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Feb16
A Healthcare Budget For All Virginians
February 16, 2020Press ReleaseHealthcare for Minorities and Women are a Top Priority in the New BudgetRICHMOND, VA — On Sunday, February 16, 2020, the House Appropriations Committee released their budget for the biennium, increasing funding for health and human resources by $1.2 billion from the current 2018-2020 budget, and about $40 million more than the Governor’s introduced budget.
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Feb13
In-state tuition for undocumented students, a bag tax and other overshadowed bits in Va.’s blue revolution
February 13, 2020News Clip
RICHMOND — Del. Mark D. Sickles was describing a landmark LGBT rights bill on the House floor recently when he noticed a fellow Democrat waving at him — a signal that it was time to wrap it up.
“Maybe LGBT rights are boring now,” Sickles (D-Fairfax) later quipped.
With Democrats in control of Virginia’s House, Senate and governor’s mansion for the first time in a generation, legislation that is revolutionary by Old Dominion standards has been passing rapid-fire out of both chambers — sometimes with barely a yawn.
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Feb11
Sports betting bill, skill machine ban pass Senate, casino bill advances in House
February 11, 2020News Clip
Virginians would be able to place legal bets on professional and college sports under legislation both chambers of the General Assembly adopted on Monday.
The Senate voted 27-12 to approve Senate Bill 384, proposed by Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William. He said it would bring sports betting out of the shadows for regulation by the Virginia Lottery and allow the state to benefit from new tax revenue on the activity.
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Feb11
Virginia working to transition from federal insurance exchange to state-based marketplace
February 11, 2020News Clip
RICHMOND — Virginia legislators have been advancing a plan to transition from the federal health insurance exchange to the state’s own online marketplace as a way to save money and improve access to affordable insurance.
Legislation would establish a state-based exchange so Virginia residents who purchase individual health plans can shop for coverage. Health officials say they can run the insurance market better than the federal government and reduce premiums for residents.
Read moreFeb7
HISTORY: Virginia Values Act Passes, Extending Critical Protections to LGBTQ Virginians
February 7, 2020News Clip
HRC celebrated the passage of the Virginia Values Act through both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly, a bill that will grant non-discrimination protections to Virginians on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and several other characteristics. Similar legislation passed through the Virginia Senate several times in recent years, but was blocked by anti-equality lawmakers in the House of Delegates. In the 2019 election, voters in the commonwealth elected pro-equality majorities to both houses of the General Assembly, making this victory possible.
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