Curated News from The Virginia Council 2/1/26

Partial List of Proposed Legislation:

Democrats Gone Wild: Radical Progressives Running Richmond – The Bull Elephant This does not include proposed Constitutional amendments, that will likely be ballot referendums either in April or November. 

• New 4.3% sales tax on Uber Eats, Amazon, etc deliveries.
• New sales tax on admissions to a wide variety of businesses.
• Create two new higher tax brackets of 8% and 10% on people making over $600K.
• A new 10% tax bracket for anyone making over $1M.
• 3.8% investment tax on top of state income taxes.
• Raise the hotel tax.
• Raising the car tax on hybrid and electric vehicles.
• New personal property tax on landscaping equipment.
• Ban gas powered leaf blowers.
• Guarantee illegal aliens free education.
• Make it illegal to approach somebody at an abortion clinic.
• Extend the time absentee ballots can be received after election day to three days.
• Allow people to cast their votes electronically through the internet.
• Expand ranked-choice voting.
• Extend the deadline for ballot curing to one week after election day.
• Redact the addresses of political candidates from FOlAs.
• Add Virginia to the National Popular Vote Compact for presidential electors.
• Make it illegal to hand count ballots.
• $500 sales tax on firearm suppressors.
• “Assault weapons” and large capacity magazine ban.
• 11% sales tax on all firearms and ammunition.
• Prohibit outdoor shooting of a firearm on land less than 5 acres.
• Lower the criminal penalties for robbery. 
• Ban the arrest of illegal aliens in courthouses.
• Remove mandatory minimum sentences.
• Allow localities to install speed cameras.
• Replace Columbus Day with “Indigenous Peoples Day.”

Senator proposes removing Confederate monuments from Virginia’s Capitol Square | WRIC ABC 8News By Anna Bryson; update- the Bill has passed out of committee, & needs to be voted on by full Senate.

(7) Zachary Werrell, Esq. on X: "Va. Code Ann. § 30-13, the Virginia Constitution, Legislative History, and Future Prospects of Challenges to the Redistricting Amendment. I. § 30-13 and the Virginia Constitution. A. Constitutional and Legislative History. § 30-13 is a valid law on the books right now. It is" / X

Republicans say Democrats want to raise taxes. Here's a look at some of the key tax bills that have been introduced in Richmond. - Cardinal News By Dwayne Yancey

House committee advances bill to study VMI’s public funding status • Virginia Mercury By Nathaniel Cline

Virginia Democrats blasted for targeting VMI with DEI investigation bill | Fox News By Preston Mizell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - United Daughters of the Confederacy UDC opposes Virginia bill eliminating tax-exempt status

(1) ROOZ on X: "🚨RALLY RADAR🚨 HB 863 - aka the GET OUT OF JAIL FREE BILL This absolutely despicable legislation lets the worst of the worst escape full accountability You’ve already seen how Democrats are willing to cut breaks for violent criminals. This would make that problem WAY worse https://t.co/a8eZkf9uak" / X

Virginia Democrats want Amazon to help pay for mass transit - E&E News by POLITICO By Adam Anton

Virginia Democrats Weigh Zoning Reform to Boost Housing Supply By Margaret Barthel

PDAB advanced in the Senate - by Brandon Jarvis a Prescription Drug Affordability Board with authority to set upper payment limits on high-cost medications.

Important Farm Bills to Support Food Freedom By Sheila M. Furey, MD

Lawmakers, Va. Native tribes pitch education, sovereignty reforms to address historic injustices • Virginia Mercury By Nathaniel Cline

Multiple interests shape Virginia marijuana proposals | WVTF By Dave Cantor

Will SCOTUS Stop Virginia Democrats' Gun Control Gambit? By Shawn Fleetwood

Virginia Government updates:

Judge finds Virginia Democrats' redistricting resolution illegal | AP News By Olivia Diaz & Brian Witte

Virginia Democratic leader responds to outrage about tax increase proposals By Nick Minock

(1) Tim Anderson on X: "This bill by Delegate Jessica Anderson would have opened the door to Minnesota-like fraud in Virginia. It was so extreme - removing every safeguard from government oversight - that it was unanimously killed today in subcommittee. The Democrat controlled general assembly https://t.co/AwKjt6WcWx" / X

