Latest news with #Surovell
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New Virginia clean slate law will create high demand for legal aid, experts say
RICHMOND — A new 'clean slate' law set to take effect next year will shield some past crimes from public viewing. Advocates say that matters for people whose convictions haunt them for years after they've served their time. And legal experts say there's much to be done to prepare for the influx of people who will want to have their previous convictions sealed. Attorney Scott Surovell, a Democratic state senator representing Fairfax, said people were already lining up to take advantage of the new law. 'I've got a list of about 30 people who contacted me over the last five years that want me to file sentence sealing petitions for them,' Surovell said Wednesday when he joined a panel of lawmakers and advocates to discuss the law's impacts. 'I have one client I've been waiting for 20, 30 years to do this… He's going to be the first one I file for. 'He had a petty larceny conviction for a $205 bag of baseball equipment when he was in high school and (it's been) following him around the rest of his life.' The clean state law says qualifying misdemeanors and felonies can be sealed after seven years and 10 years, respectively, assuming the person doesn't commit any new crimes in the intervening time period. The legislation has a delayed start date in part to accommodate the computer programming required to get the system up and running. Previously, the law had been delayed by four years to allow for the $20 million rebuild of the system for criminal recordkeeping and to give legislators time to mend some holes in the law. There won't be another delay; Surovell said the law will take effect July 1, 2026 'come hell or high water.' Many past criminal convictions — including some felonies — to soon be sealed in Virginia 'I won't feel truly free until I can vote': Legal case challenges Virginia's voting restoration system Youngkin moves to delay controversial law sealing criminal, court records from public view There are other hurdles. Some offenses, such as marijuana possession, will automatically be sealed after the required waiting period. But most offenses that are eligible to be sealed require people to petition to do so, and that could prove challenging for an already strained legal system. 'There is a backbreaking demand out there, particularly within the low income population, for free and low cost legal services,' said Christa Gantz, director of Access to Legal Services at the Virginia State Bar, at Wednesday's panel. 'If (the case) is at all complicated, particularly the petition-based part of it, then utilizing an attorney will make a major difference in their ability to get relief.' Over 1 million Virginians qualify for legal aid, Gantz said, and though there are legal assistance programs in the civil space that could help with conviction sealings, they would require significant staff and technology resources. 'Because this is a new law, what that means is it would require new programming, and I think that the challenges there are primarily funding,' she said. 'People in need are going to be contacting the courts, but then the next step is going to be the Virginia State Bar's Access Department, and they're going to say 'where can I get help?' What I would typically do as the director is refer to them to a program. 'We don't have that yet.' Gantz said people able to pay for legal work can get started through the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service, and those who can't can get brief advice using the state bar's Virginia Free Legal Answers clinic. She thinks attorneys who do pro bono work in Virginia will be eager to help with sentence sealings, in part because they are limited in scope, don't take a ton of time and could have a big impact. George Townsend, a criminal defense attorney, founded the law firm Clean Slate Virginia in preparation for the law's passage. He estimated that over 100,000 people could qualify for automatic or petition-based sentence sealing, with the caveat that it's a difficult number to project. 'I guess one of the good things about the delay is we have more time to let people know about it,' he said. 'There's going to be a huge volume, so getting ready for that…I've done criminal defense all my career, and I've told hundreds, maybe thousands of people 'you have a conviction, there's nothing we can do.' And I found out about the law and knew it was going to be a huge change.' In preparation for the new cases, the General Assembly approved funding for an additional staff position in each clerk's office, effective as of July. 'This added capacity will help clerks manage the increased workload associated with the new law,' Townsend said. 'In my view, it would be highly beneficial if clerks permitted petitions to be filed in advance of the July 1, 2026 implementation date. 'Allowing early filings would enable a phased rollout, helping to avoid a surge of thousands of petitions on a single day and long lines forming outside courthouses across the commonwealth.' Once a conviction record is sealed, it won't show up on public background checks for things like apartment and loan applications. Some employers, like police agencies, would still be able to see the details of the criminal record. A dozen states, including Virginia, and Washington, D.C. have clean slate laws. Some legal experts maintain these kinds of laws prevent access to valuable insight on how fair the court process is and pose First Amendment right of access concerns. The counter argument is that there is a compelling public interest to have certain records sealed because of their prolonged impact. The law also indirectly addresses barrier laws, which say, for example, that people convicted of felony drug possession could not then go on to become drug counselors. The barrier laws remain in effect, but if those convictions are sealed, they will not preclude people from doing that kind of work. Kate Seltzer, (757)713-7881
