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Virginia begins a new chapter Saturday with the inauguration of Glenn Youngkin, the first Republican governor to take the oath of office in 12 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Youngkin will be sworn in as the commonwealth\u2019s 74th governor at noon on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond. You can watch the ceremony on NBCWashington.com and in the NBC Washington app.<\/p>\n
Attorney General-elect\u00a0Jason Miyares\u00a0<\/a>and Lieutenant Gov.-elect\u00a0Winsome Sears<\/a> will also be inaugurated. Miyares and Sears will both make history \u2014 the former as the first Latino to serve in the position and Sears as the first woman of color to serve in a statewide office.<\/p>\n Youngkin promised a change in direction in the state, with shifts on COVID-19 policies, education, criminal justice and taxes. A flurry of executive actions are expected not long after he\u2019s sworn in. In an interview Friday, Youngkin said to expect action on Day One.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re going to work tomorrow, and you\u2019re going to see a lot of movement get started tomorrow,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u201cWe made a lot of commitments and we\u2019re going to keep them.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what to know about the ceremonies Saturday and Youngkin\u2019s plans and policies for his term.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJulie Carey reports on what the governor-elect hopes to get done on day one and in the years ahead.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Youngkin will be sworn in on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022. The ceremonies are set to begin at noon, there will be a swearing-in ceremony and then Youngkin will start his tenure.<\/p>\n About 6,000 people are expected to attend the inauguration in very cold temperatures.<\/p>\n Tickets are required to attend the event on Capitol Square. Due to capacity restrictions, tickets were made available through a lottery and are no longer available. Ticket holders can enter the square starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Virginia Capitol Police said. <\/p>\n A traditional inaugural parade will kick off after the ceremony. Participants will include members of the Virginia National Guard, Virginia university and high school students, NASA representatives and law enforcement officers, according to Youngkin’s transition team.<\/p>\n A number of parking restrictions and street closures will be in effect in Richmond from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, NBC12 reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n Youngkin, who emphasized his outsider status and Virginia roots during his run, planned a mix of high-dollar, exclusive events and public events. The inaugural weekend theme is \u201cStrengthen the Spirit of Virginia Together.\u201d<\/p>\n The first of Youngkin’s inaugural weekend events got underway Friday morning, when the governor-elect participated in a service event with local officials, helping landscape an area along the Richmond Slave Trail, a tribute to the critical role the city played in the domestic slave trade.<\/p>\n More inaugural events include<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n The positions of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general will each be transferred from Democrats to Republicans. Winsome Sears will be sworn in as lieutenant governor and become the first woman of color to serve in the role. Jason Miyares will be sworn in as attorney general, making history as the first Latino in the position.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNorthern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey talks with Virginia’s Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Youngkin said he will lift the state\u2019s school mask mandate and change other COVID-19 policies after taking office<\/a>. The change in direction is expected amid what the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association called the fifth surge of the pandemic.<\/p>\n Youngkin said in an interview Wednesday that Virginia would no longer require children to wear masks in schools.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re gonna rescind the mandate that requires K-12 children to wear a mask to school, and we\u2019ve been quite clear about that,\u201d he told WTKR-TV in Norfolk<\/a>, repeating a point he made while campaigning.\u00a0<\/p>\n School districts will be able to keep mask recommendations in place, but parents can choose not to follow them, he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n “The way that Virginia works is that the governor cannot ban mask mandates. Schools make those decisions,\u201d he said. \u201cWe will in fact, then, also make sure that schools allow parents to exercise their rights for what\u2019s best for their children, to opt-out of those mandates.”<\/p>\n Youngkin\u2019s office did not respond to an inquiry about whether he will lift the K-12 mask mandate on his first day in office, or what he would tell parents who fear the policy change will spread the virus.\u00a0<\/p>\n The incoming governor has promised a new approach to the pandemic. He has encouraged vaccination but opposed vaccine and mask mandates, emphasizing personal choice. Go here to see more reporting on his positions and plans on COVID<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Youngkin may usher in dramatic changes on criminal justice. He and incoming Attorney General Jason Miyares have adopted a \u201ctough on crime\u201d stance. The governor\u2019s Day One plan on criminal justice includes \u201ckeeping violent criminals off our streets,\u201d fully funding law enforcement, protecting qualified immunity for officers and firing the parole board.<\/p>\n Virginia political analyst Bob Holsworth said he expected \u201can absolute sea change\u201d on criminal justice in Virginia, comparing Northam and former Attorney General Mark Herring\u2019s objectives to those of Youngkin and Miyares.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVirginia\u2019s Democratic attorney general is leaving office in two days, but he\u2019s taking a final, dramatic action he hopes will send a message about the commonwealth\u2019s need to confront racist policies of the past. Northern Virginia Bureau Chief Julie Carey explains.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Youngkin has said he wants to be known as \u201cThe Education Governor.\u201d His plan for Day One includes banning critical race theory, though it\u2019s not part of any public school curriculum; \u201ckeeping schools open safely five days a week;\u201d raising teacher pay; investing in special education and creating a least 20 new charter schools.\u00a0<\/p>\n He has said he will respect teachers beliefs about LGBTQ issues, as well as require schools to have school resource officers.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVirginia\u2019s next administration is taking shape with Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin announcing his pick for education secretary. Aimee Guidera had a child in Fairfax County Public Schools and has an extensive background in education advocacy and policy. Northern Virginia Bureau Reporter Drew Wilder reports one of the groups she founded also stresses the importance of understanding how race impacts a child\u2019s education.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nWhen Is the 2022 Virginia Governor\u2019s Inauguration?<\/h2>\n
What Other Inauguration Events Are Planned for Youngkin?<\/h2>\n
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Who Else Is Inaugurated Saturday?<\/h2>\n
Governor Youngkin\u2019s Plan for COVID\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Governor Youngkin\u2019s Plan for Criminal Justice\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Governor Youngkin\u2019s Plan for Education\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Governor Youngkin\u2019s Plan for Abortion\u00a0<\/h2>\n