Tag: 2022 Virginia General Assembly

Virginia Senate Subcommittee Recommends Against Legislation to Provide Medically-Assisted Death for Terminally Ill Patients

Eric Burk

A Virginia Senate subcommittee recommended against a bill that would have allowed terminally ill people to request a medically-assisted death after Senator John Edwards (D-Roanoke City) joined with Republicans in opposition; the bill will still go before the full Senate Education and Health Committee for consideration.

“I know this is a very sensitive issue, but this is an issue about which I’ve heard from so many individuals and families who have requested an option to have control over their final decisions as they reach they end of their life,” SB 930 sponsor Senator Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) said in the Health Professions subcommittee on Friday morning.

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Republicans Want to Untie Virginia’s Vehicle Emissions Laws From California

Eric Burk

Virginia Republicans have introduced several bills to repeal legislation that ties Virginia’s vehicle emissions rules to California’s standards. Republican efforts to repeal Democrat-passed pro-environment legislation failed in the Senate in 2022 and are likely to face the same fate this year, but Republicans are drawing new urgency from a summer 2022 move by California regulators to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035.

“This law, adopted during the two years when Democrats had total control of Virginia’s government, puts unelected bureaucrats from California in charge of our emission standards,” Delegate Kathy Byron (R-Bedford) wrote in a Sunday op-ed in The Richmond Times-Dispatch. “That’s not the worst thing about the new rules. The worst thing is that they just won’t work.”

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Adjusted for Tax Relief, Virginia Revenue Up 8.3 Percent Year-to-Date

Eric Burk

Virginia’s tax revenues four months into Fiscal Year 2023 are down 3.1 percent compared to Fiscal Year 2022, although when adjusted for timing and $250 tax rebates sent to Virginians, revenues are up 8.3 percent compared to the previous year, according to a presentation Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings prepared to share with legislators.

Adjusted for $88 million paid out in October as part of the rebates, Virginia’s October revenues hit a 10.3 percent year-over-year increase, ahead of forecasts.

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Youngkin Touts Transportation Infrastructure Funding, Says He’ll Defend Right to Work

Eric Burk

At the Virginia Governor’s Transportation Conference, Governor Glenn Youngkin touted a mix of federal and state investment in Virginia’s transportation infrastructure in ports, roads, rail, and air infrastructure, and said he’d defend Virginia’s right-to-work laws.

“This year we will have a record level of support for our Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Transportation Fund. That $9 billion includes $3.5 billion in surface transportation capital construction projects. $3.3 billion in keeping and maintaining our highways and our bridges and our tunnels at best-in-class standards. $1.1 billion in keeping rail and transit moving forward. $1 billion in allocation of funds for the regional transportation needs,” he said Thursday.

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2022 Changes Made Virginia’s Tax Policy More Progressive

Eric Burk

Virginia’s tax code is now more progressive than most states, meaning that taxes impact higher income brackets more than lower income brackets, after the General Assembly increased the standard income tax deduction from $4,500 to $8,000 for individuals, and made the Virginia Earned Income Tax Credit 75 percent refundable.

“Taken together, these changes will make Virginia’s income tax 45 percent more progressive than in 2021 (as measured by change in the ‘Suits’ progressivity index, which measures the progressivity of taxes on all income groups), and more progressive than most other states’ income tax,”  a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report states.

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Virginia September Tax Revenues Down, Reflecting Tax Rebates

Eric Burk

Virginia’s September General Fund tax revenues hit nearly $1.9 billion, less than last year’s September revenues of $2.6 billion, but the governor’s office emphasized that the decrease was expected as a result of tax policy changes. Adjusted for those changes, tax revenues were up 10.7 percent year over year.

“Adjusted for the impacts of planned policy actions, including the historic tax rebates of nearly $900 million recently delivered to Virginians, September revenue collection increased more than 10 percent compared to a year ago,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a Friday press release. “September is a typically strong month for revenues, and this year was consistent with that precedent. At the same time, economic data remains mixed, the job market shows stability but the persistent inflation from misguided efforts in Washington continues to be the silent thief stealing more and more from the paychecks of hardworking Virginians.”

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Virginia State Senator and Former Race Car Driver Criticize Top Legislators in Lawsuit for Skill Games Amendment in Budget

Eric Burk

Senator Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) is representing former race car driver Hermie Sadler in a lawsuit over skill games against Governor Glenn Youngkin, Attorney General Jason Miyares, and the Virginia ABC. In an August update to the lawsuit first filed against the previous administration, Sadler criticizes top finance legislators for modifying Virginia’s skill games ban through the budget and says the ban still violates free speech and due process rights.

