VirginiaMercury
- 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 […]
- Virginia proposes two-year delay in raising school standards
The Virginia Board of Education may delay the full implementation of the state’s plan to raise academic benchmarks for reading and math by two years, rather than gradually increasing them over a four-year period starting this year as scheduled. The department briefed board members on the proposed delay at their work session on Wednesday at […]
- Virginia lawmakers return Monday to weigh Spanberger budget amendments before fiscal deadline
Less than 48 hours before the start of Virginia’s new fiscal year, the General Assembly will meet in Richmond Monday to consider Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s proposed amendments to the state’s two-year spending plan lawmakers passed one week ago. The House of Delegates will reconvene at noon to take up the governor’s amendments first, followed later […]
- Virginia General Assembly approves Spanberger’s budget amendments, ending monthslong impasse
With less than 48 hours remaining before the start of Virginia’s new fiscal year, the General Assembly on Monday approved a package of amendments proposed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger to the state’s two-year budget, formally ending a budget fight among the Democratic majority that had dragged on for months. The House of Delegates and state […]
- ‘It’s outrageous’: Spanberger navigates budget fight, Democratic unrest six months into governorship
Back in January, Gov. Abigail Spanberger arrived in office promising pragmatism, affordability and a less combative style of politics. Fast forward a few months, and Virginia’s first woman governor finds herself navigating one of the rockiest starts to a Democratic administration in years, with budget negotiations intensifying weeks before a shutdown deadline, frustration simmering inside […]
- Kratom product sales to be regulated in Virginia
Del. Joshua Cole, D-Fredericksburg, never expected social media posts about a recreational drug would inspire a new consumer protection law, which he sponsored and was approved by Gov. Abigail Spanberger last month. Spanberger ceremonially signed Cole’s House Bill 360 on Tuesday, which creates new safeguards for the sale of kratom, a legal substance often used […]
- Private equity companies buy more apartment units in Virginia
Private equity firms own nearly 3 million apartment units, about 13% of the total apartments across the country, according to a new analysis from watchdog group Private Equity Stakeholder Project. And most have been fairly recent purchases. The companies acquired more than 1.7 million of those, or 57%, since 2018, and about 45% of them […]
- Virginia faces mental health provider shortages as Hampton Roads residents struggle to navigate care
By Yiqing Wang/WHRO A new national report found Virginia is facing “catastrophic” shortages in community mental health. Providers in Norfolk say many patients still struggle to know where to turn during a mental health crisis. The report from mental health policy group Inseparable found Virginians go out of network for mental health care six and a half […]
- Virginia legislators advance $205 billion budget including new tax on data centers
On Monday, Virginia legislators approved a two-year, $205 billion budget proposal to fund healthcare and public education, provide 4% teacher raises and a 3.5% pay bump to state employees, establish a retail weed marketplace and hedge against decreased federal dollars. The spending plan also includes a provision to tax data centers for their energy consumption, […]
- Virginia revenue forecast jumps by $1.5 billion as budget talks continue
Virginia’s revenue outlook has improved by $1.5 billion over the next three fiscal years, giving lawmakers more breathing room as negotiations over a stalled state budget are set to continue in Richmond later this month. Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Monday afternoon released the updated revenue forecast she ordered last month, telling top legislative budget writers […]
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs wetlands, PFAS and flooding bills
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs an environmental bill into law in Stafford, VA on May 6, 2026. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) On the banks of Aquia Creek in Stafford, Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday signed a slew of bills designed to protect Virginia’s clean water from harmful forever chemicals and aid communities as sea levels […]
- Virginia’s colleges and universities brace for major accreditation overhaul
Virginia’s colleges and universities may soon face heightened competition and political scrutiny, educators and related groups say, as the U.S. Department of Education advanced draft rules last week that could change how institutions are accredited under stronger federal oversight and stricter accountability measures. This process plays a central role in U.S. higher education because it […]
- Abigail Spanberger vetoes cannabis bill, stalling legal sales again
Gov. Abigail Spanberger on Tuesday vetoed legislation that would have created Virginia’s long-delayed adult-use cannabis retail market, halting an effort lawmakers spent months negotiating five years after the commonwealth legalized marijuana possession. The veto came after the General Assembly last month rejected Spanberger’s substitute proposal, which would have substantially rewritten the legis
- Virginia farmers talk meat production, fertilizer costs with USDA officials
United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy traveled to Doswell Wednesday to meet with Virginia farmers and meat producers and discuss the challenges they face – and what the federal government can do to help. Limited access to local meat processors is a persistent challenge […]
- Governor Abigail Spanberger fires Virginia Tech Rector Rocovich, appoints Dominion Energy’s Edward Baine as replacement
Gov. Abigail Spanberger has removed Rector John Rocovich from Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors, citing misconduct in a letter sent Wednesday. On Thursday, she announced that Edward Baine, executive vice president of utility operations and president of Dominion Energy Virginia, would replace Rocovich on the board for the remainder of his term, which ends in […]
- Is Dominion’s plan to merge with NextEra good or bad for Virginians?
