Latest Virginia State General Assembly News
West Virginia transgender athlete bill heads to governor
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Transgender athletes in West Virginia would be banned from competing in female sports in middle and high schools and colleges under a bill that won approval from the legislature Friday. The bill heads to the desk of Republican Gov. Jim Justice,...
West Virginia transgender athlete bill wins Senate approval
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Transgender females in West Virginia would be banned from competing in female sports in middle and high schools and colleges under a bill that narrowly won state Senate approval Thursday. After 90 minutes of passionate debate, the Senate passed...
Virginia lawmakers establish more LGBTQ protections
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Democratic-controlled Virginia General Assembly worked in its second year to establish more protections for LGBTQ people. Lawmakers tackled LGBTQ inequity in criminal justice and health care, reforming laws that advocates said were rooted in...
Virginia Asian communities, lawmakers react to violence
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — White signs reading “End Violence Against Asians” and “Stop Asian Hate” illuminated against candle flames outside the Richmond Korean Presbyterian Church. More than 60 people gathered recently in Southside Richmond for the candlelight vigil...
Judge weighing motion to dismiss Chase lawsuit over censure
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal judge heard hours of arguments Thursday but did not immediately rule on whether to dismiss a lawsuit over the Virginia Senate's decision to censure firebrand conservative Amanda Chase. Chase, who is a Republican candidate for governor,...
Virginia lawmakers ban police use of facial recognition
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Last month, Virginia lawmakers quietly passed one of the most restrictive bans in the country on the use of facial recognition technology. The legislation, which won unusually broad bipartisan support, prohibits all local law enforcement agencies...
Virginia House speaker calls for July marijuana legalization
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia's House speaker on Friday said she supports moving up the date for legalizing adult recreational use of marijuana in Virginia to this summer, a key change pushed by advocates who have sharply criticized legislation approved by lawmakers last month that would...
Lawmakers create Asian American and Pacific Islander caucus
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Members of the Virginia General Assembly on Friday announced the formation of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus. The Virginia House Democrats said in a statement that the lawmakers in the caucus are responding to the recent mass...
West Virginia House passes transgender athlete bill
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Transgender athletes in West Virginia middle and high schools would be banned from competing on teams that align with their gender identity under a bill passed Thursday by the House of Delegates. The bill passed on a 78-20 vote with two...
Bill aims to fix unemployment issues laid bare by pandemic
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Crystal Clifton, a former restaurant worker in southwest Virginia, waited 10 months for the state to review whether she was entitled to unemployment benefits. Clifton, 55, says she applied last March, when coronavirus-related shutdowns first began...
