Democrats push for criminal justice reform and lawmakers want more oversight on Dominion Energy
Here are the top stories in Virginia politics
Welcome to Wednesday, Virginia’s legislative session begins today at noon!
Here are the top stories in Virginia politics.
Northam sets a date for the special election to fill Chafin’s Senate seat - Virginia Scope
A special election has been set to fill the vacant seat in Virginia’s state Senate district 38. Senator Ben Chafin (R-Russell), who represented the far-Southwest Virginia district since 2014, passed away on January 1 from COVID-19 complications.
Virginia Democrats continue push for criminal justice reform as General Assembly convenes - Virginia Mercury
by Ned Oliver
As the General Assembly reconvenes this week, Virginia Democrats are continuing a push to reform the state’s criminal justice system that began last year amid widespread social unrest. The effort during a special legislative session culminated in November with the passage of a slate of laws that empowered civilian oversight of police, banned no-knock search warrants and reformed a 224-year-old criminal sentencing statute.
Lawmakers push for stronger oversight of Dominion’s rates - Associated Press
by Alan Suderman
A group of Virginia lawmakers is set to push for stricter regulatory oversight of the state’s dominant electric utility, saying Dominion Energy’s customers have overpaid billions of dollars because of the company’s outsized political sway.
Virginia’s regulatory structure has long been viewed as utility-friendly by Wall Street, and Dominion has routinely pushed through legislation that minimized the chances it has to lower its rates. That’s even though the regulators have routinely found that the electric monopoly’s rates provide excessive profit to the company, including a report last year that found Dominion earned $503 million above authorized levels in 2017 through 2019.
Virginia’s Capitol Square to close on annual lobbying day - Associated Press
By SARAH RANKIN
Amid reports of possible armed protests at state capitals across the country, Virginia officials plan to close Capitol Square in Richmond to the public Monday, an annual day for constituents to lobby lawmakers.
Dena Potter, a spokeswoman for the Department of General Services, confirmed the closure and said her department had also denied permits to four advocacy groups that had been seeking to hold small gatherings on the square Monday.
Gov. Northam will introduce bill to end death penalty in Virginia - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Frank Green
Gov. Ralph Northam will be introducing a bill to abolish the death penalty that, if successful, would make Virginia the first Southern state to end capital punishment.
“I understand about timing and I suspect this is the year to end the death penalty in Virginia,” Northam told the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Tuesday.
Richmond and Henrico moving into second phase of COVID-19 vaccinations on Monday - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Sabrina Moreno
On Monday, Richmond and Henrico County will enter the second phase of COVID-19 vaccinations, which prioritizes front-line essential workers and residents ages 75 and older.
It's unclear how many people in the two localities qualify for the next phase — which also includes people living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters and migrant labor camps — but statewide, at least 760,000 people are deemed to be in the state's essential industries.
The gun group Virginia Citizens Defense League says that lobby day is still happening.
“VCDL is peacefully lobbying the General Assembly to protect our gun rights. We are not protesting anything that day,” they said in an announcement on Tuesday. “VCDL has a hotline to the Virginia State Police, Richmond Police, and Capitol Police, should we need to contact each other, just like in the past."
Pandemic Looms Over Virginia General Assembly’s 2021 Session - VPM News
by Ben Paviour
It was over quickly. Two pricks to her arm, spaced weeks apart, and state Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico) is on track to become the first member of the General Assembly inoculated against COVID-19.
The obstetrician-gynecologist said she was “just thrilled” that the vaccine had come through so quickly.
The Democratic Party of Virginia announced four debates for 2021 nomination process.
The Democratic candidates for governor will participate in four debates. Those debates will be in Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Northern Virginia. Candidates who have committed are:
Jennifer Carroll Foy
Lee Carter
Justin Fairfax
Terry McAuliffe
Jennifer McClellan
DPVA is also planning multiple debates for Democrats running for lieutenant governor and attorney general in Richmond, Northern Virginia, Roanoke, and Hampton Roads.