Editing Virginia (section)

==Law and government==
{{Main|Government of Virginia}}
[[File:MJK50147 Virginia State Capitol.jpg|thumb|The [[Virginia State Capitol]] in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], designed by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[Charles-Louis Clérisseau]], is home to the [[Virginia General Assembly]].|alt=An all white Neoclassical building with pediment and six columns rises on a grassy hill with a large American elm tree in the left foreground. Two boxier, but similarly styled wings are attached at the building's rear.]]
In 1619, the first [[Virginia General Assembly]] met, making Virginia's legislature the oldest of its kind in North America.<ref name="hemisphere">{{cite news |last=Jacobs |first=Jack |date=July 30, 2019 |title=General Assembly commemorates origins of democracy in America |newspaper=The Virginia Gazette |url=https://www.dailypress.com/virginiagazette/news/va-vg-general-assembly-joint-session-0731-story.html |access-date=May 7, 2020}}</ref> The government today functions under the seventh [[Constitution of Virginia]], which was [[1970 Virginia ballot measures|approved by voters in 1970]] and went into effect in July 1971.<ref name=constitution_1970/> It is similar to the [[federal government of the United States|federal structure]] in that it provides for [[Separation of powers|three branches]]: a strong legislature, an executive, and a unified judicial system.<ref name=constitution>{{cite journal|title=Commentaries on the Constitution of Virginia by A. E. Dick Howard|first1=Albert L.|last1=Strum|journal=The American Political Science Review|volume=71|issue=2|date=June 1977|pages=714–715|jstor=1978427|doi=10.2307/1978427|last2=Howard|first2=A. E. Dick|author-link2=A.E. Dick Howard}}</ref>

Virginia's legislature is [[bicameral]], with a 100-member [[Virginia House of Delegates|House of Delegates]] and 40-member [[Senate of Virginia|Senate]], who together write the laws for the Commonwealth. Delegates serve two-year terms, while senators serve four-year terms, with [[2023 Virginia elections|the most recent elections]] for both taking place in November 2023. The executive department includes the [[Governor of Virginia|governor]], [[Lieutenant Governor of Virginia|lieutenant governor]], and [[Attorney General of Virginia|attorney general]], who are elected every four years in separate elections, with the [[2025 Virginia gubernatorial election|next taking place in November 2025]]. [[List of Virginia Governors|Incumbent governors]] cannot run for re-election; governors can and have served non-consecutive terms.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.vpm.org/listen/2019-04-18/two-term-virginia-governors-rare-but-not-unprecedented |title= Two-Term Virginia Governors Rare, But Not Unprecedented |website= VPM |first= Ben |last= Paviour |date= April 18, 2019 |access-date= February 10, 2023}}</ref> The lieutenant governor is the official head of the Senate and is responsible for breaking ties. The House elects a [[List of Speakers of the Virginia House of Delegates|Speaker of the House]] and the Senate elects a [[President pro tempore of the Senate of Virginia|President pro tempore]], who presides when the lieutenant governor is not present, and both houses elect a clerk and majority and minority leaders.<ref name=vga_guide/> The governor also nominates their 16 [[Virginia Governor's Cabinet|cabinet members]] and others who head various state departments.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://wjla.com/news/local/list-gov-elect-youngkins-full-roster-of-appointees-glenn-youngkin-republican-election-secretary-commonwealth-governor |title= LIST: Virginia Gov.-elect Youngkin's full roster of Cabinet appointees |website= 7News |date= January 13, 2022 |access-date= September 8, 2023}}</ref>

The legislature starts regular sessions on the second Wednesday of every year. They meet for up to 48&nbsp;days in odd years, which are election years, or 60&nbsp;days in even years, to allow more time for biennial state budgets, which governors propose.<ref name=vga_guide>{{cite web |url= https://publications.virginiageneralassembly.gov/download_publication/121 |format= PDF |title= Your Guide to the Virginia General Assembly |website= Virginia General Assembly |date= May 10, 2019 |access-date= July 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://vacsb.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Understanding_Virginias_Budget_Process_MTweedy.pdf |title= Understanding Virginia's Budget Process: Budget 101 |website= Virginia Senate Finance Committee |first= Michael |last= Tweedy |date= October 4, 2018 |access-date= July 28, 2020}}</ref> After regular sessions end, special sessions can be called either by the governor or with agreement of two-thirds of both houses, and 21 special sessions have been called since 2000, typically for legislation on preselected issues.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://lis.virginia.gov/ |title= Virginia's Legislative Information System |date= August 22, 2024 |access-date= August 22, 2024}}</ref> Though not a full-time legislature, the Assembly is classified as a hybrid because special sessions are not limited by the state constitution and often last several months.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/articles/what-if-virginias-general-assembly-operated-year-round |title= What if Virginia's General Assembly operated year-round? |first= Charlotte Rene |last= Woods |website= Charlottesville Tomorrow |date= January 4, 2021 |access-date= July 7, 2021}}</ref> A one-day "veto session" is also automatically triggered when a governor chooses to veto or return legislation to the Assembly with amendments. Vetoes can then be overturned with approval of two-thirds of both the House and Senate.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.wric.com/news/politics/capitol-connection/virginia-lawmakers-to-take-up-youngkins-vetoes-and-amendments-during-one-day-session/ |title= Virginia lawmakers to take up Youngkin's vetoes and amendments during one-day session |website= ABC 8 News |first= Dean |last= Mirshahi |date= April 12, 2023 |access-date= February 3, 2024}}</ref> A bill that passes with two-thirds approval can also become law without action from the governor,<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/04/16/virginia-youngkin-assembly-budget-veto-session/ |title= Virginia Assembly returns to Richmond at odds with Youngkin on budget |first1= Gregory S. |last1= Schneider |first2= Laura |last2= Vozzella |date= April 16, 2024 |access-date= April 17, 2024 |newspaper= The Washington Post}}</ref> and Virginia has no "[[pocket veto]]", so bills become law if the governor chooses to neither approve nor veto them.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.vaco.org/passed-bills-are-now-before-the-governor-now-what/ |title= Passed bills are now before the Governor – now what? |website= The Voice of the Commonwealth's Counties |first= Chris |last= McDonald |date= April 1, 2020 |access-date= March 25, 2021 |archive-date= October 19, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211019214333/https://www.vaco.org/passed-bills-are-now-before-the-governor-now-what/ |url-status= dead}}</ref>

