YOUR TURN
COLUMN — Transparency is needed from the parole board
As Sen. Mark Obenshain said last week during the Senate session, something is foul at the Virginia Parole Board, even beyond the situation surrounding Vincent ...
Matt Fariss, Author at Farmville
YOUR TURN
COLUMN — House begins budget work
Last Friday, Sept. 25, the budget bill was passed out of the House Appropriations Committee. Democrats have spent $251 million over and above the governor’s request ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, October 2, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
COLUMN — Special session focuses on police reform bills
Early in-person voting begins this Friday, Sept. 18. The 59th District is composed of five counties and all information for your registrar’s office is listed ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, September 18, 2020 6:00 am
Columns
Students should return to the classroom
Gov. Ralph Northam has finally called legislators back to Richmond for the special session to work on the budget. The General Assembly will convene August ...
by Matt Fariss, Monday, July 20, 2020 9:27 pm
YOUR TURN
COLUMN — Virtual town hall planned July 14
The Northam administration ordered a subcontractor to remove a one-story-tall American flag from the new General Assembly building under construction this past weekend, as it ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, July 10, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
COLUMN — July 1 brought new laws and big changes to Virginia
On July 1, legislation passed during the 2020 General Assembly session became law, with some exceptions. Several changes were made to Virginia’s election law. This ...
by Matt Fariss, Saturday, July 4, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
COLUMN — Monument argument is just a distraction
On Friday, parts of Virginia began to open further as Phase 2 of the governor’s plan came into effect for most of Virginia, excluding NOVA ...
by Matt Fariss, Saturday, June 13, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
There is light at the end of the tunnel
Summer is almost here, and the weather is improving. Fortunately, so is the coronavirus situation around most of the commonwealth. As of this writing, the ...
by Matt Fariss, Saturday, May 23, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
We must do better for Virginians who are hurting
Gov. Ralph Northam has signed Executive Order 61 in an effort to ease some of the restrictions he put in place due to the ongoing ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, May 15, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
Firearms, elections and coronavirus updates
Gov. Ralph Northam has signed several bills in the past 72 hours, including legislation on voting, energy, firearms and more. The Virginia General Assembly plans ...
by Matt Fariss, Thursday, April 16, 2020 2:12 pm
YOUR TURN
Speaker plans to reconvene House outdoors April 22
Virginia continues to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak as best we can. Gov. Ralph Northam has closed beaches, entertainment venues, and many other non-essential places ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, April 10, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
Details of CARES Act explained
Virginia continues to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak as best we can. But the toll is impossible to ignore. Hundreds are ill, and more than ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, April 3, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
Red Flag law passed by General Assembly
The 2020 Session has completed its seventh week in Richmond, and I’d like to take a moment to update you on the latest from the ...
by Matt Fariss, Wednesday, March 4, 2020 6:00 am
YOUR TURN
New state budget being hammered out
With just over two weeks left in the 2020 legislative session, I’d like to take a moment to update you on the latest news from ...
by Matt Fariss, Thursday, February 27, 2020 6:30 am
YOUR TURN
Potential new state laws coming soon
The Virginia General Assembly reached the halfway point of the 2020 Session on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Known as Crossover, this is the point at which ...
by Matt Fariss, Wednesday, February 19, 2020 6:30 am
YOUR TURN
I will continue to protect our Second Amendment rights
We’ve completed the fourth week of the 2020 Session, and I’d like to take a moment to share with you the latest news from Richmond. ...
by Matt Fariss, Sunday, February 9, 2020 4:32 pm
YOUR TURN
Fariss gives update on bills
The third week of the 2020 Session wrapped up last week, and I wanted to take a moment to update you on the latest news ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, January 31, 2020 10:00 am
YOUR TURN
Changes in the new year
The Virginia General Assembly convened for the 2020 regular session on Wednesday, Jan. 8. It is an even number year, so the legislature will meet ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, January 10, 2020 12:58 pm
YOUR TURN
Sanctuaries and budget
The Second Amendment Sanctuary movement continues to pick up speed. Across Virginia, residents are already sending a strong message to Richmond that they are deeply ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, January 3, 2020 10:35 am
YOUR TURN
Medicaid work requirement
Gov. Northam announced that his administration has suspended negotiations with the federal government on the Medicaid work requirement, citing that “it is unlikely Virginia will ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, December 13, 2019 11:30 am
YOUR TURN
Second Amendment rights
In counties across Virginia, residents are already sending a strong message to Richmond that they will not simply accept Democratic efforts to infringe on their ...
by Matt Fariss, Tuesday, December 10, 2019 7:00 am
YOUR TURN
On gun laws
After months of studying the causes of gun violence, the Virginia State Crime Commission issued a report with no recommendations on how to curb the ...
by Matt Fariss, Monday, November 25, 2019 5:49 am
YOUR TURN
Challenges facing rural communities
Although we have had a few days recently of rain, a statewide drought advisory was issued on Oct. 11. This was issued with hopes to ...
by Matt Fariss, Wednesday, October 30, 2019 9:16 am
YOUR TURN
Improved mental health support needed
The Roanoke Times published a story and an editorial noting that of all the recommendations of the Virginia Tech Review Panel, the one item of ...
by Matt Fariss, Tuesday, October 15, 2019 10:38 am
YOUR TURN
Time to get out and vote
If you have not yet registered to vote in the 2019 general election, please do so as soon as possible. The registration deadline is Oct. ...
by Matt Fariss, Sunday, October 13, 2019 7:00 pm
YOUR TURN
Public education in Virginia
Since the Great Recession, the General Assembly has increased funding for public education by nearly $4 billion. We provided funding for a 5 percent teacher ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, October 4, 2019 8:00 pm
YOUR TURN
Pro-business legislation
At a meeting over the weekend, the leadership of the Democratic Party of Virginia voted unanimously to endorse the Virginia Green New Deal (VA GND), ...