VAPLAN
@vaplan.bsky.social
Virginia Progressive Legislative Alert Network: tracking and reporting on the Virginia General Assembly sessions
@ssurovell.bsky.social before Virginia Senate passes redistricting amendment: What do you do when one side refuses to play by the rules? Do you continue to play by the rules and concede defeat? Or do you take actions, even if unsavory, to protect the principles of democratic government?
October 31, 2025 at 4:20 PM
@ssurovell.bsky.social before Virginia Senate passes redistricting amendment: What do you do when one side refuses to play by the rules? Do you continue to play by the rules and concede defeat? Or do you take actions, even if unsavory, to protect the principles of democratic government?
Senate rejects GOP floor changes to redistricting amendment that'd undermine the intent of this plan, which is to give Virginians the opportunity to ask legislature to respond to unfair redistricting taking place in other states, watering down their representation in Congress.
October 31, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Senate rejects GOP floor changes to redistricting amendment that'd undermine the intent of this plan, which is to give Virginians the opportunity to ask legislature to respond to unfair redistricting taking place in other states, watering down their representation in Congress.
Senate Privileges and Elections reports out redistricting amendment resolution to the floor.
October 29, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Senate Privileges and Elections reports out redistricting amendment resolution to the floor.
By 51-42 vote, the Virginia House votes to pass a resolution that would allow a mid-decade redistricting. This must pass the Senate and then pass both bodies once more after the upcoming election, and then the voters of Virginia will weigh in.
October 29, 2025 at 8:18 PM
By 51-42 vote, the Virginia House votes to pass a resolution that would allow a mid-decade redistricting. This must pass the Senate and then pass both bodies once more after the upcoming election, and then the voters of Virginia will weigh in.
House P&E reports redistricting resolution. @delciaprice85.bsky.social says "the threat to our FEDERAL democracy, the threat of the fall of the Voting Rights Act are an unprecendented threat to Virginians. 5 years may not seem like a long time, but not when your democracy is under attack.
October 29, 2025 at 6:42 PM
House P&E reports redistricting resolution. @delciaprice85.bsky.social says "the threat to our FEDERAL democracy, the threat of the fall of the Voting Rights Act are an unprecendented threat to Virginians. 5 years may not seem like a long time, but not when your democracy is under attack.
Do you know who is NOT joining the lawsuit to sue Trump to protect SNAP benefits? Jason Miyares, that's who. Do you know who is NOT trying to protect low-income Virginians from being unable to feed their families? Jason Miyares.
THIS is why we need to elect @jonesjay in a week.
THIS is why we need to elect @jonesjay in a week.
October 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Do you know who is NOT joining the lawsuit to sue Trump to protect SNAP benefits? Jason Miyares, that's who. Do you know who is NOT trying to protect low-income Virginians from being unable to feed their families? Jason Miyares.
THIS is why we need to elect @jonesjay in a week.
THIS is why we need to elect @jonesjay in a week.
For reference, Nate Green is the person on the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys who routinely testifies against criminal justice reform bills in the General Assembly. If you can't get a partisan like him to take it, it's because there is NO CASE.
October 23, 2025 at 4:49 PM
For reference, Nate Green is the person on the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys who routinely testifies against criminal justice reform bills in the General Assembly. If you can't get a partisan like him to take it, it's because there is NO CASE.
How, exactly, is Mamdani--someone born in 1991 in Uganda the "twin" of Sen Hashmi, who was born in 1964 in India? Or is this just some bigoted nonsense from the N@zi-porn-loving guy whose own party leaders avoid being seen with him and who's trying to pretend he's some moderate?
October 8, 2025 at 8:59 PM
How, exactly, is Mamdani--someone born in 1991 in Uganda the "twin" of Sen Hashmi, who was born in 1964 in India? Or is this just some bigoted nonsense from the N@zi-porn-loving guy whose own party leaders avoid being seen with him and who's trying to pretend he's some moderate?
TL:DR of House Emergency Committee on Federal Cuts: Virginia's economy is screwed. Unemployment rising, job growth slowed, falling labor force participation rate (discouraged workers), and we are just beginning to feel the impacts of tariffs, on prices & small business closures.
September 11, 2025 at 2:53 PM
TL:DR of House Emergency Committee on Federal Cuts: Virginia's economy is screwed. Unemployment rising, job growth slowed, falling labor force participation rate (discouraged workers), and we are just beginning to feel the impacts of tariffs, on prices & small business closures.
9,500 Virginians who lost their federal jobs between January and July. A "positive externality" and "good news" according to Youngkin.
September 11, 2025 at 2:42 PM
9,500 Virginians who lost their federal jobs between January and July. A "positive externality" and "good news" according to Youngkin.
There's no one person who's going to swoop in and save us. We are going to save ourselves, starting at Labor Day events in Falls Church, in Arlington, in Alexandria, by collective action and applying the principles of unions that took us out of the last "gilded age." @marcussimon.com
September 1, 2025 at 6:12 PM
There's no one person who's going to swoop in and save us. We are going to save ourselves, starting at Labor Day events in Falls Church, in Arlington, in Alexandria, by collective action and applying the principles of unions that took us out of the last "gilded age." @marcussimon.com
It's interesting that Sears is running a Corey Stewart sort of campaign, which didn't even resonate with Virginians back in 2018, as opposed to a Glenn Youngkin sort of campaign.
August 28, 2025 at 4:11 PM
It's interesting that Sears is running a Corey Stewart sort of campaign, which didn't even resonate with Virginians back in 2018, as opposed to a Glenn Youngkin sort of campaign.
