GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The Presbyterian Church in America will consider an overture that will formally petition states and the federal government against transgender procedures for minors.

The state will ban most gender-affirming surgeries and hormone replacement therapies for transgender people under 18 with a new bill signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp.

The Ohio state Senate has passed a transportation spending package that includes tighter rail safety regulations in the wake of the East Palestine train derailment.

The North Carolina Supreme Court is hearing arguments again in a redistricting case it ruled on only three months ago.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposes $30 million for a witness protection program that received the same amount in last year's budget after years of neglect. But the program has yet to relocate any witnesses and has spent only a tiny fraction of the allocation.

The politically divided Virginia General Assembly worked through dozens of pieces of legislation, including a major energy bill and stop-gap budget bill, on Saturday as lawmakers reached the end of their regularly scheduled session without a deal on the entire state spending plan.

A bill to help people in prison get a second chance has stalled in the General Assembly.

A dozen bills revolving around transgender athletes as well as parents rights over their child's gender identity at school have died in the General Assembly.

A Virginia bill to give voters the option for localities to add a surcharge to finance school construction has died. The bill was killed on a straight party line vote.

Prosecutors challenging a state law that eliminated cash bail argued in a court filing that the measure should have been put to voters as a proposed amendment to the state constitution.

A bill that would have allowed the sale of recreational marijuana to start next year in Virginia has failed.

Hong Kong supporters of a tough national security law imposed by China’s ruling Communist Party have set their sights on a United Nations session, drawing concern from rights advocates.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker stressed additional funding for education in his $49.6 million budget proposal while also using the occasion to blast “a virulent form of nationalism” that he said has infected the debate over school curriculums and the content of library shelves in this country.

China has come in for a grilling over its human rights record as a two-day hearing opened at the United Nations human rights office.

New General Assembly funding is making way for the Craig-Botetourt scenic trail.

A proposed bill that would bar transgender student-athletes from playing on sports teams that match their gender identity has moved forward in the General Assembly.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has proposed a plan to expand state tax relief for veterans. His act would expand military tax exemption to $25,000 of income for this tax year.

The Illinois Attorney General’s office's initial argument in an appeal of a judge’s ruling that a state law eliminating cash bail violates the Illinois Constitution pushes back on assertions that the reform measure infringes on judicial power.

Sage's Law would require schools to notify parents if a child's preferred gender identity is different than their biological sex.

The 2023 Chicago mayoral race features eight candidates challenging Mayor Lori Lightfoot in her bid for reelection. Among them is Kam Buckner.

In the wake of several high-profile shootings, some Virginia lawmakers are working to find ways to curb gun violence in Virginia.

The Safety While Accessing Technology (SWAT) education program is being talked about by lawmakers in Richmond.

The U.N. chief says Venezuela, Lebanon and South Sudan are in arrears on paying dues to the United Nations’ operating budget and are among six nations that have lost their voting rights in the 193-member General Assembly

More than 90 countries have expressed “deep concern” at Israel’s punitive measures against the Palestinian people, leadership and civil society following the U.N. General Assembly’s request for an advisory opinion by the U.N.’s highest counr on the legality of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem

Lawmakers returned to Richmond on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, for a new General Assembly session.

Voters in the 24th District were deciding who will succeed Delegate Ronnie Campbell.

Local Delegates discuss bills ahead of the General Assembly

The pay raise plan that gives Illinois lawmakers an 18% annual salary hike started in the governor's office.

After 24 years in the House and nine as GOP leader, Western Springs lawmaker laments former President Trump's influence on Republicans.

The Ohio General Assembly narrowly failed to pass a bill that would ban biological males from competing on girls' sports teams after the bill was repeatedly amended.

The U.N. General Assembly has rejected attempts by Myanmar’s military junta, Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers and Libya’s eastern-based government to take their countries’ seats at the United Nations

Two well-informed U.N. diplomats say a key U.N. committee has again blocked Myanmar’s military junta from taking the country’s seat at the United Nations.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger called on the state's General Assembly to end the election runoff system.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law changes to a controversial criminal justice overhaul, making good on assurances he made during his successful reelection campaign that the measure would be amended.

North Carolina has new laws approved by the General Assembly on types of arson, large-scale theft, and domestic violence protections. These laws are set to begin Thursday.

A federal trial to determine whether South Carolina’s congressional maps are legal is closing with arguments over whether the state Legislature diluted Black voting power.

HJ 459 will be heard following the convening of the 2023 legislative session.

