Archive for February, 2014

Yesterday officially marked the halfway point of session, otherwise known as “crossover.” It’s the last day that the House can consider legislation that originated in the House and the last day that the Senate can consider legislation that originated in the Senate (the exception being the budget bills).

While I still want to take this opportunity to offer some crossover highlights, I know what’s likely on most folks mind is the approaching winter storm. It is expected to impact the Shenandoah Valley beginning as early as Wednesday afternoon. Depending upon the track of storm, it appears that we will get 5+ inches with possible wind guest up to 20 MPH. For your convenience, I have provided some resources in the section below that I thought may be useful to you.

Road Conditions

Before getting behind the wheel, call 511, go to www.511virginia.org or download the 511 mobile app to get the latest road condition information

You can also call 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) to report road hazards or ask road-related questions at VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center

For more winter travel information, go to www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp

Other Resources
If you lose power, be sure to report the outage to your respective provider.
Dominion – 1-866-366-4357
Shenandoah Valley Electric Coop. – 1-800-234-7832
Harrisonburg Electric Commission – 540-434-5361

Please make sure to use 9-1-1 only for true emergencies.

For general information about the storm and the response effort, dial 211 or visit www.vaemergency.gov

Please stay safe!

SOL Reform Legislation Passes House

One prominent topic of this year’s session has been Standards of Learning (SOL) assessment reform. The new administration has stated that this is a priority for them, and it is something that many members of the General Assembly have made a priority as well.

When Virginia first adopted the SOL’s a number of years ago, we were pioneers in assessment and accountability. We set high standards, and created accountability among educators.

While I believe that our SOL’s have served us well, it has become apparent to educators, parents and legislators that some changes are needed. For that reason, Delegate Tag Greason introduced House Bill 930. I was pleased to sign on as a co-patron to this legislation. This bill has passed the House and will now move to the Senate for consideration.

House Bill 930 was the result of many months of collaboration between teachers, education leaders, parents, and legislators.

This legislation has four main goals:

To reduce the number of SOL’s in grades 3-8 from 22 to 17. This is a 23% reduction in standardized testing. At this time we did not address SOL testing for high school students, due to complications regarding SOL’s as a requirement for graduation.

To improve the SOL’s by requiring the Department of Education to evaluate the multiple-choice and memorization aspects of the current tests, and move toward more problem solving and critical thinking aspects.

To allow teachers in subjects that do not require an SOL the flexibility to utilize performance assessments to locally evaluate how their children are learning.

To establish a Standards of Learning Innovation Committee made up of stakeholders who will be tasked with evaluating our SOL’s on an ongoing basis.

“Ben’s Law” Moving Forward

I am please to report that HB 976 (Cline) passed the House yesterday. I am the chief co-patron of this legislation, which will make accessory after the fact to a homicide a class 6 felony rather than just a misdemeanor.

You likely recall the recent tragedy of a local young man you was killed outside of an apartment complex in Harrisonburg. While the man that pulled the trigger received a lengthy sentence, the accomplice only received a one year jail sentence. This legislation seeks to require a more appropriate punishment for assisting a homicide.

Update

At crossover I have six bills moving forward, in addition to the bill mentioned above.

Since my previous update, HB 960 has passed the House. This legislation would add computers to the list of items that would be tax exempt during the annual Back to School Tax Holiday. As an offset, the bill decreases the allowable clothing amount to a more appropriate level.

My legislation to prohibit school systems from dismissing teachers and other personnel simply for possessing a firearm in their personal vehicle passed the House yesterday. HB 786 will now move to the Senate for consideration.

Visitors

Bea Morris, a retired teacher who always keeps me informed about issues of importance to teachers and retired educators stopped in for a visit last week. In addition, I was able to meet with Virginia Tech students from our area, members of JMU Student Government, and students representing Virginia 21.

I also had the opportunity to speak with several members of our Rockingham County Board of Supervisors. Yesterday was 4-H day at the Capitol, our local group from Rockingham made the trip to Richmond.

With less than two weeks until crossover, the General Assembly is deep in deliberation over numerous issues that are of importance to the citizens of the Commonwealth. The daily floor session has gotten progressively longer, and committee meetings are often running even longer yet.

In this update, I wanted to go ahead and outline several other bills that I’m patroning that are still moving forward. Additionally, I wanted to provide a brief update on two bills that I had mentioned previously.

HB 776

This legislation actually passed the House today. The bill would allow surviving spouses of military members killed in action to receive in-state tuition at Virginia institutions of higher learning without having to live in Virginia for a certain period of time. Under current Virginia law, veterans that have recently moved to the Commonwealth can receive in-state tuition without having to meet domicile requirements, but this same courtesy is not extended to the surviving spouse of a soldier that has been killed while serving their country.

This legislation will continue our commitment to ensure that the Commonwealth is the best state for veterans and military families to call home. Helping these individuals obtain a college education is one small thing we can do to honor their sacrifice.