===Legal system===
[[File:SupremeCourtofVirginiaBuilding.JPG|thumb|Unlike the [[Federal judiciary of the United States|federal judiciary system]], justices of the [[Supreme Court of Virginia|Virginia Supreme Court]] have term limits, a mandatory retirement age, and select their own Chief Justice.|alt=A seven-story sandstone building faced with ionic columns on a city street corner.]]
The judges and justices who make up [[Judiciary of Virginia|Virginia's judicial system]], also the oldest in America, are elected by a majority vote in both the House and Senate without input from the governor, one way Virginia's legislature is stronger than its executive. The [[Governor of Virginia|governor]] can make [[recess appointment]]s, and when both branches are controlled by the same party, the assembly often confirms them. The judicial hierarchy starts with the [[Virginia General District Court|General District Courts]] and [[Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court|Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts]], with the [[Virginia Circuit Court|Circuit Courts]] above them, then the [[Court of Appeals of Virginia]], and the [[Supreme Court of Virginia]] on top.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/cib.pdf|title=Virginia Courts In Brief|publisher=Virginia Judicial System|date=May 5, 2009|access-date=August 17, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090704084122/http://www.courts.state.va.us/courts/cib.pdf|archive-date=July 4, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> The Supreme Court has seven justices who serve 12-year terms, with a [[mandatory retirement age]] of 73; they select their own chief justice, who is informally limited to two four-year terms.<ref>{{cite news | title = Hassell to step down as the state's chief justice | url = http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/hassell-to-step-down-as-the-state-s-chief-justice/article_842d7859-905b-5ca2-ab69-996e97ce6ef3.html | first = Frank | last = Green | date = May 12, 2010 | newspaper= Richmond Times-Dispatch | access-date = September 26, 2013}}</ref> Virginia was the last state to guarantee an automatic right of [[appeal]] for all civil and criminal cases. Its Court of Appeals increased from 11 to 17 judges in 2021.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.wric.com/news/politics/capitol-connection/gov-northam-signs-14-new-bills-into-law-last-minute/ |title= Gov. Northam signs 14 new bills into law last minute |website= ABC8 WRIC |first= Amelia |last= Heymann |date= March 31, 2021 |access-date= April 1, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.virginiamercury.com/2021/03/08/virginia-court-of-appeals-set-to-get-six-new-judges-after-lawmakers-agree-to-expansion/ |title= Virginia Court of Appeals set to get six new judges after lawmakers agree to expansion |newspaper= The Virginia Mercury |first= Ned |last= Oliver |date= March 8, 2021 |access-date= April 1, 2021}}</ref>

