Guest Blog: Protecting Those Who Protect Us
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2015
The following is a guest blog post by Dwain Alexander, II, Esq.: The best thing about America is the freedoms we share. But our freedoms come at a cost that must be borne by all. One of those costs is the deference provided a servicemember facing a law suit. When the servicemember is not […]
Guest Blog: Observations from the General Assembly
Friday, January 30th, 2015
The following is a blog post from a VPLC intern on her observations during a committee meeting this week at the General Assembly: As a law student in Virginia, one of the most impressive lessons and warnings repeated by professors and practitioners is the important practice of respect toward all. As an attorney and […]
In Session: “Tabled by Voice Vote”
Thursday, January 29th, 2015
We want to focus this week’s recap of the General Assembly Session on five Bills we supported that were before the House Commerce and Labor Committee Tuesday afternoon. These Bills dealt with protecting consumers from predatory lending practices. We want to give you an inside look at what happened to these Bills to show that […]
Virginia Panel Quickly Kills Proposal to Limit High-Rate Loans
Thursday, January 29th, 2015
By Dave Ress, Daily Press It took less than five minutes for a House of Delegates committee to kill a bill to shut down a kind of high interest rate loan that keeps piling on debt even when borrowers make their basic monthly payments. The sponsor, Del. David Yancey, R-Newport News, figured that was progress. “The […]
In Session: Week Two of the General Assembly
Monday, January 26th, 2015
We just wrapped up week two of the General Assembly Session and we want to let you know what issues and Bills we’ve been watching during the past week: Retaliatory conduct by a landlord: Hard work by the legal aid community, the Virginia Association of Realtors, AOBA and VPLC paid off yesterday when the House […]
In Session: “Deflategate” & Virginia’s Payday and Car Title Lenders
Monday, January 26th, 2015
By now most of us have heard about “deflategate”-the discovery that the New England Patriots deflated the footballs in the AFC championship game in order to gain an unfair advantage. Some say they cheated and others say they just did an end-run around the rules. Either way, the rules have been broken and this needs […]
In Session: Long-term Enhancements for Temporary Assistance are Overdue
Friday, January 23rd, 2015
This morning, the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services will consider two bills to improve Virginia’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, also known as TANF. One of those bills, SB 802, would pave the way for periodic increases in benefit amounts. TANF provides cash assistance for Virginia’s poorest families with children. However, benefit […]
In Session: VPLC at the General Assembly
Friday, January 16th, 2015
And we’re off … The General Assembly is in session, and our advocates are analyzing bills to make sure the interests of low-income Virginians are considered by lawmakers. We’d like to open a little window on our life here at VPLC during the session, through regular updates on this blog. With more than 1,500 bills […]
Transparency Virginia
Wednesday, January 14th, 2015
VPLC recently joined TV. Not television, but Transparency Virginia. TV is a coalition that seeks to bring the people’s business closer to the people. We want to make the legislative process in Virginia as open and transparent to the public as possible. During the 2015 session we will: Meeting notices: Notice should give the public adequate time to […]
Payday Lenders are Using the Internet to Evade State Law
Monday, January 12th, 2015
By Hunter Stuart, Huffingtonpost.com Borrowing from any payday lender can be a risky endeavor. Borrowing from one online can be downright perilous. The pitfalls of borrowing from storefront payday lenders — companies that offer short-term loans with high interest rates — are already well-documented. Regulators and consumer groups have long warned such loans can trap people in vicious […]
2015 Legislative Session
Friday, January 9th, 2015
The General Assembly adjourned in late February. We want to update you on how some of our legislative priorities fared during the Session: Access to health care Yet again, the General Assembly failed to expand Medicaid. Without Medicaid Expansion, hundreds of thousands of Virginians will go without healthcare coverage. Read our previous blog post on […]
Affordable Care Act Health Enrollment in Virginia ‘on track’
Monday, January 5th, 2015
By Prue Salasky, Daily Press The government released the first state-by-state numbers for health-insurance enrollment through the federally run state marketplace Tuesday. In the first month, by Dec. 15, the deadline for Jan. 1 coverage through Affordable Care Act plans, Virginia had 164,884 enrollees, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, CMS. Of those, […]
VA Lawmakers Discuss Tenant/Management Agreements
Friday, December 12th, 2014
By Tommie McNeil, WVTF Public Radio Under many rental agreements, tenants sign off on a provision that allows housing managers and staff to enter a home to address concerns or inspect the premises. Now state lawmakers are weighing whether such agreements should be extended to homes that are actually OWNED by tenants– who are leasing […]
Hazel Says U.S. Health Care Funds Could Narrow VA Budget Gap
Thursday, December 4th, 2014
By Andrew Cain, Richmond Times-Dispatch If Medicaid expansion began in Virginia on July 1, Virginia would take in more than $230 million in federal offsets that would alleviate 71 percent of the state’s $322 million budget gap, according to Bill Hazel, the state secretary of Health and Human Resources. “The governor is fairly committed to […]
FAMIS MOMS Coverage is Back!
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2014
The FAMIS MOMS program was reinstated on December 1! This program provides health coverage for pregnant women. You may be eligible if you: Are a resident of Virginia Are currently pregnant or within the sixty-day period after your pregnancy ends Do not have access to a state employee health plan Are a U.S. citizen or […]
Happy Thanksgiving from VPLC
Wednesday, November 26th, 2014
In keeping with the spirit of Thanksgiving, VPLC is grateful for: The legal aid community around Virginia: This group of dedicated attorneys and staff work tirelessly to provide civil legal assistance to low-income individuals. We are grateful to be able to work with such a passionate group and are proud that we can provide trainings […]
Open Enrollment Starts November 15th!
Thursday, November 13th, 2014
Open Enrollment Begins on November 15! VPLC staff involved in healthcare access and outreach joined Governor McAuliffe, Secretary Hazel, and other officials at the Vernon J. Harris Medical Center in Richmond to kick-off the open enrollment process, which begins Saturday, November 15th. Healthcare Navigators, in-person assistors, and outreach and education specialists are trained and ready […]
VPLC, Along with Two Other Law Firms, File Class Action Law Suit
Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
“They were debiting my bank account and causing overdrafts so I had to close the account and default on the loan. They contacted my in-laws (I don’t know how they found them!) and told them they would have to go to court to testify because I was being arrested for bank fraud.” “I told them […]
FAMIS: A Success Story That’s in Jeopardy
Thursday, November 6th, 2014
FAMIS, the public health insurance program for low-income families, along with Medicaid, has helped reduce the number of uninsured children in Virginia by 24% from 2008 to 2013. Comprehensive, child-centered benefits and affordable cost-sharing with families make FAMIS an effective means of ensuring that children in low-income, working families grow up getting the preventive and […]
Please Go Out and Vote Today!
Tuesday, November 4th, 2014
November 4. Election Day in America. Have you gone to the polls yet to cast your vote? Today is the day that our voices are heard and we all have the same say. Young or old, rich or poor, this is the time we are all equal. Regardless of which political party you support, and […]
Another Successful Statewide Legal Aid Conference!
Tuesday, October 28th, 2014
The staff at VPLC just returned from the Annual Statewide Legal Aid Conference in Portsmouth. The conference, organized by VPLC’s own wonderful Training Coordinator Danielle Manuel, is an annual gathering of 300 plus Legal Aid attorneys, staff and private attorneys who come together to hear the latest developments in many areas of poverty law. This […]