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RICHMOND-On Wednesday the House of Delegates passed legislation patroned by Delegate Tony Wilt (R-Broadway) to protect student’s personal information. The bill, HB 1, is a top priority for House Republicans after the most recent election cycle revealed gaps in Virginia’s Freedom of Information law. The current law allowed political groups to obtain student cell phone numbers to send spam text messages to students.

“Schools should not be permitted to release personal contact information for students without permission,” said Delegate Wilt. “While it’s not acceptable for political or marketing purposes, I’m especially concerned that someone could use this information with sinister criminal intent. Given the heightened awareness for protecting personal information in the digital age, this bill is a common-sense way to protect the privacy of our students.”

The bill passed the House with language to prohibit the release of personal student contact information to outside groups, businesses or individuals without the express written permission of students or parents. The bill applies to both public K-12 schools and higher education institutions.

The legislation passed the House of Delegates on a vote of 62-35. Following bipartisan support in the House, the bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.

RICHMOND- Ahead of the 2018 General Assembly Session, Delegate Wilt introduced two bills on Monday that will benefit small businesses.

The first, HB 512, is a measure to permanently eliminate the accelerated sales tax requirement that currently exists for many retail businesses. Currently, retailers that have gross sales over a certain amount are required to pay in an estimated amount for their June sales tax collections before the month is even over. For budget purposes, this allows the Commonwealth to count these revenues in the current fiscal year, rather than the next.

“The accelerated sales tax was implemented during the great recession to boost revenue, but I feel the time has come to phase out and permanently end this budget gimmick,” said Delegate Wilt. “For businesses that may be struggling or simply operate on tight margins, this can be a hardship.”

The second bill, HB 513, revises the definition of small business for government procurement purposes. This will ensure business size is appropriately assessed against specific industry standards, as opposed to a single arbitrary threshold that applies to all businesses regardless of the unique aspects of a given industry. In government procurement, some preference is often given to certified small businesses to give them an equal opportunity to compete against large companies that may otherwise always have the advantage. This legislation is the result of discussion and consideration of this issue by the Virginia Small Business Commission. Delegate Wilt was elected Chairman of the Commission in October.

“Given the many new industries that have emerged in the last few decades, I think it’s appropriate to reevaluate our current standard for how we determine what constitutes a small business for procurement purposes. It just makes more sense to compare the size of a business against its own peers, as opposed to other sectors that bear no resemblance in the way operations are conducted.”

The 2018 General Assembly Session will convene in Richmond on Wednesday, January 10.

House Republicans filed the first three bills for the 2018 General Assembly Session on Monday, advancing practical solutions to everyday issues. These bills will protect student privacy, make it easier to find and hire new teachers, and help high school students who participate in dual enrollment programs.

“The House Republican Caucus is unified and committed to advancing policies that help people in practical ways with the problems that matter most to them,” said Speaker-designee Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights). “The legislation filed today is just an early glimpse at the type of common sense approach we will take this session. We are committed to working across the aisle where we can, and these three bills are good examples of that.”

House Bill 1 will protect sensitive data, such as the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and dates of birth, of students enrolled in Virginia public colleges and universities from being released through a Freedom of Information Act request. Media outlets across Virginia this fall brought to light a shady practice being used by some political campaigns to target students by accessing their personal contact information without their knowledge. With the passing of HB1, students must provide consent before their personal information can be shared with any outside individual or group.

“When students and parents provide colleges and universities with their personal information, they should not have to worry that that information will be made public and used inappropriately,” said Delegate Tony Wilt (R-Rockingham), who introduced the legislation after pledging to do so earlier this fall. “In the past, political activist groups and campaigns were accessing this data, unbeknownst to students or their parents. This bill will put a stop to that by giving students and parents direct control over how their personal information is used.”

House Bill 2 will allow a spouse of any member of the armed forces who has a valid out-of-state teaching license to enjoy licensure reciprocity in Virginia. This means that an individual who is currently a licensed teacher in another state and married to a member of the military could seamlessly transition into a Virginia classroom if their family is transferred to Virginia.

“The Commonwealth has one of the largest military populations in the country and also faces a significant teacher shortage,” said Delegate Dickie Bell (R-Staunton), a teacher, veteran, and the patron of HB2. “This legislation is a common sense proposal that will strengthen our commitment to being the most veteran friendly state in the country, while also removing obstacles for licensed, qualified, experienced teachers to get a job here as soon as possible. This will make it easier for our local school leaders to find and hire qualified teachers in our public schools.”

House Bill 3 will require the State Council of Higher Education (SCHEV) to establish quality standards for dual enrollment courses, including standards for instructors, materials, and content. Courses that meet or exceed these quality standards will be certified as “Universal Transfer Courses” and satisfy course credit at any public institution of higher education. This legislation will save students time and money by ensuring dual enrollment programs are working as intended by allowing students to earn college credits while in high school and apply those credits to a 2-year or 4-year degree.

