Before considering a measure to cut back on court-appointed attorneys, some House members want a list of misdemeanors for which prosecutors would not be able to waive jail time. On Wednesday, the House delayed for a day a vote on HB1394 after some members raised concerns about serious misdemeanors that could slip through the cracks.

RICHMOND Sen. Ralph Northam’s bill that would bench student athletes who suffer concussions, until they have a medical clearance, is on its way to the governor’s desk for his signature.

RICHMOND Gov. Bob McDonnell has added his signature to legislation intended to further his goal of making Virginia the East Coast's energy center.

The bills signed Wednesday endorse federal efforts to develop gas and oil drilling off the Virginia coast, and direct royalties to the state's growing transportation needs. A portion would also go the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium.

By Bob Lewis

RICHMOND Virginia's General Assembly became the first in the nation Wednesday to approve legislation that bucks any attempt by President Barack Obama and Congress to implement a national health care overhaul in individual states.

RICHMOND The General Assembly on Wednesday passed a bill that will keep Virginia anglers in compliance with a federally ordered national registry.

RICHMOND In a strongly worded edict, Gov. Bob McDonnell today instructed state agencies not to discriminate against gay and lesbian workers during the hiring process or in the workplace.

RICHMOND Virginia lawmakers have approved bills that will expand the death penalty, making more people eligible for capital punishment in a state that already is home to the nation's second-busiest death chamber.

Virginia residents rank No. 7 in the nation among the most frequent users of GPS navigation, according to new research. And what do GPS users search for most often? Walmart.

RICHMOND The state Senate approved a comprehensive overhaul of the General Assembly's ethics rules Wednesday. The measure now goes to the desk of Gov. Bob McDonnell, who has said he will sign it.

RICHMOND The House of Delegates voted Wednesday to keep a tight hold on Virginians' personal voting histories, inviting litigation over whether the information should be made more widely available.