Editor's Pick Protecting pols from themselves Schapiro: Va.'s divided government balky but not bad JEFF E. SCHAPIRO Richmond Times-Dispatch Aug 18, 2023 Aug 18, 2023 Updated Oct 10, 2023 0 × Andrew Cain and Dave Ress look at the new laws passed by the Virginia General Assembly that take effect on July 1, 2023 Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3=F6G:C8:?:2]FD^a_ab^_g^G:56@\G2\DE2E6\D6?\>@?EJ\>2D@?\5\C6=62D6D\7:CDE\EG\25\E9:D\:D\2\4CF4:2=\>FDE\H:?\5:DEC:4E\7@C\56>@4C2ED\E9:D\?@G6>36CQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm|@?EJ |2D@?k^2m[ 2 #6AF3=:42?\E2C86E65 s6>@4C2E:4 D6?2E@C :? 2 DFAA@D65=J DH:?8J (:==:2>D3FC8\E@\}6HA@CE }6HD 5:DEC:4E[ :D CF??:?8 2 E6=6G:D:@? 4@>>6C4:2= :? H9:49 9:D EH@ 52F89E6CD E2=< FA E96:C 525VD 6>3C246 @7 E2I 4FED — @?6 @7 v~! v@G] v=6?? *@F?8<:?VD D:8?2EFC6 E96>6D] %96C6VD ?@ >6?E:@? @7 *@F?8<:?[ E9@F89]k^AmkAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^52:=JAC@8C6DD]4@>^@A:?:@?^4@=F>?:DED^D492A:C@\E96\?2E:@?2=:K65\6=64E:@?\:?\C:49>@?5D\324<J2C5^2CE:4=60_c3_g4_`\e2ab\dghd\247b\ef33dgae665b]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm$:@392? sF??2G2?Ek^2m[ 2 #6AF3=:42? D6?2E@C :? 962G:=J s6>@4C2E:4 w6?C:4@ r@F?EJ[ :D @? %'[ E@@] w6C 25 DA@E=:89ED 96C 3:@ 2D 2 323J\56=:G6C:?8 ~q\v*}] sF??2G2?E 5@6D?VE E2=< 23@FE E96 :DDF6 E92E 4@F=5 D:?< 96Ci %92E D96 — =:<6 *@F?8<:? — H2?ED E@ 32? 23@CE:@? 27E6C `d H66<D H:E9 6I46AE:@?D 7@C C2A6[ :?46DE[ 76E2= 23?@C>2=:EJ @C E@ D2G6 E@ E96 H@>2?VD =:76] WsF??2G2?E 2=D@ :?EC@5F465 2? F?DF446DD7F= 2=E6C?2E:G6[ 2 3:== E92E H@F=5 92G6 >@G65 ':C8:?:2’D ae\H66< =:>:E 324< E@ aa H66<D]Xk^Am People are also reading… Smyth School Board celebrates student achievements Smyth's Democratic Party finds new life 100+ Smyth residents develop action plan to address opioid addiction crisis A year of transformation for the Saltville PD Adding river float trips in Chilhowie is one tourism goal Smyth schools prepare to welcome Pre-K, kindergarten students at registration U.S. Sen. Warner visits Marion, holding discussion about Blue Ridge Job Corps Meet Smyth’s Pet of the Week: Diamond Federal appeals court examines Liberty University firing over gender transition 'Worship over worry': Virginia church group evacuates Israel at war Virginia General Assembly going to special session to resolve budget standoff Smyth County's Val Mutter: An Unsung Legal Hero Marion OKs adding fee to delinquent taxes to help collect them Spanberger appoints 65 Virginians to state boards and commissions Spanberger sends message with appointments to higher ed panel kAm*@F?8<:?[ 5C2H:?8 @? E96 >:==:@?D 96VD DBF66K65 7C@> 9:D (2== $EC66E 3F55:6D[ :D 2=D@ 25G6CE:D:?8] w6VD A@DE65 2 5:8:E2= 4@>>6C4:2= E92E 6>A92D:K6D D49@@=D[ E96 64@?