Violations
- Delegate Shin Advances HB 1238 to Strengthen Local Pet Shop Oversight
Virginia lawmaker introduces permissive legislation enabling localities to enact ordinances addressing pet shop animal mistreatment and enforcement gaps.
- Virginia Subcommittee Advances HB642 on Adult-Use Cannabis Framework
A House subcommittee unanimously advanced a substitute version of HB642 that raises penalties for illegal marijuana sales and revises appointments to the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority board.
- King George school board settles suit, will allow middle school LGBTQ+ student club
(Illustration by mustafahacalaki/Getty Images) King George County Schools will now allow sixth- to eighth-grade students to form non-curricular clubs, including one supporting LGBTQ+ students, after the school board settled with the families of two students who said the school did not allow them to form the LGBTQ+ club previously, according to a Monday announcement.
- Democrat CA Called Laken Riley Act a “Heinous Bill,” Said Murder Had Nothing to Do With Immigration
House Judiciary report: Parisa Dehghani-Tafti stood by calling the bipartisan Laken Riley Act “heinous” and said Laken’s murder was unrelated to immigration — while the killer was an illegal alien released in sanctuary jurisdictions.
- State Releases Draft Rules for Recreational Cannabis Market Opening in 2027
CCA outlines retail, microbusiness and cultivation fees; applications expected to open by Feb. 1 ahead of a July 1, 2027 launch.
- Theresa Ghiorzi Moves to Dismiss Golden-Mars, Citing Loudoun Route Rigging and Untallied Homeowner Takings
RICHMOND / LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — In PUR-2025-00056, Theresa Ghiorzi asks the SCC to dismiss Dominion’s Golden-Mars 500/230 kV application, restart siting de novo, finish Line #514 first, and stop connecting high-demand customers until Data Center Alley load drops below NERC-violation thresholds.
- Virginia Beach schools, Civil Rights Office reach agreement over sexual misconduct investigations
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building pictured on Nov. 25, 2024.
- Century-Old Law Gives Virginia Legislator-Lawyers Broad Power to Delay Court Cases
State law allows attorneys serving in the General Assembly to obtain continuances in court proceedings when legislative duties interfere.
- MARL Power Line Is Generation Delivery for Data Centers, Not Grid Reliability, Filings Argue
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — The Mid-Atlantic Reliability Link project — the multi-state 500-kilovolt corridor also described as MARL / Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek — is being sold as a reliability upgrade.
- PJM Shortlists Dominion’s Heritage-to-Mosby Underground HVDC as Southern Backbone for Northern Virginia Load
RICHMOND / LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — PJM’s 2025 Window 1 southern-cluster shortlist puts four Dominion +/- 525 kV HVDC variants from Heritage to Mosby — about 185 miles and roughly $4.8–$5.0 billion — against cheaper 765 kV and 500 kV overhead portfolios, with proposal 275 leading incremental transfer into NOVA.
- Line 514 Was Sold as Rusting Towers. Loudoun’s Data Center Alley Needs the Power Anyway.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Before the Golden-Mars 500-kilovolt project became the latest fight at the State Corporation Commission, another line
- Underprosecuted Then Rearrested: Report Ties Arlington Democrat Leniency to Attempted-Rape Case
Judiciary staff: after years of light handling by Democrat CA Parisa Dehghani-Tafti’s office, Guatemalan national Luzvin Orvando Garcia Moran was charged in an April 2026 Arlington attempted rape — despite prior warnings he was a danger.
- Department of Homeland Security Reviews Virginia Immigration Policies After High-Profile Deportation
The Department of Homeland Security announced criticism of Virginia's immigration enforcement practices following the deportation of Marcelo Vasquez-Reyna.
- Henrico Approves Speed Cameras for All High Schools and Two Middle Schools
LIDAR cameras are due in school zones by December, with $100 tickets after a 30-day warning period early next year.
- Henrico Adopts PFAS Monitoring Rules for Industrial Wastewater Discharges
Supervisors updated maximum discharge limits to match state permits and federal forever-chemical standards.