The idea for the legislation derived from a constituent who moved to the area following the death of her husband, who was killed while serving in Afghanistan. Following his death, she wanted to start over somewhere fresh and had heard that Virginia had a reputation for being one of the most veteran and military friendly states in the country.

With passage in the House, it will now move to the Senate for consideration.

HB 786

This is a bill that provides some protection for teachers and other school employees that possess a weapon or ammunition in their locked vehicle or conceal carry while in their vehicle on school grounds. Right now, many school systems across the Commonwealth have adopted the policy that personnel can face administrative repercussions, up to and including dismissal, for having an otherwise lawfully obtained weapon in their vehicle. This should not be the case.

Currently, the law allows parents and the general public to conceal carry or possess a weapon in their vehicle while on school property without facing any repercussions. Why should the folks that we trust with our children on a daily basis be denied this same right?

Let me be clear, this bill does not permit or require teachers or administrators to possess a weapon in the school building. It simply addresses weapons in their vehicle. This bill is still awaiting a hearing by the Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee.

HB 960: Back to School Sales Tax Holiday Update

As you may recall, this bill limits the clothing and footwear that can be purchased during the annual Back to School Tax Holiday. It also adds computers to the list of tax exempt items. The intent of this legislation is to tailor the tax exempt items to better suit the needs of families sending their children back to school (or college).

While the bill was reported from subcommittee with some amendments, I still feel that the bill achieves that goal. It will be heard in the full House Finance Committee on Monday.

HB 780: TANF Purchase Restrictions Update

While we were unable to accomplish all that I set out to do with this legislation, I still feel that it contains some reasonable provisions that will help to ensure the proper use of tax dollars in the TANF program.

The bill passed out of the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee this morning and will be heard on the House floor Monday. It still includes a provision to expand the purchase restrictions on alcohol, tobacco, gambling, etc., to all TANF payment methods. Additionally, the bill contains a provision to eliminate mailed checks as a payment method. This action will conserve resources as there will be cost savings by eliminating the need to print and mail checks every month.

Visitors

I had the privilege to meet with numerous constituents over the course of the past few weeks.

I would have to say that the largest contingent of visitors came from our local schools and colleges. I visited with President Alger of JMU, President Swartzentruber representing EMU, and Dr. Downey and students on behalf of Blue Ridge Community College. Additionally, I had a meeting with local school board members (including Kerri Wilson, the current Virginia School Board Association President and City School Board member) and Dr. Fenn and Dr. Kizner, Superintendents for Rockingham and Harrisonburg, respectively.

I also had the privilege to meet with representatives of the Harrisonburg/Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, Rockingham County Fair, Athletic Trainers Association, Shenandoah Valley Climate Action Alliance, Industrial Hemp Coalition, and Tom Rosengarth representing the interests of CPA’s.

While unfortunately sometimes my session schedule simply doesn’t allow me to meet with everyone, Chad was able to speak with folks representing VAIL (Valley Associates for Independent Living), the School Nutrition Association, and several EMU student groups.

If your in Richmond during the General Assembly Session, I would encourage you to stop by my office. I am on the 5th floor of the General Assembly Building, room 526.

Session Contact Information

As a reminder, we are currently working out of our Richmond office during the 2014 General Assembly Session. In Richmond, we can be reached by phone at (804) 698-1026. You can send mail to P.O. Box 406, Richmond, VA 23218. Please continue to send email to [email protected].

As you might imagine, we are receiving a substantial amount of email right now. While we do our best to respond in a reasonable time frame, I apologize in advance for any delayed response. However, I can assure you that we are making note of your emails regarding specific legislation that is being considered this session, and I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind when given the opportunity to vote on these matters.

Thank you for continuing to allow me to serve as your representative in Richmond!

Tony

The 2014 General Assembly Session officially began this past Wednesday, January 8. While we have 15 new faces in the House of Delegates this year, in addition to a new Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General, there are several familiar traditions that were honored this past week.

The first order of business was the swearing-in ceremony. While this was my third swearing-in, I can assure you that I still take that oath very seriously. I promise you that I will serve the citizens of the 26th District to the best of my ability. I greatly appreciate the continued opportunity to represent you in Richmond.

Wednesday evening Governor McDonnell gave his last State of the Commonwealth address to the Joint Assembly. He highlighted several accomplishments his office has achieved over the last four years and thanked the citizens of the Commonwealth, staff, and General Assembly members for helping return Virginia to the number one ranking as the best state for business. Virginia’s focus on job creation resulted in 177,000 new jobs and an unemployment rate of 5.4%, a full 2 points lower than when Governor McDonnell entered office. The Governor also highlighted our record budget surpluses, major reforms to our public education system, and the increased investment into our state’s savings account, the Rainy Day Fund. I consider Governor McDonnell a great colleague and friend and thank him for a very productive and beneficial four years. I believe he will be recognized as one of the most effective Governors in recent memory.

