Car Title Loans in Virginia = Disaster

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) just released the 2014 statistics on car title loans in Virginia and there is good news and bad news. The good news is the number of loans is down 13%. The bad news is an enormous amount of these loans end in disaster and it’s only going to get worse.  […]

The Stress of Student Debt

Do you think there is a student loan debt crisis in the U.S.?  No?  What if we told you that 40 million borrowers owe $1.2 trillion in student debt and 8 million borrowers are in default on $110 billion of that debt? Is inadequate student loan servicing contributing to the student loan default crisis?  Student […]

86 and Counting…

The Community Eligibility Provision also includes significant benefits for schools.  The measure reduces administrative costs because staff no longer collect, certify, or verify school meal applications.  The measure also increases efficiency.  For example, lunch lines move more quickly, helping schools overcome the challenges caused by short lunch periods. During its debut in Virginia, CEP was […]

Your Health: Overweight but Underfed can be Troubling Paradox

By Tammie Smith, Richmond Times-Dispatch At a conference focused on childhood obesity, LaTonya Reed’s presentation focused on the paradox of people being overweight or obese but at the same time being underfed or malnourished. Reed, director of Virginia Hunger Solutions, was one of the speakers at the Weight of the State youth obesity prevention conference […]

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Why should you care about sexual assault?  Because, unfortunately, sexual violence touches so many of us, not “just” women. According to statistics collected by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Division of Violence Prevention: Nearly 1 in 5 (18.3%) women and 1 in 71 men (1.4%) reported experiencing rape at some time in […]

Transparency Virginia Issues Report

A report released this week by Transparency Virginia, a coalition we joined during the General Assembly Session, shows that the legislative process in the Commonwealth lacks transparency and the average citizen is often kept in the dark about things like committee meetings, how legislators voted on certain bills and the process as a whole.   […]

Report: One in Seven Hungry in Virginia

By Dan Heyman, Public News Service-VA RICHMOND, Va. – One Virginian in every seven risks going hungry, according to a new report, and that number is higher in some parts of the state. According to a new national analysis from the Food Research and Action Center, slightly more than 15 percent of Virginians live with food […]

Virginia is Second Southern State to Ban the Box

State employment applications will no longer have a question asking potential employees whether they have a criminal history.  As of Friday, April 3, Virginia has officially “banned the box” due to an Executive Order signed by Governor McAuliffe.  “Ban the box” refers to a legislative and executive trend across the country requiring or encouraging employers […]

Auto Title Loans Riskier Than Payday Loans, New Report Says

By Herb Weisbaum, NBC News Digital When you’re desperate for cash and have run out of options, you might be willing to risk your car to buy yourself some time. That’s what happens with an auto title loan. You keep your car, but sign over the title to the lender who uses the vehicle as […]

Governor Terry McAuliffe appoints VPLC’s Christie Marra to Child Support Guideline Review Panel

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will build a new Virginia economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth. Secretariat of the Commonwealth Board Appointments Board for Professional Soil Scientists, […]

Wiggins: It’s a New Day in the Struggle Against Bad Lending Practices

By Dana Wiggins, Richmond Times-Dispatch Op-Ed Last week, Richmond became the latest battleground in the fight over high-cost loans and the predatory practices that go with them. On Thursday, March 26, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) held a public field hearing on small-dollar payday, car-title, open-ended line of credit, Internet and installment loans. This […]

Payday Loan Debt Relief: In Reality, Provides No Relief At All

“Are payday loans ruining your life? Do you have more payday loans than you’re able to pay back right now? If you have two or more payday cash advance loans, listen closely…call Payday Loan Debt Relief.” NO!  Don’t call them.  They will take your money and run..leaving you in worse shape.  This according to the […]

Last Week of Healthcare Marketplace Open Enrollment: A Flurry of Activity

By Natasha Evans, CHEP Coordinator On February 16, 2015, Central Virginia and other parts of the state were hit with their first big snow storm of the season. As schools and businesses closed in anticipation of the weather, just one day before on February 15, Enroll Virginia with its team of healthcare navigators, in-person assisters […]

Groups Want More Transparency in Assembly Proceedings

By Patrick Wilson, The Virginian-Pilot A coalition for activist groups want state legislators to be more transparent in how they review issues. Transparency Virginia, a coalition of about 20 groups that includes the League of Women Voters of Virginia, the Virginia Poverty Law Center, ACLU, Sierra Club, Virginia AARP and the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, issued […]

Dangers of Applying for an Online Payday Loan

By Susan Ladika, creditcards.com As consumers move their financial activities online, applying online for a payday loan may seem like the natural thing for a cash-strapped person to do. But you could be setting yourself up for a world of hurt, from paying exorbitant interest rates to having funds swiped from your bank account to […]

Guest Blog: Attending Desk Meetings at the General Assembly

The following is a guest blog post by a VPLC intern: The Virginia legislative process is meant to be transparent. In reaching the goal of transparency during the General Assembly, all meetings listed on the docket are open to the public. So, any member of the public may attend a floor hearing or debate, go […]

Without Medicaid Expansion, VA Paying More to Get Less

By Dan Heyman, Public News Service- VA By choosing not to expand Medicaid, health policy and budget analysts say the General Assembly has put the state in the position of paying more to get less. Virginia lawmakers are expected to fund more than $120 million to provide health coverage for about 50,000 additional state residents. […]

Your Health: Observation Status and Medicare

By Tammie Smith, Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia legislators are considering a bill that would require hospitals to notify patients when their hospital stay is being classified as outpatient observation versus an inpatient admission — a distinction that can affect insurance coverage. Senate Bill 750, carried by Sen. Richard H. Black, R-Loudoun, and others, would require hospitals […]

In Session: Week Four of the General Assembly

This week, we are highlighting how some of our budget priorities played out in the House and Senate budget bills, both of which were released on February 8. Health Care: We were deeply disappointed in the members of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees for their refusal to include the federal funding available to […]

In Session: VPLC Efforts to Help Service Members and Veterans Fall Short at GA

  This week, we want to highlight legislation we worked on at this year’s General Assembly that impact Virginia’s service members and veterans.  We had one success and three setbacks.  We call them setbacks because we will continue to work on these initiatives. First, the success.  A Bill was introduced in the House of Delegate […]

More Virginia Students Get Breakfast at School

By Dan Heyman, Public News Service- VA RICHMOND, Va. – More Virginia students are getting breakfast in school, according to a new report, and hunger-fighting advocates say the state can do more to help boost learning. According to the Food Research and Action Center, more of the kids who need it are gaining access to […]

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