Virginia Legal*Political Blog

Virginia Republicans have a beef with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s plans to raise a little cash for the Democratic party next month.  As this Washington Post blog reports, GOP leaders are considering filing a complaint about the $200-a-head inaugural ball in Arlington on January 19. The issue is a Virginia law that bars state office [...]

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In its year-end report to the General Assembly, dated Dec. 1 and posted online Dec. 18, the Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission demonstrates just how busy it has been this year. Business is steady for the agency that provides ethics oversight to 772 judges in the commonwealth. JIRC fielded 967 telephone inquiries, with the majority [...]

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The Washington Post is reporting that Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will propose layoffs for 1,100 state employees and a 30-cent increase in the cigarette tax to balance the state budget.  Another 700 vacant state jobs would not be filled in the plan, according to unnamed staff members. The Post says Kaine also will recommend [...]

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Virginia Republican legislators yesterday emerged from a closed door meeting to announce a little extra sunlight for the upcoming General Assembly session.  According to this Washington Post blog, GOP lawmakers have agreed to end the practice of killing bills in subcommittee without a recorded vote. In prior sessions, bills often met their death in subcommittee [...]

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House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, announced yesterday that Republican legislators will resist efforts to pad the state budget and will support belt tightening for the House itself.  The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the House will take steps to save $1.1 million, about 15 percent of the chamber’s operating expenses. Plans to cut expenses include: suspending use [...]

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Lawmakers can expect pressure to cap interest rates for car title lenders. The Free Lance-Star reports that Del. Joe Morrisey, D-Henrico, is drafting a bill that would cap the annual interest rates of car title loans at 36 percent. Currently, most car title lenders have an interest rate of nearly ten times that amount. In [...]

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Del. Brian J. Moran, D-Alexandria, today resigned from the House of Delegates to run full-time for governor.  Moran is in a three-way race for the Democratic nomination.  As noted by The Washington Post, there is no indication yet of a similar move by fellow contender Sen. R. Creigh Deeds, D-Bath County.  The latest addition to [...]

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Writing a deed or deed of trust would become more complicated under a bill prefiled yesterday by Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Manassas. House Bill 1640 would affect instruments in which the grantee is not an individual. If the grantee is a corporation, the deed would need to include the names of all the corporate officers and [...]

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You and some old college pals are on your way to Charlottesville or Blacksburg for a big game. You’re the designated driver, so it’s only Co-cola or a cup of joe for you while your buddies in the car enjoy something a little…happier. Those car rides likely will come to an end if House Bill [...]

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Republican activists are pushing party leaders to abolish a rule that allows members of the House of Delegates to defeat bills in subcommittees without leaving any record of how they voted. The Virginian-Pilot reports that the current practice has been used by lawmakers from both parties to kill bills without leaving a voting trail. Americans [...]

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