👏 👏 Well done! Speaker @donscott757.bsky.social says the Dominion/NextEra merger can't come at the expense of: ♻️clean energy goals 💰ratepayers energy bills 💪good jobs

Richmond Times-Dispatch @richmond.com · 6d ago

One of the most powerful, but so far silent, politicians in Virginia has weighed in with sweeping concerns about NextEra Energy’s proposed takeover of Dominion Energy – and for Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, there’s a cautionary tale in Virginia banking.

Senate votes on a memorial resolution to honor Paul Ebert, a PWC prosecutor who sent more people to death row than anyone in VA, and who 4th Circuit justices said engaged in actions "abhorrent to the judicial process," and "eschewing the Constitution, [and] ethical strictures."

Now another GOP senator asking for clarification on the implementation of the assault weapon ban bill, which this governor's amendment delaying implementation of the open carry bill has nothing to do with, but even if it did, delaying implementation would help to get answers. 🤦🏻‍♀️

VAPLAN@vaplan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Additionally, as @ssurovell.bsky.social points out, DeSteph is talking about the wrong underlying gun bill (public open carry vs assault ban). And as @jeremymcpike.bsky.social points out, a yea vote delays the law from taking effect. There isn't a repeal up for discussion.

Additionally, as @ssurovell.bsky.social points out, DeSteph is talking about the wrong underlying gun bill (public open carry vs assault ban). And as @jeremymcpike.bsky.social points out, a yea vote delays the law from taking effect. There isn't a repeal up for discussion.

VAPLAN@vaplan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Sen DeSteph complaining on Senate floor right now that laws have to be interpreted by courts. 🤡

Sen DeSteph complaining on Senate floor right now that laws have to be interpreted by courts. 🤡

Ultimately only a handful of senator convinced to vote against this amendment allowing data centers to use evaporative cooling.

VAPLAN@vaplan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Senate taking amendments up one by one now. Unanimous on 3 & 4, partisan vote on #1, some GOP opposition to #2. Sens Stuart & Roem argue against amendment #5 allowing data centers to use evaporative (swamp) cooling, undermining water conservation measure of conference report.

Interesting point though acknowledged by Sen Stuart: rejecting this amendment would send it back to the Governor, who could line veto the underlying data center water conservation language altogether.

VAPLAN@vaplan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Senate taking amendments up one by one now. Unanimous on 3 & 4, partisan vote on #1, some GOP opposition to #2. Sens Stuart & Roem argue against amendment #5 allowing data centers to use evaporative (swamp) cooling, undermining water conservation measure of conference report.

Senate taking amendments up one by one now. Unanimous on 3 & 4, partisan vote on #1, some GOP opposition to #2. Sens Stuart & Roem argue against amendment #5 allowing data centers to use evaporative (swamp) cooling, undermining water conservation measure of conference report.

VAPLAN@vaplan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

House GOP vote nay on Governor's budget amendment #1 ($ for Dept of Elex for ballot referenda). Some GOP vote nay on #2 (menhaden research funding), #6 (to add utility co-ops to RGGI eligibility), #7 (law enf. face covering clarification), 9, 10.

House GOP vote nay on Governor's budget amendment #1 ($ for Dept of Elex for ballot referenda). Some GOP vote nay on #2 (menhaden research funding), #6 (to add utility co-ops to RGGI eligibility), #7 (law enf. face covering clarification), 9, 10.

"Unusually unloquacious" senators have no points of personal privilege today and are now waiting around for the House to take up the budget.

Irregular invocations in both the House and the Senate today: the House because the pastor fled the chamber before the Delegate who'd invited him even had a chance to make an introduction; the Senate replacing an invited religious leader invocation with a moment of silent prayer.

Senate Rules subcommittee proposes the Senate adopt for next session the following bill limit: 15 bills per senator, plus 5 from among: early bird submissions (by August), legislative commission bills and/or governor's requests. Full Rules adopts the proposal.

House accepts conference report on budget by a 71-22 vote. Both chambers now in recess until they're called back into session (with notice).

Del McNamara giving floor speech complaining about how much more this year's budget requires in revenues than last year's. So I guess he's pretty pissed at the Trump administration for passing along billions of costs in Medicaid and SNAP and CHIP plans to the states.

