General Assembly

Politics

Franklin Rolls to Victory in Prince William, Stafford HD-23 Caucus

By Potomac Local News
Franklin/Casim

Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin has secured the Democratic nomination for the 23rd District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, following an unassembled caucus held Tuesday by Democratic committees in Prince William and Stafford counties.

According to results released by the Prince William County Democratic Committee and the Stafford Democratic Committee, Franklin received 225 votes out of 334 ballots cast, or 67%, defeating Muhammed “Sef” Casim, who received 109 votes.

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Politics

Redistricting Is Not a Top Priority for Spanberger

By Potomac Local News
Photo: Spanberger Facebook page

“I won the First District and the Second District in November without any sort of redistricting,” Virginia Scope reported. Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger said in response to questions about redrawing Virginia’s congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterms. “Nothing happens unless the people actually vote for it,” she added, underscoring that any change would require voter approval.

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Manassas

Maldonado Seeks New Guardrails on Artificial Intelligence

By Potomac Local News
Virginia Delegate Michelle Maldonado (D) addressed the crowd, announcing her plans to introduce legislation to prevent domestic violence. [Photo: Alan Gloss]

“Lawmakers have begun pre-filing bills ahead of the Jan. 14 General Assembly session, with early proposals—largely from Democratic legislators—focused on tightening rules around AI and protecting minors. Dels. Cliff Hayes of Chesapeake and Michelle Maldonado of Manassas are among those backing new restrictions as artificial intelligence becomes more widely used.”

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Manassas

Alternative Education Program Funding Approved for Manassas City Schools

By Caitlyn Meisner
Manassas City Councilor Theresa Coates-Ellis at the July 28, 2025, meeting discussing the MCPS alternative education program funding request. [Courtesy of the City of Manassas]

The pilot funding request was approved unanimously by the MCPS School Board on May 13 and needed to be formally approved by City Council. The Board requested $2 million from its fund balance be used to get the program off the ground.

Council’s approval of this funding went hand-in-hand with its approval of the Board’s purchase of 8700 Centreville Road, where the program would be housed along with the district’s Central Office staff and operations.

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Manassas

Manassas Sets 2025 Legislative Agenda, Renews Push for Local Sales Tax Referendum for Schools

By Uriah Kiser

The Manassas City Council is preparing to present a new set of legislative priorities to state lawmakers during its annual Legislative Breakfast, scheduled for July 15, 2025, at the Manassas Museum.

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Fredericksburg

Big Wins and Budget Warnings: Lawmakers Talk Session Highlights in Downtown Fredericksburg

By Potomac Local News
Attendees pack The 718 Venue in downtown Fredericksburg for a legislative recap on May 6, 2025, featuring local lawmakers who shared highlights and takeaways from this year’s General Assembly session. The event was co-sponsored by the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, Greater Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce, Fredericksburg Area Builders Association, and Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors. [Photo: Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce]

The event was co-sponsored by the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, Greater Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce, Fredericksburg Area Builders Association, and Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors.

Each lawmaker was asked what they considered the biggest accomplishment of the session. Delegate Bobby Orrock pointed to increased education funding and roughly $1 billion in tax rebates coming back to Virginia families. Senator Tara Durant also highlighted education, calling the $222 million investment to eliminate the K-12 support cap “a real game-changer.” She also noted new funding for math instruction—a personal priority she’s worked on for years.

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Fredericksburg

Legislation Update: What Your State Senators Are Working on This Session

By Kelly Sienkowski
Virignia State Capitol

Virginia’s General Assembly convened on January 8 for the start of its 30-day session; to keep readers informed on their local representatives’ efforts, we’ve reviewed some of their bills and votes. Virginia shares bills, votes, and schedules online through the Legislative Information System.

Virginia has 40 Senators who serve 4-year terms.

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Originals

Subcommittee Rejects Bill to Regulate Data Centers Near Schools, Parks

By Uriah Kiser
Village Place Technology Park in Gainesville, approved by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in 2022

The Virginia House of Delegates Subcommittee of the Cities, Counties, and Towns Committee rejected a bill that sought to regulate the siting of data centers near schools, parks, and residential areas. Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Prince William County) presented HB1984, which would have required local government approval for data center developments only if they were located at least a quarter mile away from such properties. The subcommittee voted 8-0 to “lay the bill on the table,” effectively killing it.

The vote dealt a setback to those advocating for tighter regulation of Virginia’s rapidly growing data center industry. Data centers, which house servers and infrastructure critical for cloud computing and internet services, have been a source of contention due to their noise, construction impacts, and potential encroachment on residential and community spaces.

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Originals

Virginia House Subcommittee Votes Down Bill Addressing Homelessness in Vehicles

By Uriah Kiser

This article is exclusively for our Locals Only members. Please Sign In or upgrade to become a Locals Only Member today! Your support helps us continue delivering more in-depth community news that matters to you. Thank you.

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