The Center Square: “Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is taking historical measures by eliminating degree requirements and preferences for nearly 90% of commonwealth classified positions. The new “landmark” hiring preferences will provide equal consideration for all qualified applicants and allow state agencies to broaden their recruitment and talent pool.
“On Day 1 we went to work reimagining workforce solutions in government and this key reform will expand opportunities for qualified applicants who are ready to serve Virginians,” said Youngkin. The new hiring practice is set to take effect July 1, adding Virginia to a growing list of states eliminating the degree requirement for state jobs. Youngkin’s office noted the commonwealth advertises an average of over 20,000 job opportunities every year.”
(The Center Square) – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has announced a grant program to improve student safety by beefing up security infrastructures in schools of higher needs.
The Stronger Connections program is a $16.4 million competitive grant program aimed at improving school security to curb assaults on schools, which may be vulnerable to attacks.
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By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
(The Center Square) – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, in an exclusive interview with The Center Square, had strong words for the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis at the southern border and the lifting of Title 42.
Youngkin signed an executive order Tuesday while delivering remarks at Stafford High School in Stafford County, marking National Fentanyl Awareness Day. During his speech, the governor blamed the Biden administration for failing to take action against the flow of the deadly drug across the border.
“[The Biden administration] needs to close the border and secure it and then deal with these issues,” Youngkin said. “We have this moment where every state is a border state.”
Afterward with The Center Square, Youngkin was asked about the lifting of Title 42, the pandemic-era border policy put in place under the Trump administration is due to expire Thursday.
“Title 42 has been a mess that the [Biden] administration has used to try to hide the fact that they have failed to deal with the crisis at the border,” said Youngkin. “It’s a human crisis. It’s a drug crisis.”
Title 42 allows immigration officials to swiftly turn away migrants at the southern border without the opportunity to apply for asylum.
The governor was critical of the Biden administration’s use of Title 42 as a detraction for addressing the failures to secure the southern border. He said White House policy is to blame for increased fentanyl poisonings due to a porous border.
“We’re seeing the 20 times increase in fentanyl deaths in 10 years. Five Virginians will die today, and five more will die tomorrow because [Biden] has failed to secure the border,” Youngkin lamented.
The governor urged the White House to adopt the “remain in Mexico” policy while investing in resources to handle the influx of migrants crossing the border.
“[The Biden administration] needs to press forward with the remain in Mexico policy, and they need to send more resources, secure the border. And it’s that simple,” Youngkin explained.
Youngkin decried the situation at the southern border as it has spread across the country and his administration’s plans to combat the resulting fentanyl crisis.
“As a governor of a state that is dealing with the fallout on issues that come from this failure from the Biden White House, we’re doing the work. Today I signed Executive Order 26 to marshal state resources to address the fentanyl crisis, and we deal with it every single day,” said the governor.
Youngkin concluded by pleading with the president to take control of the situation.
“Mr. Biden, help us,” he said. “Secure the border. Stop the flow of fentanyl into America. And let’s all recognize that he has a responsibility too.”
By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
(The Center Square) – Gov. Glenn Youngkin joined Virginia education leaders and Google executives in announcing a new cybersecurity training program with Northern Virginia Community College.
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By Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has ended months of speculation he will make a run for the White House in 2024.
Youngkin was asked by Wall Street Journal editor-at-large Gerard Baker at the Milken Institute’s “Governing America” discussion if he was planning on “dusting off” his fleece jacket to hit the campaign trail this year. Youngkin didn’t mince any words with a simple, “no.”
Instead, Youngkin is going to put his focus on the commonwealth. The governor has decided his signature red fleece campaign vest can be put to better use in Virginia. Both chambers of the General Assembly are up for full reelection this year.
Multiple media reports cite an unnamed aide as saying Youngkin is not launching a bid in calendar year 2023, that he’s still possible to run in 2024. Virginia law does not allow governors to serve consecutive terms; his is scheduled to end in January 2026.
Youngkin hopes the red wave of 2021 – it carried Winsome Earle-Sears to lieutenant governor and Jason Miyares to attorney general in addition to his victory – will carry over into this November.
The Virginia General Assembly is divided, with the House majority Republicans and the Senate majority Democrats. Youngkin is focusing on securing a Republican majority in both chambers.
