Virginia General Assembly - Definition and Overview

The Virginia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Virginia. Its existence dates from the establishment of the House of Burgesses at Jamestown in 1619. It became the General Assembly in 1776 with the ratification of the Virginia Constitution.

The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members, and an upper house, the Virginia Senate, with 40 members. The House of Delegates is presided over by a Speaker of the House, while the Senate of Virginia is presided over by the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia

The General Assembly meets at the state capital of Richmond, Virginia. It is the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere.

External links

• Virginia General Assembly (http://legis.state.va.us/)