State and National Government
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine is in a country that neighbors Venezuela — where about 3 million refugees have fled during a power struggle over disputed President Nicolas Maduro. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
Photo: Corey Stewart Facebook
Former Republican Senate and Gubernatorial Candidate Corey Stewart will head a conservative super PAC to help President Trump and candidates who support him in 2020 elections. Stewart says “The Keeping America Great Again Super Pac” will raise money for Mr Trump’s re-election campaign and campaigns of conservative state and federal candidates.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has vetoed legislation aimed at limiting his authority to institute a carbon cap-and-trade plan. Northam, a Democrat, said Thursday he had killed a bill that requires legislative approval before Virginia can participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade program among Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states that mandates emission reductions in the power sector. Northam has made implementing the plan a top priority, saying it’s needed to fight climate change. State regulators have said joining RGGI could add significant costs to electric bills. The governor also vetoed a similar bill related to limiting carbon emissions from cars. Both bills narrowly passed the GOP-led General Assembly. Republicans have virtually no chance of getting the needed two-thirds majority to override the veto.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Gov. Ralph Northam has signed legislation to create a pilot program aimed at reducing eviction rates in the state. The legislation is part of a push that began last year after a research group at Princeton University found that five Virginia cities have some of the highest eviction rates in the country. The pilot program will be launched in the Richmond, Danville, Hampton and Petersburg. The goal is to reduce evictions in those cities and collect data on the program’s effectiveness to help develop methods for preventing evictions around the state. Last month, Northam signed a package of bills aimed at reducing evictions by giving tenants more time to pay rent and fees ahead of an eviction notice and limiting the number of legal actions a landlord may file.
Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner has grilled the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over its decision to rescind the payday lending rule. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
A Marijuana advocacy group says at least 3 pieces of legislation that would end the federal prohibition on cannabis wouldn’t automatically “legalize it” in Virginia – but it’s a start. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia’s unemployment rate has held steady at 2.8 percent for six months.Gov. Ralph Northam’s office announced Monday that the rate remained unchanged in January.According to the governor’s office, Virginia has the sixth lowest seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the country. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the U.S. in January was 4 percent.Virginia gained 23,700 jobs in January. The biggest increase was in leisure and hospitality services, which saw an increase of 7,000 jobs. The public sector grew by 500 jobs in Virginia.
Recent allegations that fired former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe damaged the agency’s reputation come after a local congressman called for a special prosecutor to look into the investigation McCabe opened on President Trump. WFIR’s Ian Price has more:
First State Senator Bill Carrico announces he will not run again for office this November; now fellow Republican State Senator Frank Wagner says he too is retiring from the General Assembly this year – after 28 years as a state legislator. Wagner was also a GOP primary candidate for Governor in 2017. Republicans hold a slim majority in the State Senate.