“I want to hold our House, and I’d like to flip our Senate. And I think we’re doing a really good job in Virginia, and I think this is a chance to bring that to voters,” Youngkin said during the discussion on Monday.
Youngkin may try to bank on his high approval ratings as Virginia starts the election year. In March, the governor received high marks for the job he has been doing leading the commonwealth. A Roanoke College Poll gave the governor a 57% approval rating, which had climbed five points since November 2022.
The poll also found a majority of Virginians were pleased with the direction the commonwealth was headed, at 55%.
Despite the positive poll numbers, this year’s election in Virginia could be anyone’s guess as the commonwealth underwent independent redistricting. As previously reported by The Center Square, the new redistricting map resulted in 46 members of the House and 19 members of the Senate were drawn into districts with one or more incumbents. Several incumbents have either decided to retire or not seek another term.
Youngkin’s announcement comes days before early voting for the Virginia primaries kicks off later this week.
By Sarah Roderick-Fitch
(The Center Square) – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin took historic steps by signing an executive order establishing a foreign trade office while meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan in Taipei earlier today, kicking off his Asian tour.
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Updated 4 p.m. — It took multiple attempts, votes to reconsider, and 12 hours filled with arguments and accusations, but Stafford County now has the fiscal year 2024 budget that will take effect July 1, 2023.
The Stafford Board of Supervisors hiked Real Estate taxes by 14% 11% to fund the $947 million spending plan, with a 93 cent tax rate on every $100 assessed home value. Supervisors made their final decisions close to 1 a.m. after several voting rounds on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, and rescinding a plan that would have raised taxes by only 7%.
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By Madison Hirneisen
(The Center Square) – Virginia lawmakers approved amendments proposed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to a pair of bills establishing regulations on hemp-derived products in the commonwealth, which includes a provision allowing some products containing both THC and CBD that are used therapeutically to remain on store shelves.
The politically-divided General Assembly flocked to Richmond Wednesday to reconvene for a one-day session to consider the governor’s proposed amendments to 78 bills and three vetoes. Some of the governor’s amendments proposed technical changes to measures, while others proposed entire substitute bills.
While several amendments were approved with little debate, lawmakers in both the House of Delegates and the state Senate had lengthy debate over Youngkin’s proposed amendments to HB 2294 and SB 903 – a pair of bills that sought to impose limits on how much THC – a chemical found in the marijuana plant that can be intoxicating to consumers – could be included in an industrial hemp product.
Lawmakers have been wrestling with how to regulate hemp-derived products that contain THC following reports of children consuming hemp-derived products, like Delta-8 edibles, that made them ill.
The original version of the bills that passed the General Assembly limited the amount of THC included in a hemp product to a concentration of 0.3% and two milligrams per package. The bills also established labeling, testing and packaging requirements for hemp-derived products.
The governor’s proposed amendments, which were adopted by the General Assembly Wednesday, maintained labeling and testing requirements and the two milligrams of THC per package limit, but added an exemption to the rules for hemp products that are used for therapeutic purposes containing both THC and CBD. Read More
The first couple donated a $43,750 check, the governor’s first-quarter salary, to Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, which works with inmates inside the jail, according to a press release.
The governor’s office did not tip off the press to his visit. Afterward, the first couple visited the nearby Prince William County Western District Police Station and spoke with a graduating crisis intervention team class.
More in a press release from the governor’s office:
Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin today announced the donation of his first-quarter salary to the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, an organization dedicated to supplying faith-based resources for jails and prisons in the Commonwealth of Virginia and worldwide.
At the Prince William County Adult Detention Center, Governor Youngkin maintained his promise to donate his gubernatorial salary to organizations that strengthen Virginia communities.
“I pledged to serve without accepting a salary to support Virginians every way I can,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “The Good News Jail & Prison Ministry exemplifies the heart and Spirit of Virginia by providing hope, resources, and transformational opportunities for incarcerated Virginians. This administration continues to respect the law and those inside the criminal justice system with increased access to mental health services, best practices for trade skill acquisition and by maintaining excellence in the restoration of rights process, among other priorities.”
“On the eve of Second Chance Month, Glenn and I laud the life-changing mission of Good News Jail & Prison Ministry,” said First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin. “We firmly believe that every Virginian deserves an opportunity to flourish and we are grateful for this opportunity to support great and Godly works.”
