#VaGOV

Turnout dropped more in blue parts of the state than red areas. Some dark-red counties in Southwest VA actually cast a more votes in this race than in the 2025 #VAGov election!

There's much more in our review of the results, which you can read here:
decisiondeskhq.substack.com/p/virginia-r...

Yes: Virginia votes to redraw congressional maps, favoring Democrats Now, Dems have to defend the measure in court.

Virginia votes "yes!"

#VAgov Spanberger: "Thank you to all the Virginians who voted yes."

#RedistrictingReferendum #VirginiaReferendum
#Virginia

As feds suggest easing coal ash clean up regulations, Va. maintains stringent standards • Virginia Mercury President Donald Trump’s administration recently renewed their push to ease clean up requirements for the toxic ash that is leftover from burning coal.

The feds are trying to rollback some regulations around managing the clean up of coal ash. But Virginia has state laws in place that are more strict to help manage the toxic waste. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/04/21/a...

Virginia Governor Ends Tax Breaks for Confederate Groups

#VAgov Spanberger ends tax breaks for #CivilWar Confederate groups

👍✊💪

#Virginia

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/u...

Virginia Governor Ends Tax Breaks for Confederate Groups

#VAgov Spanberger ends tax breaks for #CivilWar Confederate groups

👍✊💪

#Virginia

www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/u...

Governor amends bills that shift costs onto data centers. Critics say her tweaks weaken them. • Virginia Mercury As negotiations continue around whether the tax exemptions for data centers will remain, Spanberger removes adding new costs onto that customer class

Two bills aim to put distribution infrastructure and capacity auction costs onto data centers to save residential customers $ on their monthly bill. Spanberger’s amendments take out the explicit mandate for the SCC to allow it. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/04/16/l...

Gov. Spanberger signs bill to end the renewal of Robert E. Lee license plates in Virginia RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed Del. Dan Helmer’s bill to end the renewal of commemorative Robert E. Lee license plates in Virginia Wednesday, according to a press release. A por...

Gov. Spanberger signs bill to end the renewal of Robert E. Lee license plates in Virginia

'Bout damn time we stop feeding the public glorification of Confederate traitors & enabling supporters of slavery & racism.

#Virginia #VAgov

www.yahoo.com/news/article...

Va. Court of Appeals stops major data center development in Prince William County • Virginia Mercury A court ruling has once again halted a massive rezoning effort in Prince William County that would have allowed dozens of data centers to be built near Manassas National Battlefield Park.

The rezoning for potential future data centers in Prince William Co. took a hit when a court of appeals sided with homeowners on the BOS rushing a 2023 vote that limited public input. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/briefs/va-co...

Trees take root as Virginia’s frontline defense against urban heat • Virginia Mercury Richmond initiative, proposed canopy requirements and new research highlight push to cool hotter, underserved neighborhoods.

In cities across the commonwealth, areas of town without trees are hotter. The state and local groups are pushing to get more planted -- but funds for state programs are not in the budget. Groups say they will keep up the work anyway. #valeg #vagov
virginiamercury.com/2026/04/06/t...

Virginia set to rejoin RGGI as utilities prepare to pass the cost back to ratepayers • Virginia Mercury Virginia is poised to reenter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative this summer, a move that could again add a monthly charge to electricity customers’ bills.

Virginia is set to officially rejoin RGGI in July -- with Dominion petitioning the SCC to reinstate the RGGI Rider onto bills in June. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/briefs/virgi...

What new laws are taking effect in Virginia? Here’s what Gov. Spanberger signed Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed a new set of bills focused on lowering costs for housing, health care and energy.

New laws are taking effect in #Virginia

In keeping w/her "Affordable Virginia Agenda," #VAgov Spanberger signed legislation targeting #affordability issues: prescription drug prices, housing availability, rising energy costs.

Perfectly dispassionately itemized here:
www.fox5dc.com/news/new-vir...

What new laws are taking effect in Virginia? Here’s what Gov. Spanberger signed Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has signed a new set of bills focused on lowering costs for housing, health care and energy.

What new laws are taking effect in #Virginia? Here’s what #VAgov Spanberger signed

Legislation targeting several key affordability issues, including prescription drug prices, housing availability & rising energy costs.

Perfectly & dispassionatelyitemized here:
www.fox5dc.com/news/new-vir...

After bills passed, NoVa lawmakers urge SCC to consider burying transmission lines • Virginia Mercury Two legislators asked the SCC last week to consider burying high-voltage transmission lines in Loudoun County.

The Golden to Mars transmission lines in Loudoun have been controversial for the residents there who are pleading with the SCC to order the lines be buried. New legislation sitting on the gov's desk helps set up a pilot program to do so. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/03/24/a...

Despite community opposition, Fluvanna supervisors approve gas plant permit • Virginia Mercury In a 4-1 vote, the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday voted to approve a conditional use permit for a natural gas plant.

The Fluvanna Board of Supervisors reversed the planning commission's vote that Tenaska's proposed second gas plant was not congruent with the county's comprehensive plan. Now the project moves on to the next round of permit applications. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/briefs/despi...

Data center bills dominated this year’s General Assembly. Here’s what passed. • Virginia Mercury The rapid growth of Virginia’s data center industry was a key point of focus during the 2026 legislative session.

