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General Assembly

Virginia State Capitol. Courtesy Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
Jan 28, 2020

Could Democratic General Assembly repeal Va.’s right-to-work laws?

Buoyed by the Virginia legislature’s new Democratic majority, bills to repeal Virginia’s right-to-work laws have the greatest chance of making it to the governor‘s desk in a generation, predict political scientists. “I think it absolutely will [get repealed], but it will be a big fight,” says Elsie Harper-Anderson, director of the Ph.D. program in public […]

Jan 27, 2020

More than 30 Va. employers send letter to lawmakers asking for LGBTQ protections

More than 30 Virginia employers — including Altria Group Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Capital One Financial Corp. and Dominion Energy — on Monday sent a letter to Virginia lawmakers asking for comprehensive lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) nondiscrimination protections. The letter addressed to House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, and Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw[...]

Liberty University Freedom Tower
Jan 26, 2020

Liberty University slams Northam’s proposed cut to online tuition aid

Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposal to cut Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG) aid for online students would negatively impact more than 2,000 students per year at Liberty University alone, the state’s largest university by enrollment stated in a news release issued Friday. Currently being considered by the new Democratic-majority General Assembly, the governor‘s proposed budget c[...]

pride flag
Jan 25, 2020

Subcommittee advances bill prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination

RICHMOND — A General Assembly subcommittee advanced a bill Thursday that would prevent discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, public accommodations, employment and credit applications. Lawmakers suggested expanding the focus of a bill introduced by Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Richmond, that would update the Virginia Fair Housing act to prevent […]

Jan 23, 2020

Bill defining milk aims to give dairy farmers supermarket advantage

RICHMOND, Va. — As people drink less dairy milk and some turn to plant-based alternatives such as oat, soy and almond milk, dairy farmers say they’re struggling. That’s why Virginia is the latest state to advance legislation restricting the use of the word milk for marketing purposes. Del. Barry Knight, R-Virginia Beach, introduced House Bill […]

Pamunkey Resort and Casino - Richmond
Jan 17, 2020

Pamunkey Tribe proposes $350M casino in Richmond

Updated at 4 p.m. Friday The Pamunkey Indian Tribe has proposed a $350 million, 275-room resort hotel and casino in Richmond, the tribe announced Friday as the Virginia House of Delegates considers legislation to allow the Pamunkey to pursue commercial gaming in Norfolk and Richmond. The resort will include a four-diamond hotel tower with a […]

Barriers were erected at the Virginia State Capitol the week before an anticipated pro-gun rights rally Jan. 20.
Jan 16, 2020

Court upholds Northam’s firearms ban for Capitol rally

Richmond Circuit Court Judge Joi Taylor issued a ruling Thursday upholding Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam‘s executive order to temporarily ban firearms from the grounds of the Virginia State Capitol in advance of a Jan. 20 pro-gun rights rally expected to draw tens of thousands of protesters. Northam had issued a state of emergency following what […]

Members gather before the first meeting for the House of Delegates Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation.
Jan 16, 2020

House committee tackles consumer protections and cybersecurity

RICHMOND, Va. — In one of the more modern meeting rooms at the over two centuries old State Capitol, 22 lawmakers gather on Mondays to confront the increasing cybersecurity threats looming over Virginia residents. This session the House Committee on Communications, Technology and Innovation will consider a variety of issues, including managing data in an […]

Equal Rights Amendment supporters gathered to greet legislators Wednesday afternoon at the Virginia State Capitol. (Alexandra Zernik, VCU Capital News Service)
Jan 15, 2020

‘The end is in sight’: ERA moves closer to ratification in Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. — Resolutions to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment swiftly passed the General Assembly Wednesday. The House version passed 59-41 and the Senate bill cleared with a 28-12 vote. The next step will be for each resolution to pass the other chamber, sometime in February. “As the House sponsor of the bill, it is […]

Del. Lee Ware
Jan 7, 2020

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 […]

Jan 7, 2020

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[...]

Jan 6, 2020

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 […]

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