Guest Columns
Opinion — New services available
You can vote early at your local registrar’s office beginning 45 days before Election Day and ending the Saturday before Election Day. Early Voting starts ...
Matt Fariss, Author at Farmville
YOUR TURN
Challenges of the law
Last week the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order allowing a controversial Texas abortion law to go into effect. The law is a direct challenge ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, September 10, 2021 6:00 am
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Citizens should make own decisions on vaccinations
On Monday, Aug. 9, the General Assembly approved a compromise bill to spend about $3.5 billion in federal relief. The Senate and House had passed ...
by Matt Fariss, Wednesday, August 18, 2021 6:00 am
Columns
Opinion – New laws took effect July 1
Thursday, July 1, legislation passed during the 2021 General Assembly session became law, with some exceptions. This session, the Democratic majority passed a significant number ...
by Matt Fariss, Thursday, July 1, 2021 6:56 am
Guest Columns
OPINION — Resources for DMV and unemployment help
On May 14, Governor Ralph Northam announced his administration was ending the mask mandate in Virginia immediately, following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control ...
by Matt Fariss, Thursday, May 27, 2021 4:30 pm
Columns
OPINION – Windsor police incident should be investigated
On Wednesday, during the reconvened session, Governor Ralph Northam’s proposed changes to a marijuana legalization bill were accepted by the General Assembly. This allows limited ...
by Matt Fariss, Tuesday, April 13, 2021 10:54 am
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Virginia’s vaccine allocation increased by 23%
On Feb. 5 the General Assembly reached crossover, the traditional midpoint of the legislative session. At crossover, the House and Senate must complete work on ...
by Matt Fariss, Wednesday, February 10, 2021 6:00 am
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COLUMN — Virginia was not prepared for vaccinations
Our second full week of the 2021 General Assembly session has come to an end, and I wanted to take a moment to update you ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, February 5, 2021 6:00 am
Guest Columns
COLUMN — Mandatory minimum sentencing could be repealed
The 2021 General Assembly session began Jan. 13. The Senate will meet in person while the House remains virtual. I have added links below for ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, January 15, 2021 6:00 am
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COLUMN – Where’s the science behind new restrictions?
My office has been helping Virginians in the 59th District with Virginia Employment Commission issues since the beginning of the pandemic. As of last week, ...
by Matt Fariss, Wednesday, December 23, 2020 6:00 am
Columns
COLUMN — After 83 days, the special session is over
Monday, Nov. 9, after 83 days, the 2020 Special Session adjourned. We were initially called into the Special Session to develop a revised two-year budget ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, November 13, 2020 6:00 am
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COLUMN — Special session laws will bring changes to law enforcement
Last Friday’s budget action should be the final votes this chamber must cast on the budget until the reconvened session. Yet Democrats have still found ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, October 23, 2020 6:00 am
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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 ...
by Matt Fariss, Friday, October 16, 2020 6:00 am
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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 ...