VISUALIZATION: A CLOSE LOOK AT SENATE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

In the General Assembly, who sits on a committee can determine if a bill becomes law -- or if it is defeated. VPAP takes a closer look at how Democrats have put their stamp on Senate committee assignments. There's a map showing the geographical distribution of committee chairs, a chart showing the increased workload for Senate Democrats and a complete list of committee assignment changes.

LAWMAKERS, BACKED BY NORTHAM, URGE LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS

Backed by Gov. Ralph Northam, a group of Democratic lawmakers is proposing legislation to give localities the authority to remove or maintain Confederate statues and memorials. Northam also said he is backing a proposal for the removal of the Robert E. Lee statue in the U.S. Capitol, which is under the purview of state government and sits as a representation of Virginia among the key figures of other states.

NORTHAM CALLS LEE STATUES ‘OFFENSIVE’

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday that the statues of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the state Capitol and on this city's Monument Avenue are "offensive" and that he supports creating a commission to recommend a replacement for the statue of Lee that represents Virginia in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol.

VIRGINIA DEMS PLEDGE TO LET LOCALS MOVE CONFEDERATE STATUES

Newly empowered Democratic leaders in Virginia pledged Thursday to let local governments remove Confederate monuments, but Gov. Ralph Northam said he’s still weighing what to do with one of the state’s most prominent ones — a towering statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

REPUBLICAN DELEGATE CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF HARRY BYRD SR.'S STATUE FROM CAPITOL SQUARE

A freshman Republican delegate from Lynchburg has introduced a bill calling for the removal of a statue of former Gov. and Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr. from Capitol Square. “Governor Byrd was the architect of Massive Resistance,” to school desegregation, Del. Wendell Walker said in a statement. “Through his actions, African Americans were treated as less than human, denied an education, and forced to live in fear.

NORTHAM ‘OPEN’ TO LEGALIZED CASINO GAMING

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Thursday he is “open” to legalized casino gaming but stopped short of saying he would sign whatever bill the General Assembly might advance. The morning after his State of the Commonwealth Address to the state legislature, Northam addressed a number of issues, including the possibility of expanding gambling options, during an exclusive conference call with the Bristol Herald Courier editorial board.

NORTHAM ADMINISTRATION OUTLINES GUN CONTROL MEASURES

The Northam administration threw its weight Thursday behind the eight proposals it will back on gun control this legislative session, including a ban on assault weapons defined as any semiautomatic rifle or pistol with a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds. The Northam-backed bill would go into effect in July, but would allow people who already own an assault weapon to obtain a permit from the state for restricted use.

VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS WON AN ELECTION. GUN OWNERS ARE TALKING CIVIL WAR

Thousands of Virginia residents have shown up at meetings across the state to try to block Democrats from enacting new gun laws, with some gun rights supporters openly discussing violent resistance and civil war. The backlash to gun control in Virginia is being fueled by conspiracy theories and misinformation, and some observers worry that the escalating rhetoric may spark violence.

VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS MOVE TOWARD BAN ON GUNS IN STATE CAPITOL

Virginia’s new House of Delegates Democratic majority took a first step Thursday toward banning guns in the Capitol and addressing sexual harassment concerns. New rules proposed by the Democratic caucus and approved on a party-line vote would give the House Rules committee — a tight group of senior, mostly majority-party legislators — the power to set standards for allowing firearms in the Capitol and legislative offices and for preventing sexual harassment.

HOUSE PANEL CONSIDERS LIMITS ON CONCEALED CARRY IN VA. CAPITOL

A group of state lawmakers is going to consider changing the policy on guns at the Capitol as thousands of gun rights advocates prepare to come to Richmond to voice their opposition to gun control. The House Rules Committee — composed of 13 Democrats and five Republicans — will examine a policy about legislators, staff and visitors carrying firearms.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS WANT TO GIVE COMMITTEE POWER OVER FIREARMS IN CAPITOL

With tensions rising over potential gun control laws, House Democrats adopted new operating rules on a party-line vote on Thursday that give one House of Delegates committee the authority to set and revise policy on firearm possession in the Capitol and adjacent legislative buildings.

IN LIGHT OF RECENT TEXAS SHOOTING, ONE VIRGINIA LAWMAKER WANTS TO ALLOW GUNS IN CHURCHES

Guns are not allowed in churches during services, at least not now. But Republican Delegate John McGuire wants to change that. He has a bill that would overturn that prohibition. “So I think that whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, I think that it’s a bipartisan issue because we should be able to defend ourselves," McGuire says. "If you look at some strictest cities or towns with the strictest gun laws, they have the most gun deaths. And those victims have the right to defend themselves too.”