Man, even the Pope doesn’t like data centers. In his new encyclical on artificial intelligence, Pope Leo XIV laid out the dangers of the mad rush to replace humans with AI. Amid the concerns for the dignity and future of humanity, he took a moment to mention the environmental damage involved: Current AI systems require […]
- SELC appeals to state supreme court over SCC approval of Dominion’s Chesterfield gas plant
The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing the Chesterfield County branch of the NAACP, Appalachian Voices, and Mothers Out Front, on Wednesday filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of Virginia over state regulators’ approval of Dominion Energy’s Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (CERC), a gas peaker plant fiercely opposed by the groups and residents that’s slated […]
- Thousands of Virginians will regain the right to vote next month
Virginia resident Tati King, a former felon who helped lead a major lawsuit to win back his and others’ voting rights, stands outside of Virginia’s Capitol. (Photo courtesy of Phuong Tran/ACLU of Virginia) Tati Abu King, who was formerly incarcerated for a felony, has been waiting years to be able to vote again. A court […]
- Dominion just can’t kick its fossil fuel addiction
Flush with success after the SCC ignored legal deficiencies and approved the company’s plan for a large gas peaker plant in Chesterfield, Dominion Energy is pushing its luck with a proposal for a massively bigger gas combined-cycle plant. The 3,000 MW facility slated for Cumberland County would be Dominion’s biggest fossil fuel plant ever, the […]
- $193M shortfall with construction funds Virginia transportation board
The Commonwealth Transportation Board voted to transfer funds from construction projects and other areas to address a $193 million budget shortfall caused by increased spending on storm response and employee bonuses on during Wednesday’s business meeting. The Virginia Department of Transportation reported that emergency responses — including snowstorms, hurricanes, and flooding — cost the agency [
- Abigail Spanberger vetoes bills allowing public employees to collectively bargain working condition, wages
Gov. Abigail Spanberger vetoed collective bargaining legislation Thursday, drawing major criticism from some of the state’s largest unions and labor advocate groups. The governor previously expressed support for the bills that would allow more Virginia public workers to organize in unions and negotiate their working conditions and pay rates. Spanberger first sought amendments to Senate […]
- Supreme Court of Virginia strikes down redistricting amendment, keeps current maps in place
The Supreme Court of Virginia in Richmond on April 27, 2026. (Photo by Samantha Willis/Virginia Mercury) The Supreme Court of Virginia on Friday struck down the voter-approved redistricting amendment, upholding a lower court ruling that had declared the measure unconstitutional less than 24 hours after last week’s special election and briefly halted its implementation. The […]
- Virginia Farmers impacted by Hurricane Helene may apply for farm recovery grants
Flooding in Damascus, Virginia on September 27, 2024, after Hurricane Helene. (Photo courtesy of Virginia Department of Emergency Management) Next week, the Virginia Farm Recovery Block Grant Program will reopen, allowing local farmers and timber producers to apply for financial assistance to recover from Hurricane Helene, which battered Southwest Virginia in 2024. The application portal […]
- Abigail Spanberger’s first 100 days are flashing a warning Virginia Democrats should not ignore
Gov. Abigail Spanberger signs bills to set referendums for four constitutional amendments on Feb. 6, 2026. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/ Virginia Mercury) Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a package of gun bills on April 10, including a ghost gun ban, an industry liability measure and a closure of the intimate partner loophole. The bills are […]
- Data center tax exemption changes still holding up Virginia budget
Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (left) and Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas speak with reporters on Wednesday. (Photo by Charles Paullin/Inside Climate News) This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News (hyperlink to the original story), a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here. […]
- Early poll is sobering for Spanberger, but it’s a wake-up call, not an epitaph
Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaks with reporters outside the Executive Mansion in Richmond earlier this month. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) The first report card on Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s still brand-new term is in, and she can’t be happy with it. I’m hearing she’s decidedly unhappy. A new survey by the Washington Post and George Mason […]
- Va. lawmakers OK governor’s tweaks to major bills, reject health and labor bill amendments
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger speaks with the press as lawmakers deliberate her changes to their bills on April 22, 2026. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/ Virginia Mercury) Virginia lawmakers met Wednesday to weigh Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s amendments to dozens of bills passed this year, reflecting both shared goals and differing views on some of the […]
- Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles
A voter casts a ballot in the April 21 redistricting referendum at the Stonebridge Recreational Center in Chesterfield County. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) Virginia voters on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade congressional redistricting, a move expected to dramatically reshape the state’s political map and potentially shift its congressional delegation f
