RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Despite the General Assembly recently rejecting his amendments to a bill meant to legalize skill games in Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin said there could still be a path forward.  Youngkin told reporters that he still has “serious concerns” about the bill currently sitting on his desk, but said he wants to keep the dialogue going. Youngkin said he is willing to re-think his amendments prohibiting skill games within 35 miles of a casino and within 2,500 feet of a school or place of worship.  “I think the unintended consequences of that are real and we can ad ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Gov. Glenn Youngkin has signed a bill into law that he says will allow college sports teams in Virginia to be more competitive.  “Right now, there is just so much competition, conference realignment, NIL, transfer portal. This is a feather in our cap, and we can put our best foot forward,” Virginia Tech Head Football Coach Brent Pry told 8News.  Youngkin signing House Bill 1505, allowing Virginia’s colleges and universities to be more involved in how student-athletes can be compensated for the use of their name, image, or likeness.  “If this is an opport ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia lawmakers and Gov. Glenn Youngkin have agreed to start over on a state budget following contention between him and Democrats over the past legislative session. Youngkin previously slammed the budget passed out of both the House of Delegates and the state Senate, both controlled by Democrats, and took aim at tax increases in it. He and Democrats were at odds over the governor's proposed overhaul of the new two-year spending plan, which included 233 amendments, including those that would effectively ban skill games in Virginia. The governor was also left disappoin ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Veterinarians will not be allowed to declaw cats in Virginia starting in July, unless there are certain “therapeutic" reasons to do so. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) signed a bill from Del. Marty Martinez (D-Loudoun) that prohibits declawing procedures on cats by veterinarians. The pending law has exceptions that include: To address an existing or recurring infection, disease, injury or abnormal condition in an animal's claw, nail bed or toe bone that jeopardizes the animal's health, and for which addressing the infection, disease, injury or abnormal condition is a medical ne ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Virginia lawmakers will start over on the state budget after reaching an agreement with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, setting the scene for a special session in May to work on a new spending plan, per multiple sources. The General Assembly is meeting in Richmond to consider Youngkin’s vetoes and amendments to the legislation and the state’s budget plans for the current fiscal year and the next two fiscal years. "The budget right now has basically blown up," WAVY's Andy Fox reported after the news just broke. Democrats and Youngkin (R) were at odds over the governor’s proposed ove ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) —The Virginia General Assembly veto session is always held on the sixth Wednesday following adjournment, and this year is no different. The biggest item, the state budget. Also up for discussion is Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s amended bill on skill games, along with teacher raises and toll relief. Youngkin unveils budget amendments, strips tax increases from budget 10 On Your Side spoke with Speaker of the House Del. Don Scott about what might unfold. They are all big issues — skill games could get pushed off until next year, teacher raises at 3% a year over two years look solid ..read more

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Hundreds of convenience stores across the Commonwealth are planning to protest Governor Youngkin's skill games amendments Monday and Tuesday. The Virginia Merchants and Amusement Coalition (VA MAC) will participate in two days of action, from April 15-16, in the hopes of urging Youngkin and members of the General Assembly to reverse the amendments made to SB 212, the skill game regulation bill. Republican senator meeting with others to talk about Youngkin’s skill game changes According to the VA MAC, Youngkin's amendments, such as the 45% tax rate for small businesses ..read more

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Following her week-long visit to Israel, a local member of Congress said she is concerned the war in the Middle East could escalate. Republican Jen Kiggans, who is a member of the Armed Services Committee, saw the damage left behind by the Oct. 7 terrorist attack. Kiggans even visited the sight of the music festival where young people were abducted and killed. Hamas attacked Israel and Netanyahu says his country is ‘at war’ "And just to be able to see firsthand the devastation, first of all, from the kibbutz in the south," Kiggans told 10 On Your side's Regina Mobley ..read more

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — A Virginia senator and local business owners are speaking out against amendments to a skill games bill which would affect businesses in Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Richmond and Roanoke. Republican state Sen. Bill DeSteph held a community discussion Monday afternoon at Scandal's Bar and Lounge in Virginia Beach. "I support the governor holistically. Like every legislator and every governor, we have differences of opinion on how policies should be executed at times, and that's OK," DeSteph said. "For the small business owners who currently rely on skill games as their b ..read more

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Governor Glenn Youngkin is defending his decision to amend bills that would have established a person’s right to contraception in Virginia. The bills' authors say they are meant to protect access to contraception if the U.S. Supreme Court overruled previous decisions on the issue. Youngkin said that, while he supports access to contraception, he believes this bill went too far.  “As a policy statement, it’s completely toothless,” State Senator Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield), who wrote one of the bills, told 8News about the amendments. “It doesn’t address the issue ..read more