The [[Code of Virginia]] is the statutory law and consists of the codified legislation of the General Assembly. The largest [[List of law enforcement agencies in Virginia|law enforcement agency in Virginia]] is the [[Virginia State Police]], with 3,035&nbsp;sworn and civilian members {{As of|2019|lc=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://vsp.virginia.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/VSP-Annual-Report-2019-1.pdf |title= 2019 Facts & Figures |publisher= Virginia State Police |date= January 18, 2022 |access-date= May 5, 2023}}</ref> The [[Virginia Marine Police]] were founded as the "Oyster Navy" in 1864 in response to [[Oyster pirate|oyster bed poaching]].{{importance inline|date=November 2024}}<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.pilotonline.com/news/article_bff283c8-cc05-5ec4-944d-6a3ba45be345.html |title= State says it's ready to get tough on oyster poachers |newspaper= The Virginian-Pilot |first= Scott |last= Harper |date= September 15, 2007 |access-date= July 20, 2021}}</ref> The [[Virginia Division of Capitol Police|Virginia Capitol Police]] protect the legislature and executive department, and are the oldest police department in the United States, dating to the guards who protected the colonial leadership.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vcp.state.va.us/message.htm|title=Message from the Chief|year=2008|first=Kimberly|last=Lettner|publisher=The Division of Capitol Police|access-date=September 10, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519054023/http://www.vcp.state.va.us/message.htm|archive-date=May 19, 2009}}</ref> The governor can also call upon the [[Virginia National Guard]], which consists of approximately [[Virginia Army National Guard|7,200&nbsp;army soldiers]], [[Virginia Air National Guard|1,200&nbsp;airmen]], [[Virginia Defense Force|300&nbsp;Defense Force members]], and 400&nbsp;civilians.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://va.ng.mil/News/Article/2391662/about-the-virginia-national-guard/|title=About the Virginia National Guard|website=[[Virginia Army National Guard]]|date=July 1, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2021}}</ref>

Between 1608 and 2021, when the [[capital punishment in Virginia|death penalty]] was abolished, the state executed over 1,300 people, including [[List of people executed in Virginia|113 following the resumption of capital punishment]] in 1982.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/us/politics/virginia-death-penalty.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/us/politics/virginia-death-penalty.html |archive-date=December 28, 2021 |url-access=limited |title= Virginia Becomes First Southern State to Abolish the Death Penalty |newspaper= The New York Times |date= March 24, 2021 |access-date= March 24, 2021 |first= Hailey |last= Fuchs}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Virginia's prison system incarcerates 30,936&nbsp;people {{As of|2018|lc=on}}, 53% of whom are Black,<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.vera.org/downloads/pdfdownloads/state-incarceration-trends-virginia.pdf |title= Incarceration Trends in Virginia |publisher= Vera Institute of Justice |date= November 25, 2019 |access-date= January 28, 2021}}</ref> and the state has the sixteenth-highest [[List of U.S. states and territories by incarceration and correctional supervision rate|rate of incarceration in the country]], at 422 per 100,000&nbsp;residents.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.thecentersquare.com/virginia/0-42-of-virginia-residents-are-incarcerated-study-finds/article_78ccf08a-3a31-11eb-a82d-f7d93decf4e5.html |title= 0.42% of Virginia residents are incarcerated, study finds |website= The Center Square |date= December 13, 2020 |access-date= January 28, 2021}}</ref> Prisoner [[parole]] was ended in 1995,<ref>{{cite news|title=Parole Remains Elusive for Virginia Prisoners|url=https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2017/oct/9/parole-remains-elusive-virginia-prisoners/|work=[[Prison Legal News]]|date=October 9, 2019|first=David|last=Reutter}}</ref> and Virginia's rate of [[recidivism]] of released felons who are re-convicted within three years and sentenced to a year or more is 23.1%, the lowest in the country {{As of|2019|lc=on}}.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbs19news.com/story/41644910/virginias-recidivism-rate-remains-lowest-in-the-country|publisher=WCAV|title=Virginia's recidivism rate remains lowest in the country|date=February 3, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Jeff|last=Schwaner|date=April 1, 2019|title=Explaining recidivism rates in Virginia, why the conversation around them is limited|url=https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/local/2019/04/01/virginia-recidivism-rates-how-many-reoffenders-jail-criminal-justice/3274008002/|work=The News Leader}}</ref> Virginia has the fourth lowest violent crime rate and thirteenth lowest property crime rate {{as of|2018|lc=on}}.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://apnews.com/4b62ec4728454e0186dc5139937f5dd9 |work= Associated Press |title= Virginia ranks among states with lowest crime rates |first= Jaclyn |last= Barton |date= October 9, 2019 |access-date= March 4, 2020}}</ref> Between 2008 and 2017, arrests for drug-related crimes rose 38%, with 71% of those related to [[Cannabis in Virginia|marijuana]],<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/sites/dcjs.virginia.gov/files/publications/research/virginia-index-crime-and-drug-arrest-trends-2008-2017.pdf |title= Virginia Index Crime and Drug Arrest Trends 2008–2017 |website= Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services |date= May 2019 |access-date= March 25, 2021}}</ref> which Virginia [[Decriminalization of non-medical cannabis in the United States|decriminalized]] in July 2020 and [[Legality of cannabis by U.S. jurisdiction|legalized]] in July 2021.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/northam-considers-marijuana-bill-some-virginians-push-legalization-2021/65-f40dad44-fbf7-4d58-9bf7-d67213c3b91e |title= As Northam considers marijuana bill, some Virginians push for legalization now |website= WUSA9 |first= John |last= Henry |date= March 23, 2021 |access-date= March 25, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/virginia-marijuana-law-ralph-northam |title= Virginia latest state to legalize marijuana after Gov. Northam signs new law |first= Michael |last=Ruiz |website= Fox Business |date= April 22, 2021 |access-date= April 23, 2021}}</ref>