Poor Del @katrinacallsen.com timing is rough, presenting a resolution commending a giant peach grown on an Albemarle farm b/w terribly sad memorial resolutions to Del @lesliemehta.bsky.social VA's husband and Del Askew's chief of staff, who both passed away since the legislature adjourned.

Mild bipartisan support in the Senate for the conference committee budget agreement (which, per Minority Leader McDougle, Gov. Spanberger has not officially signed off on):

Kudos to Finance Chair Louise Lucas from her GOP colleague and budget conferee Sen Stuart: "The Chairman did a fantastic job...her fortitude, her tenacity, she stood behind me and fought WITH me to address this issue that protects people and their ability to have water to live on."

Senate floor discussing budget conference agreement where a $1.2 billion consumption fee on data centers will go towards an increase to the standard deduction, a utility bill tax credit, 4% teacher raises, a 3.5% pay increase for all state employees.

Republicans relitigating the underlying policies of constitutional amendments the legislature has already passed—abortion rights, right to vote, right to marry—today at a joint House/ Senate P&E meeting to vote on the specific language to go on the November ballot (written by nonpartisan lawyers).

Gov Spanberger vetoed @salimforva.bsky.social bill to end this waiver, now found unconstitutional by {checks notes} conservative Justice Gorsuch. With enemies like this, who needs friends like Spanberger? Wait, is that how that goes?

Taniel@taniel.bsky.social · 3mo ago

❗SCOTUS ruled today a defendant can't just waive away their rights to an appeal if that'd be a miscarriage of justice. Gorsuch wrote a concurrence saying: If we don't limit this, prosecutors will keep pushing their luck. And he cited Bolts' article on waivers in Virginia to show how far they go:

The fact that the data center industry can spend this much money advertising for themselves nonstop during the World Cup tells you all you need to know about this policy battle.

Time to look over budget proposal with a fine tooth comb! davidmpoole.substack.com/p/house-budg...

House budget would halt campaign finance audits

Democrats in the House of Delegates on Friday released budget language that would gut a recent law aimed at boosting public confidence in the accuracy of campaign finance reports.

davidmpoole.substack.com

Sorry, to clarify, marijuana *IS* in the House proposed actual budget, just wasn't mentioned in their summary.

VAPLAN@vaplan.bsky.social · 3mo ago

House Approps is up with a proposed budget conference report. It balances without ending data center tax exemption (but commits to studying data centers), w/o marijuana retail markets, w/o new gambling. Does allow school construction local tax option. hac.virginia.gov/wp-content/u...

Weird timing to release proposed budget details that don't include revenue from this, and then announce this.

Blue Virginia@bluevirginia.bsky.social · 3mo ago

"Delegate Paul Krizek says “we have a deal” on a legal recreational marijuana market in the budget. He says there will be a press conference with Governor Spanberger next week unveiling the agreement." - Tyler Englander bluevirginia.us/2026/06/va-h...

House Approps is up with a proposed budget conference report. It balances without ending data center tax exemption (but commits to studying data centers), w/o marijuana retail markets, w/o new gambling. Does allow school construction local tax option. hac.virginia.gov/wp-content/u...

Conservative SCOVA Justice McCullough (who killed the redistricting amendment VA voters approved) appears at Code Commish to ask for leg. to add "plain language" translations to the legalese on court forms. He has a glossary of possible terms to translate. I wonder if "election" was on the list? 😤

@paulkrizek.bsky.social now VC of Cannabis Market Transition Commish: 5 yrs in we still do not have an adult-use retail market. Cannabis is legal to grow & use but we continue to lack a safe regulated and taxed place to buy it. We continue to work on the transition even if the politics is difficult.

Of the 127 (unique) bills that Gov. Spanberger sent back w/ recommendations: ✅ The legislature adopted the recs on 92 of the bills ❌ The legislature rejected some/all the recs on the other 35 Of those rejected recs: 👍 The Gov. signed 20 of the bills anyway 👎 The Gov. vetoed 15 of the bills

It was stupid when Youngkin stood in the way of a regulated market for LEGAL recreational adult-use marijuana--not just for the important safety aspects of taking it off the black market, but also for the $$$ Virginia misses out on every day without. It is just as stupid now.

At a time when corporations are getting all the breaks while consumers struggle to make ends meet, Spanberger sides with corporations over people again in vetoing the bill allowing class action lawsuits. A bill vetted & negotiated for years. A bill that's law in 48 other states.