Subcommittee halts House version of unfunded mandate for deputy sheriffs’ salaries
A bill requiring an increase in minimum salaries for deputy sheriffs failed to advance in the House, as the legislation was voted to be carried over until 2021 in subcommittee. HB 1302 (Hurst) is the House counterpart to SB 1085 (Pillion), which was previously stricken in favor of studying the issue for the next year. […]
VACo supports maintaining authority of Counties to address impacts of large-scale solar
This year the legislature is considering several bills that would limit and restrict local land use authority to address impacts due to the placement and operation of utility-scale solar projects. VACo opposes these efforts that include the following legislative proposals: HB 657 (Heretick) and SB 893 (Marsden) exempt a solar facility that is 150 megawatts […]
Virginia Food Access Investment Fund survives Senate Finance
The Virginia Food Access Investment Fund (VFAIF) has survived the powerful Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, reporting with amendments to the full Senate by a vote of 13-0. SB 1073 (McClellan) provides funding for the construction, rehabilitation, equipment upgrades, or expansion of grocery stores, small food retailers, and innovative food retail projects in underserved communities. […]
Legislation to allow local discretion over certain real property tax exemptions fails
HB 679 (LaRock) addresses a situation created in 2002 when a Constitutional Amendment was approved by voters allowing localities to grant certain real or personal property tax exemptions by ordinance for property used for religious, charitable, or other public purposes, within certain criteria. Prior to this time, these property tax exemptions were granted by the […]
Helpful clean energy financing bill advances to full House
A bill that could help localities take advantage of creative clean energy financing mechanisms has successfully passed out of committee and will now be taken up by the full House of Delegates. HB 654 (Mugler) authorizes the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME) to sponsor a statewide clean energy financing program. More specifically, this legislation […]
Problematic animal shelter bill advances out of subcommittee
A troubling bill pertaining to animal shelter policies and practices advanced out of subcommittee late last week. HB 1279 (O’Quinn) increases from five to 10 the number of days an animal confined by a public or private animal shelter or releasing agency shall be kept prior to disposal of the animal unless sooner claimed by […]
Bill clarifying local ability to exempt forestry equipment from personal property taxes moves forward
HB 1021 (Adams, L.) amends a Code section dealing with a local option to exempt farm machinery from personal property taxation. The bill authorizes a local option to exempt equipment and machinery used for forest harvesting and silvicultural activities and was brought at the request of the Virginia Loggers Association in order to clarify that […]
Public employee striking bill struck
On January 30, HB 67 (Carter) was struck at the request of the patron in the House Labor and Commerce Committee. The bill would have authorized non-law enforcement public employees to engage in strikes or work stoppages without having been deemed to terminate their employment and prohibited from re-employment by a public employer in the […]
Litter tax repeal fails in subcommittee
Members of House Finance Committee’s Subcommittee #3 heard several bills on January 31 relating to litter tax, which is levied on manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers of certain products, including groceries, soft drinks, beer, wine, and paper products, at the rate of $10 per year per business location. An additional $15 is levied on each […]
Capitol Contact ALERT – Call Your Legislators Now to Support Revenue Fairness Bills
HB 785 (Watts) and similar bills SB 484 (Favola) and SB 588 (Hanger) would allow revenue diversification for Counties by providing important additional tools to fund core services. HB 785 was recommended for reporting by a subcommittee of the House Finance Committee on February 3 and will be heard by the full committee this week. […]
VACo opposes extending state-mandated exemption from local taxes for large solar projects
HB 1131 (Jones) and SB 762 (Barker), if adopted, would extend a state mandate to exempt utility-scale solar projects from local tax to 2030 (currently set to expire in 2024). HB 1131 will be heard in the House Finance Committee’s Subcommittee #2 on Monday February 3 at 8 a.m. in room 400-C of the Pocahontas […]
Virginia Food Access Investment Fund moves forward
Delegate Delores McQuinn’s Virginia Food Access Investment Fund (VFAIF) cleared its first hurdle Wednesday evening, surviving the Agriculture Subcommittee of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee. HB 1509 (McQuinn) creates the Virginia Food Access Investment Program and Fund to provide funding for the construction, rehabilitation, equipment upgrades, or expansion of grocery stores, small […]
Bill raising minimum wage advances
On January 27, SB 7 (Saslaw) advanced from the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on a 12-3 vote. This bill would incrementally raise the minimum wage from the current federally mandated rate of $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour for eligible employees by July 1, 2025. The bill specifically includes state and local governments, […]
Comprehensive harm reduction bills advance
Legislation enacted in 2017 authorized the Commissioner of Health to establish local or regional comprehensive harm reduction programs during a declared public health emergency. These programs aim to reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases and to provide information to individuals struggling with addiction about recovery services, and allow for the provision of sterile hypodermic needles […]
“Forever Chemical” bills head to House floor
Two bills seeking to study and address certain chemical contaminants in Virginia’s drinking water have been reported out the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee and will be heard on the floor of the House of Delegates. Both bills attempt to focus on the growing concern over the threats of PFAS chemicals, which is the […]
Epinephrine mandate removed; bill now permissive
HB 1147 (Keam), as introduced, would require “every public place” to make epinephrine available for administration, and would authorize any employee of a public place who is authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of epinephrine to possess the drug and administer it to someone who is believed to be experiencing an anaphylactic […]