On the ballot this Tuesday is every statewide office, as well as one U.S. Senate seat, two seats on the Illinois Supreme Court, all 17 of Illinois’ representatives in Congress, every state senator and representative in the General Assembly, and scores of county and judicial offices.

Western nations are engaging in intense behind-the-scenes lobbying for a Western-backed U.N. resolution that would condemn Russia’s “attempted illegal annexation” of four Ukrainian regions and demand that Moscow immediately reverse its actions

Venezuela, South Korea and Afghanistan have lost contested races for seats on the U.N.’s leading human rights body

The Delaware Supreme Court on Friday struck down laws implementing universal vote-by-mail and same-day registration, ruling that they are unconstitutional.

Russia is calling for a secret ballot vote next week on a Western-backed resolution that would condemn its proclaimed annexation of part of four Ukrainian regions

Russia called for a secret ballot vote next week on a Western-backed resolution that would condemn its “attempted illegal annexation” of part of four Ukrainian regions and demand that Moscow immediately reverse its actions. Russia apparently hopes it would get more support from the 193 nations in the General Assembly if their votes are not public. Russia vetoed what would have been a legally binding Security Council resolution on Sept. 30 to condemn annexation referendums in the four Ukrainian regions as illegal, declare them invalid and urge all countries not to recognize any annexation of the territory claimed by Moscow.

Russia has vetoed a U.N. resolution that would have condemned its “illegal” referendums in four Ukrainian regions, declared that they have “no validity” and urged all countries not to recognize any “purported annexation” of the territory by Moscow

Russia has vetoed a U.N. resolution that would have condemned its referendums in four Ukrainian regions as illegal, declared that they are invalid and urged all countries not to recognize any annexation of the territory claimed by Moscow.

The world body has proved weak and dysfunctional in solving existential crises.

Speaking at the opening of the General Assembly’s annual high-level meeting, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres told world leaders that nations are “gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction” and aren’t ready or willing to tackle major challenges. (Sept. 20)

The annual meeting comes after pandemic interruptions, including an entirely virtual meeting in 2020 and a hybrid one last year.

A judge in Delaware has deemed voting by mail unconstitutional for the upcoming November midterm election, while upholding same-day voter registration.

Seven states have tax policies on the books that could require them to treat student loans canceled by the federal government as taxable income.

Virginia is expanding eligibility for free meals during the 2022-2023 school year through funding provided by the General Assembly in the state budget. Students with families at or below 185% of the federal poverty level are eligible for free meals. Previously, students from families with an income at or below 130% of the poverty level were eligible for free meals.

The goal of the Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Project is to pardon those with non-violent, minor marijuana convictions.

Even in moderate places like Ohio, gerrymandering has let unchecked Republicans pass extremist laws that could never make it through Congress.

Pennsylvania's Democratic governor is suing the Legislature over a package of proposed constitutional amendments.

People are upset and want to see a change to the budget amendment that the General Assembly passed which keeps more than 500 people from getting released.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has tapped four Republican lawmakers to draft new legislation banning abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy: Senator Siobhan Dunnavant, Delegate Margaret Ransone, plus local lawmakers Delegate Kathy Byron and Senator Steve Newman.

On the ballot this Tuesday is every statewide office, as well as one U.S. Senate seat, two seats on the Illinois Supreme Court, all 17 of Illinois’ representatives in Congress, every state senator and representative in the General Assembly, and scores of county and judicial offices.

The law will take effect immediately.

The Court’s originalist justification for striking down a New York gun law is more than capricious—it relies on a fundamentally anti-democratic historical record that deliberately excludes women and people of color.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed amendments to the state budget have met a mixed fate.

As gas prices continue to soar across the country, Governor Glenn Youngkin is once again pushing for a gas tax holiday to help the wallets of those in Virginia.

At a U.N. Security Council meeting, China and Russia vetoed sanctions against North Korea over the country's recent ballistic missile launches.

China and Russia are defending their vetoes of a strongly backed U

China and Russia have defended their vetoes of a strongly backed U.S. resolution that would have imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea.

The Indiana Supreme Court on Friday threw out a law that gave state legislators increased power to intervene during public health emergencies, agreeing with arguments from Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb that the move violated the state constitution. The court’s unanimous decision settles a legal fight that began more than a year ago when Holcomb sued over a law that was a response to his efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The new law gave legislative leaders authority to call the General Assembly into an “emergency session” if the governor declares a statewide emergency.

The bipartisan $224 Billion total package includes nearly $4 Billion in tax cuts.