- Spanberger acts on immigration bills, seeks changes to ICE-related measures
Protesters hold signs outside Richmond City Hall in August during a rally against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detentions, calling for the city to bar local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) Gov. Abigail Spanberger this week signed several immigration-related bills into law and proposed changes to others, clarifying how Virgin
- Governor amends bills that shift costs onto data centers. Critics say her tweaks weaken them.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger listens as former President Barack Obama speaks at a Nov. 2025 rally for her campaign when she was the Democratic nominee. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury) Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed and suggested changes to dozens of bills this week, including tweaks to a key energy measure that’s at the center […]
- Uptick in continued Virginia General Assembly legislation reflects varied motivations
The State Capitol in Richmond. (Photo by Kacy Lee/Capital News Service) By Kacy Lee/VCU Capital News Service RICHMOND, Va. — Hundreds of bills were continued to 2027 following the recent Virginia General Assembly session that concluded in mid-March, a method political experts say is increasingly used by lawmakers for several reasons. A total of 2,366 […]
- Virginia sees 33,000 ACA enrollment drop since subsidies expired, more likely on the way
(Photo by Getty Images) What might be pocket change to some can be a breaking point for others — forcing tough choices between health insurance and everyday essentials. As Virginians, and Americans nationwide, face premium spikes in the Affordable Care Act marketplace after Congress failed to renew subsidies, many are weighing the cost of coverage […]
- ‘Skill’ slot machines are a risky bet for Virginia
Skill games in a Richmond corner store. The games popped up in gas stations, convenience stores and bars around the state before they were outlawed. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) After 32 years in the United States Army and Virginia Army National Guard, I now spend my time managing my VFW Post’s charitable gaming activities. […]
- Affordability or tax hikes? Spanberger agenda caught in political crossfire
Gov. Abigail Spanberger made affordability the centerpiece of her 2026 agenda, promising relief for Virginians strained by high housing costs, rising energy bills and everyday expenses. But less than a month into the General Assembly session, several dozen tax-increase bills filed by Democratic lawmakers have given Republicans a ready-made political weapon — and an opening […]
- The Trump administration wants everyone to reapply for food stamps. What does that mean?
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers, coming mere days after recipients began to see benefits that had been stalled during the government shutdown.
- Jay Jones text scandal reshapes Virginia’s attorney general race — and tests Spanberger’s ticket
When Virginia’s two attorney general candidates are set to meet Thursday at the University of Richmond for what is expected to be their only debate before Election Day, the focus will almost certainly fall on one thing — the scandal over Democrat Jay Jones’s recently leaked text messages to Republi
- Va. school divisions (Loudoun, Essex, and Northumberland) repay nearly $30 million in misused special ed funds; one division disputes
Three school divisions charged with misusing federal funds intended for students with disabilities have made nearly $30 million in total repayments, according to the state Department of Education, which will be returned to the federal government. Still, one division is actively disputing the charge.
- Southwest Virginia lands $11M boost to reclaim abandoned coal mines
Southwest Virginia has been making strides to bring new life to abandoned mine sites. Millions of dollars have been invested in the region to plug the old coal mines, restore the land, and repurpose the space for economic development.
- Glenn Youngkin Signature Sets Stage for Virginia Health Insurance to Cover in vitro fertilization Treatment
A bill that can help people start and grow their families through fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization will become law, after Gov.
- Public school enrollment continues to fall, including in Virginia
Across the country, public school enrollment has failed to rebound to pre-pandemic levels — and data suggests the decline is far from over. According to projections from the National Center for Education Statistics, public K-12 enrollment peaked at 50.8 million students in autumn 2019, but is expected to fall by nearly 4 million students to 46.9 million […]
- Virginia launches new dashboards to track maternal deaths, improve pregnancy outcomes
Virginia is rolling out a new set of tools aimed at tackling one of the most urgent health disparities in the country. Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday announced the release of two new dashboards — one tracking maternal mortality and the other pregnancy-associated deaths — alongside an upgraded Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Dashboard that […]
- Amazon announces deal with Dominion Energy to develop a small nuclear reactor
Amazon announced Wednesday that it entered into an agreement with Dominion Energy to pay for the development of a small modular reactor as the utility explores building one at its North Anna Power Station, an existing traditional nuclear power plant in Louisa County.