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Virginia will allow for some criminal records to be sealed next year
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, virtually joins a discussion panel with criminal justice experts in Richmond on May 14, 2025 to discuss a forthcoming record-sealing law. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/ Virginia Mercury) Next summer, certain people with past convictions will be eligible to apply for their criminal records to be sealed — meaning long-past convictions won't show up on background checks. This can help people who have been formerly incarcerated and rehabilitated get a fresh start when applying for jobs, loans or apartments. The process stems from a 2021 law that underwent several years of workshopping before its delayed implementation. Starting next summer, people with some misdemeanor and felony convictions will be able to petition to have their records sealed. For felonies, people need to have had no new convictions for 10 years to be eligible, while people with misdemeanor convictions need to have no new convictions in seven years. People with Class 1 or 2 felony convictions, typically violent crimes, or charges that carry life sentences are not eligible. And petitioners must not have been convicted of a Class 3 or Class 4 felony within 20 years. For people with misdemeanors that might have been dismissed but still appear on records, expungement of records is a separate process they can seek out through their local circuit courts. While expungement has been a limited option for people in Virginia, record-sealing is new. The 2021 law's rollout has been slowed down to give circuit court clerks time to prepare for waves of people who would seek a sealing, determine how far back in court records would be permitted (prior to the 1980s, most courts weren't digitized), and compromise on the types of crimes that are eligible. Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, virtually joined a panel of criminal justice experts Wednesday in Richmond to discuss the law's evolution and the journey for beneficiaries that lies ahead. 'It was important to get the system up and running and functioning,' Surovell said, noting that updates to Virginia's digital criminal record-keeping that can help streamline the process have been underway in recent years. And while he, Del. Rae Cousins, D-Richmond, and Suffolk Circuit Court Clerk Randy Carter suspect the law will need further tweaking, they celebrated the fact that it's come to fruition. With a start date of July 1, 2026, Surovell said dozens of constituents have already reached out to him to express excitement. Surovell said that one of those people had a larceny charge in his youth that has 'followed him around' for decades. Likewise, Cousins stressed her support for the law. 'It is laws like this that make it easier for people who have taken accountability who have also served their time, who have rehabilitated themselves to actually get out and have a second chance at life.' Lawyer George Townsend, who moderated the panel, said the law inspired him to found a firm called Clean Slate Virginia, specifically focused on record-sealing cases. He said he saw the law as a 'game changer' for helping people get their lives back on track and reduce recidivism. With a little more than a year before the law is effective, the panel acknowledged that public outreach about the new law will help let potential petitioners know they have this option. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Governor unleashes veto storm to drown progressive legislation
Ahead of his Monday night deadline to act on bills from the 2025 General Assembly session, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced his budget amendments at a press conference in Richmond Monday morning. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury) In the final year of his tenure, Gov. Glenn Youngkin carried out his duty to sign, veto and amend hundreds of bills handed to him by the Democratic-controlled legislature for the last time Monday, rejecting a proposal to raise the minimum wage incrementally to $15 per hour, a multiple-year attempt to establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board and several voter registration and election measures. Youngkin also signed into law a bill that classifies fusion as a clean energy source, one that expands maternal health care access and a bill banning the personal use of political campaign funds, the most significant campaign finance reform measure the state has passed in years. Youngkin vetoes minimum wage hike, prescription affordability board bills 'The legislation that I've signed into law and the budget amendments I've put forward this year will go a long way to helping ensure Virginia remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family,' Youngkin stated in a news release announcing his actions. 