The General Assembly passed a partial budget on Feb. 25 that does not include any money for behavioral mental health.
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Lawmakers voted Wednesday to approve Gov. Ralph Northam’s proposed changes to a bill that will allow adults to possess and cultivate small amounts of the drug starting in July.
McAuliffe, the presumptive front-runner in the five-person Democratic primary, has been methodically locking up and rolling out an unmatched number of endorsements.
Virginia has executed nearly 1,400 people since its days as a colony. In modern times, the state is second only to Texas in the number of executions it has carried out, with 113 since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
Virginia is expecting about $6.8 billion in state and local allocations on top of other grant funding in the bill. Of that, $3.8 billion will go to the state government and the rest directly to local governments.
Public health officials, law enforcement and community organizations say shutdowns and limits on social gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic have led to increased drug overdoses among people who are struggling with loneliness and depression.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam opted not to endorse the incumbent Mark Herring, who was embroiled in scandal when a picture emerged of him wearing blackface while he was in college.
The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Ralph Northam. His signature would end capital punishment in the state that has carried it out more than any other since colonial days.
The state Department of General Services will remove the statue from Capitol Square and store it until the General Assembly determines what should be done with it.
School officials express concern about the future of local schools amidst critical teacher shortages.