Legislators report on bills likely to pass – or fail – in Richmond
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| Sen. Saslaw speaks to constituents at a Legislative Town Hall. |
Three members of the Virginia legislature who represent the
Annandale/Mason area – Sen. Dick Saslaw, Sen. Dave Marsden, and Del. Kaye Kory –
gave a progress report on the session Feb. 7.
Annandale/Mason area – Sen. Dick Saslaw, Sen. Dave Marsden, and Del. Kaye Kory –
gave a progress report on the session Feb. 7.
Saslaw spoke in defense of the so-called Dominion bill, which passed
the Senate Feb. 6. The bill would protect Virginia Dominion Power from state
review of utility rate increases for the next five years in light of a U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency requirement calling for states to reduce
carbon emissions to certain levels by 2020. That requirement means Dominion might have to shut
down some of its coal plants.
the Senate Feb. 6. The bill would protect Virginia Dominion Power from state
review of utility rate increases for the next five years in light of a U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency requirement calling for states to reduce
carbon emissions to certain levels by 2020. That requirement means Dominion might have to shut
down some of its coal plants.
While some electrical rates could rise, the base rate will
remain the same. Dominion will absorb $82 million in costs that will not be
passed on to consumers and will not pass along costs resulting from snowstorms,
hurricanes, or other natural disasters.
Saslaw said Virginia has tougher standards than some other states and
is being unfairly penalized because it already has lower pollution levels. He also noted the League of Conservation Voters and Southern Environmental
Law Center support the bill.
is being unfairly penalized because it already has lower pollution levels. He also noted the League of Conservation Voters and Southern Environmental
Law Center support the bill.
The Dominion bill also calls for Virginia to move toward
solar energy. “It’s huge for Virginia to say solar is in the public interest,”
Marsden said, as the coal industry has been so dominant in the commonwealth.
solar energy. “It’s huge for Virginia to say solar is in the public interest,”
Marsden said, as the coal industry has been so dominant in the commonwealth.
Several taxi drivers showed up at the Town Hall to urge
legislators to ban on Uber and other app-based ride-sharing
services or at least make them subject to the same regulations as cab companies. They complained Uber has an unfair competitive advantage resulting in
lost income for cab drivers.
legislators to ban on Uber and other app-based ride-sharing
services or at least make them subject to the same regulations as cab companies. They complained Uber has an unfair competitive advantage resulting in
lost income for cab drivers.
Several bills are under consideration to permit Uber, Lyft,
and others to operate in Virginia but would require drivers to have liability insurance
and would impose other rules to ensure the safety of passengers, such as requiring background
checks of drivers.
and others to operate in Virginia but would require drivers to have liability insurance
and would impose other rules to ensure the safety of passengers, such as requiring background
checks of drivers.
Kory said two of the education-related bills she supports
are moving forward. One would let local school systems set their own calendars.
The other would expand the types of conditions requiring individualized
educational programs for students in special education to include dyslexia.
are moving forward. One would let local school systems set their own calendars.
The other would expand the types of conditions requiring individualized
educational programs for students in special education to include dyslexia.
Kory said Virginia will be one of the first states to allow ABLE
(Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts. Congress enacted the ABLE law in December permitting families to set up tax-deferred custodial
accounts to help people with disabilities cover housing, healthcare, and other
costs.
(Achieving a Better Life Experience) accounts. Congress enacted the ABLE law in December permitting families to set up tax-deferred custodial
accounts to help people with disabilities cover housing, healthcare, and other
costs.
Objections to a bill allowing children of immigrants who
meet certain criteria to be eligible for the in-state tuition rate at state
colleges have been voted down, Kory said, so this measure will take
effect.
meet certain criteria to be eligible for the in-state tuition rate at state
colleges have been voted down, Kory said, so this measure will take
effect.
Marsden cited an important bill passed by the Senate that
allows epileptic children to have access to certain type of medical marijuana
that is effective in reducing seizures.
allows epileptic children to have access to certain type of medical marijuana
that is effective in reducing seizures.
According to Marsden,
legislators can get things accomplished without having to pass a bill – and that’s
often the only way to make progress when a lawmaker is in the minority party.
legislators can get things accomplished without having to pass a bill – and that’s
often the only way to make progress when a lawmaker is in the minority party.
For example, Marsden had been working for six years to make
sure the 21,000 people on Virginia’s sex offender registry are given an
easy-to-understand document outlining the 37 pages of the Virginia Code that
affect them. Unable to get a bill passed, he was able to convince state
officials to produce a pamphlet spelling
out the regulations applying to sex offenders.
sure the 21,000 people on Virginia’s sex offender registry are given an
easy-to-understand document outlining the 37 pages of the Virginia Code that
affect them. Unable to get a bill passed, he was able to convince state
officials to produce a pamphlet spelling
out the regulations applying to sex offenders.