VIRGINIA LAWMAKER WANTS TO BAN NRA’S SHOOTING RANGE

A Virginia Democrat is looking to block the National Rifle Association from operating an indoor gun range at its headquarters. It’s an aggressive move against the country’s best known and most politically potent gun-rights organization that highlights some Democrats’ antipathy toward the group.

D.C. MAYOR URGES VA. LAWMAKERS TO PASS GUN MEASURES

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) waded into Virginia politics Wednesday as she urged fellow Democratic leaders, newly in control of the state legislature, to follow through on promises to pass gun-control measures to help her city combat surging violent crime. In a letter to Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax) and Senate Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax), Bowser named Virginia as a primary source state for guns used in city crimes.

LEGISLATION PUSHES 1¢ SALES TAX FOR SCHOOLS

Mecklenburg County is seeking the authority to levy an additional 1 percent local sales and use tax to pay for school construction and upgrades under legislation that Del. Tommy Wright has introduced in the Virginia General Assembly.

SENATE COMMITTEE BACKS RATIFICATION OF ERA

The Equal Rights Amendment cleared its first hurdle Thursday in a new-look General Assembly. The Senate Privileges and Elections Committee voted 10-5 to approve a resolution to ratify the federal Equal Rights Amendment, a controversial resolution that was a key issue in the most recent wave of elections that led to a Democratic-controlled House of Delegates and Senate. The ERA measure now heads to the full Senate.

LEGISLATION WOULD GIVE TENANTS MORE LEVERAGE OVER LANDLORDS

A state senator says he’ll introduce legislation that would allow tenants to make essential repairs if their landlords won’t and then deduct the cost from their monthly rent. “Too often the landlord has all the power and none is given to the tenant,” said Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin.

PAYING THE PRICE FOR NO-EXCUSE EARLY VOTING

One goal many Virginia Democrats hope to achieve in 2020 is to shore up the ability to vote early. Measures that would do away with the required excuses to vote absentee during the 45-day window would have to pass in order to make it happen. Chesterfield County’s General Registrar Constance Hargrove said there would also be a laundry list of items needed to make it happen.

SENATE BILLS TO IMPROVE VIRGINIA SCHOOL FACILITIES, TEACHER PLANNING TIME HEAD TO FINANCE COMMITTEE

A Senate committee signed off Thursday on efforts to improve school facilities across the state and give teachers more planning time. The Senate Education and Health Committee, the first Senate panel to meet during the 2020 General Assembly session, approved the bills by two Republican senators, sending them to the newly named Finance and Appropriations Committee.

DELEGATES PROPOSE RAISING CIGARETTE TAX, BANNING SALES OF FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS IN VIRGINIA

Two Virginia delegates want to increase the cigarette tax by six times its current amount and ban the sales of flavored tobacco products in the commonwealth. Del. Patrick Hope (D-47th) and Del. Cliff Hayes (D-77th) hosted a Tobacco Control Policy Press Conference in Richmond Thursday outlining three tobacco-related bills: raising the cigarette tax to $1.80 (HB1120), creating a statewide retail licensing system (HB1283), and banning the sales of flavored tobacco products (HB1119).

HOUSE DEMOCRATS PROPOSE NEW SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY

New Democratic leadership in the House of Delegates intends to create a new sexual harassment policy in an early move by the House’s new, female leadership. The previous version of House rules didn’t include specific procedures on harassment, though legislation passed in 2018 requires General Assembly members and staff to complete sexual harassment training once every two years.

WITH DEMOCRATS IN POWER, TRANSGENDER STUDENTS COULD SEE NEW STATEWIDE PROTECTIONS IN VIRGINIA

School systems in Virginia have broad authority to decide how to accommodate transgender students, leading to contentious debates in many communities and resulting in vastly different experiences for students across the state. In Arlington County, public schoolchildren are free to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. Teachers must call on students using students’ preferred names and gender pronouns.

FEMALE PRONOUNS ARE NOW THE NORM AT THE CAPITOL

The House side of Mr. Jefferson's Capitol just changed its pronoun preference — from "he/him" to "she/her." One day after taking control of Virginia’s House of Delegates, Democrats led by the state’s first female speaker pushed through a set of rules governing how the chamber will operate. The rules package presented Thursday was a day late and highly anticipated

AT VIRGINIA CAPITOL, 200 RALLY FOR LICENSES REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS

More than 200 people rallied Thursday in support of giving eligible Virginia residents the right to obtain a driver’s license, regardless of their citizenship or immigration status. Joined by Del. Elizabeth Guzman, D-Prince William; Del. Kathy Tran, D-Fairfax; and Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, advocates from across the state held a rally on the steps of the Capitol.

