New businesses would have an easier time getting licenses and completing other paperwork under a proposed law.
General Assembly
Proposal to outlaw sweepstakes cafes submitted
A bill introduced last week in the General Assembly could signal that Internet sweepstakes businesses are running out of luck.
Lawmakers target car title loans
Now that newly passed regulations have severely hampered the payday loan industry in Virginia, lawmakers are setting their sights on car title lenders. A legislative study committee held its first meeting today at the state capitol to discuss how to approach regulation of car title lenders during the 2010 General Assembly session. Car title lenders… Read more »
Tougher runoff standards would slow growth
The state is seeking to reduce the amount of phosphorous runoff allowed by new developments, a measure that could limit the scope of new construction projects if it becomes law.
Distracted delegates exposed
And you think you have a productivity problem. A video by a Virginia Commonwealth University journalism student Tracy Kennedy shows how state delegates make use of official time—they check Facebook and shop online using the Capitol’s wireless network. Kennedy photographed legislators surfing the Internet on their Dell laptops during a formal session of the General… Read more »
Car-title lenders dodge regulations
The General Assembly continued to tighten the reins on payday lenders this session, while car-title lenders eluded all legislative efforts to regulate their industry.
Digital media tax passes General Assembly
Yesterday the General Assembly approved a 10 percent tax on hotel room media purchases to fund the attraction of film production projects to the state. The House of Delegates passed the bill with a vote of 69-27. The Senate approved the bill earlier this month by a vote of 36 to 3. The bill now… Read more »
Eye on the General Assembly: House budget bill tunes out public broadcasting
The House Appropriations Committee has recommended eliminating the state’s contribution to public broadcasting stations, and the PBS organization in Richmond is seeking viewers’ help to save its funding.
Smoking bills advance in Senate
Smoking is a hot topic in this year’s General Assembly. Several bills were introduced in the Senate that either ban or regulate smoking in Virginia. The Senate Education and Health Committee voted last week to allow five of those bills to move forward and appear before the full Senate.