On February 24th, the Commonwealth became one step closer to ensuring clean water through the Pipeline Accountability, Oversight, and Protection of Virginia’s Water Act (Senate Bill-1311). Senator Jennifer McClellan of Richmond sponsored the bill with the intent of ensuring that Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality receives a holistic view of any proposed pipeline project and […]
Administration engaged community members and experts over the last year in developing the ONE Virginia framework Governor Ralph Northam today unveiled ONE Virginia, a first-in-the-nation statewide strategic plan to advance visible diversity, equity, and inclusion across state government. “To truly move forward as a Commonwealth, we must prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion as our collective goals,” said […]
On Monday, Governor Ralph Northam, House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, and Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw jointly issued the following statement after both houses of the General Assembly passed legislation to ban capital punishment in the Commonwealth. House Bill 2263, sponsored by Delegate Mike Mullin, and Senate Bill 1165, sponsored by Senator Scott Surovell, which are identical bills, […]
The 15th cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station successfully launched today at 12:36 p.m. from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A located on Wallops Island. Northrop Grumman’s unmanned Cygnus spacecraft launched on the company’s Antares rocket, carrying approximately 8,200 pounds of cargo that included scientific investigations, crew supplies, and hardware. A secondary payload of […]
Federal stimulus funds available to help landlords and tenants impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. Virginia families who have been challenged with making rent payments, especially in Black and Brown communities where evictions have increased, received some good news today. Governor Ralph Northam today announced $524 million in new federal funding to help keep Virginia families in […]
Submission period open from February 15 to March 15. Governor Ralph Northam today invited Virginia students, educators, and families to participate in the second annual Black History Month Historical Marker Contest. This initiative offers opportunities to learn about African Americans who have made important contributions to Virginia history, provides teachers with resources to guide history discussions, […]
Governor Ralph Northam on Wednesday announced that his Commission to Examine Racial Inequity in the Law issued its second report outlining policy recommendations to confront the impacts of discriminatory laws. Many of these recommendations are already reflected in Northam’s current legislative priorities, including measures to restore voting rights, invest in education, and expand expungements of […]
Funding will support ongoing efforts across the Commonwealth to improve postsecondary success for students of color. Governor Ralph Northam today announced that the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) was awarded a grant of $725,000 from Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation to support efforts to advance equitable postsecondary outcomes across the Commonwealth’s institutions of higher […]
Alex Sakes also contributed to this report. In a press release issued Friday, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam outlined his administration’s reopening plans for Virginia’s K-12 public schools, calling on them to provide an in-person learning option by March 15, 2021, in accordance with the health guidance the Northam Administration put forward in January and new research from the […]
After disparity study identifies clear need to address diversity in state contracting, Virginia to establish goals of 23.1 percent discretionary spending with woman- and minority-owned businesses and 42 percent with SWaM-certified businesses. Governor Ralph Northam today announced the results of the Commonwealth’s disparity study, which demonstrate the need for narrowly tailored race- and gender-conscious measures […]