Canadian company cancels ICE facility sale in Hanover County By WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff

Facebook The Reid Revolution with John Reid and Ryan Hudson on Hanover ICE facility

Virginia Prosecutors Poised to Let CEO’s Alleged Murderer Off on Insanity Plea | National Review By Audrey Fahlberg

(1) ((( 🫧 Charlottesville 🫧 ))) on X: "🚨Charlottesville's Tom Perriello was Exec Director of Open Society - US from 2018 - 23 The George Soros org gave Sunrise $2M+ The former congressman is once again a candidate for VA-05 -- and is endorsed by Abigail Spanberger https://t.co/xB2XaFBHtk" / X

Open enrollment in Virginia's health insurance marketplace is lagging By Adrienne Hoar McGibbon

Inmate convicted of abduction, rape in Virginia Beach announces bid for Congress | 13newsnow.com By Kathleen Lundy

Articles, News, & Quotes:

Facebook The Reid Revolution with John Reid and Senator Glen Sturtevant on Gov. Spanberger's Lack of Leadership

The Moderate Mirage of Virginia Gov. Spanberger — Kerry: By Victoria Manning

A Vapid Performance | Bacon's Rebellion - by Dick Hall-Sizemore on "the legislative process is broken"

GOP: This Video Will Help Destroy Dems on 'Affordability' and Win Midterms – RedState By Nick Arama

(1) A Guy on X Striving to be the VA Change Agent on X: "Loudoun Legislation Creep: 2015-2026" / X Legislation Creep: How a dusty 2015 Loudoun BOS vote can quietly rewrite Virginia law in 2025–2026

Kiggans, Wittman seek answers after federal pause of offshore wind projects • Virginia Mercury By Shannon Heckt

VCU Health employee terminated after viral videos showed her encouraging the poisoning of ICE agents By Brandon Jarvis

Bad Week For Nurses — Kerry: By Kerry Dougherty

Neonatal Nurse Pleads No Contest to 9 Charges of Abusing Infants - Will Serve Disgraceful Sentence Despite Damning Video Evidence | The Gateway Pundit | by Samuel Short, The Western Journal

Judge upholds $10M jury award for NN teacher shot by first-grader By Chris Horne

Protest culture is annoying and un-American By David Harsanyi

Who Owns Virginia Mercury? | Bacon's Rebellion - By James C. Sherlock

Data Centers in PJM Grid Can Rely Solely on Generators During the Cold, DOE Rules - Inside Climate News By Charles Paullin

Reid: Diversifying Virginia’s economy … again - Cardinal News By David Reid

(1) Tim Anderson on X: "What it actually means to “fight a law in court” A lot of people say, “Why doesn’t someone just sue?” Here’s what that actually looks like in the real world. The Virginia Attorney General is not going to challenge laws passed by Democrats. That means the only way" / X

30 years after the Navy retired its last battleship, President Trump wants to build them again By Steve Walsh

SCC Staff Offers Grim Predictions on Virginia Clean Energy Law | Bacon's Rebellion - By Steve Haner

Memetic Conflict and Perceived Moral Order | It's About Empathy – Connection Ties Us Together By Chuck Pezeshki

New census stats show number of people moving into Virginia now 2.5 times the number moving out - Cardinal News By Dwayne Yancey

History, Tradition, & the 250th Anniversary of Independence:

(7) The Redheaded libertarian on X: "250 years ago today in history January 25, 1776 After an epic 56-day trek through brutal winter terrain, Colonel Henry Knox’s legendary “Noble Train of Artillery” finally rolls into Cambridge, Massachusetts. The heavy cannons—seized from the British at Fort Ticonderoga—were https://t.co/6rH6fkPRmd" / X

The Constitution, Bill of Rights, & Liberty:

Facebook The Reid Revolution with John Reid & Clara Bell Wheeler on Virginia's Voter Registration Chaos

Federal judge orders widespread voting rights restoration for Virginians By Dean Mirshahi

New: Missouri Sues Census Bureau to End Counting of Illegal Aliens and Request 2020 Recount – RedState By Susie Moore

Slouching Towards Fort Sumter? - Victor Davis Hanson

Virginia's powers over crime, education and voting are restricted by an oft-forgotten 1870 law - Cardinal News By Dwayne Yancey