'And 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,' Youngkin added, relaying his thanks to legislators for their work during the General Assembly session. With the action deadline Monday night at 11:59 p.m., much of Youngkin's actions were still trickling onto Virginia's Legislative Information System website well into Tuesday. Though still digesting some of what he'd seen by 11:30 a.m., Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, participated in a virtual press gathering to relay his thoughts. Surovell said during his 16 years as a lawmaker, governors typically call legislative leaders to discuss amendments in the period between when session ends and their action deadline begins. This is done sometimes in lieu of some vetoes, Surovell said, and in other instances, representatives from the governor's administration have been more actively engaged in the committee process during session. But when it comes to the Youngkin administration, Surovell claimed, 'the first time a member finds out they got a problem with the bill is usually when the veto drops, or when the amendment drops.' It's also part of why he thinks Youngkin has a higher veto count than other governors have had. The governor issued a record 201 bills from the 2024 General Assembly session, according to the Virginia Public Access Project,'more legislation than any recent Governor of Virginia has in their full four-year term.' Here are some of the key bills the governor signed, vetoed and amended this year. No more personal use of campaign funds House Bill 2165 by Del. Josh Cole, D-Fredricksburg, and Senate Bill 1002 by Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, prohibits the personal use of campaign funds. Youngkin's signature marks a victory for Boysko, who has been a key champion for campaign finance reform over the years. Though lawmakers have tried numerous times to address campaign finance reform, their efforts over the past decade have never borne fruit. A subcommittee established to study the issue never held a meeting in 2022 and campaign finance bills to limit contribution amounts failed in 2023. This year a bill by Del. Mike Jones, D-RIchmond, would have directed a state research agency to study potential gaps in campaign finance enforcement, but it failed in the legislature. Jones plans to try again on that bill, meanwhile Cole's and Boysko's successful bill represents a breakthrough in overall reform on the issue in Virginia. Their bills cleared with overwhelming bipartisan support and Republican co-patrons on the House version. Fusion officially classified as a clean energy source Virginia is expanding its definition of clean energy to include fusion power under a bill approved by the General Assembly that Youngkin signed into law. HB 1779, sponsored by Del. Rip Sullivan, D-Fairfax, updates state law to classify fusion energy as a form of 'carbon-free' or 'clean' energy. The change means fusion will now be recognized alongside other non-carbon-emitting sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, geothermal, and nuclear power. Under the legislation, 'clean energy' refers to electricity generated from sources that do not emit carbon dioxide during production. The inclusion of fusion — a technology still in development for commercial use — signals Virginia's intent to stay ahead of emerging energy innovations as the state transitions toward a lower-carbon grid. Special health plan enrollment for pregnancy HB 2083 by Del. Irene Shin, D-Fairfax, was among several signed or amended bills aimed at improving maternal health outcomes. Shin's bill requires the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange to establish a special enrollment period for qualifying pregnant people. A survey the state conducted last year showed long wait times for new enrollees' paperwork to be processed. This contributed to delayed access to care for people to schedule their appointments. Military tuition program update The governor signed a proposal on Monday to address the rising costs of the Virginia Military Survivors & Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP). The state initiative provides college tuition waivers for spouses and children of permanently disabled military veterans or those killed in action. HB 1694, sponsored by Del. Alex Askew, D-Virginia Beach, will address the rising cost of the VMSDEP by directing the Virginia Department of Veterans Services and the State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV) to provide a detailed data report on the program to lawmakers. The report will include the number of eligible survivors and dependents who qualify for tuition and mandatory fee waivers as well as an estimate of how many qualified beneficiaries who are currently enrolled at each public institution as of Nov. 1 during the fall semester. According to SCHEV, the program's annual cost increased to $65 million in 2023 from $19 million in 2019. Steeper penalties for unauthorized drone activity The governor agreed to a proposal that stipulates a Class 4 felony charge for people who operate uncrewed aerial vehicles in areas to obtain video or photos without authorization. HB 1726, Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, will also protect the property owner or operator of a contracted defense facility and its employees from criminal prosecution and civil liability should they need to act if an aircraft system enters the property, as long as their action doesn't result in injury to any person. Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, who carried the companion bill in the Senate, and Price proposed new measures in response to national security concerns that arose when a Chinese national citizen was discovered illegally operating a drone over ship repair yards in Newport News on January 5, 2024, according to court records obtained by the Virginian-Pilot. The Naval Station Norfolk is the world's largest naval base. Class 4 felony offenses carry a jail sentence of two to 10 years and $100,000 fine. Privacy protection for retired law enforcement officers The governor supported a proposal to protect retired and former law enforcement officers from having their names published publicly. HB 1874, carried by Del. Rozia Henson, D-Woodbridge, amends state law by adding retired or former law-enforcement officers to the definition of 'public official' for the purposes of prohibiting their names and personal information from being published on the internet. Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, carried a similar bill in the Senate. In both versions of the bill, the retired or former law-enforcement officer must be in 'good standing' with no pending investigations or disciplinary actions. Retired and former officers can request a court to keep their information private, according to the legislation. The privacy measure will last for four years, provided that such officer was retired or ended their service within four years of filing a petition with a circuit court. Job search help for formerly incarcerated people Formerly incarcerated people can have a little extra help in landing a job after they're released, now that Youngkin signed laws to give them that boost. HB 1759 by Del. Debra Gardner, D-Chesterfield, and Senate Bill 877 by Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, directs the Department of Corrections and Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to team up on job search assistance. A pilot program already exists, and the proposals from Gardner and Ebbin would codify it into state law. While presenting the bill earlier this year, Gardner said that from September to December 2024, the pilot helped over 1,500 people — making them more likely to become self-sufficient, less likely to reoffend and less reliant on public financial assistance. The bill is among a slate of proposals aimed at helping current and formerly incarcerated people this legislative session, others of which aren't fully law yet as Youngkin is seeking amendments before he signs them. Plastic bag tax bagged The governor rejected a proposal sponsored by Del. Marty Martinez, D-Loudoun, which would have amended the state law directing counties to allocate a percentage of the plastic bag tax collected to towns within the county that have imposed a sales tax. 'Plastic bag taxes fail to achieve their intended goals and burden Virginians with higher prices at the grocery store,' Youngkin said in a statement. 'Redirecting tax revenues to towns may further encourage governments to rely on these taxes, exacerbating the issue.' In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation that authorized any locality in Virginia to impose a tax of five cents per bag on disposable plastic bags provided to customers by convenience stores, drug stores, and grocery stores. The local sales tax distribution formula would have determined the town appropriations. Under current law, all revenues can be used for environmental cleanup, providing education programs designed to reduce environmental waste, mitigating pollution and litter, or providing reusable bags to recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) benefits. Voter registration and elections proposals blocked Youngkin vetoed a proposal that would have aligned Virginia's primary elections for state and local offices with the presidential primary in election years, rejecting a proposal aimed at simplifying the voting calendar and increasing turnout. HB 1794, sponsored by Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, passed both chambers with bipartisan support. The measure would have required that all primaries for offices to be filled in the November general election during presidential years take place on the same day as the presidential primary — typically in early March. The bill also would have allowed candidates running in those years to begin collecting petition signatures before Jan. 1 and adjusted campaign finance reporting deadlines to accommodate the earlier schedule. Supporters argued the measure would modernize and streamline Virginia's election process. But Youngkin said the proposal would create unnecessary confusion and unequal treatment for candidates depending on the timing of their election cycle. 'By creating different filing deadlines for candidates depending on whether their election falls in a presidential or nonpresidential year, this bill increases the risk of missed deadlines, ballot access issues, and campaign finance compliance errors,' the governor said in his veto explanation. 'Candidates with general elections during presidential years would have to collect petitions, file ballot access documents, and file campaign finance reports on a schedule different from candidates with general elections during non-presidential years. The legislation was identical to Senate Bill 1119. HB 2002, sponsored by Del. Amy Laufer, D-Albemarle, sought to ensure that, aside from a written request from the voter, local election officials could only cancel a voter's registration based on information provided by the Virginia Department of Elections or another state agency approved by the State Board of Elections. Supporters of the bill said it was aimed at preventing erroneous or premature removals from the voter rolls, and ensuring that only verified, official sources could be used to make such decisions. But Youngkin said the bill would create unnecessary limitations and impede registrars from doing their jobs effectively. 'Virginia's voter registration system is nationally recognized for its accuracy and security,' Youngkin said in a statement explaining his veto. 