“Too many high school students are working hard and spending extra money for dual enrollment courses, only to get accepted to a two- or four-year institution and find out their dual enrollment courses will not transfer,” said House Education Committee Chairman R. Steven Landes (R-Augusta), who will carry House Bill 3. “This bill sets a clear policy on dual enrollment, eliminating confusion and making sure our kids can start their higher education learning with credits they earned in high school.”

Harrisonburg – With less than a week until Election Day, Delegate Tony Wilt (R-Broadway) announced his final list of endorsements from a wide array of business, economic, agricultural and issue oriented groups.

Delegate Wilt is endorsed by four of the premier business and agriculture advocacy groups in Virginia. He is the preferred candidate of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Virginia REALTORS® RPAC, Virginia Retail Merchants Association and the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation AgPAC.

While they do not endorse, Delegate Wilt also received a 100% A+ ranking earlier this year from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. They base their ranking on legislator’s voting record during the legislative session.

“As a small business owner myself, I am proud to have received the endorsements and high marks from all of Virginia’s leading business and agriculture advocacy groups,” stated Wilt. “In order to grow our economy and create more good paying jobs, we must control government intrusion and foster an economic environment that allows businesses to grow and thrive.

In addition, Delegate Wilt received endorsements from three issue advocacy groups; the Virginia Society for Human Life, National Rifle Association and the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL).

“During my time in office, I have been proud to stand firm in defense of our Second Amendment rights and the right to human life,” said Wilt. “If re-elected, I will continue to defend these rights, which the vast majority of Valley residents support.”

Richmond– On Monday Delegate Tony Wilt (R-Broadway) was elected chairman of the Virginia Small Business Commission during a regular meeting of the group held at the Capitol. The Virginia Small Business Commission exists to study, report, and make recommendations to the General Assembly on issues of concern to small businesses in the Commonwealth.

“I’m honored to receive the confidence of my fellow Commission members. I’ve enjoyed serving as a member of the group and look forward to taking on this new role,” said Wilt. “As a small business owner, I understand the significant role that small businesses play in creating a vibrant local economy. Unfortunately, Virginia’s economic growth is lagging behind many other states and a recent report indicated we are also behind on individual income growth. Since small businesses consistently lead the way in new job creation, this commission is an appropriate venue to consider tax, regulatory and other policy reforms that seek to improve the economic environment for small businesses.”

“I appreciate Delegate Wilt’s willingness to serve in this capacity,” stated the outgoing Chairman of the Commission, Delegate Danny Marshall (R-Danville). “Given his business background, I am confident he will do an excellent job guiding the work of the Commission. Like myself, I know he is committed to advancing policy that will make it easier for Virginia’s small businesses to grow and thrive.”

Small businesses account for 98 percent of the Commonwealth’s employers and employ nearly half of Virginia’s non-government workforce, according to federal government statistics.

Members of the Commission include state legislators, as well as citizen members appointed by the Governor that have a background in small business.

Delegate Wilt was appointed to the Virginia Small Business Commission by Speaker Bill Howell in 2012. He has served in the House of Delegates since 2010 and is currently seeking his 4^th full term in office.

As reported in The Breeze on September 28, James Madison University students recently received unsolicited mass text messages from representatives claiming to be from the Finnegan campaign. This information was retained using a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the school by a representative of NextGen Virginia.  NextGen is a political group funded by California billionaire Tom Steyer.

The text messages claim to be volunteers of the Finnegan campaign, but neither Brent Finnegan nor anyone claiming to be with his campaign requested the data from James Madison University.

While it appears any political campaign or organization may have the ability under current law to retain this information, some have questioned whether this information can actually be used to send unsolicited mass texts to individuals. The Wilt for Delegate campaign has chosen not to obtain it out of respect for student privacy.

“It may be legal to obtain this information through FOIA, but I believe personal cell phone information should only be used selectively to communicate emergency or other vital information to students, not to receive solicitations from outside political groups,” stated Delegate Wilt.  “I hope my opponent will encourage any outside organizations working on his behalf to reconsider this tactic. While I respect anyone’s right to encourage civic engagement in our electoral process, it’s concerning that organizations funded by out-of-state individuals are facilitating this type of aggressive behavior in the Shenandoah Valley to influence the outcome of our elections. This “win at any cost” attitude is best left in California and not brought into our community.”

As the Washington Post reported on August 22, Mr. Steyer is contributing $2 million through NextGen towards the Virginia elections for efforts to register college students and get them to the polls to support Democrat candidates. NextGen America representatives have been on campus registering students since the beginning of the semester.