LEGISLATION WANTS REGS ON HEMP-HARVEST SMELL

Legislation calling for hemp farms to maintain buffer zones and harvest-odor mitigation has roots in Dinwiddie County, where residents living near the county’s first-ever grower publicly complained about the smell wafting into their personal spaces.

OBENSHAIN BALKS AT NORTHAM TALKING POINTS

Gov. Ralph Northam gave his second State of the Commonwealth address on Wednesday, sharing his vision to continue building a “stronger, fairer and more equitable Virginia.” But one Valley lawmaker was not in agreement with the governor's remarks. Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham, took to Twitter on Wednesday night to share his thoughts on the address that touched on climate change, raising the minimum wage, investing in broadband and gun rights.

DELEGATE'S BILL COULD GIVE STATE TAX MONEY TO RICHMOND COLISEUM REDEVELOPMENT

A state lawmaker filed a bill to provide a new funding source for the proposed redevelopment of the Richmond Coliseum. Richmond’s Democratic Delegate Jeff Bourne filed a bill that would funnel some state tax revenue to the city. If passed, the state would send Richmond the sales tax it collects from the neighborhood surrounding the Coliseum. The area specified in the bill is similar to the project’s proposed footprint, which includes a new downtown arena and privately developed apartments, shops and restaurants.

LOUDOUN SUPERVISORS SUPPORT LOCAL POWER OVER WAR MONUMENTS, PUSH FOR ERA RATIFICATION

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors is supporting legislation to give Virginia localities authority over war monuments and memorials. The board passed the measure with a 7-2 vote Tuesday during its first business meeting of the year.

DANVILLE, PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY AND HENRY COUNTY SALES TAX REFERENDUM PROPOSALS LUMPED INTO ONE BILL

It’s uncertain when Danville City Council’s request for a referendum on a local sales tax increase to pay for school improvements will be voted on during the 2020 General Assembly session. “I’m not quite sure yet,” Del. Danny Marshall, R-Danville, said, adding that committees have not yet been appointed. Marshall filed the bill, House Bill 486, on Jan. 3 that seeks permission for referendums to be held in Danville, Pittsylvania County and Henry County asking voters to approve a 1% increase in the local sales tax

REPUBLICAN SEN. DESTEPH WORRIES GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS WILL IMPACT VIRGINIA BEACH

There’s already a fallout over Republicans not being in control for this year’s General Assembly session, and it could hurt Virginia’s largest city, Virginia Beach. The General Assembly handled committee assignments Thursday. Democrats control the assignments, and a Democratic leader, Del. Lamont Bagby, D-Henrico, told WAVY News Wednesday both parties would be treated fairly.

PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO IMPACT WATERMEN, FARMERS, GUN OWNERS

The Virginia General Assembly convened its 2020 session January 8 and began the process of considering over 1,000 bills and resolutions that were filed before the session began. ... House Bill 79 and Senate Bill 157, introduced by Del. Barry Knight and Sen. Bill DeSteph of Virginia Beach, propose to adopt regulations on the management of Atlantic menhaden fisheries order to comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Interstate Fishery Management Plan.

JOE MORRISSEY'S LAWSUIT AGAINST WTVR DISMISSED

A lawsuit filed by state Sen. Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond, against WTVR, CBS 6, columnist Mark Holmberg and other television station employees was dismissed in federal court Thursday. “This Court concludes that Holmberg’s broadcast is clearly presented to CBS 6 views as political commentary. Consequently, it is entitled to broad First Amendment protection warranting dismissal. The content also appears to have a defensible factual basis,” wrote U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson on Thursday.

FUTURE UNCERTAIN FOR STAUNTON MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

MedMen Enterprises, Inc., a leading cannabis company with operations across the U.S., announced in Oct. 2019 the termination of a $682 million merger with PharmaCann, the medical cannabis dispensary that was supposed to open in Staunton. While news of one of the biggest medical cannabis acquisitions falling apart spread within the financial and marijuana business sectors, nothing about the failed acquisition causing delays in opening the dispensary in Staunton was communicated.

WARNER DISCUSSES IMPEACHMENT, FOREIGN POLICY TRADE DEALS

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, spoke with reporters Thursday afternoon, addressing national issues reverberating from overseas to Virginia farms. Warner began his phone call with an explanation of his concerns with the killing of the leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qasem Soleimani.