'General registrars rely on a range of verified sources, including the Virginia Department of Elections and the Virginia Department of Health, while also using obituaries and family reports to confirm voter deaths. This bill eliminates those effective tools, making it harder to maintain accurate voter rolls and creating unnecessary bureaucratic barriers.' Youngkin further rejected a bill aimed at tightening how the Virginia Department of Elections processes voter registration data, arguing it would reduce the accuracy of voter rolls and weaken the role of local election officials. HB 2276, introduced by Price, would have required that specific identification information be included in any list or record submitted to the Department of Elections for the purpose of maintaining the state's voter registration list. The measure also mandated that the department compare these records to the state's list of registered voters and assign each potential match a 'confidence score.' Only matches scoring at least 80 points would be forwarded to local general registrars for further action. Price's proposal came on the heels of a federal lawsuit against Virginia, alleging that a state program aimed at removing people from the voter rolls, which Youngkin touted in an executive order in August, was implemented too close to the Nov. 5 elections and wrongfully included eligible voters. Supporters of Price's legislation said it would help ensure more accurate and verified matches before voter registrations are canceled, aiming to avoid mistaken removals and promote transparency in list maintenance procedures. Youngkin, however, said the proposal overlooked a more fundamental issue: the reliability of the underlying data itself. In his veto statement, he argued that raising the match threshold to 80 points would reduce the number of voter record matches sent to registrars, ultimately hindering the cancellation of outdated or invalid registrations. 'Raising the matching threshold to 80 points reduces the number of list maintenance data matches provided to general registrars, limiting necessary cancellations and reducing voter roll accuracy,' Youngkin said. The governor also objected to the bill's provision that would centralize all voter data matching within the Department of Elections, rather than allowing local registrars to investigate potential discrepancies. He warned that the change would diminish local control and oversight. 'By centralizing all matching within ELECT, registrars lose the ability to research potential discrepancies, weakening local election oversight,' he said. Collective bargaining SB 917 by Surrovell and HB 2764 by Del. Kathy Tran, D-Fairfax, would have expanded on a 2020 law that permits local government employees in Virginia to opt into collective bargaining if their localities allow it. While some jurisdictions — like Alexandria, Loudoun County and the city of Richmond — have adopted bargaining rights, public employees in areas without such ordinances remain without a seat at the table. The proposals from Surovell and Tran were among other also-vetoed bills meant to help workers like raising the minimum wage and paid sick leave. Surovell said it was 'disappointing' to see these vetoes. 'I think there's been a lot of talk amongst conservatives lately about focusing on affordability,' Surovell said. 'That's exactly what we did this session, and the governor basically stuck (up) a finger.' A rental grace period Under current Virginia law, landlords have a five day waiting period after rent is due before they can notify tenants they intend to evict them for not paying rent. SB 812 by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach and HB 1719, also by Price, would have extended that grace period to 14 days. The reasoning for the proposed extension, housing advocates have said, is that tenants who have fallen behind may be more likely to have had a payday by then and be more likely to make up their rental payment. Several housing-related bills this session sparked a clash over local and state roles in housing policy. While this proposal cleared the legislature to make it to Youngkin's desk, it did so because of Democrats' majority in both chambers. Addressing racial bias in appraisals Last summer a Virginia Beach house sale gone awry made national news when it was revealed that a condo's owner backed out of a sale when learning that her buyer was a Black woman. But racial bias also affects sellers in Virginia, a survey conducted in Richmond last year revealed. According to the report, the average home appraises for around $436,000 in majority white neighborhoods, in juxtaposition to $256,000 where people of color are the majority of residents. But some Black-owned homes have never had equitable assessments in the first place due to the nation's history of racist housing policies. In the 1930s, appraisers lined Black-populated neighborhoods nationwide in red and deemed them 'hazardous' areas for home loans. The effects can still be present today, the report shows, because each past appraisal became the basis for future appraisals. Additionally, the report notes human bias as another factor for disparity in home appraisals. This is when appraisers overlook comparable homes with different racial demographics or allow personal prejudice to prevent them from making objective consideration of a home's attributes. HB 1693 by Askew and SB 995 by Sen. Angela Williams Graves, D-Norfolk, would have required applicants for real estate appraisers to complete a minimum of two hours of education on fair housing and appraisal bias. It also would have subjected the course to be annually audited by the Fair Housing Board. In his veto explanation, Youngkin deemed their bills unnecessary because a similar bill, with no required audits, had been enacted in 2022. Employee protections Youngkin rejected a proposal to hold employers accountable for failing to pay their employees. HB 2561, carried by Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, would have made employers liable if they failed to pay the minimum wage or overtime wages due to an employee. While the legislation aims to enhance worker protections, Youngkin wrote in his veto statement that the proposal imposes 'excessive liabilities' and 'compliance burdens' that will negatively harm Virginia's business climate. Youngkin added that with Lopez's bill extending the timeframe for filing wage and misclassification claims, it would allow for collective lawsuits and remove key legal protections for businesses acting in good faith. Additionally, the governor wrote that the bill would move Virginia away from federal Fair Labor Standards Act guidelines, which he says would create 'regulatory hurdles' for current and future businesses in the Commonwealth. 