Pod Virginia 2/17/21 Pod Virginia 2/17/21

Should Expungement be Automatic or Petition-based?

Should expungements be automatic or petition-based? What are the relative advantages of the House and Senate versions? We also wargame the conference committee process to determine which provisions of each bill might be included in the final versions.

Guests: Andy Elders of Justice Forward VA, and Cynthia Nwarache with OAR of Richmond, both advocates for expungement reform.

Pod Virginia 2/10/21 Pod Virginia 2/10/21

Transition VA Celebrates One Year

Transition Virginia turns 1 this week! To celebrate, we have our very first guest back on the show, Whittney Evans, from Virginia Public Media (VPM), and the team listens to messages from its friends and listeners.

We also debut exclusive, never before heard audio of Amanda Chase having a meltdown.

Pod Virginia 2/3/21 Pod Virginia 2/3/21

Perception, Reality, …And Justice For All with Del. Danica Roem

Delegate Danica Roem (D-Prince William) joins the Transition Team to discuss her bill to outlaw the panic defense, which allows defendants to use a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity against them in court. She explains why the 1998 murder of Matthew Sheperd left her and the LGBTQ+ community traumatized. We also talk about a related bill in the state Senate that would expand the definition of what a hate crime means. Finally, we take a break from politics and rank all the Metallica albums from her least favorite to most favorite.

Thomas Bowman 1/29/21 Thomas Bowman 1/29/21

Diving into the weeds on marijuana policy: a joint effort

Part 2 of our series on marijuana policy. Jenn Michelle Pedini of NORML is back on the podcast to discuss the status and policy challenges around legalizing marijuana in the 2021 Legislative Session. Ngiste Abebe, of Columbia Care. She served on the governor’s workgroup last year and Ngiste is a member of the Cannabis Trade Federation’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce and Virginia Medical Cannabis Coalition. We dive into the weeds on marijuana policy and the policy debates around equity and inclusion…

Pod Virginia 1/19/21 Pod Virginia 1/19/21

What to expect from the 2021 Legislative Session

Sarah Graham Taylor is back on the pod to tell us what we can expect from Virginia's 2021 legislative session (Hint: Never ending zoom calls).

From an effort to abolish the death penalty to prioritizing public health—this year's regular session is not so regular.

Pod Virginia 12/27/20 Pod Virginia 12/27/20

2020: A year in review with Bold Dominion

What were the biggest stories of 2020? What big stories did you miss? What do we have to look forward to in 2021?

Now that it's in the rear-view mirror, 2020 is officially the worst year ever, but our friends at Bold Dominion help to make it a little better with a year in review.

Pod Virginia 12/17/20 Pod Virginia 12/17/20

What Can Virginia Learn from the 1918 Pandemic?

Author and historian Garrett Peck joins the Transition Team to discuss his book, "The Great War in America," which examines the 1918 Flu pandemic in the context of World War I. We explore lessons learned and what policies we might adapt for the COVID19 pandemic 100 years later. We find this isn't the first pandemic full of grift and misinformation, but it is the first time Americans politicized one.

Pod Virginia 12/12/20 Pod Virginia 12/12/20

Why do Parties Choose a Convention or Primary?

Why do Democrats hold primaries while Republicans increasingly opt for conventions? We get answers from David Ramadan, a former Republican Delegate from Loudoun County now with the Schar School of Public Policy at George Mason University. We also interview Trevor Southerland, former Executive Director of the House Democratic Caucus.

We dissect the Republican Party of Virginia's decision to hold a convention and what that means for Amanda Chase's gubernatorial prospects. What other Republicans might run and how did past conventions play out?

Pod Virginia 12/3/20 Pod Virginia 12/3/20

Why Are Virginia Schools Still Segregated?

Virginia schools are increasingly segregated along racial lines. Kathy Mendes of The Commonwealth Institute and Prof. Genevieve Siegel-Hawley of the VCU School of Education explain their research about why segregation is getting worse, its real-life impacts, and policies to help schools desegregate.

Pod Virginia 11/19/20 Pod Virginia 11/19/20

What is the 'Right to Work' and Should Democrats Repeal It?

