Two local lawmakers who spearheaded bills to limit domestic abusers’ access to firearms blasted recent vetoes of that legislation at a press conference today (Thursday).
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) last month struck down bills from State Sen. Barbara Favola and Del. Adele McClure that would have strengthened existing gun control laws around people who have physically attacked family members and romantic partners.
Arlington’s Virginia General Assembly representatives notched several preliminary victories this legislative session.
The state House and Senate are now in “crossover” — where bills that started in the House are considered by the Senate and vice versa. Bills that pass both chambers will be sent to Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who will either pass them into law or veto them.
Arlington’s two state Senators have landed key leadership roles after Democrats won control of the General Assembly last week.
State Sen. Barbara Favola will continue as Majority Whip, sharing her duties with Richmond’s Sen. Lamont Bagby, according to a Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus press release. Sen. Scott Surovell, who will represent southeastern Fairfax County, is set to become the majority leader.
Last week, we invited the candidates running in competitive races in the June 20 Democratic primary to write a post about why Arlington residents should vote for them. Find information on how and where to vote here.
Below is the unedited response from Barbara Favola, incumbent for Virginia State Senate – 40th District. Challenger James DeVita did not submit a response prior to publication time.
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.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed 25 bills this week, of which nearly half were proposed or championed by Arlington lawmakers.
The new governor signed 700 bills sent to his desk during the 2022 General Assembly session, including some from Arlington lawmakers addressing mental health treatment, medical debt and virtual meetings.
A bipartisan bill that will allow parents to opt their kids out of masking rules at schools has passed the Democrat-controlled Virginia State Senate, despite opposition from Arlington’s senators.
The bill would take effect on July 1. If it were also to pass the House of Delegates and be signed into law by the governor, it would essentially make the local school boards’ recent, tentative court victory over Gov. Glenn Younkin’s executive order on masks in schools moot.
A pair of bills proposed by an Arlington lawmaker in the General Assembly could help bolster the ranks of health care workers and teachers stretched thin during the pandemic.
The bills introduced by state Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31) expedite the licensure process in both industries, allowing workers with licenses in other states to begin work upon being hired. The bills passed the Virginia Senate uncontested and will be considered in the House after the crossover deadline on Feb. 15.
New Restaurant Coming to Arlington Ridge — “Chef Seng Luangrath, the Laotian chef who has been recognized by Michelin and the James Beard Foundation, plans to open a new restaurant at a grocery-anchored retail center in South Arlington. Luangrath, whose restaurants include Thip Khao in Columbia Heights, has signed a lease with Edens for a roughly 3,500-square-foot space at the Arlington Ridge shopping center, according to marketing material and a source familiar with the situation.” [Washington Business Journal]
De Ferranti Looks Back at 2021 — “[Arlington County Board Chair Matt] de Ferranti’s year as chair began in early January 2021, and the surprises started early. ‘I did not expect to need to impose a curfew on my second full day as chair due to the rioting and insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6,’ he noted. But addressing COVID and its myriad implications was the issue that was at the top of the to-do list for much of the year.” [Sun Gazette]
Newly proposed redistricting maps would create a new Virginia House district in Arlington while potentially pitting long-time Senate incumbents against each other.
Last week, the Supreme Court of Virginia unveiled draft maps for the Virginia House of Delegates, the Virginia Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. The maps were drawn up by one Democrat and one Republican appointed by the court, after a non-partisan committee failed to complete the task earlier in the year.
The Virginia General Assembly official adjourned on Monday (March 1), wrapping up a significant legislative session.
After years in the legislative minority, Democrats currently hold all the House of Delegates, the state Senate, and the governorship.
