Delegate asks Miyares to issue a cease-and-desist
He requested that Attorney General Jason Miyares issue a cease-and-desist letter to Harp Media B.V. (Bovada).
This is a daily newsletter covering Virginia politics from top to bottom. Please consider becoming the ultimate political insider by supporting non-partisan, independent news and becoming a paid subscriber to this newsletter today.
Today’s Sponsor:
Flock Safety is an all-in-one technology solution to eliminate crime and keep your community safe. Our intelligent platform combines the power of communities at scale – including cities, businesses, schools, and law enforcement agencies – to shape a safer future together. Our full-service, maintenance-free technology solution is trusted by more than 4,000 communities across the country to help solve and deter crime in the pursuit of safer communities for everyone. Click here to learn more about Flock Safety’s expanded partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help identify and recover missing children more quickly.
Thomas asks for cease-and-desist from Miyares on sports betting company
Del. Josh Thomas, D-Prince William, requested that Attorney General Jason Miyares issue a cease-and-desist letter to Harp Media B.V. (Bovada). Thomas Harp Media is an unlicensed Curaçaoan company that engages in unlicensed online sports betting in Virginia.
“Over the past three years, the Commonwealth has expended a great amount of resources and energy to permit legal, well-regulated online sports betting in Virginia,” Thomas said in a press release. “In order to protect everyday Virginians, we must crack down on bad actors that avoid paying taxes, do not contribute to problem gaming funds and unfairly target individuals. Licensed sports betting operators in the Commonwealth follow the laws, pay taxes, and provide education on responsible gaming. Bovada does none of that – they take hard-earned dollars from everyday Virginians and provide nothing in return. I look forward to working with Attorney General Miyares to put a stop to it, and I will continue to work hard to protect Virginians from illegal scam operators.”
Attorney General Miyares Joins Amicus Brief Supporting West Virginia’s Save Women’s Sports Act
From the AG’s office:
Attorney General Jason Miyares joined a 26-state coalition of attorneys general in filing an amicus brief calling on the United States Supreme Court to take up West Virginia’s appeal of a lower court ruling that struck down the state’s law protecting girls’ sports.
“West Virginia’s Save Women’s Sports Act is about fairness and protecting the integrity of women’s sports,” Miyares said. “Allowing biological males to compete against biological females undermines decades of progress and is simply unfair to women and girls. I’m committed to ensuring that female athletes have the opportunity to compete on a level playing field.”
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit blocked West Virginia’s “Save Women’s Sports Act,” which bans male athletes from playing on girls’ sports teams, saying the law violated Title IX.
Youngkin tax team delayed business tax refunds worth hundreds of millions - WaPo
by Laura Vozzella
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration failed to provide timely tax refunds worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Virginia corporations two years in a row, an error made public this week after Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears inquired about an odd footnote in a financial presentation to the House and Senate money committees.
After Youngkin (R) gave an upbeat assessment of the state’s finances to the committees Wednesday, Finance Secretary Stephen E. Cummings presented the members with a slideshow with more details. One of the slides noted “a backlog of corporate refunds [that] had accumulated from prior years,” and Earle-Sears (R) asked about it.
'Bell-to-bell' student phone ban proposed by state education department - RTD
by Anna Bryson and Em Holter
The Virginia Department of Education is calling for school divisions to implement policies banning student cellphone use from “bell-to-bell,” meaning from the start of the school day until dismissal.
The education department released draft guidance for cellphone-free education in Virginia schools on Thursday, following an executive order from Gov. Glenn Youngkin last month. The draft guidance says any student with a cellphone should turn it off and store it away, “bell-to-bell” throughout the school day.
Take a look at who from Virginia will head to the Democratic National Convention on Monday - Progress Index
by Elizabeth Beyer
Virginia’s Democratic delegates are headed to Chicago next week to back Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at the Democratic National Convention, after Harris secured the votes needed to become the nominee in early August.
Virginia will send 119 delegates and eight alternates to Chicago for the national convention kicking off on Monday. Federal lawmakers, state representatives, local leaders, and people elected by the party will make up the commonwealth's caucus as they make their way to the Windy City.