“[A] select group of budget conferees, including Senator Howell and Delegate Barry Knight schemed to sneak into the delayed budget bill a purported amendment to the enjoined Skill Games Ban,” the updated lawsuit complaint states.

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General Assembly Leaves Vacancy on State Corporation Commission, Senate Republicans Object to Judge with Ties to Loudoun Prosecutor

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — The General Assembly reconvened for one day on Wednesday to elect four judges to circuit, district, and juvenile courts, but didn’t fill a vacancy on the three-member State Corporation Commission. Senate Republicans abstained on one vote to appoint current District Court Judge Matthew Parke Snow to the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court. Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Rockingham) criticized Snow’s links to Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj.

Snow and Biberaj used to practice criminal defense and civil law together in Leesburg. Biberaj has come under fire from Republicans for embracing a progressive prosecutorial philosophy.

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Virginia Republicans Refute Rumor That Reconvened Session Will Include Anti-Abortion Legislation

Eric Burk

The General Assembly will reconvene September 7, which has triggered alarm from pro-choice groups who are worried that Republicans may try to introduce pro-life legislation. But a spokesperson for Governor Glenn Youngkin said that the session will be focused on appointing judges and that Youngkin’s pro-life legislation won’t be introduced until the 2023 session.

“Governor Glenn Youngkin is calling the legislature back to Richmond on September 7, and we have a feeling he will try to sneak an abortion ban through the House of Delegates,” REPRO Rising Virginia tweeted Thursday.

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Youngkin Highlights 100,000 Virginia Jobs-Added Milestone

Eric Burk

Nearly 100,000 more Virginians are employed than at the end of January, a key milestone highlighted by Governor Glenn Youngkin in a Friday press release.

“With 100,000 jobs added since January, we are well ahead of pace to reach our goal of 400,000 jobs during my term. However, the slowdown in monthly job creation and the lower level of job participation have my full attention. We will continue the critical work to return more Virginians to the workforce and will double-down on policies that make Virginia attractive for job growth and business investment,” Youngkin said. “We remain laser-focused on our mission to make Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

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With $3.2 Billion in Excess Cash, Youngkin Setting Aside $397 Million for Tax Relief Proposal in 2023

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — Governor Glenn Youngkin is directing $397 million in excess funds to be set aside for unspecified tax relief in 2023, as Virginia has $3.2 billion in excess cash — $2 billion in unplanned revenues plus Fiscal Year 2022 spending that was $1.2 billion less than planned.

“Today I formally report to the General Assembly that Virginia ended the fiscal year with a record general fund balance,” Youngkin said at a Friday morning joint meeting of the House of Delegates Finance and Appropriations Committees and the Senate Finance Committee.

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Virginia Finished Fiscal Year 2022 with $1.94 Billion Surplus

Eric Burk

Virginia’s Fiscal Year 2022 General Fund revenues finished with a $1.94 billion surplus, after finishing Fiscal Year 2021 with a $2.6 billion surplus, the largest in Virginia’s history.

“While I am pleased that our additional revenue can be reinvested in Virginia, the Commonwealth’s general fund revenue surplus confirms that Virginians have been overtaxed for way too long,” Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a Thursday evening announcement of the 2022 surplus.

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DOJ, Envigo Settlement Ends Beagle-Breeding-for-Testing at Cumberland Facility; ‘Huge Win for Humanity,’ Says Sen. Boysko

Eric Burk

Envigo and DOJ officials announced a settlement in the government’s lawsuit against the Cumberland beagle-breeder-for-medical-testing; 4,000 beagles will be relinquished to the Humane Society of the United States and Envigo will be permanently prohibited from engaging in activity at the facility requiring an Animal Welfare Act license.

“This settlement brings to an end the needless suffering caused by Envigo’s blatant violations of animal welfare laws at this facility,”  Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) said in a Monday press release. “We will continue to vigorously enforce animal welfare laws to ensure that animals are provided the humane care that they are legally owed and deserve.”

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Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association Launches New Hospital Price Transparency Tool

Eric Burk

The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA) launched an online tool to direct consumers to price transparency documents, including estimates and services pricing for hospitals across Virginia.

