Among 879 bills approved by the General Assembly are new laws ranging from banning text messaging while driving to allowing voters to wear T-shirts with images of candidates when they go to the polls.

The simple, nostalgic act of hanging clothes outside to dry, regaining popularity as an eco-friendly act, has become a full-blown political flap. On one side of the line, proponents of the right-to-dry movement say clotheslines are a green alternative to dryers, which are second only to refrigerators and air conditioners as the top energy consumers in most homes.

Democrat Kristen Amundsen is retiring from the House of Delegates.

Stop the fight. The commonwealth of Virginia should end this foolishness and concede the point to Hanover County activist B.J. Ostergren. A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Ostergren may resume posting the Social Security numbers of Virginia legislators, court clerks and other officials on her Web site, as part of her protest that government sites make such numbers publicly available.

Del. Stephen C. Shannon, D-Fairfax, announced today on the floor of the House of Delegates that he will not seek re-election to the House because he is running for attorney general.

W.W. “ Ted” Bennett wants to return to the state Capitol.

Key policy, spending issues remain to be overcome at the Virginia General Assembly.

Lawmakers prepare to reconcile budget differences

As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on the federal stimulus package, state lawmakers will get a better idea of how much money is available to help Virginia with its budget shortfall.

It’s the day after crossover at the General Assembly, the deadline for each chamber to finish working on its own legislation.