Presentation to Crime Commish on impaired driving. More enforcement=more DUI arrests. (But it's always good to remember that correlation does NOT mean causation. Especially when DUIs are measured by arrests, not by # committing it.)
August 19, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Presentation to Crime Commish on impaired driving. More enforcement=more DUI arrests. (But it's always good to remember that correlation does NOT mean causation. Especially when DUIs are measured by arrests, not by # committing it.)
Dept of Forensics explains to Crime Commish it's hard to test impact of THC on driving/motor function, bc when it's present in blood doesn't match when it's present in the brain, where it actually affects you. Oral fluid testing more indicative of recent use but not impairment.
August 19, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Dept of Forensics explains to Crime Commish it's hard to test impact of THC on driving/motor function, bc when it's present in blood doesn't match when it's present in the brain, where it actually affects you. Oral fluid testing more indicative of recent use but not impairment.
According to VDOT presentation to VA Crime Commission, tens of thousands of people are injured or killed by speeding per year. 45% of fatal crashes are speed-related.
August 19, 2025 at 5:09 PM
According to VDOT presentation to VA Crime Commission, tens of thousands of people are injured or killed by speeding per year. 45% of fatal crashes are speed-related.
Speed camera citations and revenues according to Virginia State Police presentation to Va Crime Commission.
August 19, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Speed camera citations and revenues according to Virginia State Police presentation to Va Crime Commission.
At Crime Commission meeting, @visionzeronet.bsky.social discusses promoting equity in speed camera programs, including issuing a warning for first offenses, using flat fines or reduced-fines for low-income drivers, directing generated funds towards safety programs, monitoring the program.
August 19, 2025 at 4:33 PM
At Crime Commission meeting, @visionzeronet.bsky.social discusses promoting equity in speed camera programs, including issuing a warning for first offenses, using flat fines or reduced-fines for low-income drivers, directing generated funds towards safety programs, monitoring the program.
Stats presented in Virginia Housing Commission by Sen Sturtevant on number of single-family homes in Virginia Beach owned by hedge funds (for rentals): over 3,000 homes, or 4% of the market. (He and @scvanvalkenburg.bsky.social had bills that died last year to prohibit such purchases.)
August 19, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Stats presented in Virginia Housing Commission by Sen Sturtevant on number of single-family homes in Virginia Beach owned by hedge funds (for rentals): over 3,000 homes, or 4% of the market. (He and @scvanvalkenburg.bsky.social had bills that died last year to prohibit such purchases.)
Presentation to Virginia Housing Commission by the Virginia Housing Alliance shows map of the 250 affordable housing projects underway. No single locality has received more than 20% of the projects in a fiscal year.
August 19, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Presentation to Virginia Housing Commission by the Virginia Housing Alliance shows map of the 250 affordable housing projects underway. No single locality has received more than 20% of the projects in a fiscal year.
Watching VA Housing Commission meeting this AM. Presentation from VHDC shows results of Housing Trust Fund since its inception. Thanks to legislative funding, they're able to help bring to completion many housing projects. (It contributes the "last dollar" to ensure completion.)
August 19, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Watching VA Housing Commission meeting this AM. Presentation from VHDC shows results of Housing Trust Fund since its inception. Thanks to legislative funding, they're able to help bring to completion many housing projects. (It contributes the "last dollar" to ensure completion.)
Lots of questions from legislators in House Privileges and Elections committee about elections data-sharing MOUs between Virginia and other states...which are only necessitated by Youngkin having pulled Virginia out of the more multistate, nonpartisan voter data system ERIC.
August 18, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Lots of questions from legislators in House Privileges and Elections committee about elections data-sharing MOUs between Virginia and other states...which are only necessitated by Youngkin having pulled Virginia out of the more multistate, nonpartisan voter data system ERIC.
Republican appointee Elections Commissioner Susan Beals affirms VIRGINIA ELECTIONS ARE SECURE. (No matter how often GOP legislators claim otherwise when they're pushing their multitude of bills to restrict ballot access.)
August 18, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Republican appointee Elections Commissioner Susan Beals affirms VIRGINIA ELECTIONS ARE SECURE. (No matter how often GOP legislators claim otherwise when they're pushing their multitude of bills to restrict ballot access.)
In House Emergency committee, VA Health Benefits Exchange shows effect of the expiring premium tax credits (ie, someone making $40k a year would go from paying 2% to 6.6%), and the number of households in Virginia this will affect. This likely prices many people out of insurance.
August 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM
In House Emergency committee, VA Health Benefits Exchange shows effect of the expiring premium tax credits (ie, someone making $40k a year would go from paying 2% to 6.6%), and the number of households in Virginia this will affect. This likely prices many people out of insurance.
Based on this Medicaid presentation to House Emergency committee mtg, it sounds like there's some room for influencing the specific implementation rules for the Medicaid "work" rules and other features. Advocates should be prepared to make their voices heard.
August 14, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Based on this Medicaid presentation to House Emergency committee mtg, it sounds like there's some room for influencing the specific implementation rules for the Medicaid "work" rules and other features. Advocates should be prepared to make their voices heard.
Still many unknowns re: hits to VA's economy due to grant cancellations, federal job cuts, etc. House Emergency committee hopes to have more clarity this fall, especially as Fork'd workers end their paid leave (yes, taxpayers have been paying workers to not work all this time).
August 14, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Still many unknowns re: hits to VA's economy due to grant cancellations, federal job cuts, etc. House Emergency committee hopes to have more clarity this fall, especially as Fork'd workers end their paid leave (yes, taxpayers have been paying workers to not work all this time).