Va. Senate unanimously endorsed the Borrowers’ Bill of Rights & Student Loan Ombudsman Richmond, VA—Ahead of the crossover deadline this evening, the Virginia House and Senate advanced an important legislative package tackling the student debt crisis with bipartisan support. The bills would create a state student loan ombudsman to help borrowers navigate complicated repayment options […]
annascholl
News
Why are Republicans trying to pull a fast one on health insurance?
Last week we wrote about Medicaid expansion—what it is, why you should care, and where it stands in terms of passage in the General Assembly. But this week, we’re going to talk about sneaky ways some conservatives are trying to sabotage the idea of giving health coverage to 400,000 uninsured Virginians too poor or too […]
News
Why everyone should care about Virginia expanding Medicaid
There’s no more pressing issue for the General Assembly this year than expanding Medicaid to provide quality, affordable healthcare to up to 400,000 Virginians. When you get sick, you should be able to see a doctor without having to choose between paying your medical bills or your rent. There’s been a lot happening in Richmond […]
News
The News Not All Virginia Lawmakers Want You to Read
Years ago, we relied on robust local newsroom reporters to bring us up to speed on how our elected officials were representing our interests in the Virginia General Assembly. But even then, the focus was more on the “what” and the “who” (this bill, that elected official) rather than on how legislation affected the everyday […]
News
Partisan? Virginians Overwhelmingly Support Northam’s Priorities
Republican whining won’t hide Virginians’ support for commonsense solutions Richmond, Va.—In his speech to the General Assembly last night, Governor Northam highlighted policy priorities that enjoy broad public support from Virginia families. Republicans, eschewing their bipartisan rhetoric of the past week, seem to have learned no lessons from their crushing electoral defeat and are racing […]
News
Progress Virginia Applauds House of Delegates Change To Require Recorded Votes
Richmond, Virginia—The Virginia House of Delegates this afternoon voted to change longstanding House rules to require recorded votes in subcommittees on “matters of substance.” In the past, many bills have passed or failed based on voice votes alone, making it impossible to know which Delegates voted for which bills “Members of the House of Delegates work for Virginia families and we deserve full transparency regarding the actions they take on our […]
News
Progress Virginia Announces Transparency Tools For 2018 General Assembly Session
Eyes on Richmond & Richmond Reporter will provide complementary coverage to open up Virginia’s legislature to citizens across the commonwealth Richmond, VA—Progress Virginia Education Fund today announced a pair of transparency tools to assist Virginians across the commonwealth in monitoring and engaging with Virginia’s General Assembly. This session, PVEF is launching the Richmond Reporter, a pilot […]
News
Progress Virginia Applauds Gubernatorial Focus on Student Loan Debt, Health Care
Richmond, Virginia—Progress Virginia, the commonwealth’s leading voice for progressive values, this morning applauded Governor McAuliffe and Governor-elect Northam’s joint focus on tackling the growing student loan debt crisis. In an announcement of their shared legislative agenda for the 2018 session, McAuliffe and Northam highlighted proposals to give student loan borrowers basic consumer protections and assistance […]
News
STATEMENT: Cox should go further on parental leave
Every Virginian deserves respect for their hard work and the time to parent or care for a loved one Progress Virginia today acknowledged House Republican Leader Kirk Cox‘s public step forward on parental leave while simultaneously calling for more comprehensive action for Virginia families. This afternoon Cox announced his intention to implement a parental leave policy for full-time […]
News
Election Protection Hotline Open For Virginia Voting Questions
Toll-Free Hotline (866-OUR-VOTE) Available Now; Providing Assistance through Election Day Virginia—Election Protection, the nation’s largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition, led by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, is providing live assistance for voters in Virginia leading up to and including Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 7. “Voting is a fundamental part of our rights as […]