In another example, Marsden failed to get the General
Assembly to pass a bill outlawing fox penning, an inhumane practice in which
hunters shoot foxes within a fence-enclosed area. Instead, he got the attorney
general to cut the number of foxes allowed, which is making the “sport” less
economically viable, and as a result, fox penning businesses are starting to
close.
Assembly to pass a bill outlawing fox penning, an inhumane practice in which
hunters shoot foxes within a fence-enclosed area. Instead, he got the attorney
general to cut the number of foxes allowed, which is making the “sport” less
economically viable, and as a result, fox penning businesses are starting to
close.
Marsden’s attempts to pass a bill aimed at reducing
concussions among high school football players didn’t succeed, but he was able
to convince the state organization that oversees the sport to limit
full-contact practice times.
concussions among high school football players didn’t succeed, but he was able
to convince the state organization that oversees the sport to limit
full-contact practice times.
Following the conviction of former governor Robert
McDonnell, the General Assembly is expected to strengthen ethics laws. Bills
under discussion would limit gifts to public officials to $100 or less and cap
intangible gifts, such as meals and tickets to sports events.
McDonnell, the General Assembly is expected to strengthen ethics laws. Bills
under discussion would limit gifts to public officials to $100 or less and cap
intangible gifts, such as meals and tickets to sports events.
Mason Supervisor Penny Gross, who was in the audience, urged
the lawmakers to exclude people appointed to boards and commissions from
stronger financial disclosure rules. That would discourage people from
volunteering for those positions, she said.
the lawmakers to exclude people appointed to boards and commissions from
stronger financial disclosure rules. That would discourage people from
volunteering for those positions, she said.
Among other issues that came up during the Legislative Town
Hall:
Hall:
- Several bills aimed at curbing gun violence,
including a requirement for background checks at gun shows, were defeated.
A bill that would have made it a misdemeanor for a child 4 years old or
younger to use a firearm also failed. - The Senate passed a bill to ratify the Equal
Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect women’s rights, but the
measure is expected to die in the House. - Bills addressing campus rape, in response to the
high-profile incident at the University of Virginia, are still in play. One
bill that would require colleges to report sexual assaults to the police within
24 hours has been subject to privacy concerns among advocates of victims’ rights. Kory said her bill to designate April as Sexual
Awareness Month in Virginia is likely to pass. - Saslaw supports legislation that would allow
localities to impose a tax on plastic bags, but it isn’t expected to pass. - A measure, promoted by ultraconservatives,
calling for the U.S. Constitution to be rewritten, has been rejected, Saslaw said. Had it
passed, he said, “every nut job in America, on the right and the left,” would
come forward to redo the Constitution. - In response to many complaints he’s received
from constituents, Saslaw reported that Annandale Road will be repaved in
2015-16.
According to Marsden, there’s a real divide within
Virginia, although just about everyone supports the concepts of liberty, freedom,
equality, and justice.
Virginia, although just about everyone supports the concepts of liberty, freedom,
equality, and justice.
People in the rural, southern parts of the state stress
liberty and freedom, which means they believe people should be allowed to shoot
a gun anywhere and let their dogs poop wherever they want, for example, he said. In heavily populated Northern Virginia,
equality and justice take precedence, and people are more likely to understand
the need for regulations.“That’s our challenge in Richmond,” he said. “We have to
incorporate all four words.”
liberty and freedom, which means they believe people should be allowed to shoot
a gun anywhere and let their dogs poop wherever they want, for example, he said. In heavily populated Northern Virginia,
equality and justice take precedence, and people are more likely to understand
the need for regulations.“That’s our challenge in Richmond,” he said. “We have to
incorporate all four words.”
> Several taxi drivers showed up at the Town Hall to urge legislators to ban on Uber
Mmm hmm. Cry me a river.
Marsden sounds like a real dimwit with those basic generalizations.
+1
"Mason Supervisor Penny Gross, who was in the audience, urged the lawmakers to exclude people appointed to boards and commissions from stronger financial disclosure rules. That would discourage people from volunteering for those positions, she said."
Of course, in Penny-world (aka Mason District), you get to pick and choose which parts of local government are transparent (those you have no interest in) and those that are not (who I put on boards and commissions and how much they give to my "Supervisor for Life" career placement). Yeah, I'd be embarrassed if I had to admit that I contributed anything in support of her being in public office, too.
Please encourage passage of the Equal Rights Amendment by the house. It's disgraceful that in this day and age we can't pass a law that prohibits discrimination against half our population.