, R-Powhatan, held a press conference Tuesday to announce a bipartisan legislative effort to demonopolize Virginia‘s electric energy market. The Virginia Energy Reform Act — which does not yet have a bill number —would establish a competitive market for electricity retailers; require monopoly electric utilities to cease business […]
State Democrats unveil 2020 legislative agenda
Gov. Ralph Northam and the leaders of the state legislature’s new Democratic majority unveiled their 11-point ‘Virginia 2020 Plan’ for the General Assembly session that begins Wednesday. House Speaker-designee Eileen Filler-Corn, incoming Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw, incoming House Majority Leader Charniele Herring and incoming Senate Caucus Chair Mamie Locke announced t[...]
Northam proposes Election Day state holiday
Gov. Ralph Northam announced legislative proposals on Monday to allow early voting during the 45-day period before an election and to make Election Day a state holiday by abolishing the state’s longstanding Lee-Jackson Day, which honors the birthdays of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. Virginia currently requires voters who wish to […]
Poll finds voters support many Democratic agenda items
A poll conducted by Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center for Public Policy finds strong support for several legislative items supported by the General Assembly‘s incoming Democratic majority, ranging from increasing firearms restrictions to raising the minimum wage. “This survey suggests there’s pent-up demand among voters for a lot of the Democrats‘ policy agend[...]
Northam proposes $1.2B investment in K-12 education
Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposed budget includes a $1.2 billion investment in K-12 education, he announced Monday. The budget includes the largest increase for at-risk schools in Virginia history, Northam said. It would also raise teacher salaries by 3%, fund additional school counselors and new staff supports for English language learners and makes flexible funds available […]