KAINE PUSHES ANEW FOR LIMITS ON WAR POWERS

In the seven years since Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) took office, he has been obsessed with curbing presidents’ efforts to deploy the military without congressional say-so — decrying the use of resolutions from 2001 and 2002 to justify sending troops into harm’s way years later. Now that the killing of Iranian military commander Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani has increased tensions with Iran, Kaine is approaching the issue from another angle and starting to gain traction.

VIRGINIA LAWMAKERS REACT TO THE US HOUSE VOTE TO RESTRAIN TRUMP’S MILITARY POWERS AGAINST IRAN

The U.S. House passed a resolution on Thursday to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to take military action against Iran. There is a similar proposal in the Senate made by Senator Tim Kaine. Republicans in the Senate are unlikely to approve the measure.

JEFFERSON LAB PASSED OVER FOR $1.6 BILLION ELECTRON ION COLLIDER

Dashing the hopes of Virginia physicists, politicians and business leaders, the U.S. Department of Energy is passing over Jefferson Lab as the preferred site for a $1.6 billion Electron Ion Collider.

ABB LAYS OFF 113 IN SOUTH BOSTON

Citing a global slowdown in demand, ABB laid off 113 of its employees at the South Boston small electrical transformers plant on Wednesday, idling nearly a quarter of the local workforce.

FLOWERS FOODS TO INVEST $25M TO TURN LYNCHBURG BAKERY INTO ORGANIC FACILITY

Flowers Foods will invest $25 million to turn its Lynchburg bakery into an organic facility, creating 15 new jobs, the governor's office announced Thursday. The project is expected to be complete by late summer.

UNDER NORTHAM’S G3 COMMUNITY COLLEGE PLAN, STUDENTS IN TECH, CONSTRUCTION WOULD SEE FREE TUITION

Governor Ralph Northam recently announced a bold plan to help pay the way for Virginia community college students in select career paths. It’s called “Get skilled, Get a Job, Give back,” or G3. Now, the plan is in the hands of lawmakers. “I am super excited about the proposal for tuition-free community colleges,” said Democratic Senator Ghazala Hashmi.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA SCHOOL OF NURSING RECEIVES $20 MILLION GIFT

The University of Virginia School of Nursing just received its largest gift ever. Pam Cipriano, dean of UVA School of Nursing, says they plan to use the money to help fund scholarships and increase diversity. The nursing school just received $20 million from Phil and Joanne Conway. The gift will help a diverse set of future nursing students graduate debt-free.

COUNTING THE HOMELESS COULD MEAN MORE FEDERAL AID FOR CITIES AND COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

That there is a number of homeless people in Martinsville and Henry County is not a mystery, but the accuracy of how many could be suspect. If anything, there are a lot more homeless people than have been part of the official count.

IRS FILINGS SHOW DOMINION ENERGY COMMITTED $20M OVER 20 YEARS FOR NAMING RIGHTS FOR A NEW COLISEUM

Dominion Energy is more entwined in the $1.5 billion Coliseum replacement and Downtown redevelopment proposal than previously disclosed. The energy giant, led by Thomas F. Farrell II who also is spearheading the Coliseum replacement plan through the Navy Hill District Corp., has agreed to pay $20 million over two decades for the naming rights to the proposed $235 million, 17,500-seat arena.

OUTGOING SUPERVISORS REFLECT ON A CHANGING COUNTY

One month after Dorothy Jaeckle was elected for the first time to represent the Bermuda District on the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors in November 2007, the U.S. economy entered the period of sustained, precipitous decline known as the Great Recession. Amid a nationwide collapse in the housing market, Jaeckle and her colleagues spent most of the next four years cutting the county’s budget to align with revenue from plummeting residential property assessments.

PORTSMOUTH CAN’T CONDEMN CITY JAIL AND MUST REPAIR IT, JUDGE RULES

The city of Portsmouth cannot condemn its jail and must make repairs to keep the facility safe and operational, a judge ruled Thursday. The dispute between the city and Sheriff Michael Moore began in July, when city officials condemned the jail and four other buildings in the downtown Civic Center Complex without notice.

ALBEMARLE SCHOOL DIVISION EYES LARGER-THAN-EXPECTED STATE FUNDING CONTRIBUTION

Albemarle County Public Schools could get more money than initially expected from the state for fiscal year 2021. During an update of the development of the upcoming funding request at the School Board’s Thursday meeting, school division Director of Planning and Budget Maya Kumazawa said Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposed budget includes an additional $7.7 million more than the division’s current adopted budget.

