State and National Government

Governor Northam will loosen many COVID-19 restrictions in Virginia effective May 15th. They include greater numbers permitted at social gatherings, entertainment venues and sporting events. In addition, restaurants will again be permitted to sell alcohol after midnight, and they will no longer be required to close down between midnight and 5:00 am.
NEWS RELEASE: RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced that sports and entertainment venues in Virginia may begin to operate with expanded capacity, and social gathering limits will increase beginning Saturday, May 15th. The announcement comes as vaccinations continue to rise in the Commonwealth, and more than half of all adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. All Virginians age 16 and older are now eligible to for the vaccine.
Governor Northam made the announcement in a new video message.
“It’s good news that half of all adults in Virginia have gotten a shot so far,” Governor Northam said. “Vaccination numbers are up, and our COVID-19 case numbers are substantially lower than they were earlier this year. So, we have been able to begin easing some mitigation measures. We took a few more targeted steps this week, and we will do more next month.”
“I’m optimistic that we will be able to take more steps in June. We are working to significantly ramp up vaccinations even further and aim to reduce capacity limits in June, hopefully all the way. But some things need to continue—we all need to keep wearing masks, social distancing, and encouraging each other to get a shot. It’s how we take care of one another.”
The Governor also reminded Virginians that getting vaccinated keeps communities safer, and allows expanded personal activities—for example, people who have been fully vaccinated do not have to quarantine after an exposure, per guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Commonwealth will continue to mandate mask-wearing and social distancing, even as commercial restrictions are further eased. Key changes in the Sixth Amended Executive Order Seventy-Two will go into effect in about three weeks and include:
  • Social gatherings: The maximum number of individuals permitted in a social gathering will increase to 100 people for indoor settings and 250 people for outdoor settings. Social gatherings are currently limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
  • Entertainment venues: Indoor entertainment and public amusement venues will be able to operate at 50 percent capacity or 1,000 people, up from 30 percent capacity or 500 people. Outdoor venues will be able to operate at 50 percent capacity—up from 30 percent—with no specific cap on the number of attendees.
  • Recreational sporting events: The number of spectators allowed at indoor recreational sporting events will increase from 100 to 250 spectators or 50 percent capacity, whichever is less. Outdoor recreational sporting events will increase from 500 to 1,000 people or 50 percent capacity, whichever is less.
  • Alcohol sales: Restaurants may return to selling alcohol after midnight, and dining room closures will no longer be required between midnight and 5:00 a.m.
The full text of Sixth Amended Executive Order Seventy-Two and Order of Public Health Emergency Nine is available here. Updated guidelines for specific sectors can be found here.
Earlier this week Governor Northam made minor changes to the existing mitigation measures, including increased accommodations for cross-country events, school-based fine arts performances, and expanded access to bar seating in restaurants with strict social distancing. These changes are reflected in the current Fifth Amended Executive Order Seventy-Two available here.
Visit virginia.gov/coronavirus/forwardvirginia for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Virginia has now administered more than 5.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and is currently giving almost 77,000 shots per day. Over 3.5 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, more than half of all adults in Virginia and more than 40 percent of the total population.
Virginians over the age of 16 can schedule an appointment for vaccination by visiting vaccinate.virginia.gov or calling 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1).

From the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University: With just over 6 weeks until Virginia Democrats’ June 8 gubernatorial primary, former governor Terry McAuliffe holds a commanding lead. McAuliffe has the support of 47% of Democratic voters, followed by Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (8%), Richmond Sen. Jennifer McClellan (6%), former Prince William Del. Jennifer Carrol Foy (5%) and Manassas Del. Lee Carter (1%). More than a quarter of voters remain undecided (27%). WFIR’s Evan Jones has more on this poll:

Del. Sam Rasoul

Almost two out of three Democratic voters (64%) say they are undecided in the crowded contest for the party’s lieutenant governor bid, but Del. Sam Rasoul has emerged as the front runner with 12% support. Del. Elizabeth Guzman led the rest with the support of 4% of Democratic voters, but she withdrew from the race while the survey was in the field. None of the remaining candidates received more than 2% support. WFIR’s Evan Jones reports on this poll:

Seeking his party’s nomination for a third term as attorney general, incumbent Mark Herring (42%) has a solid lead over Norfolk Del. Jerrauld “Jay” Jones (18%), with 34% of Democratic voters undecided.

Click here to read full poll results

Governor Northam says Virginia’s new marijuana law will help many residents avoid facing lifetime roadblocks over a marijuana possession conviction. But critics say as written, the measure creates new problems. More from WFIR’s Evan Jones:

(Associated Press) — The legislation would allow adults 21 and up to legally possess up to one ounce (28.3 grams) of cannabis without the intent to distribute beginning July 1. It also would allow the home cultivation of up to four plants per household beginning July 1. Public use of the drug will be prohibited.

“This is not going to generate some ganjafest at Jiffy Lube pavilion out in the parking lot, because that is smoking in public. Just like you can’t drink in public, you can’t smoke in public under this,” Democratic Sen. Scott Surovell said.

It will be years before legal retail sales follow legalized possession. The bill lays out the complex process of creating a new state agency to oversee the marijuana marketplace, with sales beginning and regulations taking effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

Republicans, who overwhelmingly opposed the bill when it initially went through the General Assembly, railed against the latest version, citing several reasons.

GOP Del. Chris Head called the bill “a train wreck.”

“The hard-fought compromise that barely made it out of this chamber and over to the Senate has just been discarded. And why is that? It’s because some activists want marijuana legalized and they want it legalized now, consequences be damned,” he said.

Some Republicans took issue with labor provisions in the new version of the bill, in particular a change that says the government can revoke or suspend licenses issued under the new law in cases where an employer has refused to “remain neutral regarding any union organizing efforts by employees.”

During the legislative session, the Senate sought to legalize simple possession beginning in July, but House Democrats argued that legalization without a legal market for marijuana could promote the growth of the black market. The bill as passed in February would not have legalized simple possession until 2024.

Herring said Wednesday that home cultivation would give Virginians a way to legally acquire cannabis while the retail market is being put in place.

Many marijuana users call April 20th — or 4/20 — as “Weed Day”, and this year, it comes as Virginia prepares to legalize possession of small amounts. AAA Mid-Atlantic says the new law’s potential impact on highway safety should not be overlooked. Spokesperson Martha Mead says numbers from other states that previously passed similar laws send a cautionary message here, as WFIR’s Evan Jones reports:

Possession of up to an ounce of marijuana becomes legal in Virginia July 1st.

Rep. Morgan Griffith

Congressman Morgan Griffith says President Biden’s proposal of a new federal rule against “ghost guns” is a clear violation of the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. Ghost guns are basically kits to assemble a firearm that does not have a serial number, and Biden proposed the rule to outlaw them Thursday. Griffith’s response Friday morning:

Griffith joined the Roanoke Valley’s Morning News for a live conversation Friday, a discussion that covered a wide range of issues now before Congress. Here is the full conversation:

 

The General Assembly has approved $250,000 to fund an investigation connected to the Virginia Parole Board, but the two parties sharply differ on its scope and intent. The budget amendment authorizes elected Democratic party leaders to choose a law firm to investigate allegations of wrongdoing at the parole board that were not included in a state watchdog report last year. Republicans say what it does not do is look into many other allegations of wrongdoing at the parole board itself; Democrats  say Republicans are playing politics. WFIR’s Evan Jones has the story: