Twin bills seeking to limit the use of cellphones and smart devices in schools cleared the General Assembly and head to governor, although some teachers wish the bills had more consequences. Reporting by @sarah-hagen.bsky.social www.princewilliamtimes.com/news/bills-t...

Check out Capsters @sarah-hagen.bsky.social and @andrewkerley.bsky.social on the @vpm.org podcast “RVA’s Got Issues” — talking about why journalism matters to them and what type of work they do in the VCUCNS program. open.spotify.com/episode/5prF...

SB1016 update Introduced by Sen. Danica Roem, D-Manassas. Addresses food insecurity in higher education by providing grants for colleges to create on-campus food pantries. Went to conference and the report passed House 70-26 and Senate 39-1. @vcucns.bsky.social lis.virginia.gov/bill-details...

HB1699 update Introduced by Del. Alex Askew, D-Virginia Beach. Removes the tax exempt status from confederate organizations like United Daughters of Confederacy. Passed the House 53-42 and the Senate 21-17. Gov. vetoed this bill last year @vcucns.bsky.social lis.virginia.gov/bill-details...

SB738 update Introduced by Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Centreville. Directs school boards to implement cell phone restriction policies in public schools. Was sent to conference committee; substitutes passed House 73-23 and Senate 21-18. @vcucns.bsky.social lis.virginia.gov/bill-details...

HB1800 update Introduced by Del. Laura Jane Cohen, D-Burke. Clarifies that people with disabilities have the same rights to public playgrounds. Passed the House 61-35 and the Senate unanimously. Awaits action from the governor. @vcucns.bsky.social lis.virginia.gov/bill-details...

HB1736 update Introduced by Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, it passed the Senate last week on a 20-15 vote. The bill would create a center for firearm violence intervention and prevention. It failed twice in previous years but now awaits action from the governor. @vcucns.bsky.social

Del. Candi Mundon King, D-Dumfries, speaks at a press conference with Repro Rising Virginia. She asks Gov. Youngkin if he will stand with Donald Trump or the women of Virginia. Youngkin vetoed the Right to Contraception Act last session. @vcucns.bsky.social

Currently in the Senate Education and Health committee with a very busy docket. Many bills have reported unanimously. @vcucns.bsky.social

Sen. Mamie Locke, D-23, speaks at a press conference for removing the school support cap. “Support staff are critical to the safe and healthy school environment for our young people,” Locke said. @vcucns.bsky.social

Gov. Glenn Youngkin is in attendance for Sen. Henry Marsh lying in state. Marsh was Richmond’s first black mayor and a senator for 22 years. Youngkin ordered flags at half-mast in Marsh’s honor. @vcucns.bsky.social

Sen. Creigh Deeds speaks at a press conference in favor of Medicaid expansion. 50,000 Virginians would lose health coverage if federal reimbursement falls 1%. “We’ve got to hold their feet to the fire and make sure the federal government addresses this,” Deeds said. @vcucns.bsky.social

I am at the Senate Education and Health committee meeting. Legislators are discussing SB1133, which passed the motion to report on a line of 7-6-2. The bill would require restaurants and catering operations to place a conspicuous notice next to food items with pork products. @vcucns.bsky.social

We tried the lauded General Assembly pizza and it was actually pretty good. Follow for more groundbreaking journalism.

HAPPENING NOW: A press conference is occurring for HB1699. If passed, the bill would eliminate the exemption from state recordation taxes for various Confederacy organizations. The bill was previously vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin last year.

Wouldn’t rather do it with anyone else!!

Check out my and @andrewkerley.bsky.social ‘s first article of the semester!

HAPPENING NOW: Crowds of supporters and bystanders are showing up to a heavily guarded National Mall — where inauguration was originally supposed to be held. Trump moved the event indoors due to dangerously low temperatures.

HAPPENING NOW: Thousands have gathered at Franklin Park in Washington, D.C. for the Women’s March. Various guests are speaking before a 10:45 kick-off. “My daughter deserves to have more rights than her mother and grandmother, not fewer,” says Kimberly Inez McGuire, Abortion Access Now co-chairman