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Va. to establish trade office in Taiwan
Virginia will establish a trade office in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday morning after meeting with that country’s president, Tsai Ing-wen. Youngkin’s meeting with Taiwan’s president came during the governor’s first international trade mission, during which he will also stop in Seoul, South Korean and Tokyo throughout the remainder of A[...]
Governor would delay subminimum wage ban for disabled workers
RICHMOND, Va. ‒ Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently recommended the General Assembly accept an amended version of a bill that ends the practice of paying subminimum wage to certain Virginia workers with disabilities. A certificate exemption under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to determine pay for disabled workers based on a productivity calculation […]
Youngkin to meet with Taiwan’s president
Amid rising tensions with China, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on his first international trade mission this month. Youngkin will travel to Taipei City, Taiwan; Tokyo; and Seoul, South Korea, from April 24 to April 29, according to a Tuesday news release. “I’m excited to represent the commonwealth in […]
Is ESG another CRT?
In January, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares joined a group of 24 other state attorneys general in challenging a U.S. Department of Labor rule allowing fiduciaries to consider environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria such as climate change in making investment decisions for retirement funds. The AGs argued that ESG practices work against investment […]
Housing reform bills saw mixed success in General Assembly
Legislative efforts to tackle spiking eviction notices, housing and utility costs were mostly shot down during the Virginia General Assembly session. Almost 193,000 eviction filings have been made in Virginia since March 2020. The monthly-updated data comes from the Princeton Eviction Lab, a group that makes nationwide eviction data public to increase awareness about housing, […]
Bills to ensure workers paid sick days failed in Va. House
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia General Assembly did not pass legislation this session to ensure paid sick days for employees, despite strong public support. A 2021 study by Christopher Newport University found almost 90% of people surveyed support paid sick leave. Both House and Senate versions of the bill updated the current law that state […]
House lawmakers stifle creative entrepreneurs fund
RICHMOND, Va. — Creativity should be valued as an important part of the Virginia economy, said the state lawmaker behind legislation to create the Virginia Creative Economy Grant Program. Del. Jackie Glass, D-Norfolk, introduced House Bill 2376 to establish a dedicated funding source for grant awards no more than $20,000 each to independent content creators […]
Second Petersburg casino bill dies in Senate committee
Updated Friday, Feb. 17 Petersburg voters won’t get an opportunity to approve a casino this fall, and Richmond may get a second chance to vote on a casino referendum in 2023, state legislators decided Thursday in a 10-6 vote. However, the matter could come down to last-minute state budget negotiations. The Virginia State Senate’s Finance […]
It’s official — Ford plant going to Michigan
Ford Motor Co. announced Monday that it will build an electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, a $3.5 billion project that Virginia was considered for until Gov. Glenn Youngkin pulled the state out of it late last year. Youngkin’s concern, he said in January, was over the involvement of China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. (CATL), […]
Petersburg casino bill passes Va. House
The Virginia House of Delegates narrowly passed a bill Tuesday that would allow Petersburg residents to vote on a casino referendum this fall. The legislation moves next to the Virginia State Senate, where a similar bill died in committee. Del. Kim Taylor, R-Dinwiddie, sponsored HB 1373, which passed 49-44 in the full House vote, with […]
Morrissey’s Petersburg casino bill fails in Senate Finance
Updated Friday, Feb. 3 With an 7-8 no vote Thursday evening, the Virginia Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee killed state Sen. Joe Morrissey’s measure to bring a casino referendum to Petersburg’s ballots this fall. A similar bill in the House of Delegates, however, is still alive. A few days after receiving support from the Senate […]
Members only
Credit unions in Virginia would like to grow their membership, but a rule change relaxing the state’s policy is not in the cards this spring. This year’s short General Assembly session — in an election year with a split legislature — makes it harder to pass bills with any controversial elements, and any major expansion […]
