Latest news with #DillonRule
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Virginia Beach Police Chief to discuss Oceanfront safety ahead of summer
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate is expected to discuss Oceanfront safety and enforcement Tuesday afternoon ahead of the busier summer months. As more people head towards the beach while the weather heats up, Virginia Beach officials want to make sure everyone stays safe. Following several gun-related incidents over the spring at the Oceanfront, Neudigate is set to discuss some of the challenges his department is facing. Virginia Beach to address challenges of maintaining Oceanfront safety According to police, between April 25-27, over 50 were arrested and nearly 30 guns were confiscated at the Oceanfront. VBPD: 2 separate firearm-related incidents on Atlantic Ave. on Saturday The discussion comes after City Manager Patrick Duhaney said during a city council meeting that Neudigate will look into legislative changes that could implement new crime-fighting strategies. Currently, under the Dillon Rule, however, local governments are only able to do what the Commonwealth has given them permission to do. In May, Duhaney stated that some crimes that were once considered primary offenses were moved to second-tier offenses. '[The chief] is going to point out some things that happened through some General Assembly sessions where the pendulum swung one way, and it may be time that there's appropriate discussion about possibly the pendulum swinging legislatively another way,' Duhaney said. 'You know, some things that used to be primary offenses or moved to second-tier offenses, it may make sense to bring back some of those … back to being primary offenses. They give the police officers some opportunities to be more proactive on addressing some issues.' Neudigate is expected to speak with city councilmembers starting at 2:30 p.m. Continue to check for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Here are the bills Youngkin signed, amended and vetoed
RICHMOND — After a flurry of legislative action late Monday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin ultimately signed nearly 600 bills sent to him from the General Assembly. He amended 159 and vetoed 158. 'Among the bills I have signed are proposals that will keep school lunches free from artificial dyes, cement Virginia as home of the world's first commercial nuclear fusion facility, expand rural electric co-ops ability to drive economic development, modernize school transportation to reverse chronic absenteeism, and give more students opportunities to take advanced math classes,' he said in a statement. 'I have vetoed bills that I think will take the Commonwealth backward by raising the cost of living, hurting our strong job growth, stifling innovation, undermining our All-American All-of-the-Above Power and Energy Plan or making our communities less safe.' The governor has vetoed 400 bills during his four-year term, more than any governor in recent history. The General Assembly will reconvene next week to vote on the recommendations, which can be accepted with a simple majority. With a slim majority in both the House and the Senate, it's unlikely Democrats will be able to muster the two-thirds majority required to overturn vetoes. 'It's a really bizarre style,' Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell told reporters Tuesday. 'It's not conducive to finding compromise and getting good policy outcomes.' ____ Youngkin vetoed some familiar efforts the General Assembly passed last year, including legislation that would have raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour and established a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. Youngkin vetoed legislation proposed by Del. Michael Feggans, D-Virginia Beach, that would have directed the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry. The governor cited existing workforce development programs and, in general, what he categorized as rising costs and declining interest in offshore wind. Youngkin moves to delay controversial law sealing criminal, court records from public view All of Virginia's community colleges are ending diversity, equity and inclusion practices Youngkin revives sanctuary city ban, gaming commission, school vouchers in budget amendments Youngkin issues vetoes, rejects minimum wage increase and prescription drug review board Youngkin signs new batch of bills ahead of Monday deadline, bringing total up to 365 He also vetoed a bill that would have amended Portsmouth's city charter to address disparities or discrimination in minority and women-owned businesses in receiving government contracts. Because Virginia is a Dillon Rule state, localities' charters can only be amended through the General Assembly. That bill passed the Senate 37 to 2 and the House 91 to 5. Youngkin said the policy would prioritize race and gender over qualifications Youngkin also vetoed a bill that would have allowed localities under a court-ordered remedial election system to convert at-large members into single member districts. That legislation was sponsored by lawmakers from Virginia Beach, where legal challenges led to an overhaul of the city's electoral process. Also on the chopping block were bills that would have established a retail cannabis market and permitted collective bargaining from public employees. Currently municipal workers can collectively bargain in Virginia only if they get permission from the city. Some Hampton Roads mayors are joining forces to oppose collective bargaining efforts. ____ Youngkin suggested two changes to a bill restricting police use of license plate readers and Flock Safety cameras: First, Youngkin said police should be allowed to store the amassed data for 30 days, up from 21 days in the bill. Second, the governor said a controversial expansion of Flock cameras to state roads — such as interstates and bridge-tunnels — should go into effect in July 2026 without a second vote by the General Assembly early next year. The governor's recommendation for