Democratic state legislators said Monday that legislation aimed at reducing gun violence, including a proposal to fine gun owners who fail to report lost or stolen guns, are “common-sense” initiatives.
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Politics
RICHMOND — Gov. Ralph Northam introduced two legislative proposals at a press conference Monday aimed at improving voting access and transparency in the campaign finance system.
One proposal would allow Virginians to vote absentee without having to provide an excuse — legislation the governor said would reduce crowds at the polls on Election Day. The current law, which Northam called “arbitrary,” requires citizens to give one of 20 reasons to vote absentee.
After 20 years in state office, state Sen. Dick Black announced Wednesday he will not seek re-election, leaving a key Northern Virginia district up for grabs at a time when Democrats need to win only two seats to take control of the Virginia Senate.
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RICHMOND — Virginia’s Electoral Board on Friday imposed a $500 fine on former Prince William County Democratic Chairman Harry Wiggins.
It is the maximum civil penalty the Board can impose on Wiggins, who is accused of failing to properly file a statement of organization for a political action committee in favor of Stanley Bender, an independent candidate who ran for Prince William County School Board Chairman At-large on Nov. 6, 2018.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — (Press Release) Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) and Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) today will introduce the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act, legislation to guarantee back pay to furloughed workers in the event of a government shutdown. Funding for the federal government expires at midnight tomorrow.
“We do not want a government shutdown, but if it comes our bill would protect federal workers from the worst of the consequences,” said Rep. Beyer. “This legislation is designed to shield civil servants, who need to support their families, from the disastrous effects of failure to agree on a measure to fund the government. We hope it will not be needed, but time is running out and the current outlook is not good.”
A confirmation letter to Harry Wiggins acknowledging the creation of the “Republicans for Stanley Bender” political action committee was sent in error.
The Virginia State Board of Elections on Friday is expected to hear a recap of the Nov. 6 General Elections, and in it a briefing on the Republicans for Stanley Bender PAC that, according to state documents, was created by former Prince William County Democratic Chairman Harry Wiggins just prior to election day.
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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — Willie Deutsch will seek re-election to the Prince William County School Board as its Coles District member. Though School Board races are non-partisan, the incumbent is the first Republican to announce their candidacy for the seat.
All the seats for the school board are up for reelection on November 5, 2019. Deutsch was elected to the school board in 2015, his first time elected to public office.
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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — LaTonsha “LT” Pridgen (D) is running to represent the voice of the people in Coles District as a member the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
She says she’s running to improve education, transportation, and to bring more jobs to Prince William County.
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WOODBRIDGE — Restoring the old proffer system sits atop the legislative agenda in Prince William County.
In a contentious dinner meeting on Tuesday, The Board of Supervisors met with members of the county’s General Assembly delegation and demanded that they work to repeal drastically change a 2016 law that limits the county’s ability to ask housing developers for conditional zonings (known as proffers), to include the gifting of land for new schools and transportation improvements.
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A Virginia State Senator representing Prince William and Stafford counties was chosen Minority Caucus Whip.
Scott Surovell (D-36) will replace the outgoing Jennifer Wexton, who was elected to Congress earlier this month, as the Democratic caucus whip.