How to regulate data centers was a major question in the General Assembly. See what ended up passing. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/03/17/d...

Governor Spanberger Signs Bills to Send Constitutional Amendments to Virginia Voters RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after signing legislation to set referendums on proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution.

#VAgov Spanberger signs bills to send amendments to Virginia voters:
www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/new...
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What a bunch of scumbags the #GOP is.

Here's their latest scam - trying to fool voters into believing the #VAgov Spanberger is trying to get you to vote NO on the constitutional amendment she actually wants you to vote YES on.

#PantsOnFire🔥 #Virginia
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Va. Senate shoots down bill to add terrapin protections to recreational crab pots • Virginia Mercury A bill that would have required recreational crabbers to add terrapin by-catch devices onto their pots to prevent accidental drownings of the reptiles failed to pass out of the Virginia Senate.

After facing major pushback, the bill that aimed to require recreational crabbers to put terrapin by-catch devices on their pots to prevent the reptiles from drowning failed to make it through the General Assembly. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/03/13/v...

Plug-in solar panels near approval by General Assembly • Virginia Mercury Public interest in portable solar panels, often referred to as “balcony solar” panels, is growing inside and outside the state.

Bills to allow small portable solar panels in rentals are soon to head to Gov. Spanberger's desk. The aim is to save folks money by generating small amounts of their own power. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/03/10/p...

As Potomac River advisories lift, public concerns remain after sewage spill • Virginia Mercury Virginians can once again fish and swim in portions of the Potomac River that were affected when a sewage pipe collapsed in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Despite advisories being lifted following the massive sewage spill into the Potomac River, some are saying the public still don't want to go near it -- which is hurting business. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/03/09/a...

General Assembly nixes bills that required data centers to get SCC certificate • Virginia Mercury Two bills in the General Assembly sought to give the State Corporation Commission the authority to review how proposed high-load users.

Two bills would have required data centers to get a certificate of operation from the SCC after looking at how the projects would impact rates, grid reliability, and the environment. But both were shot down in committee. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/03/06/g...

Bills aimed at lowering utility bills also renew pricey power line burial program • Virginia Mercury Cost shifting capacity auction, distribution costs to data centers saves some money on bills, while extending strategic undergrounding program that adds up.

An effort to pass more costs onto data centers to give some bill relief to residential customers is advancing. But consumer advocates want the SCC to have more control over approving pricey power line undergrounding projects #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/03/04/b...

Virginia lawmakers reach agreement for first steps to monitor PFAS in biosolids • Virginia Mercury After multiple debates and meetings between stakeholders, a compromise has been reached on how Virginia can begin to monitor the presence of “forever chemicals,” in biosolids.

With just a couple more votes left to go, an agreement has been made on how the state can take the first steps towards addressing forever chemicals in biosolids that are used as fertilizer on Virginia farms. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/03/02/v...

Workers, Speaker Scott criticize plan to axe data center tax exemption as budgets advance • Virginia Mercury The Senate proposal to end the sales and use tax exemption that’s saved data centers over $1 billion passes with bipartisan support.

Speaker Don Scott told IBEW workers that he "loves data centers" and the union construction jobs they create. But the Senate passed a budget amendment to roll off the sales and use tax exemption for data centers in a bipartisan fashion. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/02/27/w...

In Democratic rebuttal, Spanberger accuses Trump of driving up costs and chaos • Virginia Mercury Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, just weeks after being sworn in as the commonwealth’s 75th governor, delivered a sharp Democratic rebuttal Tuesday night to President Donald Trump’s 107-minute State ...

Gov. Spanberger's rebuttal to Trump's State of the Union:

POTUS is driving up housing, health care, energy and grocery costs, creating chaos at home and weakening the U.S. abroad.

She also alleged corruption, saying he's
"enriching himself." #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/02/25/i...

Big Tech's fast-expanding plans for data centers are running into stiff community opposition Tech companies looking to plunge billions of dollars into ever-bigger data centers to power artificial intelligence and cloud computing are increasingly being voted down.

How much do data centers _cost_ the state and its citizens?

#valeg #vagov

apnews.com/article/data...

Home

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed legislation moving this year's primary election from June 16 to August 4, according to a press release from the Virginia Department of Elections. #VAGOV #VAPol

I asked Gov. Spanberger about this plan and she said that data centers need to pay their fair share -- but there is a larger conversation about local tax benefits and what the industry means for the state. "I don't think that chicken's fully cooked yet." #valeg #vagov

Senators propose phasing out data center tax credit, House budget keeps it • Virginia Mercury Data center industry opposes rolling back tax credit that costs the state a billion dollars annually.

The Va. senate unveiled their amendments to Youngkin's final budget proposal -- a major change is doing away with the data center sales tax exemption. This would bring in $1-2 billion a year, but the industry says that is a bad idea. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/02/24/s...

What is ‘performance-based regulation’, and how can it lower utility bills? • Virginia Mercury Virginia lawmakers want regulators to study whether tying utility profits to performance — not spending — could cut costs, reduce outages and improve service.

Lawmakers are exploring how the state could implement "performance-based regulation" for utilities. Two bills task the SCC to find how to incentivize companies to meet policy goals for a reward. #valeg #vagov

virginiamercury.com/2026/02/23/w...