A spokesman for the House Republican Caucus said it would be irresponsible to spend the money now.

Here's a look at some of the stories we'll be following today as they make headlines in Southwest Virginia.

Here's a look at some of the stories we'll be following today as they make headlines in Southwest Virginia.

After months of back and forth over the state’s two-year spending budget, Virginia’s General Assembly will vote again Wednesday in Richmond. But the clock is ticking for lawmakers to reach a deal -- with the new fiscal year beginning July 1.

A trade organization that represents gas station owners alleges in a lawsuit that a requirement that businesses display signs advertising a freeze on the state’s gas tax violates their freedom of speech and is unconstitutional.

- A contractor working on a $25 million tunnel that will connect Virginia's Capitol to a nearby legislative office building "inadvertently" poked through the ceiling of a subterranean Capitol extension earlier this year, causing debris to fall into the visitors center cafe, a state official said.

Virginia’s General Assembly reconvened in the Capitol Wednesday, this time to review more than 100 pieces of legislation amended or vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin.

The U.S. envoy to the U.N. says the resolution would help address Russia's "shameful pattern of abusing its veto privilege" on the Security Council.

After decades of complaints about vetoes in the U.N. Security Council, some momentum is building behind a proposal to subject any vetoed matter to scrutiny by the world body’s full membership in the General Assembly

After decades of complaints about vetoes in the U.N. Security Council, some momentum is building behind a proposal to subject any vetoed matter to scrutiny by the world body's full membership in the General Assembly.

Two days into Russia's attack on Ukraine, a majority of U.N. Security Council members voted to demand that Moscow withdraw. It was the latest in decades of vetoes — on issues ranging from the Korean War to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to climate change — that at least temporarily stymied the council that was designed to be the U.N.'s most potent component. A round of venting followed over the veto power afforded to just five of its 15 members: China, the United States, Russia, France, and Britain.

On Wednesday, recreational marijuana advocates joined together in Roanoke for the first-ever Cannabis Family Reunion, an expo featuring vendors, informational talks, and medical cannabis resources.

Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a $46 billion spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1, delivering $1.8 billion in largely temporary tax relief as he seeks a second term.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield has long been mired in political shenanigans, but advocates hope a bill just passed by state legislators will lead to better and more transparent institution.

The Hotel Roanoke is getting honored in a big way.

Legislators in the General Assembly agree with this sentiment and have passed a bill saying anyone over 18 who sends a nude photo to another person over 18 without their consent can be fined $500, NBC 12 reports.

Lawmakers hope to have a deal in the upcoming weeks. They're scheduled to return later this month for a one-day veto session. A deal must be complete by July 1.

The measure comes at a time when the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Maryland lawmakers have overridden GOP Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of a measure to expand access to abortion in the state.

Republican Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of a measure to expand access to abortion in Maryland was overridden on Saturday by the General Assembly, which is controlled by Democrats. It creates an abortion care training program and requires $3.5 million in state funding annually. Del. Emily Shetty said she was supporting the measure on the House floor as a mother who had experienced a high-risk pregnancy.

Two Illinois state boards that deal with issues of crime and law enforcement are facing vacancy problems.

The 2022 session of the Georgia General assembly saw some bright moments of bipartisan cooperating, including a mental health overhaul.

The war in Ukraine has put a spotlight on the U.N. Security Council’s failure to stop Russia’s aggression and carry out its mandate to ensure international peace and security.

Virginia lawmakers returned to Richmond Monday for a special session, with the goal of passing a two-year spending budget.

Maryland Gov_ Larry Hogan has approved a new congressional map with more compact districts, after a judge struck down a previous map 10 days ago for being a “product of extreme partisan gerrymandering.”.

Virginia’s General Assembly will reconvene in Richmond on Monday, April 4 for a special session.

Georgia senators are scrapping further big changes in state election law.

A Maryland judge has ruled the state's new congressional map is unconstitutional.

Virginia’s lawmakers are being called back to Richmond by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

The United Nations is facing three resolutions Wednesday on the worsening humanitarian situation in Ukraine after Russia decided to call for a vote on its Security Council resolution that makes no mention of its attack on its smaller neighbor

Republican lawmakers in Tennessee have confirmed a businessman to the State Board of Education despite a backlash over his company's online sales of ammunition used in mass shootings.

Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Wednesday that he wants the divided General Assembly to pass legislation that would suspend the state gas tax for three months, a move he estimated would save drivers 26 cents per gallon at a time when prices have skyrocketed.