VHHA President and CEO Sean Connaughton said in a press release, “This new online tool continues a long tradition of Virginia hospitals promoting transparency about health care prices, the COVID-19 pandemic, inpatient behavioral health admissions, health care quality in hospitals, and so much more. With the support of our member hospitals and health systems, we are pleased to present this information to the public.”

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Saint Bridget Catholic School’s ‘Bus Box’ Invention Gets Youngkin’s Approval

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin ceremonially signed State Senator Siobhan Dunnavant’s (R-Henrico) SB 774 to allow the use of “bus boxes” underneath school buses to deliver packages – an invention of Clueless Robotics, a team of middle school students from Saint Bridget Catholic School. Two boxes per bus yield a 22-square foot capacity aimed at solving the last-mile delivery problem, as most logistics costs reside in the final mile of delivery. They also think it could help solve a school bus driver shortage by allowing drivers to continue to work even when not carrying students. “Public schools have struggled to find bus drivers, needing to increase their pay. More drivers would work if their pay was higher and the school district offered a full-time job,” the team’s presentation states. Their proposal calls for school districts to partner with Amazon, which would pay for the delivery services. Amazon would deliver packages to the bus lot before it leaves in the morning to take students to school. Then, after dropping the students off, the bus driver would deliver the packages. “We plan to encourage rural neighborhoods to install Amazon lockers outside their neighborhoods for easy delivery,” one student says in a Clueless Robotics video.…

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Youngkin Appears on ‘Face the Nation’ Amid Wave of National Speculation About 2024 Presidential Run

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin discussed a 15-week abortion ban, inherently divisive concepts, the U.S. Supreme Court, same-sex marriage, the 2020 elections, and a potential 2024 presidential campaign in a Sunday appearance on CBS’ Face the Nation after Vice President Kamala Harris’ interview aired on the show. That’s part of a recent wave of national media focusing on Youngkin with speculation about 2024, and comes the day after he spoke to the Nebraska GOP convention.

At the end of the interview, host Robert Costa asked Youngkin if he was mulling a presidential run.

“That’s not a decision that we have even begun to undertake. The reality of course is I’ve been in- I’ve been governor of Virginia for six months, we’ve got an extraordinary amount done. $4 billion tax cuts, a record budget for education, $400 million into law enforcement to raise salaries and keep our community safe. This is where I’m focused,” Youngkin said.

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At Rally, Rep. Good Blasts Virginia Republicans for Negotiating on Abortion, Del. March Drafting Life-At Conception Legislation Amid Contentious 2023 Primary Battle

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia – Congressman Bob Good (R-VA-05) held a rally on the Virginia Capitol grounds on Saturday afternoon to pressure Republican lawmakers to pursue a from-conception abortion ban, about two weeks after Governor Glenn Youngkin and leading pro-life lobbyist organization The Family Foundation said that they’d push for a 15-week pain threshold bill, due to the politically difficult environment in the General Assembly.

“The timeline of abortion should not be negotiated, abortion should not be negotiated, it should be eliminated,” Good said in his speech. “I’m sorry to say Republicans here in Richmond are the worst negotiators of all. You want to play poker with these folks. They show you what’s in their cards, they tell you the highest bid, and then they fold anyway.”

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Republicans Point at Local and Federal Law Enforcement After Supreme Court Marshall Asks Youngkin to Respond to Protests at Justices’ Homes

Eric Burk

The U.S. Supreme Court marshall has asked Governor Glenn Youngkin to enforce state law in response to protesters outside justices homes, according to ABC News but Youngkin’s office placed the main responsibility on local authorities in statements to the media.

In a new statement Tuesday, Youngkin spokesperson Christian Martinez said, “Governor Youngkin has condemned picketing at the homes of the Supreme Court Justices. At the direction of the Governor, Virginia State Police have been at the ready and in constant coordination in the protest response which is led by the local primary authorities, the Fairfax County Police Department. The Governor remains in regular contact with the justices themselves and holds their safety as an utmost priority. Governor Youngkin will continue to push for every resource of federal law enforcement, including the U.S. Marshalls, to be involved while the Justices continue to be denied the right to live peacefully in their homes.”

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New Laws Go Into Effect in Virginia, Including Online Service Opt-Out, Penalty for Non-Consensual Sexting, Repeal of Switchblade Ban, and Anti-Hazing Bill

Eric Burk

New laws took effect in Virginia on Friday, including high-profile legislation like the FY 2023-2024 budget, bills aimed at preventing animal cruelty, a bill requiring schools to notify parents about sexually explicit instructional material, and a bill requiring school principals to report misdemeanors to law enforcement.