- Virginia Senate Pushes Forward House Bill 40 Banning Unserialized Firearms and Undetectable Plastic Guns
As the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session progresses, House Bill 40, which prohibits the manufacture, import, sale, transfer and possession of plastic firearms, advanced through key Senate committees this week.
- Virginia House Bill 1251 Fails in Subcommittee, Ending Push for Digital Right to Repair Act
House Bill 1251, the Digital Right to Repair Act, has stalled in the Virginia House of Delegates during the 2026 Regular Session.
- Manassas Shooting Suspect's Criminal History Raises Questions on Bond Decisions
A 16-year-old girl died as an innocent bystander in a shooting at the First Friday event in Old Town Manassas on September 4, 2026.
- Manassas Shooting Suspect Had Prior Convictions and Pending Charges
Authorities in Manassas have charged 21-year-old Tasheem Rashad Douglas with second-degree murder and related firearm offenses following a shooting on September 4, 2026.
- Charniele Herring House Bill 398 Establishes Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate have passed House Bill 398, establishing the Safeguarding American Veteran Empowerment Act to shield veterans from exploitative practices in accessing their earned benefits. The measure, which regulates compensated assistance with veterans’ benefits claims, cleared both chambers with overwhelming support, reflecting broad consensus on prio
- Montgomery County court to decide if Spanberger’s removal of Virginia Tech board member was lawful
A Southwest Virginia circuit court will consider whether a sitting governor’s decision to remove a college governing board member was legal, a rare type of case in the commonwealth. In June, John Rocovich, one of the longest-serving governing board members in Virginia Tech’s history, filed a civil lawsuit in Montgomery County Circuit Court challenging Gov. […]
- Amid major federal shifts, McMahon urges Virginia universities to reform practices, restore public trust
As students prepare to return to class, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is asking Virginia’s college and university presidents and governing boards to review how they operate and make changes, with a specific focus on whether universities are delivering affordable, high-quality education while maintaining free speech, academic standards, and accountability to the public. McMahon […]
- Franklin County officials have privacy agreements while deliberating a data center, resident FOIA shows
A Freedom of Information Act request by Franklin County residents revealed county officials entered into confidentiality agreements with an unnamed company related to a proposed data center project the local government is currently weighing. WFXR reported that local residents said they felt left out of the approval process because it appears substantial discussion about the […]
- Virginia Senator Mark Peake Discusses Court Fee for Speed Camera Ticket Challenges
Senator Mark Peake addressed the Senate regarding the process for contesting tickets issued by speed cameras. He explained that a mandatory court fee of two hundred fifty dollars must be paid to initiate a challenge. This requirement applies to citations from automated enforcement devices. The statement focused on the procedural aspects of handling such matters […]
- Board Clarifies Operations of Staff-Led Groups Amid FOIA Inquiry
During a public meeting, Commissioner Banks inquired about the compliance of local committees with the Freedom of Information Act. He asked whether the current structure of these groups might lead to violations of open government standards. The questions focused on how committees handle matters that could involve public business. Board representatives offered a direct response […]
- Virginia Budget Expands Government Bureaucracy to Fund New Recreational Marijuana Market
The state of Virginia is embarking on a massive expansion of state bureaucracy to establish a fully regulated recreational marijuana marketplace under the forthcoming biennial budget. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently announced a compromise to launch retail sales by July 1, 2027, ending a five-year period where adult possession was legal but retail sales were not. […]
- Virginia Lawmaker Scott Surovell Seeks Speed Cameras on George Washington Parkway Amid Enforcement Limits
State Senator Scott Surovell has introduced legislation to place speed cameras on a section of the George Washington Parkway. The measure responds to challenges in traffic enforcement along the roadway. Officials have identified a specific jurisdictional issue preventing standard policing. Discussions in the legislature continue to examine the proposal and its potential effects. Details of […]
- Who Speaks for American Hindus
We did the math. Here are the receipts. In the last six years, Hindus for Human Rights has posted 4,204 posts about Indian politics. This compares to 1,261 posts on Hindu culture and only 721 posts about the Indian diaspora living in North America. Why is this important? HfHR aims to establish itself in American […]
