Hundreds of people, some of them armed, were in Richmond Tuesday – hoping to sway lawmakers toward voting for or against further regulation of guns.  Sandy Hausman reports on two very different rallies outside the state capitol.

The annual license tax imposed on hybrid vehicles as part of last year’s transportation-funding law may be on its way out.  The Virginia Senate has voted overwhelmingly to repeal the tax, which was never popular in the first place. And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, lawmakers who did not want to jeopardize the transportation compromise last year now feel free to get rid of that provision.

Voting could be easier if one Virginia lawmaker has his way.  Sandy Hausman reports on one proposal to allow absentee ballots from anyone who’d like to vote early – and another that could lead to voting by mail.

The issue of gun control will be on the minds of state officials today, as lobbyists prepare to deliver their message to lawmakers. Sandy Hausman reports.

The Virginia State Senate has passed legislation that uses unemployment benefits to help keep employees on the job in lieu of being laid off. Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil explains.

At least one of the mental health bills sponsored by State Senator Creigh Deeds is moving forward to the next stage without ANY opposition. After being released from emergency custody after psychiatric beds were not found, Deeds’ son stabbed him and subsequently killed himself. And as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, the bills proposed by the Senator reflect deficiencies in the system that he saw as a result of the tragedy.

Governor McAuliffe called on state lawmakers Monday night to modernize Virginia’s Standards of Learning testing program in the public schools.  Now House Republicans have rolled out their initial plans… and say enacting education reforms will be a long-term project.  Their comprehensive plan would not only impact the SOLs, but also the array of courses that students can take and teacher compensation.

It’s a sign of the times that Virginia lawmakers may soon consider a bill to ban what’s popularly known as “revenge porn” – the posting of naked pictures by an x-lover online.  Sandy Hausman reports on the proposal and why some people object.

Sen. Barbara Favola, 31st District

A group of Democratic members of the General Assembly have announced that they will push for repeal of several abortion-related laws that have passed in recent years, which they say are restrictive and set up barriers to women’s reproductive health. As Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Mare Morgan reports, the Senators and Delegates say that to achieve this goal, they will play both offensive and defensive roles during the legislative session.

At his inauguration in Richmond on Saturday, Virginia Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe offered an olive branch to his Republican counterparts. Matt Laslo was there and has this look at the new governor’s agenda…    

When Governor McDonnell gave his final State of the Commonwealth address, he once again asked for a change in the state Constitution to allow automatic restoration of rights to felons. But as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, those who are closely monitoring the current General Assembly session with hopes of this or other big constitutional changes… may be in for a bit of a disappointment.

One passionate goal of outgoing Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is ensuring that there are advocates for domestic violence and human trafficking victims after he leaves office.  As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, that’s why one of Cuccinelli’s final acts as A-G is allocating millions of dollars for human trafficking victims.

There’s no law on the books, but under Virginia’s common law, suicide is considered a crime.  In the current legislative session, one delegate thinks it’s time for the Commonwealth to change that, as Sandy Hausman reports.

Democratic and Republican leaders in the House of Delegates have announced a bipartisan package of reforms to Virginia’s ethics and disclosure laws. Loopholes in current state policies came to light last year following news reports of gifts given to Governor McDonnell and his family by Star Scientific’s former CEO, Jonnie Williams. As Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, the proposal aims to correct those deficiencies without an absolute ban on giving OR receiving.

Senate Republican Leader Tommy Norment also attended the news conference to support the ethics reform package.  Senate Democratic Caucus Leader Donald McEachin did not endorse it, but said it provides a good template for future deliberations.

While the upcoming General Assembly session will focus on such issues as the state budget, ethics reform, and whether or not to expand Medicaid, small business advocates have rolled out a blueprint of their own legislative priorities. Their agenda arose from a summit of the state’s entrepreneurs and business leaders, who want to ensure that the Commonwealth maintains its competitive edge through business-friendly policies. And as Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports, they say that begins with a qualified workforce.

Richmond leaders are rolling out the red carpet for the inauguration on January 11th and the events leading up to it. As Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, the inauguration itself will have lots of security, including the Secret Service, for the “dignitaries” expected to attend—which organizers are being very tight-lipped about.

He came within roughly two points of winning the Governor’s election, but Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will soon leave public service for the first time in 11 years.  While critics might disagree, he says he sought to defend state laws, fight for public safety and consumers, and push back against government overreach.  In this final part of our retrospective series, Virginia Public Radio’s Anne Marie Morgan reports on some of the initiatives that Cuccinelli believes will impact the Commonwealth long after he leaves office.

His campaign promise was “Bob’s for Jobs.” Now, 1300 economic development deals and 173-thousand net new jobs later, Governor McDonnell says economic issues were indeed his administration’s priority. But he also tackled homelessness and restored rights to more felons than any governor in state history.  In Part 2 of our retrospective series on the outgoing statewide officials, Anne Marie Morgan takes a brief look at McDonnell’s four years as the Commonwealth’s chief executive.

Virginia wildlife officials are dealing with a growing menace and don’t quite know how to address it.  A feral hog population boom is prompting concern about its impact on the local ecology, agriculture, and human safety. And as Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil reports, although some residents may be to blame, others may also be the solution.

He served as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor for eight years and as a state lawmaker for even longer—and now Bill Bolling is saying goodbye to public office.  In Part 1 of our retrospective series on the statewide officeholders, Bolling discusses his preparation for life in the private sector and the legacy he leaves behind.  Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil has the details. 

It’s over. Senator Mark Obenshain says that seeing the votes for his opponent Mark Herring widening significantly in the statewide recount of the Attorney General’s race, he has decided to congratulate Herring and concede.  The election is the first sweep of statewide offices for Democrats since 1989.  Virginia Public Radio’s Tommie McNeil has more from the State Capitol.