In 2019, voters handed Democrats unified control of Virginia government for the first time in 21 years, guaranteeing the party at least two years of unfettered lawmaking before the next election.
This yearâs House of Delegates elections and race for governor will be a debate largely over whether Democrats delivered what most Virginia voters wanted or changed too much too fast.
Fauquier remains a GOP stronghold. Republicans hold three of the four Virginia General Assembly positions that represent all or part of the county. For the most part, those Republican legislators have opposed the Democratsâ changes in state law.
Hereâs a look at the consensus agenda that emerged as lawmakers worked to squeeze a generationâs worth of pent-up legislative desire into a few short legislative sessions.
Over the weekend, the General Assembly approved legislation to allow businesses across the commonwealth to deduct up to $100,000 of forgiven Paycheck Protection Program loans from their state taxes.
While that will certainly come as welcome news for businesses that received PPP money in the state, it could deepen the inequities already faced by Virginia’s Black-owned businesses.
Businesses across the country struggled in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic’s onset and the resulting lockdowns, forcing the federal government to step in, guaranteeing loans to help companies cover expenses such as payroll. In Virginia, the federal government backed nearly 130,000 loans, doling out over $14 billion dollars in the state.
Virginia Doubles-Down on PPP, Potentially Harming Black-Owned Businesses vpm.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from vpm.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) are introducing legislation to incentivize Medicaid expansion nationwide.