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Bills advance to facilitate COVID-19 vaccine distribution
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia House and Senate have unanimously advanced separate bills to facilitate administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. House Bill 2333, introduced by Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Richmond, intends to strengthen the state’s vaccine distribution efforts and also bolster data collection. The measure removes barriers on health care providers’ eligibility to administer v[...]
Chase censured for ‘conduct unbecoming of a senator’ in bipartisan vote
With the support of Republicans and Democrats, the Virginia State Senate on Wednesday censured Sen. Amanda Chase, R- Chesterfield County, for “failure to uphold her oath of office, misuse of office and conduct unbecoming of a senator” based on a laundry list of controversies extending over the past two years. In a 24-9 vote, with […]
‘Pattern of unacceptable conduct’: Focus of Chase censure changes
A newly reworded resolution to censure state Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield County, seeks to place the ardent Trump supporter and gubernatorial hopeful last in seniority “for failure to uphold her oath of office, misuse of office and conduct unbecoming of a senator.” It no longer seeks censure “for fomenting insurrection,” as a previous version read. […]
Chase apologizes to Va. Senate ‘if I offended any one of you’; censure still in play
Updated Jan. 24 In a bid to avoid becoming the first state senator censured since 1986, state Sen. Amanda Chase on Friday apologized to her Senate colleagues, saying she was sorry “if I offended any one of you.” Her words were not enough to avoid censure, the chief patron of the censure resolution said in […]
Chase stripped of last committee assignment in Senate
A resolution to censure state Sen. Amanda Chase moved forward Tuesday, and the embattled Republican from Chesterfield County also was stripped of her last committee assignment, although not without objections. Chase left the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus in 2019 after Sen. Thomas K. Norment Jr., R-James City, was re-elected as the Senate party leader. At […]
Va. Senate considers censuring Sen. Amanda Chase
State Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, faces censure after a Democratic colleague filed a resolution Thursday alleging that Chase “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against the U.S. Constitution when she participated in the pro-Trump rally Jan. 6 that led to the violent takeover of the U.S. Capitol. The resolution has been sent to the Democratic-controlled Senate […]
Northam warns extremists with “ill intent” to avoid Richmond
Speaking at a news conference Thursday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued a warning to anyone “with ill intent in your heart” to abandon their plans to come to Richmond as part of an armed protest of the state legislature. The governor said the state government is prepared for security concerns around the General Assembly‘s annual […]
General Assembly will see limited in-person gatherings, higher security for 2021 Lobby Day
A federal judge said Friday that a dispute over the scheduled closing of the Pocahontas Building, the temporary offices for delegates and state senators during the General Assembly session, has been settled. In December, Virginia state Sen. Bill DeSteph, R-Virginia Beach, sued Senate Rules Committee Chair Sen. Mamie E. Locke, D-Hampton, who announced that the […]
Short and … sweet?
Even before the pandemic and ensuing recession took hold in Virginia, 2020 already had the makings for a novel year in the General Assembly. Having won majorities in both houses in the November 2019 elections, Democrats took back full control of the legislature for the first time in a generation. With Gov. Ralph Northam in […]
Northam proposes $240M for pandemic response
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise and frontline medical workers receive the first vaccine doses, Gov. Ralph Northam called on the General Assembly to allocate $240 million toward pandemic response in his proposed budget amendments released Wednesday. “The budget I present today preserves our focus on flexibility, targeted investments and help for Virginians. While we […]
Richmond to select casino operator, site in summer 2021
The city of Richmond intends to select a resort casino site and operator in summer 2021, according to an announcement from Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney released Tuesday. The Virginia General Assembly earlier this year passed a law authorizing resort casinos to operate in each of five economically challenged cities, including Richmond. For the project to […]
Northam proposes voter protection reform
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a national wave of mail delays, Gov. Ralph Northam on Tuesday proposed a $2 million allocation for prepaid return postage on absentee ballots, drop-off boxes and drop-off locations for mail-in ballots, as well as a process through which voters can correct their ballots to expand access to voting for the […]
