Two Democratic party leaders have introduced budget amendments that would require Virginia to rejoin a regional carbon market, despite the continued push by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin to withdraw from it.

A bill that would provide free meals for all public school students in Virginia passed the Senate Education and Health Committee Thursday. 

Officials said Norfolk is the first major East Coast port to achieve the transition. The Port of Virginia’s working on a larger goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2040.

Legislation to raise the state minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026 is moving briskly through the Virginia General Assembly as Democrats take advantage of their narrow majorities in both chambers to complete an effort they began in 2020.