a regulation on prospective data centers makes the for noise and environmental impact studies optional for localities and includes a reenactment clause, which mean the General Assembly would have to pass the legislation again next year. Like last year, Youngkin amended a bill that would require unconscious bias and cultural competency training for maternal health workers to be just two hours of training on populations with worse maternal health outcomes. That amendment did not pass last year, and the legislation was subsequently vetoed. Youngkin also followed the same playbook for another repeat bill that would remove tax exemptions for Confederate organizations. His recommendations this year included a reenactment clause and a call for the Department of Taxation to review the impact of the exemptions and report their findings in November. When similar recommendations were not adopted last year, he vetoed the bill. Meanwhile, legislation establishing a right to contraception, a legislative priority of Democrats this year, was recommended to include a provision that says physicians and employers can refuse to provide contraception based on religious or conscientious objection. Democrats said that was a gutting of the bill. ____ One bill that finally made it into law after years of effort, would close a campaign finance loophole. The legislation will ban Virginia political candidates from using campaign funds for personal use. Legislation that will take effect this July included a law that will make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to knowingly let kids operate vehicles if doing so results in injury or death. Youngkin also signed a bill that will create a Class 4 felony for anyone operating a drone within a defense facility without authorization. And, as of July 1, the Virginia Lottery will be prohibited from disclosing the names of winners who have won at least $1 million without consent. Peter Dujardin contributed to this report.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Va. Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Koontz, a pillar of the state judiciary, dies at 85
Lawrence Koontz, a retired justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia, passed away on Sunday. He was 85 years old. (Photo courtesy of the Virginia Mountain/Valley Lawyers' Alliance) Ret. Virginia Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Koontz, a longtime jurist who served on every level of Virginia's court system and helped shape the state's judiciary, died Sunday in Salem, according to a news release from the Virginia Mountain/Valley Lawyers' Alliance. He was 85. A native of the Roanoke Valley, Koontz received his law degree from the University of Richmond and spent more than five decades on the bench, including 16 years as an active Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia and another 13 years as a Senior Justice, making him one of the longest-serving jurists in the commonwealth's history. Koontz was known for his role in the founding of the Virginia Court of Appeals, where he served as the second chief judge and established many of its administrative policies. Among his most notable opinions was his majority ruling in Arlington County v. White in 2000, which applied Virginia's strict 'Dillon Rule' doctrine to prevent local governments from offering health benefits to unmarried domestic partners, including same-sex couples. Later that year, Koontz also authored a dissent in Atkins v. Commonwealth, arguing that individuals with intellectual disabilities should be given special consideration in criminal sentencing. His position was later echoed in the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling overturning the death sentence in the case. In a 2008 dissent in Porter v. Commonwealth, Koontz warned that Virginia's death penalty laws would not withstand constitutional scrutiny if courts failed to rigorously ensure fair trials. Later in his career, he presided over the Supreme Court as acting chief justice due to the illness of Chief Justice LeRoy R. Hassell, Sr. His final opinion as a Senior Justice was issued in Chesapeake Hospital Authority v. State Health Commissioner in 2022. Koontz's judicial career began in 1968 when he was appointed to the Juvenile Court of the City of Roanoke. He was later elected to the 23rd Circuit Court of Virginia and then to the Virginia Court of Appeals upon its creation in 1985. In 1995, the General Assembly elected him to the Supreme Court of Virginia, where he served until reaching the mandatory retirement age in 2011. Koontz's collected opinions were published in a seven-volume set titled 'Jurist Prudent — The Judicial Opinions of Lawrence L. Koontz, Jr.,' with the final volume released in 2017. He is survived by his wife, children, and many grandchildren. Memorial service arrangements are pending. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia impacts if Trump closes Dept. of Education and more state headlines
The state Capitol. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) • 'The rush is on: Virginia candidates collect signatures to get on primary ballot.' — WVTF • 'Trump prepares order to close Dept. of Education: See Va. impacts.' — Patch Alexandria • 'Curious Commonwealth asks: Why is Virginia a Dillon Rule state?' — VPM News • 'Virginia blasted for deceit in battle with national press.' — Courthouse News • 'This Virginia man has donated platelets 700 times and he isn't planning to stop.' – WTOP SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia House ‘Emergency Committee' is hitting the road and more headlines
The state Capitol. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) • 'Virginia House 'Emergency Committee' is hitting the road.' — WVTF • 'Why is Virginia a Dillon Rule state?' — VPM •'Charlottesville Free Clinic getting grant funding.' — CBS19 • ''Don't Maryland My Virginia' campaign slogan sparks debate between neighboring states.' — WBFF • 'Virginia Beach City Council approves school zone speed cameras.' — WTKR SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