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Youngkin Gets Majority on Board of Education, Appoints Coalition for TJ Co-Founder

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin filled five vacancies on the Board of Education, according to a Thursday afternoon announcement. Youngkin’s appointees include Suparna Dutta, Co-founder of the Coalition for TJ which has been working to protest and block Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s controversial new admissions policy. The appointments give him a majority on the board.

“I’m delighted to appoint this group of proven leaders in their respective fields to help ensure every student has a best-in-class education,” Youngkin said in a press release. “I have tasked these innovators to bring their expertise as parents, industry leaders, educators, and policymakers to ensure our classrooms and our campuses prepare students

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In Family Foundation Webinar, Youngkin, Earle-Sears, Celebrate Dobbs Decision, But Don’t Expect Rapid Change in Virginia’s Abortion Laws

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears spoke in a Tuesday evening webinar where speakers highlighted the win for conservatives in the Dobbs decision, while also calling on pro-life supporters to vote, donate, and volunteer for Republicans in upcoming elections. 21-19 Democratic control of the Senate was a constant theme of the speakers, who sounded a note of caution about the speed of change Virginians should expect.

“Any bill that comes to my desk, I will sign happily and gleefully in order to protect life,” Youngkin said

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Federal Prosecutors: Envigo Plans to Sell 2,200 More Beagles

Eric Burk

After a court decided to allow dog-breeder-for-testing Envigo to fulfill existing contracts to sell its dogs amid an ongoing federal lawsuit, 29 Virginia legislators and federal prosecutors are working to block the sale of what prosecutors say is 2,200 beagles, including 1,200 to international customers.

In a motion for clarification U.S. prosecutors filed Friday, prosecutors suggest that Envigo misled the court about the number of dogs it intended to sell.

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U.S. Supreme Court Abortion Ruling Makes Virginia an Abortion Haven, Triggers Wave of Political Statements

Eric Burk

The U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade launched a wave of statements from Virginia politicians on Friday. Abortion remains legal in Virginia with some limitations, and split control of Virginia’s government leaves both Republicans and Democrats seeking to use the issue to motivate their own voter base. Pro-choice protesters held multiple rallies across Virginia on Friday, with more planned for the weekend.

Governor Glenn Youngkin has largely been quiet about abortion, but on Friday he released two statements reacting to the Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling. Additionally, Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter said Youngkin is pushing for a 15-week abortion ban.

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Virginia Budget Includes Some Wins for Both Businesses and Workers

Eric Burk

Virginia’s FY 2023-2024 budget includes some wins for both businesses and workers, according to pro-business organization NFIB Virginia and pro-labor organization Virginia AFL-CIO. General Assembly negotiators have emphasized the compromise nature of the budget, but flashy proposals on tax relief, education, and law enforcement have gotten most of the attention.

“Governor Youngkin and legislators agreed on many issues that are important to Virginia’s small business, including full funding of the commonwealth’s unemployment insurance program, but we’re disappointed that so some key issues didn’t make the final cut, like the three-month suspension of the fuel tax,” NFIB Virginia State Director Julia Hammond said in a press release.

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Virginia Republicans Highlight Irony of Biden’s Call for a Gas Tax Suspension Less than a Week After Senate Kills Similar Youngkin Proposal

Eric Burk

President Joe Biden is calling for a three-month suspension of the federal gas tax less than a week after Virginia Senate Democrats and one Republican killed Governor Glenn Youngkin’s efforts to enact a suspension of Virginia’s fuel tax. Virginia Republicans took to social media on Wednesday to react to Biden’s proposal. “Now, the White House is calling on states to move forward on gas tax suspensions – demonstrating that VA Senate Dems are out of step with everyday people and their own party,” Youngkin tweeted. “Gas prices are not sustainable for families in Virginia, and it is astonishing that Senate Democrats blocked my gas relief proposal three times and squandered the opportunity to do the right thing. Virginians deserved a better answer than ‘no.’” Biden’s proposal isn’t a done deal. Some federal Democrats have similar concerns Virginia Democrats had. They said the gas tax pays for highway maintenance and is a fairly small part of many people’s budgets, and worried that lowering the gas tax won’t change the supply problem that’s causing the prices to increase but would just enrich petroleum corporations. Some federal Republicans aren’t on board either. “President Biden said he was going to shut down American energy,…

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Youngkin Rallies at 2021 Campaign Location to Sign Budget

Eric Burk

HENRICO, Virginia — Governor Glenn Youngkin held a campaign-style rally to ceremonially sign Virginia’s Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget. On Tuesday, Youngkin spoke from the aisles of the Tom Leonard’s grocery store where he filmed a grocery tax-related campaign ad and where he held one of his final rallies during the campaign.

