A political mailer referencing Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan is circulating in Virginia ahead of the April 21 redistricting referendum, prompting criticism from state lawmakers and members of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. The mailer urges voters to oppose the...
Bills attempting to ban everything from candy-flavored vape syrups to menthol cigarettes stalled in the General Assembly this year -- but they'll be back next year. Yan Gleyzer was watching via livestream when the state Senate voted Tuesday to defeat a bill that would prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products. As the owner and CEO of Vape...
Gun rights groups don't like it, but regardless, there's an increasing possibility that the General Assembly will pass an assault weapons ban this year. A controversial bill banning assault firearms passed the House this week along party lines, and after several amendments whittled away at certain requirements that had caused the loudest...
Both bills would seek to give victims of sexual abuse their day in court by allowing more time to file claims after the current statute of limitations has passed. Two bills recently passed the House unanimously that aim to change the state’s statute of limitations for reporting sexual abuse. One bill gives victims a two-year window to file sexual...
The delegate from Petersburg has fought hard for her place in the General Assembly, and fought just as hard to make Virginia the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. This is her story. A month into 2020, the General Assembly has entered a new era of historical change as Democrats have taken control of Virginia’s legislative body. One...
Less than 15 percent of Virginia hospitals have the ability to conduct sexual assault exams. Several legislators hope to change that and offer better care and protections for sexual assault victims in the Commonwealth. A House subcommittee advanced a bill Wednesday to establish a statewide program to train nurses who treat sexual assault...
Dressed in red and demanding that the General Assembly "Fund Our Future," Virginia's teachers showed up in force at the Capitol building Monday. Bells chiming through Capitol Square were drowned out Monday as hundreds of education advocates dressed in red chanted for lawmakers to “fund our future.” The Virginia Education Association and...
A bill designed to make animal tethering more humane and keep pets from being left outside in freezing cold is currently working its way through the General Assembly, and animal rights advocates want to see it pass. Animal rights advocates want lawmakers to advance legislation that expands on a tethering bill passed last year by the General...
Lawmakers are divided on timelines, and the extent to which Virginia should move toward outright legalization, but one thing seems clear: marijuana reform is on the agenda at the General Assembly. With Democrats controlling both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor's office for the first time in over 25 years, lawmakers have...
Virginia onAir is working to ensure that young voters in the Commonwealth are able to stay informed about this year's important election cycle. The new decade is starting off with an election year, and many college students will become first-time voters in November. Amid a climate of divisiveness, tribalism, fact-free dialogue, and ad hominem...
