With bipartisan backing and pressure from formerly incarcerated women, Virginia lawmakers have banned shackling during labor in jails—and made it easier for pregnant people to await trial at home.
For the second year in a row, Virginia’s governor rejected legislation that would have guaranteed access to birth control. Advocates said the decision continues to leave Virginians vulnerable.
In March, the Youngkin-Sears administration vetoed commonsense bills that would allow hard-working Virginians to do more than just survive.
While state law requires menstrual products in Virginia public schools, the absence of state funding forces nonprofits to shoulder the burden.
After months of sparring between Democrats in the General Assembly and Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Virginia localities can breathe easier now that the state has finalized its budget.
The General Assembly is expected to vote on a new state budget on Monday after Youngkin and Democratic legislators reportedly struck a compromise.
Democrats expressed skepticism over Youngkin’s desire to find common ground in budget talks given how active the governor has been in vetoing their priorities. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin extended a budgetary olive branch to Democrats in the General Assembly...
The legislation will codify a recommendation that Virginia revise its laws to ensure Jewish Virginians are protected from hate crimes, along with Muslims, Sikhs, and other ethnic groups.
Both of these bills were top priorities of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly this legislative session. Youngkin’s vetoes came just one day after his top priority–a $2 billion development district that would have included a new arena meant to attract the NHL’s Washington Capitals and the NBA’s Washington Wizards to Alexandria–fell through.
Bills the governor vetoed include one that would have restricted access to assault weapons, one that would have kept guns out of the hands of violent people, and one that would have prevented gun dealers who sell firearms out of their homes from being located within one and a half miles of elementary and middle schools.