“Nine months ago we were right here with many of you, and we in fact were talking about the impact that rising cost of groceries were have on families,” Youngkin said to a crowd of supporters, reporters, former GOP candidates, and current GOP politicians standing next to bins of produce.

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General Assembly Kills Gas Tax Holiday, Hyde Amendment, but Pass Partial Lab School Expansion in FY 23-24 Budget

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — The Virginia General Assembly approved many of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s budget amendments on Friday, but in mostly-partisan votes, killed his efforts to expand a ban on using state tax dollars on abortions, and to create a three-month gas tax holiday. Additionally, House Republicans and Democrats killed an amendment that would have made it a felony to protest outside courts and justices’ homes to influence proceedings.

Youngkin criticized the defeat of the gas tax holiday on Twitter: “Democrats failed to put politics aside for the good of Virginians — for a third time.”

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Youngkin Budget Amendments Include Gas Tax Holiday, Ban on Taxpayer-Funded Abortions, and Law Against Picketing Justices

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin is sending 35 budget amendments to the General Assembly to approve on Friday, including a gas tax holiday, a ban on using state Medicaid funds for some abortions, and a law that would make it a class six felony to picket or demonstrate outside a courthouse or residences of justices and judges. The Democratic Senate is expected to block of Youngkin’s controversial changes, but eyes are on Senator Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) to see if he’ll vote with Republicans to approve the abortion funding ban.

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Virginia’s May Revenues Exceed May 2021

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced Tuesday that Virginia’s May revenue reports are 9.9 percent higher than May 2021. That’s good news for the governor, who is imminently expected to release amendments to the budget already passed by the General Assembly. Legislators will return Friday to vote on Youngkin’s changes.

“This report confirms that the time is now to deliver meaningful tax cuts to Virginia families who are getting crushed by five dollar gas and record-high inflation,” Youngkin said in a press release

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Virginia Budget Proposal Includes $3 Billion in Education Spending, Including Lab Schools

Eric Burk

House Republicans are touting $3 billion of direct aid for education in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget that Governor Glenn Youngkin is currently reviewing. Key education items include over $1 billion in grants and loans for school construction and modernization, and two five-percent raises for teachers and other state employees. It also includes $45 million for school resource officers.

House Appropriations Chair Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach) said education spending in the budget is higher than pre-recession levels, even accounting for current inflation levels.

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Senate Minority Leader Saslaw Kills Washington Commanders Stadium Negotiations After Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio’s Comments About January 6

Eric Burk

A bill to create an incentive to bring the Washington Commanders NFL team to Virginia is dead after months of accumulating concerns over tax breaks, traffic, the team’s brand quality, and its controversial leadership. On Thursday, bill sponsor Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw (D-Fairfax) told The Washington Post that the final issue was Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio’s comments about the January 6 riot in the U.S. Capitol.

Del Rio had tweeted about 2020’s “summer of riots,” and in followup comments recorded by NBC Washington, he said, “Businesses are being burned down. No problem. And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down, and we’re not gonna talk about — we’re going to make that a major deal. I just think it’s kind of two standards.”

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Youngkin Holds Ceremonial Signing of Legislation to Block Human Trafficking

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin held a ceremonial bill signing of legislation focused on blocking human trafficking, and a swearing in of the Commission on Human Trafficking Prevention and Survivor Support. He said the legislation would help victims get their lives back and have future opportunities, help find perpetrators and bring them to justice, and equip members of the public to recognize the signs of human trafficking and know how to respond.

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Del. Dawn Adams: Budget Legalizes Marijuana Retail ‘Straight Up’

Eric Burk

Delegate Dawn Adams (D-Richmond) was among a bipartisan group of seven delegates who voted against the budget on Wednesday. Adams criticized the Youngkin administration’s policies for state employees, but focused on language in the budget proposal that fails to adequately regulate THC in retail marijuana.

