A political battle over transgender healthcare has left some Virginia families scrambling to secure care for their children. Following an executive order from President Donald Trump,...
For the fourth consecutive year, Virginia lawmakers have sent the governor a bill allowing all localities to impose a 1% sales tax for school construction. Now,...
More than 1,000 bills are filed for General Assembly consideration each year. In this weekly series, the Mercury takes a look at a few of lawmakers’...
Expanded Benefits for Private and Campus Police Departments Senator Mark Obenshain’s SB1142, a bill to expand Line of Duty Act benefits to private police departments and...
Virginia lawmakers took a major step this week toward enshrining reproductive rights, restoring voting rights for people with past felony convictions, and officially removing the state’s...
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia farmers will go another year without state aid to cover increasing costs of drought insurance after a Senate finance committee did not...
Virginia lawmakers want to more than triple the amount of energy storage capacity Virginia’s two public utility companies — Dominion and Appalachian Power (ApCo) — must...
Lawmakers deciding on a controversial bill to develop a casino and entertainment complex in Tysons Corner tabled a decision Wednesday after House leadership moved the bill...
Democratic lawmakers celebrated the continued advancement of a suite of bills and budget amendments aimed at improving maternal health outcomes, dubbed the “Virginia Momnibus.” The package...
Lawmakers are trying to lift the decades-long cap on state-funded support positions for public schools through budget negotiations after legislation that would end the restriction failed...
A highly favored counselor bill from the Virginia Senate to make more volunteer after-school life counselors available died Tuesday in a 4-2 House subcommittee vote. Democrats...
Del. Kim Taylor is “disappointed” that her abortion bill wasn’t docketed in Virginia’s 2025 legislative session, and therefore defeated without a chance for debate. As she...
Virginia High School League changes transgender athlete policy From Virginia Mercury On Monday, the Virginia High School League (VHSL) announced it would comply immediately with the...
In January 2020, Farmington Hills, Michigan resident Robert Williams spent 30 hours in police custody after an algorithm listed him as a potential match for a...
As lawmakers seek to regulate use of automated license plate readers in Virginia, debates continue about how best to do so. Legislation faced a brief defeat...
Virginia drivers could soon see higher towing fees under legislation that’s advancing toward the governor’s desk, but the decision to raise rates will remain in the...
Governor Youngkin Declares State of Emergency Virginia is bracing for a powerful winter storm expected to bring heavy snow, ice, and potential flooding to parts of...
Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, is hitting back. Months after facing sexual assault allegations that surfaced just days before his congressional primary, Helmer has filed a $15...
A half-million-dollar budget proposal could be a game-changer for Virginia college students struggling with food insecurity. Advocates are urging House lawmakers and Gov. Glenn Youngkin to...
RICHMOND, Va. — A gun violence prevention bill that recently cleared the House hopes to resolve what advocates call a public health crisis, but opponents say...
With the threat of federal budget cuts looming, Virginia lawmakers are laying the groundwork to respond to potential changes that could impact healthcare coverage for roughly...
Virginia’s public colleges and universities could soon be required to livestream their Board of Visitors meetings, ensuring real-time access for the public. The proposal, which passed...
More than 1,000 bills are filed for General Assembly consideration each year. In this weekly series, the Mercury takes a look at a few of lawmakers’...
Sharon Brown wakes up before sunrise to help feed over a thousand students at Powhatan High School. By the time the last lunch tray is cleared...
With a growing demand for skilled workers, Virginia lawmakers are tackling a critical issue: the shortage of career and technical education (CTE) teachers. A bipartisan effort...
As football fans across Virginia prepare for Super Bowl LIX this Sunday, the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are urging...
Legislation to ease Virginia’s lingering school bus driver shortage is cruising through the General Assembly. A bill allowing eligible school districts to use alternative transportation, like...
Virginia lawmakers are moving to regulate automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) for the first time, but privacy advocates warn that the legislation could expand surveillance rather...
With bird flu cases cropping up across the country — including in Virginia — members of the Virginia’s Democratic congressional delegation are demanding the immediate reinstatement...
We are mid-way through the 2025 legislative session of the Virginia General Assembly, and we have an important opportunity to address health inequities and promote resilience...