@>J 2?5 =2H 2?5 @C56C] %96 25G6CE :D >6>@C23=6 7@C H92E :E 5@6D?VE D2Ji %92E *@F?8<:? 2?5 E96 #6AF3=:42? !2CEJ 2C6 9@DE:=6 E@ 23@CE:@?[ {vq%" C:89ED 2?5 stx]k^Am kAm%92E A@=:E:4:2?D :? 3@E9 A2CE:6D 2C6 5@:?8 E96 D2>6 E9:?8 — 3=FCC:?8 5:DE:?4E:@?D — :D 2 D:8? E92E E96 7:89E 7@C ':C8:?:2VD 5:G:565 =68:D=2EFC6[ 56DA:E6 E96 H:=5 42C5D @7 C64@C5 C6E:C6>6?ED[ C65C2H? 5:DEC:4ED 2?5 C:49=J 7:?2?465 42?5:52E6D[ 4@F=5 J:6=5 J6E 2?@E96C 5:G:565 =68:D=2EFC6] p?5 E92E >:89E ?@E 36 2 325 E9:?8]k^Am The Virginia House of Delegates convenes to work on the budget at the state Capitol in June 2022. Daniel Sangjib Min/TIMES-DISPATCH kAm%H@\A2CEJ 8@G6C?>6?E :D 32=<J 2?5 42? 36 7CFDEC2E:?8=J F?AC@5F4E:G6] (:E?6DD E96 4@?E:?F:?8 #6AF3=:42? w@FD6\s6>@4C2E:4 $6?2E6 DE2?5@77 @G6C C6G:D:@?D E@ E96 S`ff 3:==:@? DE2E6 3F586E] {2H>2<6CD D9@F=5VG6 HC2AA65 FA E96 3F586E D:I >@?E9D 28@] !6C92AD *@F?8<:?[ :? 9:D C6G6?F6 C6A@CE (65?6D52J E@ E96 >@?6J 4@>>:EE66D[ H:== 282:? 8@25 E96> E@ 86E E96 ;@3 5@?6]k^Am kAm}@E E92E E96 8@G6C?@C H@?VE 86E D@>6 A@=:E:42= >:=6286 7C@> E96 v6?6C2= pDD6>3=JVD :?24E:@? 2?5 E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ E96 5625=@4< H@?VE 36 3C@<6? 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H:E9@FE D:8?:7:42?E DF446DD6D[ 3FE E96J 4@F=5 ?@E 36 249:6G65 H:E9@FE 2 >62DFC6 @7 3:A2CE:D2?D9:A]k^AmkAm%92EVD 9@H s6>@4C2E y6CCJ q2=:=6D AF==65 @77 :? `hge 2 3F?5=6 @7 9:896C E2I6D 7@C C@25D[ C2:=[ 92C3@CD 2?5 2:CA@CED] x? a_`b[ #6AF3=:42? q@3 |4s@??6== >2E4965[ :7 ?@E 6I466565[ E92E 762E H:E9 2 E2I\72EE6?65 EC2?DA@CE2E:@?\7:?2?4:?8 A24<286 @7 9:D @H?] w:DE@CJ ?@E6D E92E 3@E9 ?66565 @E96C\A2CEJ G@E6D E@ >2<6 FA 7@C E96:C A2CE:6DV 56764E:@?D] %96 C64@C5 2=D@ D9@HD E92E 3@E9 8@G6C?@CD H6?E 324< @? 42>A2:8? A=6586D ?@E E@ C2:D6 E2I6D]k^Am kAmq:A2CE:D2?D9:A H2D A@DD:3=6[ :7 ?@E E96 CF=6[ 3642FD6 E96 A@=:E:42= A2CE:6D H6C6 3C@25=J 32D65] |2:? $EC66E #6AF3=:42?D 4@F=5 7:?5 4@>>@? 42FD6 H:E9 E62496C\F?:@?\324<65 s6>@4C2ED @? 65F42E:@? 7F?5:?8 7@C EC2:?:?8 2?5 6IA2?5:?8 E96 H@C<7@C46] %96C6VD 6G6? 366? 2 ?@E6 @7 E9:D :? E96 7:CDE 92=7 @7 E96 *@F?8<:? 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ H9:49 C2C6=J 96D:E2E6D E@ 6?8286 :? A2CE:D2? D?:A:?8 H:E9 D:>:=2C=J D?2C<J s6>@4C2ED]k^Am kAm*@F?8<:?VD :?:E:2E:G6 E@ 4@?D@=:52E6 ;@3\EC2:?:?8 AC@8C2>D F?56C 2 D:?8=6 ?6H 286?4J 7=6H E9C@F89 E96 a_ab v6?6C2= pDD6>3=J H:E9 ?2CJ 2 A66A @7 @AA@D:E:@?] qFE E96 4@?E:?F:?8 s6>@4C2E\#6AF3=:42? DE2?5@77 @G6C E96 3F586E >62?D E92E AC@8C2> 42?VE 7F==J =2F?49]k^Am kAm%96 H@CC:D@>6 4@?D6BF6?46D @7 @?6\A2CEJ 8@G6C?>6?E :?4=F56 E96 @=5 2?5 ?6H]k^AmkAmr@?D6CG2E:G6 s6>@4C2ED 4=@D65 AF3=:4 D49@@=D :? E96 =2E6 `hd_D C2E96C E92? 4@>A=J H:E9 E96 &]$] $FAC6>6 r@FCE 564:D:@? @C56C:?8 D68C682E65 4=2DDC@@>D @A6?65 E@ 2== C246D] x? a__`[ #6AF3=:42?D — :? 