Governor Presents Proposed Amendments to Biennium Budget
Governor Youngkin presented his proposed amendments to the 2024-2026 biennium budget to the “money committees” on December 18, telling legislators that “Virginia is roaring,” with a healthy economy that supports an upward adjustment to the revenue forecast. The Governor touted a series of achievements, thanked the legislature for its partnership, and encouraged members to build […]
Visit Prince Edward County and the Prince Edward County Historic Courthouse
Location: 124 North Main Street / High Street Built: 1939 – 1940 Style: Colonial Revival Architect: Hinnant & Smith Contractor: Farmville Manufacturing Company Description: The building faces northwest and is a three story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Farmville. The northwest front has […]
Meet the Man Behind the Santa in Botetourt County….
It’s the holiday season in Botetourt County which means we all look for opportunities to spread cheer, sprinkle kindness, and have a little bit of that Christmas Magic. Part of the magic of this time of year is a visit from a jolly old elf from the North Pole. We will get to that […]
Final Meeting of Joint Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Funding for 2024
The Joint Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education Funding met for the final time this year on December 9 to review cost updates and near-term recommendations related to the 2023 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) report on K-12 education funding as well as strategies for special education. These included further discussion of further […]
VACo Testifies at Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council Meeting on Public Safety Issues
At the December 4 meeting of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory (FOIA) Council, VACo staff testified requesting consideration that a workgroup be convened in 2025 to investigate the relationship between FOIA and public safety issues. This issue was brought to VACo’s attention at the Board of Directors Meeting at the November Annual Conference by […]
Virginia Minimum Wage Set to Increase January 1, 2025
The Virginia Minimum Wage will increase from $12.00 per hour to $12.41 per hour, effective January 1, 2025. This increase ensures compliance with § 40.1-28.10(F) of the Code of Virginia. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) has issued a formal letter to Virginia employers (see here) and posted notification on their website. As previously […]
Behavioral Health Commission Adopts Recommendations for 2025 Session
At its final meeting of the year, the Behavioral Health Commission adopted a series of recommendations for legislative and budget action in the upcoming legislative session, while also receiving a series of reports requested during the 2024 session as part of the Commission’s monitoring and oversight role. Several adopted recommendations stemmed from studies conducted by […]
Joint Commission on Health Care Concludes 2024 Work, Plots Course for 2025
The Joint Commission on Health Care held its final meeting of 2024 on December 17, discussing and voting on policy options from staff studies on expanding access to sickle cell disease treatment and strengthening the anesthesia workforce, as well as finalizing recommendations from staff’s study of extending health care to vulnerable populations and adopting a […]
VDOT Updates on Hurricane Helene Recovery
During the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) meeting on December 4, 2024, VDOT staff gave a presentation outlining the details and path of Hurricane Helene, how the agency prepared for the storm, the aftermath of the storm and the ongoing response and recovery effort. Hurricane Helene caused extensive damage in Southwest Virginia. This is portrayed, not […]
Comprehensive JLARC Study on Data Centers Highlights Positive Impacts to Virginia Economy, But Forecasted Demand to Provide Electricity will be Difficult to Meet
74,000 jobs, $5.5 billion in labor income, $9.1 billion in annual GDP, these are the findings in a recently released Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC) report “Data Centers in Virginia.” The majority of this economic activity is derived from the construction phase rather than in ongoing operations, and with more data centers being planned it […]
VACo County Pulse Podcast – Energy Landscape of Virginia Series with Joe Lerch | Episode 7
Season 4 Energy Landscape of Virginia Series with Joe Lerch Energy Landscape of Virginia Episode 7 | “Data Centers in Virginia” JLARC Report – Interview with Mark Gribbin Listen to the Podcast “Data Centers in Virginia” JLARC Report – Interview with Mark Gribbin. In this episode we sit down with Mark Gribbin, Chief Legislative Analyst […]
VACo County Pulse Podcast – Energy Landscape of Virginia Series with Joe Lerch | Episode 6
Season 4Energy Landscape of Virginia Series with Joe Lerch Energy Landscape of Virginia Episode 6 | Legislative Outlook Update – Proposals to Preempt County Authority on Siting of Solar Facilities Listen to the Podcast Legislative Outlook Update – Proposals to Preempt County Authority on Siting of Solar Facilities. Joe Lerch and VACo Executive Director Dean […]
VACo Opposes New Proposal to Preempt Local Decisions on Siting of Solar Facilities
On November 26 the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (CEUR) was presented a draft legislative proposal, that if adopted, would signal the state’s intention to override a decision by any county that denies certain applications for a utility-scale solar or battery storage project more than 20 megawatts (MW) in generation/storage capacity (NOTE: On average, a […]
Visit Prince William County and the Prince William County Historic Courthouse
The Old Manassas Courthouse is located at the intersection of Grant Avenue and Lee Avenue in Old Town Manassas. It is the fifth County Courthouse and County seat in Prince William County. The County seat was moved to Manassas in 1894 and this building was used as the County courthouse until 1982. The Old Manassas […]
PFAS Expert Advisory Committee Begins Meeting
On November 8, 2024 the first meeting of the PFAS Expert Advisory Committee took place. Legislation passed during the 2024 Session required the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) to transfer data to the Virginia Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) on a quarterly basis all validated monitoring test results that indicate Per and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Maximum […]
“Money Committees” Prepare for 2025 at Annual Retreats
The General Assembly’s “money committees” received generally positive reports about state revenues, tempered with uncertainty about broader economic factors, at their annual pre-session retreats in late November. The House Appropriations and House Finance Committees met in Abingdon on November 19, and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee held its event in Harrisonburg on November 21-22. […]