BEDFORD COUNTY PART OF $60 MILLION BROADBAND INITIATIVE

A $60 million initiative to provide high-speed broadband to rural areas of Virginia will make internet services available to residents throughout eight counties, including parts of Bedford County.

CHESTERFIELD SUPERVISORS OK FORMAL GUN DEBATE STATEMENT

As the General Assembly gathered this week to start considering gun control measures that have spurred some local governments to pass protest resolutions, Chesterfield County officials approved a formal statement addressing the debate following weeks of lobbying by gun-rights supporters.

HAMPTON LEADERS DECLARE THEY SUPPORT BOTH SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND SENSIBLE GUN LAWS

The Hampton City Council on Wednesday declared it supports the Second Amendment. It also said it supports sensible regulation of firearms. But, late in the evening, a resolution before the council to urge state lawmakers not to pass any laws that would infringe upon gun-ownership rights was nixed.

HANDGUN PERMITS UP IN ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY

The election of a Democratic majority in the Virginia General Assembly not only sparked the Second Amendment Sanctuary movement, it also likely led to a nearly 58 percent increase in concealed handgun permits in Isle of Wight County. In 2018, the Isle of Wight County Clerk’s Office signed off on 64 permits in November and 57 in December. This year, that jumped to 74 permits in November and 90 in December, according to Isle of Wight County Circuit Court Clerk Sharon Jones.

OPPORTUNITY TIME

The 2020 Virginia General Assembly session started on Wednesday with several historic markers of note. First, Democrat Eileen Filler-Corn of Northern Virginia was sworn in as the first woman Speaker of the House in the 401-year history of the Virginia legislature.

TCI WOULD BE A BAD DEAL FOR LOCAL DRIVERS

Not many Virginians are aware that last year, the commonwealth signaled its intention to join the Transportation Climate Initiative, a coalition of 12 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia, whose stated goal is “to transition to a more sustainable, resilient, lower carbon transportation sector that provides their residents with more transportation options, improved air quality and public health, and economic opportunity.”

TIME TO BAN CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING

When lawmakers get back to work in Richmond, they should make passing a strong ban on using handheld cell phones while driving a top priority. There’s no good argument against enacting a ban.

RUSH HOMES RUSHES INTO THE BREACH

For one reason or another, when you mention “affordable housing” to some people, age-old misconceptions come to mind. They might think of apartment complexes with subsidized rents and concentrations of poor minorities. Or perhaps a subdivision of cheaply built homes thrown up on the fly and marketed, again, to poor minorities. Nothing could be further from the truth.

POLITIFACT : VAN CLEAVE RATES "FALSE" ON GANG VIOLENCE CLAIM

A leading gun rights activist says Democratic lawmakers are trying to penalize law-abiding firearm owners for violence committed by gangs. The charge was made by Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, during a Dec. 9 rally at the state Capitol. His group was protesting a series of gun restrictions proposed by Democrats, who in November elections, won control of both General Assembly chambers for the first time this century.

SWANSON: TIME FOR VIRGINIA TO END THE DEATH PENALTY

The death penalty’s slow death is accelerating. At least 140 nations no longer use it. No nation in Europe uses the death penalty. No nation in the Western Hemisphere uses it, except the United States.

Swanson is executive director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. He lives in Charlottesville

AYALA: WE NEED TO DO MORE FOR OUR UNDERSERVED SCHOOLS

Earning a college degree used to be considered a luxury in our country. However, in just a few decades, it has become a requirement to live even just a decent life. In a world that is so much more interconnected and complex, the most underserved among us fall further behind.

Hala Ayala, D-Prince William, represents the 51st District in the House of Delegates.

FRALIN: VIRGINIA'S RIGHT-TO-WORK LAW SHOULD NOT BE REPEALED OR AMENDED

(VPAP is re-running this op-ed, which The Roanoke Times initially published a version that dropped the word "not" from the headline) The Virginia economy is growing. Unemployment is at its lowest level in years. The state’s investment in GO Virginia is bringing local governments together and providing renewed enthusiasm for economic development in every region of the Commonwealth. The research dollars awarded to our universities are increasing, and incubators and accelerators launched around the state are helping startup companies initiated by this research to succeed.

Fralin is Chairman of Medical Facilities of America

OBITUARY: TIMOTHY TODD, HOKIE FAN

On Saturday, December 28, 2019, Timothy Todd of Blacksburg, Va., decided that he could no longer take UVA Wahoo fans incessant crowing about how the streak has ended, the NCAA basketball championship and how Virginia Tech has never won a team NCAA championship, and went to Heaven where we are quite sure it is Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange.