Tag: Virginia General Assembly
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A divided Capitol ‘forces you to the table, to be more reasonable and then negotiate’
With the Virginia General Assembly more than a week into its session, Republican Del. Tony Wilt said he’s hopeful divided government can yield legislative results and even some toned-down rhetoric. Wilt, who represents Harrisonburg in the House of Delegates, answered a range of questions in this in-depth Q and A.
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Proposed redistricting maps lump three state senators into city’s district, redraw House lines
Draft maps of new state legislative districts for Virginia propose changes to both the Senate and House of Delegates districts that include the City of Harrisonburg – and may affect who represents it in the General Assembly.
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Delegate candidates find agreement on helping those with disabilities
Area candidates for the House of Delegates agreed that Virginia needs to increase funding to help those with developmental disabilities, including for housing subsidies, Medicaid waivers and general services and care. The challenge, they said at a virtual forum Monday, is finding funding and how best to prioritize it.
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Now that marijuana is legal to grow in Virginia, some in area are trying it
Two tiny marijuana seedlings poke out of the soil in pots outside of Patrick Fritz’s home in Broadway. For him, they represent more than just relaxation – both the act of growing and smoking marijuana have been deeply healing.
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School district in final stages of revising ‘healthy life skills’ curriculum
A group charged with reviewing changes to the Harrisonburg City Public Schools sexuality and family life curriculum will be surveying parents about proposed revisions, which include emphasizing topics such as pregnancy prevention, gender identity and sexual consent.
Statewide environmental news roundup – utility regulation special report
During 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic, most utility customers enjoyed a moratorium on paying utility bills. Anticipating the lifting of that moratorium, some legislators examined existing state law with a view to identifying and addressing some that favored utilities over consumer. The result was introduction of several bills that, together, would expand the State Corporation Commission’s authority to regulate Virginia’s investor-owned monopoly utilities in a more balanced manner than current law allows. All but one were filed in the House of Delegates.
Jail expansion could get warmer reception from Rockingham Co. supervisors
As the Rockingham County supervisors prepare to hear Middle River Regional Jail’s pitch for a $40 million expansion, the supervisors signaled that they’ll be a more receptive audience than some of the other local government bodies that fund the jail.
Virginia’s new policing laws follow Harrisonburg’s lead on some policies
While local and regional activists have applauded law enforcement reforms the state legislature passed in October, those new measures might not change much for officers and residents in the Harrisonburg area because similar policies are already in place.
