Monday, February 25, 2013
Final budget amendments includes $3.4 million to add 1,700 in-state undergraduate seats at Virginia universities.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, February 25
By Jessica Dahlberg, Capital News Service As the 2013 legislative session came to a close, the Virginia General Assembly approved amendments to the state’s two-year budget Saturday that included expanding Medicaid and spending more money on education. The amendments were passed by both the House (on an 83-17 vote) and the Senate (31-8) after tense discussions over Medicaid, which provides medical care for low-income residents. Legislators agreed to expand the program if certain reforms are made. In the House, Charniele Herring, D-Alexandria, voted in favor of the bill. In the Senate, Alexandria Democrats George Barker, Adam Ebbin and Dick Saslaw supported the legislation. See vote tally below. The reforms will make Medicaid look similar to…
Sen. Adam Ebbin calls bill "bad economics."
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, February 25
By Stephen Nielsen, Capital News Service A divided Virginia Senate has passed Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signature issue of the 2013 legislative session—a bill to overhaul the state’s system for funding transportation. Just hours before the session’s end, the Senate voted 25-15 for House Bill 2313, which will raise about $880 million a year more for roads and mass transit by increasing sales taxes while lowering the fuels tax. The debate over how to increase revenue continued right up to the vote. Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) voted against the legislation; Sens. George Barker and Dick Saslaw, D-Alexandria, supported it. “This isn’t any bill. This is the only bill,” said Senate Majority Leader Thomas Norment, R-Williamsburg. He said it’s the …
Friday, February 1, 2013
Senators representing Alexandria split in support of amendment.
- ELECTIONS
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Friday, February 1
By Shelby Mertens, Capital News Service Starting in 2017, Virginia voters could have the opportunity to re-elect the governor to a second consecutive term if the House joins the Senate in seeking to amend the state’s Constitution. The Senate this week approved a proposed constitutional amendment to allow governors to serve two terms in a row. The vote was 25-15. SJ 276 was co-sponsored by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) and Dels. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon) and David Ramadan (R-South Riding). Sen. George Barker, who represents a large portion of Alexandria's West End, voted against the constitutional amendment. Sen. Dick Saslaw, who represents a small part of northwestern Alexandria, voted in favor of it. Ebbin represents the eastern …
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Alexandria's senators were among those who supported bike legislation Tuesday — the first-ever Bicycle Action Day in Richmond.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, January 30
By Katherine Johnson and Blake Belden, Capital News Service Several state senators joined Virginia bicyclists Tuesday for a Bicycle Action Day in Richmond, an event designed to support state legislators who are introducing bills that aim to make roads and biking safer across the Commonwealth. Several of Alexandria's senate representatives voted in favor of "share the road" legislation Tuesday that would increase the passing distance between vehicles and bicycles. About 15 bicyclists — members of RideRichmond, a nonprofit organization of bicycle enthusiasts, and their supporters – met on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus and biked to the General Assembly Building to demonstrate support for legislation that would require drivers …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
If the senate's redistricting proposal passes the House of Delegates and is signed into law, Sen. Adam Ebbin would become Alexandria's only state senator.
Monday night’s Republican-led effort to redistrict Virginia's state senate would push Alexandria voters out of the districts of Virginia Sens. George Barker (D-39th) and Dick Saslaw (D-35th). The changes, which were introduced as an amendment to a larger bill late Monday, are awaiting House approval and would take effect in 2015. However, Democrats, including Barker, said the move is unconstitutional at best. Republicans called the redistricting attempt "an effort to create another majority black Senate district." It comes two years after Gov. Bob McDonnell signed the state's traditional redistricting plan, crafted every 10 years with census data in years that end in "1." However, introducing yet another plan is unconstitutional, Senate …
Monday, December 10, 2012
State Sen. Dick Saslaw says it's tough to get a bill offering more stricter controls on guns through the Virginia General Assembly. Sen. Adam Ebbin agrees.
Trying to get more stringent gun control legislation through the Virginia General Assembly is something of a losing battle, according to at least two state lawmakers representing Northern Virginia. Sen. Dick Saslaw, the Senate Democratic leader whose district includes part of West End Alexandria, lamented that he’s tried multiple times to tighten up Virginia’s gun rights, but to little avail. He told audience members of a state legislative forum held at Alexandria’s City Hall that three years ago he introduced a bill after a man shot and killed two police officers before shooting and killing himself. Saslaw said in response, he introduced a bill making it illegal in Virginia to bring a gun onto police grounds. The Senate then narrowed that…
Public comment largely centered on voting rights and health care issues.
State legislators convened at Alexandria City Hall last week to hear public comment on hot topics for their constituents, which included health care and voting rights with various other topics peppered throughout the discussion. Senators Adam Ebbin, D-30; George Barker, D-39; and Dick Saslaw, D-35; along with Delegates Rob Krupicka, D-45, and Charniele Herring, D-46, answered audience questions during the event, hosted by the League of Women Voters. There seemed to be a rare general consensus among the lawmakers and the speakers — mostly senior citizens — on the topic of health care that Virginia should set up a health care exchange. Citizens said the state should establish its own set of regulated health care plans before the federal …
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Gail G
4:58 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
I suspect that Governor McDonnell will veto this bill because he has aspirations beyond Virginia and this looks very, very bad. more ›