'To maintain Virginia's pro-business environment and continue attracting employers and investment, it is essential to reject policies that create legal uncertainty and impose excessive penalties,' Youngkin wrote. 'This bill would make Virginia one of the most punitive states for wage violations, discouraging business growth and job creation.' Sales tax for school construction A proposal that would have allowed all localities to impose a 1% sales tax for school construction also met its death at Youngkin's veto pen. Youngkin agreed there is a need to to support school construction, but said the proposed plan could result in an annual tax increase of nearly $1.5 billion for Virginians. In response to that need, Youngkin proposed an additional $50 million for school construction grants and loans above the current biennial budget, bringing the total to $610 million, if adopted. The governor said the commonwealth should pursue other tax proposals rather than authorizing all counties and cities to levy an additional local sales and use tax to fund public services. 'The commonwealth should pursue a tax policy that unleashes economic development and prioritizes job and wage growth through innovative reforms,' Youngkin said. 'These reforms must allow hardworking Virginians to keep more of their money, not less; any proposal that increases the cost of living and the cost of business is not a policy we should pursue.' The governor also excluded the proposal in his budget amendments published on Monday after reviewing the amendments passed by the General Assembly. Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William, the patron of the bill, reacted to the veto on X, formerly Twitter, stating that 'Less than a week after Trump announced the dismantling of the Department of Education, which will be devastating for (Virginia) school funding, Governor Youngkin just vetoed SB 1307, blocking local communities from even having the choice to invest in school construction and renovation through a local referendum. … This governor is out of touch.' Automatic license plate readers Youngkin has amended a bill governing the use of automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) systems, extending the data retention period from 21 to 30 days. The change gives law enforcement agencies more time to utilize collected data, while still requiring it to be deleted after that period. HB 2724, sponsored by Del. Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, aims to regulate the use of automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) systems in Virginia. The legislation requires the Division of Purchases and Supply within the Department of General Services to approve any ALPR systems used in the state. It also sets strict limits on how these systems can be deployed by law enforcement. Under the bill, ALPR technology can only be used for specific purposes: conducting criminal investigations where there is reasonable suspicion of a violation, investigating cases involving missing or endangered persons (including issuing alerts or addressing human trafficking), and receiving notifications about stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, or individuals with outstanding warrants. The legislation further includes penalties for law enforcement agencies that violate these guidelines. Data centers Youngkin amended HB 1601, sponsored by Del. Josh Thomas, D-Prince William, tweaking how localities handle the approval process for new high-energy use facilities (HEUFs), or data centers. Originally, the bill required applicants to submit a site assessment before rezoning or special use permits could be approved, examining the impact of the facility's sound profile on nearby residential units and schools. Youngkin's amendment now makes this site assessment optional for localities, allowing them to decide whether to require it. Additionally, the amended bill allows localities to examine the potential effects of the facility on other environmental factors, including water resources, agricultural land, parks, historic sites and forests. The bill also includes a provision that exempts expansions of existing facilities that do not exceed 100 megawatts from these site assessment requirements. Youngkin added that the provisions of the bill will not go into effect unless reenacted by the 2026 General Assembly. The bill clarifies that it does not interfere with existing local zoning authority. Mercury editor Samantha Willis contributed to this report. 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Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Virginia governor launches job search resources for newly fired federal workers
