General Assembly | FFXnow

Published February 25, 2025 at 8:15AM

Woman types on smartphone (via freestocks/Unsplash)

Virginia school boards may soon have more control over how cell phones and smart devices are governed in classrooms. Legislation granting local districts the authority to craft their own policies cleared the General Assembly on Friday and now heads to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for consideration.

House Bill 1961, introduced by Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, and its companion measure, Senate Bill 738 by Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax, comes amid growing concerns over the impact of smartphones on children’s health. While research has linked excessive phone use to adverse effects on students’ well-being, advocates also recognize the role devices play in providing educational resources and communication tools.

Countywide

Bill to monitor vehicle exhaust noise resurrected on General Assembly’s last day

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 24, 2025 at 11:15AM

Del. Rip Sullivan speaks at the Fairfax County General Assembly delegation's pre-session public hearing on Jan. 4, 2025 (via Channel 16 screenshot)

A last-minute compromise in Richmond has kept alive one of the Fairfax County government’s key transportation initiatives of 2025.

Both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly approved language on Saturday (Feb. 22) allowing Fairfax and other Northern Virginia localities to host a pilot program focused on reducing vehicle-exhaust noise.

Countywide

Fairfax County’s bid for pilot to address loud vehicle exhausts hits roadblock

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 18, 2025 at 2:30PM

Automotive exhaust (photo via Oscar Sutton/Unsplash)

An effort by Fairfax County officials to crack down on excessively loud vehicle exhaust systems is facing an uncertain future in Richmond, where state legislators recently voiced concerns about the possible costs.

The powerful Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations voted 10-4 Monday night (Feb. 17) to send the proposed legislation to the State Crime Commission, which will study its provisions and report back later to the General Assembly.

Countywide

School funding showdown looms as legislature sends sales tax bill to Youngkin again

By Nathaniel Cline / Virginia Mercury

Published February 14, 2025 at 3:00PM

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announces Alarm.com expansion in Tysons in February 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

For the fourth consecutive year, Virginia lawmakers have sent the governor a bill allowing all localities to impose a 1% sales tax for school construction. Now, all eyes are on Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has vetoed similar measures before.

Youngkin, who has historically opposed these tax proposals, will once again review the legislation. After the last session, he blocked the measure, citing the state’s existing efforts to fund school construction and concerns over its impact on taxpayers.

Countywide

Comstock still ‘committed’ to potential Tysons development despite casino bill stalling

By Angela Woolsey

Published February 14, 2025 at 9:45AM

A lobbying flyer shared with state lawmakers in January 2025 includes a rendering of Comstock's envisioned casino development in Tysons (via Access Point Public Affairs)

The legislation to make Fairfax County eligible for a casino isn’t officially dead, but it appears to be in active need of resuscitation.

A House of Delegates appropriations subcommittee’s decision to pass by Senate Bill 982 after a 30-minute hearing on Wednesday (Feb. 12) brought celebratory statements from the community groups and local elected officials who had vocally opposed the proposal to allow a casino in Tysons.

Countywide

House tables push to add Fairfax to eligible casinos list in Virginia

By Nathaniel Cline / Virginia Mercury

Published February 13, 2025 at 9:00AM

Sen. Scott Surovell presents his bill to make Fairfax County eligible for a casino to a House Appropriations subcommittee in February 2025 (via Virginia General Assembly)

Lawmakers deciding on a controversial bill to develop a casino and entertainment complex in Tysons Corner tabled a decision Wednesday after House leadership moved the bill between House committees for consideration.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell’s Senate Bill 982 would have added Fairfax County to the list of Virginia localities eligible to develop a casino that backers say would bring jobs and revenue for the county and commonwealth.

Countywide

Fairfax County convinces state lawmakers to delay FOIA bill for further study

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 12, 2025 at 2:30PM

State Sen. Adam Ebbin presents Senate Bill 876 to amend Virginia FOIA rules before the House open goverment subcommittee (via Virginia General Assembly)

Concerns by Fairfax County officials helped convince state lawmakers to take a deeper look at proposed changes to Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) rules intended to make decision-making at the local-government level more transparent.

The measure patroned by state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39) had sailed through the Virginia General Assembly’s upper chamber unanimously on Jan. 31.

Countywide

Fairfax County casino bill goes to House Appropriations Committee

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 12, 2025 at 8:15AM

Comstock is proposing to build a casino-anchored entertainment district on a vacant lot near the Adaire Apartments and Spring Hill Metro Station in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Discussion of legislation permitting a referendum on a Tysons casino has moved to the powerful House Committee on Appropriations.

Members of the House Committee on Local Government were directed by Speaker Don Scott (D-88) yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) to send the bill to the chamber’s appropriations committee without acting on it.

News

Herndon, Vienna, Clifton would benefit from revisions to plastic bag tax law

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 11, 2025 at 2:30PM

A plastic grocery bag (via Christopher Vega on Unsplash)

Its future remains uncertain, but legislation in Richmond could bring the towns of Herndon, Vienna and Clifton more money to spend on environmental and social-service initiatives.

A bill patroned by Del. Marty Martinez (D-29) would allow Virginia towns to get a portion of the plastic bag tax revenue collected by their surrounding county. After passing the House of Delegates on a 52-45 vote on Jan. 23, the measure advanced from a Senate Committee on Local Government on a party-line tally of 8-7 on Monday (Feb. 10).

Countywide

County board hopeful automatic criminal record-sealing mandate will be delayed

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 10, 2025 at 2:30PM

The Virginia State Capitol building (file photo)

Fairfax County and other localities across the state may get more time to address state-mandated limits on public accessibility for some criminal records.

Legislation moving toward likely adoption in the Virginia General Assembly will give local governments an additional 12 months — until July 1, 2026 — to implement changes to the current expungement process that had been mandated four years ago.