The Virginia General Assembly’s legislative session will start this month.

The I-81 Advisory Committee is meeting later today in Lexington to hear updates about the status on the more than 60 projects going up and down the corridor.

Nick Hagen will be first Republican on Roanoke City Council since 2000.

Virginia lawmakers headed to Richmond to vote on the state’s 2-year budget after legislators said they have a compromised agreement with Governor Glenn Youngkin.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin made a stop in the Hill City on Wednesday to sign a new bill to expand workforce development in the Commonwealth.

The Virginia General Assembly session reconvenes on January 10. 10 News is working for you by speaking with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about their legislative priorities.

10 News sat down with David Suetterlein to learn about his priorities if elected and his message to voters.

10 News sat down with Trish White-Boyd to learn about her priorities if elected and her message to voters.

LewisGale broke ground on their new NICU after 12 years of petitioning state legislators.

Multiple senators and delegates talked about suspending the gas tax, removing grocery taxes, re-districting and getting a low fare carrier to ROA

Senate Bill 5 passed 96-3 in the chamber last week.

ROANOKE, Va. – Gov. Ralph Northam signed the “Remote Learning” bill this week, which allows unscheduled remote learning during inclement weather and emergency situations that prevent in-person learning. Delegate Joe McNamara, who represents parts of the Roanoke and New River valleys, introduced the bill to the House of Delegates and state Sen. David Suetterlein, who represents much of Southwest Virginia, introduced an identical bill in the Senate. Both bills state that no school division can use more than 10 unscheduled remote learning days in a school year unless the superintendent of public instruction grants an extension. AdThe measure takes effect July 1.

It’s a dramatic turnaround for a state that has executed more people in its history than any other state. Virginia’s new Democratic majority pushed the repeal effort, arguing that the death penalty has been applied disproportionately to people of color, the mentally ill and the indigent. Since 2017 she had dedicated energy to abolishing the death penalty. He drew a comparison to recently approved mandatory minimums for littering with removing a mandatory death sentence. She and others are hopeful that the Biden administration will be receptive to their efforts to outlaw the death penalty at the federal level, and she said she’ll be there to help.

RICHMOND, Va. – A state senator from Roanoke County hopes to immortalize famed author and orator Booker T. Washington with a permanent place at the State Capitol. Sen. David Suetterlein introduced Senate Resolution 95, which would start the process of planning a statue for Washington on Capitol Square. Washington was born a slave in Franklin County before becoming a leader in civil rights and founding the Tuskegee Institute. “I really believe that Booker T. Washington needs to be honored in Capitol Square,” Suetterlein told his fellow senators. “He’s a great American and a great Virginian, but Virginia doesn’t get enough credit as we should for this great Virginian that did so much for the country.”AdSuetterlein also sponsored a similar bill during last year’s legislative session, but it did not gain any traction in the General Assembly.

Criminal justice reform efforts are moving forward in the Virginia General Assembly. Some legislation is focused on making the highly-criticized parole board more transparent. On Monday, the Senate of Virginia approved Senate Bill 1103 to make the board’s votes on whether to release someone public. Sen. David Suetterlein, a Republican who represents District 19, led the charge for that bill, getting bipartisan support. Other legislation in the works would require the parole board to contact prosecutors, victims and families about the process.