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Bills advance to protect state employees who access medical cannabis
RICHMOND, Va. — State lawmakers have advanced bills that would allow public sector employees to use medical cannabis without losing their job. House Bill 149, introduced by Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, extends to state public employees rights that already exist in the private sector. The bill passed with bipartisan support on a 78-20 vote. Helmer […]
Bills to cap rent increases don’t advance this session
RICHMOND, Va. — State lawmakers did not advance legislation this session that aimed to slow rising rent prices, although affordable housing remains a big concern for constituents. Two proposed bills would have allowed localities to adopt anti-rent gouging provisions, prevent landlords from increasing rent without at least two-month notice, and set an annual allowance […]
Why Alexandria’s new entertainment district is everyone’s business
As lawmakers negotiate the future of a $2 billion deal to build a new entertainment district in Alexandria, leaders across public and private sectors in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region are weighing the potential benefits. Without discounting concerns of local residents, I would like to present how this entertainment district will help Northern Virginia’s future growth and […]
House advances bill to ensure state minimum wage for migrant workers
RICHMOND, Va. — Lawmakers were split over a House bill to guarantee a state minimum wage for thousands of Virginia farm and migrant workers, with debate around the housing costs often included in the wage. Del. Adele McClure, D-Arlington, introduced House Bill 157, which passed the House last month on a party line vote. The measure would […]
Saving grace
When Del. Don L. Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, was sworn in on Jan. 10 as the first Black speaker of the house in the Virginia legislature‘s 405-year history, he also was likely the first leader of that illustrious body to have served time in federal prison. Reminiscent of the literary trials of Jean Valjean, Scott’s is […]
A fair share
Virginia’s first Black governor says it’s past time for the state’s historically Black colleges and universities to receive their fair share of the pie. Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder, a Virginia Union University alumnus, jokes that he has been advocating for increased state funding for Virginia HBCUs “for about a hundred years.” The Biden administration […]
After long delay, Va. lawmakers appoint two SCC judges
The Virginia General Assembly unanimously elected two attorneys to fill two vacancies on the Virginia State Corporation Commission on Wednesday, after more than a year of understaffing and partisan battles. State senators and delegates voted 40-0 and 98-0, respectively, to approve the nominations of Kelsey Bagot, a former legal adviser with the Federal Energy Regulatory […]
Fairfax, Petersburg could hold casino referendums
Two pending Virginia State Senate bills would change the list of locations eligible to host a casino, adding Petersburg and Fairfax County to the mix and removing Richmond. On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology’s gaming subcommittee met to discuss these and other measures regarding skill games, sports betting and horse racing. […]
Wizards, Capitals plan Alexandria move in $2B deal
The Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards are planning a move to a new home in Alexandria in a $2 billion deal that would see the professional sports franchises exit Washington, D.C., by 2028, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Dec. 13, 2023. The nonbinding agreement to build a new arena for the Capitals and Wizards is […]
Back in the saddle again
The political version of musical chairs — aka the 2024 General Assembly session — begins again in Richmond this month, as legislative control shifts once again to Democrats, who won majorities in the House of Delegates and the state Senate in the November 2023 elections. Nevertheless, a 6-foot-5-inch Republican roadblock stands in the way of […]
Wizards, Capitals plan move to Alexandria in $2B deal
The Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards are planning a move across the Potomac River to a new home in Alexandria in a $2 billion deal that would see the professional sports franchises exit Washington, D.C., by 2028, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced early Wednesday. The nonbinding agreement to build a new arena for the Capitals […]
Pot of gold
Placing aside the morality of marijuana use, let’s consider how much money Virginia is currently leaving on the table without a regulated, taxed recreational cannabis market. In 2020, directed by the Virginia General Assembly, which was then under Democratic control, the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission conducted a study on legalizing marijuana in Virginia. […]
