Money committees including funding for passenger rail in budget amendments An Amtrak passenger train crosses the James River in Richmond. (Source: Taber Bain/Flickr/Creative Commons License 2.0) By Joe Dashiell | WDBJ | February 10, 2021 at 9:02 PM EST - Updated February 10 at 9:11 PM
RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ) - Governor Northam made passenger rail a priority in his budget proposal earlier this year. Now, members of the House and Senate money committees agree.
Budget amendments, released Wednesday afternoon, include funding for improvements that should clear the way for extra service in Roanoke and the extension of passenger rail to the New River Valley.
“With respect to the expansion of daily passenger rail service from Washington DC to the New River Valley, the subcommittee believes that increasing accessibility is critical to economic growth,” said Senator George Barker (D-Alexandria).
Virginia advances private-sector auto IRA
The capitol of the state of Virginia in Richmond.
Virginia could soon have a private-sector retirement savings program, through legislation passed by the Virginia House of Delegates on Jan. 26.
Approved by a vote of 56-44, the legislation sponsored by Del. Luke Torian, D-Prince William, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations.
House Bill 2174 would establish an automatic enrollment payroll deduction individual retirement account through the Virginia College Savings Plan, Virginia 529. It would be administered by a separate 11-member board setting default contribution rates and procedures for enrollment, withdrawals and compliance, and making investment decisions.
Prince William, Manassas leaders endorse Terry McAuliffe for governor
Published Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, 11:29 pm
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Terry McAuliffe
Leaders from Prince William and Manassas endorsed Terry McAuliffe for governor on Thursday.
The endorsements for McAuliffe, who served as governor from 2014-2018, include Prince William County School Board Chairman Babur B. Lateef, former Prince William County Supervisor Frank Principi, Occoquan Mayor Earnest “Earnie” Porta Jr., Manassas City Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger, Manassas City Vice Mayor Pamela Sebesky, Manassas City Treasurer Patricia Richie-Folks, and Manassas City Councilors Mark Wolfe, David Farajollahi and Ralph Smith.
The Virginia General Assembly must again consider whether to ban electronic gaming machines, which have proliferated at convenience stores and other businesses across the state. They ve helped in tight economic
Virginia legislative session will focus on budget, COVID-19 issues by Tyler Arnold, The Center Square | January 12, 2021 08:30 AM Print this article
The Virginia General Assembly’s 2021 legislative session begins Wednesday, and lawmakers will be focused on the budget, COVID-19-related expenditures and other issues, House and Senate leaders said.
The session will be set up much like last year’s special session. The House will conduct business virtually to prevent a mass gathering that could cause the spread of COVID-19, and the Senate will conduct business in the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond and give lawmakers enough space to maintain social distancing.