MCLEAN, Va. () — There are now state leaders hoping to help newly fired federal workers. In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin is sharing some new resources, including touting tens of thousands of jobs he says are available right now. Confusion rises for federal workers as Elon Musk's deadline for list of accomplishments nears Some workers said they're glad Youngkin is doing something about the problem. Youngkin expressed empathy Monday for those fired. But for many, it's a problem they say should have been avoided in the first place and these resources won't help them get their federal jobs back. 'There are opportunities in Virginia and we want to help you find them to build the next chapter of your careers,' Youngkin said. It's the next chapter that thousands of federal workers didn't ask for as the Trump administration continues to make cuts. 'Our federal workforce is not at fault here. But the reality is, any CEO who steps into a position where there is an organization that has got such deep financial challenges is going to have to make change,' Youngkin said. 'She will be greatly missed': DC leaders remember singer Roberta Flack The new website, Virginia Has Jobs, has resources to connect people with jobs, training and support. Youngkin said there are 250,000 open jobs, with 100,000 of those in Northern Virginia. 'These people aren't looking for a website. They're looking to have their jobs back. They're looking to have money to pay their mortgage and their car payment,' said Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax). Surovell blames Youngkin for the predicament workers are in. 'He's been in denial about what's happening across the river for the last two months since inauguration. And it is to defend this administration instead of standing up for his constituents,' Surovell said. Deputies seize $1.4 million stolen in Loudoun County cryptocurrency scheme, sheriff's office says Fired workers, especially those with specific skill sets, said it won't be easy finding a new job. 'I would like him to tell me where I should get a job that will pay me what I was making, so I can pay my mortgage and stay in the state of Virginia and not have to move back to the Midwest, because I love it here,' said Samantha Leach. There are also resources for fired federal workers available here, including help applying for unemployment and preparing for the job search. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tysons casino plan divides Fairfax lawmakers as bill moves forward
(Photo courtesy of Pixabay) Fairfax County voters are one step closer to deciding whether to bring a gaming and entertainment complex to Tysons Corner after the Virginia Senate approved legislation on Tuesday. The bill, which passed 24-16, would allow the county to hold a local referendum on casino development — if it clears the House and wins Gov. Glenn Youngkin's approval. But not everyone is on board. Several Northern Virginia lawmakers raised concerns about traffic congestion, national security risks, and the potential impact on local communities. Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, led the push for Senate Bill 982, which would add Fairfax County to the list of Virginia localities eligible to develop a casino. He argued that the project would bring economic opportunity and create 'a lot' of jobs while keeping gaming revenue within Virginia instead of losing it to neighboring states. 'When I read the paper about how much money Maryland was going to suck out of our commonwealth to pay for their schools — in both Maryland and [Prince George's] County, I thought it was offensive, and I thought that we need to do something,' Surovell said Tuesday. A study cited by Surovell estimates the casino could generate $1.2 billion in revenue, bringing $232 million per year to Virginia — funding that could go toward school construction, totaling nearly $2.5 billion in over a decade. If approved, the legislation would impose strict location requirements for the casino. It would need to be within a quarter-mile of an existing Metrorail Silver Line station, part of a mixed-use development of at least 1.5 million square feet, and within two miles of a major regional mall. It would also have to be outside of the Interstate 495 Beltway. Some Fairfax lawmakers are standing firm against the proposed Tysons Corner casino, arguing that it lacks community support and is not the right fit for the county's future. Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, criticized Surovell's measure for targeting a specific location without broader local input. She argued that past casino proposals in Virginia had the backing of the communities they would impact most. 'This is not the case here,' she said. Boysko added that if lawmakers were serious about generating new revenue, they should have left out language dictating the casino's location and allowed local officials to decide where, if anywhere, it should be built. 'This is not the way we should be creating public land use, that belongs with the local government,' she said. 'If people want to wedge this in without looking at how it's going to affect Colonial Downs or Rosie's or the other gaming areas in the county in the state, I think this is a poorly planned proposal.' Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, D-Fairfax, also opposed the bill, arguing that Tysons Corner, one of the wealthiest and fastest growing areas in Northern Virginia, wasn't dependent on a casino to thrive. 'Fairfax has never needed a casino. [In] all of these major development efforts, no one proposed or demanded a casino. Why? Because Fairfax County invests in sustainable, forward-thinking development, not a quick fix like casino gambling,' Salim said. Despite opposition from some members of the Fairfax delegation, others say the county must find new ways to generate revenue. Sen. Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax, and Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax, supported the legislation, warning that without new funding sources, Fairfax County could face cuts to essential services. 'We need Fairfax County to be a place of appeals to young people, not just the older population we have now,' Marsden said. 'Unfortunately, some of them don't want to see change, but if you don't change, if you don't grow, if you don't develop, if you don't look into the future, things aren't going to go up.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