Harrisonburg – Erin Luper, Virginia State Liaison with the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action announced that Delegate Tony Wilt (R-Broadway) received an “A+” rating and the endorsement of the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF).

The NRA is widely recognized as America’s foremost defender of Second Amendment rights and the premier firearms education organization in the world.

“This endorsement is a reflection of Delegate Wilt’s steadfast support on Second Amendment issues,” stated Erin Luper. “Our members will interpret Delegate Wilt’s rating and endorsement as being a solid pro-gun/pro-hunting candidate who is an advocate for the right to keep and bear arms.”

“I appreciate the support of the NRA-PVF,” said Delegate Wilt. “During my time in the General Assembly I have advanced and consistently supported policy that strengthens the rights of law-abiding gun owners. If reelected I will continue to stand firm in support of these rights and against efforts to place unnecessary restrictions on firearms.”

In addition to this endorsement, Delegate Wilt received high marks earlier this year from another prominent pro-Second Amendment organization in the Commonwealth, the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL). VCDL awarded Delegate Wilt a 100% score based on votes taken during the 2017 General Assembly Session.

If you would like to donate to an organization to assist with the Hurricane Harvey relief effort in Texas and Louisiana, listed below are a brief list of well-known and long established charitable and relief organizations. While there are certainly many other reputable organizations that are worthy of your support, please use caution when solicited by an organization that you are not familiar with. It’s my understanding that there are already scammers looking to take advantage of this tragedy and your generosity.

The American Red Cross – www.redcross.org; 800-RED-CROSS; or text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

The Salvation Army – www.helpsalvationarmy.org; or 800-SAL-ARMY

The United Way – www.uwtexas.org/hurricane- harvey; or text UWFLOOD to 41444

The SPCA of Texas – www.spca.org/

The SPCA of Louisiana – www.la-spca.org/

The Houston Humane Society – http://www.houstonhumane.org/

The Louisiana Humane Society – http://news.humanela.org/

Harrisonburg — The National Federation of Independent Business’ state political action committee has endorsed Tony Wilt in the 26th District House District race.

Delegate Wilt clearly understands the challenges facing Virginia’s job creators,” said Nicole Riley, state director of NFIB Virginia.  “Our members believe he will take a fiscally responsible approach to managing state government and support legislation that helps our small businesses grow and create jobs.”

NFIB Virginia’s agenda in the 2018 legislative session will include tax reform, easing the regulatory burden on small businesses, and bringing health insurance costs under control.

“I appreciate all that NFIB does at the state and federal level to advance policies that are favorable for small businesses and job creation,” said Delegate Wilt. “I’m honored to have their endorsement. Since small businesses represent roughly half of private sector employment and consistently lead the way in new job growth, the success of our economy and job creation absolutely depends on the success of small businesses. The General Assembly must strive to advance policies that encourage small business and job growth.”

NFIB is Virginia’s leading small-business association. The endorsement was made by NFIB Virginia PAC, which is comprised exclusively of NFIB members. NFIB has pledged it will activate its grassroots network on behalf of the campaign. NFIB’s political support is based on the candidates’ positions and records on small business issues.

Harrisonburg – This week Tony Wilt (R-Broadway) received the endorsement of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation (VFBF) AgPAC, a political action committee of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, in the race for the 26th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.

“I am grateful to receive the support and endorsement of the VFBF AgPAC,” said Delegate Wilt. “As a representative of the top ag producing community in the Commonwealth, I understand how critical a vibrant agriculture sector is to our local economy. The success of other sectors of our economy are also tied directly to the success of our local farmers and other ag-related businesses. It’s humbling to have their support. If reelected, I plan to continue to support favorable policy that allows farmers to pursue profitable enterprises while ensuring proper stewardship of our God-given natural resources.”

Tony Wilt is among 94 candidates that Virginia VFBF AgPAC has endorsed for House seats. Endorsements were made based on the recommendations of local committees of farmers.

“Delegate Wilt has demonstrated a clear understanding of the needs and challenges farmers are facing and has proven his support through his favorable voting record in the General Assembly.  We believe Delegate Wilt and the other endorsed candidates will help agriculture and forestry maintain its vitality as the number one industry in Virginia,” said Wayne F. Pryor, chairman of VFBF AgPAC and VFBF president.  “We look forward to working with them in the 2018 Virginia General Assembly.”

The non-partisan VFBF AgPAC was created by Farm Bureau in 1999 and employs in-kind contributions to support candidates who can best support agriculture and Farm Bureau issues.  A full list of candidates endorsed by the committee can be viewed online at vafb.com.

Delegate Wilt currently represents the 26th House District in the Virginia General Assembly. The 26th District includes the City of Harrisonburg and part of Rockingham County.