“We are now legalizing retail marijuana straight up. That’s what we’re doing. It’s just we’re going to call it hemp. And you can call it hemp, but it’s marijuana, and specifically until you have regulations, that does of marijuana that is now legal in retail stores can be anything as long as they put it on the package,” Adams, a nurse practitioner, said in a speech to the House of Delegates.

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City of Richmond Officials, Casino Developers Threaten Legal Action After General Assembly Blocks 2022 Casino Referendum

Eric Burk

The recently-passed Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget includes language blocking the City of Richmond from holding another casino referendum until November 2023. Richmond officials have called for a 2022 referendum after voters rejected a casino in 2021, but Senator Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) is instead pushing for Petersburg to be granted a casino license, and on Thursday afternoon, Richmond officials and the casino developers suggested they were considering legal action.

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Virginia House Democrats Pick Don Scott Jr. for New Minority Leader

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — Delegate Don Scott, Jr. (D-Portsmouth) is the new Democratic Leader/Minority Leader in the Virginia House of Delegates, elected on Wednesday morning. Scott had pushed to oust then-Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn who was voted out at the end of April, but at that time the caucus opted to delay a vote on a new leader to give time for other candidates to campaign.

“I’ve come through some adversity in life and I’ve been able to overcome it and I’ve done very well for myself,” Scott told reporters after the results were announced.

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Virginia House, Senate Pass Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Compromise

Eric Burk

RICHMOND, Virginia — The Republican-controlled House of Delegates and the Democrat-controlled Senate finally sent a budget compromise for Fiscal Year 2023 beginning July 1 to Governor Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday, but while leaders from both parties praised the budget, individual Democrats and Republicans criticized the compromise for problems ranging from no gas tax holiday to cuts on mental health resources.

House Appropriations Chair Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach) told delegates, “It’s been a long haul, but I believe the result is a fiscally sound, bipartisan budget we can all be proud of.”

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Budget Proposal Includes New Marijuana Misdemeanor, Blocks Richmond Casino License for Now

Eric Burk

The General Assembly is expected to vote Wednesday on a budget compromise hammered out by top money legislators from House Republicans and Senate Democrats. The proposal includes tax and spending policy, but also includes legislation that would fund lab schools, block a Richmond casino for now, and create new marijuana misdemeanors for possession of more than four ounces of marijuana in public.

Executive Director of Virginia NORML JM Pedini said in a recent update that there had been the potential for three class six felonies.

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State Senator Petersen Explains His Opposition to Washington Commanders Stadium Deal

Eric Burk

In an appearance on 106.7 The Fan, State Senator Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax City) expanded comments on his opposition to a Washington Commanders stadium authority bill. In a Wednesday press release, Petersen said he was concerned by traffic problems at a proposed Woodbridge site, but focused on the team’s recent move away from its controversial former name “Washington Redskins.”

“It’s not that I don’t like the new name,” Petersen told BMitch and Finlay Thursday. “I mean, I don’t care. The problem is the team has no brand, it has no identity. And you’re asking the Commonwealth of Virginia to enter a long-term economic relationship with a team that effectively has no brand.”

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Top Negotiators Del. Knight and Sen. Howell Announce Budget Deal to The Washington Post and The Richmond Times-Dispatch

Eric Burk

After months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, General Assembly budget negotiators revealed details of a deal in a Thursday briefing with only reporters from The Washington Post and The Richmond Times-Dispatch. According to their reporting, the deal includes significant wins for both sides, including a major increase of the standard deduction but no gas tax holiday.

The private budget negotiations and the exclusive briefing are drawing criticism from Virginia reporters.

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Youngkin Takes Final Action on 30 Bills, Signs Loudoun School Board Bill Without Requirement to Make Board Run Again

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin signed 23 bills and vetoed seven after the General Assembly voted to accept, accept in part, or reject Youngkin’s amendments to the original legislation. Although the Senate rejected Youngkin’s amendment to force the whole Loudoun County School Board (LCSB) to run again this year, Youngkin approved Delegate David Reid’s (D-Loudoun) underlying bill, originally created to facilitate beginning a staggered election cycle for the various seats on the board.

“Governor Youngkin has signed the unamended version of HB1138, bringing a peaceful closure to his attempt to undermine the duly elected members of Loudoun’s locally elected school board. This is a victory for free and fair elections across the entire Commonwealth,” Reid tweeted Friday.