This Saturday Terry McAuliffe was sworn in as Virginia’s 72nd Governor, Ralph Northam as the Lieutenant Governor and Mark Herring as the Commonwealth’s Attorney General, respectively. While we will not always agree on the issues, I look forward to working with the new Governor and members across the aisle to find common ground on issues that matter to all Virginians. We must maintain Virginia’s status as one of the best states in which to live and do business. I think most everyone can agree that we do not want the gridlock and constant bickering that we see in Washington to become the norm in Virginia.

Chesapeake Subcommittee Chairmanship

I am pleased to announce that I have been appointed Chair of the Chesapeake Subcommittee of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee. Agriculture Committee Chairman Ed Scott announced the appointment today.

I’m honored to be named Chair of a subcommittee that deals with matters that are of critical importance to many Valley residents, including our farmers. This subcommittee handles legislation related to water quality programs, the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and fisheries. In the past decade, the Commonwealth has made great strides in improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. We need to continue this progress while taking a reasonable and measured approach to protect our resources. In this new role I will continue to remain mindful of the need to limit regulation on our farmers, waterman, and other businesses. With this appointment, I hope to provide a voice for Valley residents that utilize various water quality programs and that are impacted by numerous requirements and regulations that fall under the domain of this subcommittee.

My Legislation

While it’s not set in stone at this point, it appears that I will have eight or nine bills this session, along with several resolutions. In addition, I am chief co-patron on two pieces of legislation and will likely sign on as a co-patron to several measures. While none of my legislation has gone before committee to date, they will all be heard in the coming weeks. I won’t highlight all of my bills in this newsletter, but I would like to touch on a few of the measures.

HB 960: Back to School Sales Tax Holiday Reform

Every August Virginia holds what is commonly known as the “Back to School” Sales Tax Holiday. During the first weekend in August school supplies up to a $20 value per item and clothing and footwear up to a $100 value per item are exempt from Virginia’s sales tax. The idea is to give families some relief from the high costs associated with sending kids back to school.

However, I believe that some much needed changes are in order to refocus the intent of the tax holiday. My bill will narrow the scope of what items are exempt from sales tax during the annual holiday to those items which are customarily used on a regular basis by students during the school day. The current exempt list for clothing and footwear contains items such as bathing suits, lingerie, costumes, and wedding dresses, among many others that are in no way associated with regular school clothing or supplies. This bill will hopefully eliminate these items.

While reducing the permitted clothing list, I’m attempting to add personal computers to the list of tax exempt items. In today’s technological age, students at all grade levels utilize computers and computer supplies on a daily basis. I’m proposing a reasonable cap of $500 on the tax exempt price for personal computers. While I understand that there are many models with a retail price above $500, there are still numerous decent options available under this threshold.

Since it is the “Back to School” Sales Tax Holiday, the idea should be to offer families and students a break on items that are essential to starting the school year back, not for planning a wedding or going to the pool.

HB 780: TANF Purchase Restrictions

As you may recall, last year I successfully carried a bill which prohibits the purchase of certain products and services with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF – Welfare) benefits. These items include tobacco products, alcohol, pornography, tattoos, piercings, and patronage of strip clubs or gambling establishments. I think we can all agree that such items should not be purchased with taxpayer dollars.

While last year’s legislation was a good starting point, I’m proposing a few simple changes to the law that I’m hoping can promote compliance with the new requirement. I recognize that any solution needs to have minimal financial impact, as we need to be careful not to “spend a dollar to save a nickel”. Included in the bill is a provision to eliminate the check payment option. Additionally, I intend to extend the code language to include the purchase restrictions for direct deposit. Currently, the law only applies to electronic debit transactions. Additionally, the bill contains a provision requiring the debit card to contain an insignia that would clearly identify the card as a TANF benefit card. This way, retailers will be able to identify when someone is attempting to purchase a prohibited item or service with a TANF benefits debit card.

While I realize that the vast majority of TANF dollars in Virginia are being spent for basic necessities, I believe that we should have some basic solutions in place to ensure their proper use.

Weekly Visitors

I was pleasantly surprised to visit with numerous constituents last week. Among them, I met with several local veterans representing the VFW, a group of pro-life constituents, and ladies here for the annual Republican Women’s Federation Luncheon. Additionally, I was able to discuss issues of interest with Greg Godsey who represented local bankers, Susan Null of the Harrisonburg Pregnancy Center, and David McGraw who was here on behalf of JMU faculty.

If your in Richmond during the General Assembly Session, I would encourage you to stop by my office. I am on the 5th floor of the General Assembly Building, room 526.

Session Contact Information

We are currently working out of our Richmond office during the 2014 General Assembly Session. In Richmond, we can be reached by phone at (804) 698-1026. You can send mail to P.O. Box 406, Richmond, VA 23218. Please continue to send email to [email protected].

Tony