- Virginia moves toward regulating self-driving vehicles amid safety and liability concerns
Virginia is closer to regulating self-driving vehicles, which have steadily increased nationwide despite continued concerns over safety. Despite crashes that have led to restrictions in some areas, other states, such as Arizona and Texas, have continued to permit testing and deployment. With interest in the technology growing in Virginia, lawmakers are trying to get ahead […]
- SCC orders Dominion to develop tariff to assign more transmission costs to data centers
More of the cost to build the high-voltage transmission lines that serve as power highways across the state could soon be covered by data centers, after a recent decision by state regulators. The State Corporation Commission has ordered Dominion Energy to develop a policy to directly assign the cost of transmission infrastructure to data centers […]
- As Virginia officials weigh data center pushback, report details industry’s public service funding
As a single mother balancing work against earning a nursing degree, Yvettrise Hoskie thought homeownership was out of her reach. Now, she’s settling into a Henrico County townhome development. The county’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund helped with her downpayment, but the financial assistance was made possible by one of the state’s more controversial neighbors — […]
- Virginia House Candidate Sheila Bynum-Coleman Sentenced in PPP Loan Fraud Case
A former candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates was sentenced to two years in prison for her role in obtaining and misusing more than $225,000 in federal Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sentence follows a guilty plea to charges of making false statements on loan applications and failing to file […]
- Virginia launches new unit targeting illegal vapes and intoxicants
Virginia is creating an enforcement unit to oversee the rapidly expanding market for vaping products, hemp-derived intoxicants, THC and kratom, consolidating several regulatory responsibilities within the attorney general’s office. Attorney General Jay Jones announced the Regulated Products Enforcement Unit on Thursday, saying it will handle civil enforcement, retail compliance, product directori
- Virginia’s new pay transparency law changes the rules for job postings
Virginia job seekers now have a right to know what a position pays before applying online under a new state law aimed at giving workers more leverage in hiring and salary negotiations. The new law, which took effect July 1, requires employers to include a good-faith wage or salary range in public and internal job […]
- Loudoun Supervisor Juli Briskman Raises Questions on Zoning Call Center Efficiency
Loudoun County Supervisor Juli Briskman questioned the efficiency of a proposed zoning complaint call center during a board discussion. She referenced the volume of complaints received monthly regarding tall grass violations. The supervisor sought clarification on whether the new system would improve response times or outcomes. Her remarks focused on the practical considerations surrounding the […
- Jim Jordan Examines Sanctuary Policies Linked to Steve Descano
Jim Jordan presented details regarding sanctuary policies associated with Steve Descano in a recent public statement. These policies include decisions by local officials to limit assistance to federal immigration authorities. Jordan noted connections between these choices and instances where violent offenders are not fully prosecuted. The framework described involves declining to honor requests fr
- Virginia Enacts New Law Prohibiting Bribery to Influence Voter Registration
Virginia lawmakers have passed and enacted House Bill 113, a measure designed to strengthen protections against corruption in the state’s voter registration system. The bill, introduced in the 2026 Regular Session of the Virginia House of Delegates, amends the Code of Virginia to address new offenses related to bribing individuals to register to vote. Delegate […]
- New Requirements for Handgun Storage in Unattended Vehicles, Virginia Legislature Approves Bill
Virginia Legislature Approves Bill Establishing Requirements for Handgun Storage in Unattended Vehicles The 2026 Regular Session of the Virginia General Assembly concluded with the enactment of House Bill 110, which introduces new rules governing the storage of handguns in unattended motor vehicles. Sponsored by Amy Laufer, the bill was signed by the governor on April […]
- Virginia marijuana budget language triggers legal confusion, political fallout
Virginia’s decision to revive legal cannabis sales through the state budget instead of standalone legislation has triggered several days of confusion over the commonwealth’s marijuana laws, with lawmakers, local prosecutors, Virginia State Police and legislative officials offering differing interpretations of when key provisions take effect. Much of the confusion focused on two issues: whether Vi