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Sen. Petersen Opposes Washington Commanders Stadium Deal Amid Concerns over Dropping ‘Redskins’ Name

Eric Burk

Senator Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax City) is opposed to efforts to bring the Washington Commanders football team to Virginia, in part due to concerns over the team’s recent name change.

“I have two concerns. One is that the development is too far removed from an urban setting, unlike Nats Park at The Navy Yard, which will make it solely dependent on vehicle traffic for access. More importantly, I don’t have confidence in The Washington Commanders as a viable NFL franchise,” Petersen said in Wednesday press release.

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After Texas Shooting, Virginia Gov. Youngkin Gets School Safety Briefings, Calls for More Money for School Resource Officers

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin met with three of his cabinet members on Wednesday after a mass shooter killed children on Tuesday at a Texas elementary school.

“This morning, Governor Youngkin received a briefing from Secretary Robert Mosier, Secretary Aimee Guidera, Secretary John Littel, and State Superintendent Jillian Balow about actions taken to protect children in schools and the resources available at the state level to provide mental health access as needed in response to yesterday’s tragedy in Uvalde, TX,” spokesperson Macaulay Porter said in a statement.

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Youngkin Restores Rights for 3,469 Virginians

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin approved restoration of civil rights to 3,469 Virginians, according to a Friday announcement.

“I am encouraged that over 3,400 Virginians will take this critical first step towards vibrant futures as citizens with full civil rights,” he said. “Individuals with their rights restored come from every walk of life and are eager to provide for themselves, their families and put the past behind them for a better tomorrow.”

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Youngkin, Miyares, and Earle-Sears Commemorate Armed Forces Day with Ceremonial Bill Signing

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a proclamation honoring Armed Forces Day and ceremonially signed 23 bills focused on veterans and the military. Youngkin, Attorney General Jason Miyares, and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears spoke at the bill-signing held at the Virginia War Memorial on Friday.

“It’s a powerful statement: 23 bills were passed unanimously,” Youngkin said. “I want to thank our veteran caucus for all the work that you do in order to make sure that our veterans are taken care of. These 23 bills are just the beginning. When the time comes for service members to retire, to turn the page on the next chapter of their life, we want them to make their permanent home in Virginia.”

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Sec. of Finance Cummings Says Virginia Recovery Lags Behind Other Southern States

Eric Burk

Virginia’s April revenues were strong, largely thanks to a shift in the tax due date, Secretary of Finance Stephen Cummings told the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. He said Virginia is under-performing in recovery after the start of the pandemic compared to some southern states. Cummings downplayed concerns about a near-term recession but said he and the administration are worried about inflation in the energy and food sectors. “I think, as you know, that is what is the backdrop to the governor’s focus on the grocery tax and the gas tax,” Cummings told the legislators, several of whom are involved in budget discussions debating Governor Glenn Youngkin’s proposals. Early in the Youngkin administration, the governor and Cummings said they were concerned by Virginia’s competition with North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, and Texas. Cummings referred to those states repeatedly on Tuesday. “It’ all about creating new jobs, developing that organic growth rate in our Virginia economy,” Cummings said Tuesday. “There’s a battle going on with the states, particularly to our south, as we’ve seen more migration across our country than has been seen in a very, very long time. And we have to play to win against these states.…

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Virginia’s April Revenues Up, Budget Compromise Expected by End of May

Eric Burk

A new April revenue report shows that Virginia’s revenues have again exceeded forecasts. Governor Glenn Youngkin’s office published the report Thursday. He highlighted the good news to help make the case for a budget that includes broad tax relief and some additional spending, with behind-the-scenes budget negotiations ongoing.

“Virginia’s economy continues to show encouraging signs of growth. We’re growing jobs, growing paychecks, and more people are joining the workforce,” Youngkin said in a press release.

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Youngkin Celebrates First 100 Days in Office

Eric Burk

Governor Glenn Youngkin is celebrating his first 100 days in office with a video highlighting key accomplishments including an executive order banning divisive concepts in schools; signing a bipartisan school mask mandate ban; bipartisan legislation protecting cats and dogs; and welcoming businesses to Virginia.

“It has been an honor to serve the people of Virginia over the first 100 days and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together in a short period of time. I will continue to work on behalf of all Virginians to lower the cost of living, keep our communities safe, make government work for the people again and restore academic excellence in our schools,” the governor said in a Thursday press release.

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