Delegate Lee Carter (D-Manassas) and Jason Parker, President of the VA Building and Construction Trades (AFL-CIO) dissect Virginia's Right-to-Work law and explain why it's bad for all Virginians, not just workers. We delve into the politics of repealing the law and its racist, segregationist origins.

Pod Virginia 11/9/20 Pod Virginia 11/9/20

Virginia 2020 Election Results: A bipartisan analysis with Bearing Drift’s Grand New Podcast

Matt Colt Hall and Mike Allers of the Grand New Podcast from The Bearing Drift join Transition Virginia co-hosts Michael Lee Pope (NPR Reporter) and Thomas Bowman (Democratic Political Strategist) for a bipartisan analysis of the 2020 election in Virginia.

Do Democrats need to abandon "Defund the Police?" What do the national results mean for the Virginia GOP? Will the redistricting amendment set the stage for a GOP comeback? Find out on this episode of Transition Virginia.

Pod Virginia 11/2/20 Pod Virginia 11/2/20

Fully Baked: Marijuana Legalization in Virginia

Jenn Michelle Pedini of @NORML and @MattLaslo with The News Station explain the status of cannabis policy in Virginia. They explain the Commonwealth's decriminalization law and explain discuss the considerations behind full legalization and when residents can expect it.

Pod Virginia 10/26/20 Pod Virginia 10/26/20

Will There be a Peaceful Transfer of Power?

Col. Larry Wilkerson with the Transition Integrity Project briefs the Transition Team on ways President Donald Trump might try to contest the election, and what to expect if 2020 becomes the first violent transition of power in American history.

Pod Virginia 10/21/20 Pod Virginia 10/21/20

Wrapping Up the Special Session on COVID-19, Police Reform

Delegate Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington) and State Senator Jennifer Boysko (D-Fairfax & Loudoun) reveal the new laws to reform criminal justice and adjust the budget to account for the COVID-19 pandemic. They also provide a sneak peek at Democratic priorities for the 2021 regular session.

Pod Virginia 10/13/20 Pod Virginia 10/13/20

What Happens if the Redistricting Amendment Passes or Fails?

The Transition Team engages in a thought experiment to examine the Constitutional Amendment on Redistricting and what happens if the amendment passes and if it fails. Our guests include David Ramadan (supports), a former Republican Delegate with the Schar School of Public Policy at George Mason University, and Trevor Southerland (opposes) of Fair Districts VA who opposes the Amendment.

Pod Virginia 10/5/20 Pod Virginia 10/5/20

Red to Blue in the 2020 Elections

Prof. Stephen Farnsworth at the University of Mary Washington’s Center for Media and Leadership Studies provides us with an update on Virginia’s 2020 elections. The team takes a deep dive into Virginia’s 5th congressional district to interview Dr. Cameron Webb a Doctor at UVA Hospital's Coronavirus unit to discuss the impact of COVID on his race. Finally, we get a campaign update from Qasim Rashid in VA-01 and discuss rural broadband.

Pod Virginia 9/28/20 Pod Virginia 9/28/20

The Readjusters

Delegate Schuyler Van Valkenburg (D-Henrico), a civics teacher, and Dr. Paul Levengood of The Marshall Foundation take the Transition to school to enlighten listeners about the most progressive legislature in Virginia History.

George C. Marshall Foundation: https://www.marshallfoundation.org

Pod Virginia 9/21/20 Pod Virginia 9/21/20

Its A Bizarre Crossover

David Ramadan and Trevor Southerland demonstrate what it’s like to chair a conference committee. We take a dive headfirst into the fight between the Virginia House and Senate. Ramadan and Southerland speculate on the fate of bills left hanging in each chamber.

Thomas Bowman 9/14/20 Thomas Bowman 9/14/20

The Fight for Paid Leave

Kim Bobo of the VA Interfaith Center for Public Policy & Audra Grassia with Freedom Va describe the challenge of bringing Paid Sick Leave to all Virginians in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic.

https://www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org/
https://freedomva.org/
https://www.vapaidsickdays.org/

Pod Virginia 9/7/20 Pod Virginia 9/7/20

THE PANDEMIC ELECTION

Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria City) and Tram Nguyen of New Virginia Majority join the Transition Team to discuss election reforms made necessary by the pandemic. Topics include absentee ballots, the USPS, election drop boxes, and a few questions from Patreon patrons.

EPISODES