2 3:EE6C 7:89E @G6C 6IA2?5:?8 v@G] y:> v:=>@C6VD 42C\E2I C@==324< — 5:5 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6[ D:?46 E96 =68:D=2EFC6 3682? >66E:?8 2??F2==J >@C6 E92? 2 92=7\46?EFCJ 28@[ H92E 3@E9 A2CE:6D 92G6 5@?6 ?@Hi 72:= E@ 4@>A6E6 2 3F586E]k^Am kAmp?5 H96? s6>@4C2ED[ 9@=5:?8 E96 8@G6C?@CD9:A F?56C #2=A9 }@CE92>[ E@@< 324< E96 v6?6C2= pDD6>3=J :? a_`h[ E96J H6?E @? 2 E62C[ :7 @?=J E@ D2E:2E6 E96 A6?E\FA 56>2?5 @7 E96:C =67E\=FC49:?8 32D6i C6A62=:?8 23@CE:@? C6DEC:4E:@?D[ C6DE@C:?8 2?5 6IA2?5:?8 4@?EC@=D @? 7:C62C>D 2?5[ DAFCC65 3J r~'xs\`h 2?5 E96 A@=:46 <:==:?8 @7 v6@C86 u=@J5[ >2<:?8 :E 62D:6C E@ G@E6 2?5 92C56C E@ 36 2 4@A]k^Am kAm%96C6VD =:EE=6 C62D@? E@ 36=:6G6 #6AF3=:42?D H@?VE 3692G6 D:>:=2C=J :7 8:G6? E96 492?46 :? }@G6>36C]k^AmkAm%96 C6>65J :D 4=62C[ E9@F89 E96 C6DF=ED :? A@=:4J — @C =24< E96C6@7 — 42? 36 HC6?49:?8i A@=:E:42= A2CE:6D 56>2?5 E96 25F=E DFA6CG:D:@? @7 6249 @E96C]k^Am Jeff E. Schapiro (804) 649-6814jschapiro@timesdispatch.com 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story A look at new Virginia laws that took effect on July 1, 2023 Andrew Cain and Dave Ress look at the new laws passed by the Virginia General Assembly that take effect on July 1, 2023 Schapiro: Had Youngkin been on that stage... What if Youngkin had been the ninth GOP candidate on that debate stage? Schapiro: Spinning a lot of tunes, perhaps winning a few votes Before he was a lawmaker, Republican Bobby Orrock was a DJ. His earlier job could help him stay in his current one. Schapiro: Va.'s back-to-the-future legislative election Glenn Youngkin isn't the first Virginia governor betting that his popularity and surfeit of campaign cash tip the legislature his way. A look at some of the new Virginia laws that started in July Hundreds of new laws take effect Saturday, ranging from naming the Chincoteague Pony as the state’s official pony to one saying drivers must m…
A look at new Virginia laws that took effect on July 1, 2023 Andrew Cain and Dave Ress look at the new laws passed by the Virginia General Assembly that take effect on July 1, 2023
Schapiro: Had Youngkin been on that stage... What if Youngkin had been the ninth GOP candidate on that debate stage?
Schapiro: Spinning a lot of tunes, perhaps winning a few votes Before he was a lawmaker, Republican Bobby Orrock was a DJ. His earlier job could help him stay in his current one.
Schapiro: Va.'s back-to-the-future legislative election Glenn Youngkin isn't the first Virginia governor betting that his popularity and surfeit of campaign cash tip the legislature his way.
A look at some of the new Virginia laws that started in July Hundreds of new laws take effect Saturday, ranging from naming the Chincoteague Pony as the state’s official pony to one saying drivers must m…