Ken Plum: The other bills

Ken Plum

By the time it adjourns in early March the General Assembly will have considered more than 2,500 bills and resolutions.  About half will have passed.  News sources will have focused on a dozen high priority issues that include restrictions on abortions, expanding gun rights, limiting access to voting, telling the schools what they must do,…

Dems critical of ‘personhood’ measure

Contributors

The Virginia House of Delegates voted Monday to advance HB1, a bill that confers legal “personhood” at the moment of conception. Without a subcommittee hearing, the bill emerged from the full Courts of Justice Committee late Friday night – the last possible time for new legislation to be considered during the current session. “Yet another…

NFL, PIFL announce agreement on development of game officials

Contributors

The Richmond Raiders professional indoor football team announced today that the National Football League and the Professional Indoor Football League have recently completed a partnership agreement for the development of PIFL officials for the 2012 indoor football season beginning on March 10 in at the Richmond Coliseum and ending with a championship game in late…

Federal court dismisses suit against Virginia’s congressional redistricting

Contributors

On Friday, a federal court dismissed a lawsuit brought by six Virginia residents that sought to have the court draw Virginia’s congressional districts for the upcoming November elections. Among other reasons, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed the case based on its finding that the recent actions of the…

Crossover: Dems Repubs offer views on ’12 GA session

Contributors

At a press conference in Richmond on Thursday, members of the House and Senate Democratic caucuses stood together to denounce the dozens of extreme, divisive bills passed over the first month of session. Republican leaders then responded with a press event aimed at highlighting what they termed their “positive reform agenda.” “Republicans are so focused…

Consumer groups comment on GA’s health exchange gamble

Contributors

On Wednesday the Senate special subcommittee on health insurance failed to recommend any health exchange bills despite previously acknowledging the irresponsibility of waiting and denying months of work from the governor’s hand-selected health reform panel. Subcommittee Chair Sen. Jeffrey McWaters moved to wait until after the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on the constitutionality of…

Group pushes for expansion of Alicia’s Law

Chris Graham

Alicia’s Law, the Virginia legislation inspired by the rescue of a captive child, has generated more law enforcement funds than projected in its first two years and should be expanded immediately to ensure more child rescues. That’s the message delivered today by a group of Virginia law enforcement and legislative leaders who joined the pro-child,…