Virginia Public Radio

It’s a time of transition at the State Capitol. Politics analyst Jeff Schapiro and Michael Pope recap the week in politics and state government.

The ombudsman who monitors the Virginia Corrections Department completed two investigations into a pair of prisons during fiscal year 2025. Dave Cantor has more.

Members of the Virginia General Assembly are back in session this week. And as Michael Pope tells us, they are debating the merits of affordability.

Governor Glenn Youngkin is saying goodbye to the Executive Mansion, delivering his last speech to a joint meeting of House and Senate members. Michael Pope tells us about his message to the General Assembly.

Virginia’s House of Delegates advanced four constitutional amendments Wednesday, but not without some interesting votes from members of both parties. Brad Kutner has this report. 

Virginia Democrats won 64 House of Delegates seats last fall. Wednesday morning, they celebrated their wins and outlined how they’ll govern over the 60-day General Assembly session. Brad Kutner was there and has this report.

Members of the Virginia General Assembly are back in Richmond and back in session. Michael Pope is at the Capitol with the latest.

Governor Glenn Youngkin will make his final State of the Commonwealth address tonight. Michael Pope and Radio IQ Politics Analyst Jeff Schapiro discuss what the outgoing governor’s legacy will be.

Senate Democrats are putting a spotlight on kitchen table issues. Michael Pope has a preview of their agenda, as the General Assembly session starts Wednesday.

Across parts of Appalachia, some people don’t trust their water, or their water isn’t safe to drink. So they turn to bottled water, even for cooking in some cases. But as a recent study points out, this is costing low-income families a lot of money, as Roxy Todd reports.

Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger has set her sights on a number of health-related, cost saving measures leading up to Virginia’s 2026 legislative session. And elected officials from both parties are working on efforts to earn her signature. Brad Kutner has this report.

Abigail Spanberger is about to be sworn in as Virginia’s 75th governor. Michael Pope tells us about how fundraising for her inauguration is breaking records.

The ACLU of Virginia is claiming that the state’s corrections department is “over-detaining a significant number of people” as a result of earned sentence credits being improperly applied to individuals’ sentences. Dave Cantor has more.

One of the items on the affordability agenda for Virginia Democrats this year is the Equal Pay Act. Michael Pope explains.

Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger takes office next weekend, shortly after Democrats in Virginia’s legislature are expected to pass a mid-decade redistricting amendment. And while Virginia governors usually have little influence on the constitutional amendment process, the timing required for the proposed redraw to have any impact will require the governor-elect, who’s lukewarm on the concep...

Glenn Youngkin is heading into the last week of his term as governor, while Abigail Spanberger is putting her administration together. Politics analyst Jeff Schapiro and Michael Pope recap the week in politics and state government.

As members of the Virginia General Assembly prepare to gavel into session next week, the word to watch is affordability. Michael Pope reports.

Public records are theoretically available to the public. But as Michael Pope reports, local and state governments often deny access by charging large sums of money.

As a sovereign nations, Tribes in Virginia have the right to consult with state agencies on certain environmental permits and reviews. This week, the Rappahannock Tribe said that didn’t happen with two projects related to the Rappahannock River.  Pamela D’Angelo reports.

A hundred years ago, pianos were a fixture in many American homes.  More than 300,000 of them were sold in 1925, but today the number has fallen to under 18,000.   Electronic keyboard sales outnumber acoustics ten to one.  They’re cheaper and easier to maintain.  But one man in Virginia says he still keeps busy ensuring existing instruments […]

Virginia disability advocates will ask for additional funds they say governor Glenn Youngkin failed to include in his outgoing budget. And a federal judge may affirm that need at a hearing Wednesday. Brad Kutner has this report.

Virginia is about to get a new governor next week, and that will come with a new outlook on environmental policy. Michael Pope has this preview.

Democrats have big plans for the first few days of the General Assembly session next week. Michael Pope reports.