Three members of Arlington’s delegation to the House of Delegates launched re-election bids last week.
Dels. Adele McClure (D-2), Patrick Hope (D-1) and Alfonso Lopez (D-3) were widely expected to seek new terms.
Alfonso Lopez
With water-system issues in Richmond delaying the start of the legislative session, Arlington representatives are ready with firm goals as the Virginia General Assembly prepares to get going next week.
“There is so much more to do to continue building a more just, equitable Commonwealth,” said Del. Adele McClure (D-2), who is entering her second legislative session after winning election in 2023.
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There’s something of a war of words going on between the sponsor and a key target of a soon-to-be new towing law.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) recently signed two pieces of legislation — both backed by Arlington lawmakers — allowing Northern Virginia local governments to set tighter restrictions on tow operators. HB 959, introduced by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D), allows localities in Northern Virginia to pass “second signature” ordinances requiring towing operators to get express permission from lot owners before removing individual vehicles.
More stringent towing ordinances could be coming to Arlington as two bills targeting “predatory” practices are set to become law.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has signed off on two pieces of legislation — both backed by Arlington lawmakers — allowing Northern Virginia local governments to set tighter restrictions on tow operators. This move could allow Arlington to implement changes to its towing ordinance originally approved in 2016 but later nixed by the state legislature.
Two anti-predatory towing bills from Arlington lawmakers have cleared the House of Delegates and will now head to the state Senate for discussion.
Seven years ago, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) signed a bill preventing Northern Virginia jurisdictions from requiring real-time authorization of tows by the requesting business or parking lot during business hours.
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(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) A major rally is being planned for later this week in front of the county government headquarters, in a show of solidarity with recently-unionized Starbucks employees.
The president of the AFL-CIO and Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) are both expected to attend, among others.
State lawmakers are calling on the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to raise its minimum wage in order to attract more workers.
Twenty-four Virginia lawmakers, including several who represent parts of Arlington, sent a letter on Friday (Aug. 19) to MWAA President Jack Potter asking the airport authority, which manages and operates both Reagan National and Dulles International, to raise its minimum wage from its current $14.25 per hour.
Proposed legislation from Del. Alfonso Lopez that would support local journalism has withered away without bipartisan support.
HB 1217 would have provided up to $5 million annually in income tax credits to eligible news outlets that employ local journalists and up to $10 million annually in income tax credits to businesses that advertise with these outlets.
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A proposed bill, inspired by the former Virginia Attorney General’s lawsuit and case against Advanced Towing, would allow residents and localities better ability to protect themselves against bad acting towing companies.
“The Virginia code as it relates to towing is a mess. It’s all over the place,” says Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49), who introduced the bill last week (Jan. 18). “My hope is to improve the towing statute and get more relief for customers harmed by the towing industry.”
A half-dozen bills are set to hit the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates in January that were inspired by the poor conditions at the Serrano Apartments and other Virginia affordable housing properties.
After residents exposed poor living conditions at the Columbia Pike apartment complex, Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49) tells ARLnow he began drafting bills to strengthen tenant rights and improve living conditions in affordable housing properties across the Commonwealth.
Local Virginia House of Delegates candidates had similar things to say on hot topics facing the Commonwealth, during a forum hosted by the Arlington County Civic Federation.
While not all candidates were present, those who were in attendance, regardless of political affiliation, voiced support for rail transit and criminal justice reform while decrying the influence of corporate money in state politics.
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It looks like the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is not going to consider a Metro line through Columbia Pike any time soon.
For the last year and a half, there were some signs that such an expansion — which was part of initial Metro planning in the 1960s but was never built — was an actual possibility.