The VPM Daily Newscast contains all your Central Virginia news in just 5 to 10 minutes. Episodes are recorded the night before.
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Here’s a recap of the top stories on the morning of Feb. 13, 2025:
State lawmakers have days to resolve ‘MOMnibus’ bills
Reported by VPM News’ Jahd Khalil
The bulk of remaining bills in state Democrats’ maternal health package, dubbed the “MOMnibus bill,” are awaiting action in the Virginia Senate as the legislative session enters its final days.
The package includes creating a Commission on Women’s Health Policy and a pregnancy app for Virginia Medicaid recipients. Other bills would make pregnancy a condition automatically eligible for Medicaid and allow pregnant people to enroll on the Virginia Health Benefit Exchange as a new qualifying life event.
It also has a suite of legislation on midwifery, such as expanding midwife practices, guaranteeing pay parity and allowing them to be on call 24 hours a day. A pair of bills awaiting a vote in both chambers would expand doula coverage in the postpartum period. And another would require obstetrics training in all hospitals.
It’s unclear how many of these may become law.
Mental health experts help Richmond students facing immigration fears
Reported by VPM News’ Keyris Manzanares
As the Trump Administration makes immigration a policy focus, Latino students in Richmond are experiencing increased anxiety around potential family separation or deportation, leading to increased stress, depression and academic struggles, experts say.
Lissette Coreas, Huguenot High School’s in-school ChildSavers clinician, said students need a safe space to share their fears and feel empowered.
“Having to go on every single day, coming to school, knowing that you have something that drastic going on at home, it shifts their focus from school to that stressor in their life,” she said. “It's not something that they're going to get over from one day to the next. It’s a process.”
The estimated number of immigrants without legal status living in the United States is 11 million — about 850,000 of whom are children under the age of 18, according to Pew Research Center. The organization estimates 4.4 million children under the age of 18 live in mixed-status households, where some lack legal status and some are U.S. citizens.
News you might have missed from around the commonwealth
- Trump abolishes Federal Executive Institute, imperils dozens of Charlottesville jobs (The Daily Progress)*
- Infrastructure, climate projects across Virginia in jeopardy as Trump targets federal funding (WHRO)
- Republican abortion bill banned from Virginia’s 2025 legislative session (Virginia Mercury)
- Miyares' office hit by cyberattack, most systems down (The Richmond Times-Dispatch)*
- Used books pop-up starts new chapter with Brookland Park storefront (Richmond BizSense)*
*This outlet utilizes a paywall.