- Virginia House Examines Limitations of Protective Orders in Domestic Violence Cases
A presentation delivered in the Virginia House focused on the role of protective orders in domestic violence situations and their potential shortcomings. The discussion centered on HB540 as a proposed measure to enhance victim protections. Officials noted that these orders serve as legal documents but may not always prevent additional incidents of violence. Background on […]
- Virginia General Assembly Passes Bill to Ban Bribes for Voter Registration
The Virginia General Assembly has recently approved and enacted a new law designed to protect the voter registration process from corruption. House Bill 113, which has been signed into law, amends the Code of Virginia to prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of any money or thing of value to influence a person’s decision to register […]
- Virginia House of Delegates Approves Bill Establishing Standards for Limiting Room Confinement of Minors in Juvenile Facilities
The Virginia House of Delegates approved legislation during the 2026 regular session that directs the Department of Juvenile Justice to establish standards for limiting room or cell confinement of minors in juvenile correctional facilities. The bill, designated as House Bill 91, also mandates that the department compile a report on the results of implementing these […]
- Prince William County Adds Speed Cameras in Construction Zones
Prince William County has announced the introduction of speed cameras in construction zones across its roadways. The cameras are intended to monitor and deter speeding that endangers workers performing road maintenance and building activities. This step responds to incidents where excessive speeds have created hazards for crews on the job. The county positions the program […]
- Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Virginia Over Semi-Automatic Rifle Restrictions
The United States Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit on July 1, 2026, against the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia State Police. The complaint challenges a newly enacted state law that bans the commercial purchase and sale of ordinary semi-automatic rifles. This includes AR-15-style firearms, which the department notes are owned by millions […]
- Justice Department Challenges Virginia Assault Weapons Law in Federal Court
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit on July 1, 2026, against the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia State Police. The suit challenges provisions of a state law that restrict certain semi-automatic firearms. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division announced the action, which targets bans on the purchase, […]
- New Law Sets Rules for Handguns in Unattended Motor Vehicles in Virginia
The Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate have passed legislation that sets new standards for storing handguns in unattended motor vehicles. House Bill 110 provides that no person shall leave, place, or store a handgun in an unattended motor vehicle when the handgun is visible to any person outside the vehicle. A violation of […]
- Virginia’s abortion amendment faces legal challenges over procedural step, language
A legal challenge to Virginia’s pending reproductive rights amendment is headed toward a hearing later this month, with potential implications for two other pending constitutional amendments. At the center of Bansley v. Nardo is an argument that the clerk of the House of Delegates, Paul Nardo, failed to send copies of the amendment to circuit […]
- Virginia Senate Considers Photo Speed Cameras for George Washington Parkway Under SB81
Virginia State Senator Scott Surovell has introduced elements of Senate Bill 81 that would permit photo speed cameras on the George Washington Parkway. The discussion centers on a portion of the parkway located about 10 miles from Fairfax. During Senate proceedings, the measure encountered significant opposition from other members who characterized it as an attack […]
- Spanberger signs assault weapons ban, package of criminal justice and energy bills
Gov. Abigail Spanberger late Thursday signed a sweeping package of legislation approved during the 2026 General Assembly session, including a ban on the future sale and manufacture of assault-style firearms, new restrictions of weapons in hospitals, marijuana sentencing reforms, voter roll maintenance changes and protections for immigrant workers. The assault weapons measure, one of the […]
- Here are 10 notable new Virginia laws that will take effect July 1
Hundreds of new Virginia laws will begin taking effect Wednesday, after Gov. Abigail Spanberger acted on more than 1,100 bills approved by the Democratic-controlled General Assembly earlier this year. Not every measure passed this year will be triggered into action all at once. Some policies will phase in over the coming months or years, while […]