Virginia has repealed the ultrasound requirement before an abortion, as well as the 24-hour waiting period. Northam signed this bill yesterday.

Virginia also just banned housing & employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation & gender identity.

Virginia has also now adopted automatic voter registration. When Northam signed, made VA 17th state with such a law.

This is the first session with a Dem majority in decades, & we& #39;re waiting on fate of a number of other major bills in coming hours. More here as news comes in.

NEW: Virginia will no longer suspend driver& #39;s licenses for people who have unpaid court debt. This affects many hundreds of thousands people, cutting off their access to employment, transportation, and more.

Thsi is #SB1, which Northam signed today.

NEW: Virginia just increased the threshold at which theft is a felony rather than a misdemeanor to $1,000 (from $500).

Another new law says prosecutors need court approval to try a 14/15-year old as an adult. (Many other states have gone further with this: 16/17-year olds too.)

NEW: Virginia has ended the requirement that voters provide an excuse if they want to vote absentee!

This bill ( #HB1) began moving months ago (it was just signed by Northam), but obviously it has a whole new significance during this pandemic.