Remembering Middlesex County Supervisor Jack Miller
By Larry Chowning | Southside Sentinel News John D. (Jack) Miller Jr. of Locust Hill, a Middlesex County supervisor for over 22 years and former chair of the board, passed away on Monday, February 19, after a bout with cancer. Mr. Miller served five full terms and most of a sixth term as Saluda District […]
House and Senate pass budgets and name Conferees
On February 22, the House and Senate passed their respective budgets; the budgets were officially placed in conference on February 28, where the differences between the two bills will be negotiated and reconciled. House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox on February 27 named House Appropriations Committee Chairman S. Chris Jones, Delegate Scott Garrett, Delegate Barry […]
Visit Accomack County and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
Points of Interest We encourage you to start your visit at the Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center. There are a variety of exhibits, displays, brochures and wildlife-oriented programs. Refuge staff and volunteers are available to answer questions and help plan activities. Videos are shown by request daily in the visitor center auditorium, and […]
Oppose Wireless Bill Gutting Local Authority Over Siting of Cell Towers – Delegates and Senators to Cast Final Votes this Week
Oppose gutting of local authority to address siting of wireless towers This bad measure, HB 1258 (Kilgore) and SB 405 (McDougle), guts local zoning authority to address the siting of wireless towers. Specifically, they allow wireless companies to place cell towers up to 50 feet tall within rights-of-way without local control. Additionally, for towers of […]
Bill Mandating Land Use Valuation Headed to Senate Floor
HB 1204 (Hugo) is a problematic bill that would require that certain property be assessed based on use value rather than fair market value in certain localities meeting specified population growth criteria (Arlington County and Loudoun County). As introduced, the bill would require that real property of at least five acres that is devoted to […]
Chesapeake Bay Tree Replacement Bill Passes Senate, Heads Back to House
HB 494 (Hodges), which authorizes any locality within the Chesapeake Bay watershed to adopt an ordinance providing for the planting and replacement of trees during development processes, passed the Senate with amendments on February 23 by a 38-0 vote. Currently, only localities with a population density of 75 person per square mile are authorized to […]
Renewable Energy Pilot Program for Schools Heads to Senate Floor
HB 1451 (Sullivan), which directs Dominion Virginia Energy to conduct a renewable energy pilot program at a public school, has reported out of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee and now will be heard by the full senate. The bill establishes that under the pilot program, a public school that generates more electricity from a […]
Support Bill Funding Court Safety
VACo supports SB 827 (Howell), which allows localities to increase assessments made on defendants convicted of violating a statute or ordinance from $10 to up to $20. Revenue from the assessment shall be used for funding courthouse security personnel and, at the request of the Sheriff, other security-related equipment and property. The bill reported out […]
General Laws Bills of Interest
SB 391 (Barker) creates a statewide standard for installation and maintenance of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in rental property. Localities that have enacted ordinances must conform their ordinances by July 1, 2019. These were Housing Commission recommendations. HB 609 (Carr) is the companion bill, and both bills have passed. SB 529 (Mason) removes the […]
Solar Tax Exemption Bill Heads to the House Floor
SB 902 (Lucas) reported out of the House Finance Committee on February 26 by a vote of 18-3. As initially described in VACo’s January 23 Capitol Contact, the bill makes it a local option to provide certain local tax exemptions for solar facilities of a certain size. Under current law, solar facilities greater than 20 MW in […]
Update on Drone Bills
VACo supports SB 186 (Black), which authorizes localities to use unmanned systems, without the requirement of a search warrant, for purposes other than law-enforcement. Such activities include damage assessment, traffic assessment, flood stage assessment, and wildfire assessment. Drones may also be used for private, commercial, or recreational use or for the sole purpose of research and […]
Electric Vehicle Charging Bill Reports to Senate
Delegate David Bulova’s fee-based electric vehicle charging bill successfully reported out of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on February 26 and will now be taken up by the full Senate. HB 922 (Bulova) and its Senate companion bill, SB 908 (McClellan), enable localities, public institutions of higher education, and the Department of Conservation and […]
Procurement Bills Move Forward
SB 652 (McPike) originally would have established Board of Purchases of Services from People with Disabilities. It was amended to require the Secretary of Administration to convene a work group to make recommendations regarding modifications to state procurement policies to incentivize the competitive integrated employment of individuals with significant disabilities, rather than establish a Board. […]
Key Elements of House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committee Budgets
As discussed in Capitol Contact earlier this week, the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees reported their budgets on Sunday, February 18. The full text of the budget amendments proposed by the “money committees” was made available on Tuesday, February 20. Below is an analysis of the key elements of the two budget proposals. The […]
Capitol Contact ALERT – Wireless Bills Gutting Local Authority Over Land Use and Public Rights-of-Way Face Critical Votes Next Week
Take action now against two proposals by the wireless industry that will be voted on the floor early next week. Oppose gutting of local authority to address siting of wireless towers The first bad measure, HB 1258 (Kilgore) and SB 405 (McDougle), guts local zoning authority to address the siting of wireless towers. Specifically, they […]
Support Needed for Legislation Allowing Consolidated Meals Tax/Bond Referendum Question
HB 1390 (Aird) has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee and is expected to be heard next week. The bill applies to an instance in which a county seeks to pay for debt-funded projects with revenues derived from a meals tax, and permits the county to put before the voters a consolidated question on […]