Author: Gage Harter

Call Now to Oppose Mandating Use Value Taxation for Certain Properties

HB 1204 (Hugo) is a problematic bill that would require 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).  The bill would require that real property of at least five acres that is devoted to open space be […]

Delegate Hodges’ Stormwater Workgroup Bills Head to Governor’s Desk

HB 1307 (Hodges) and HB 1308 (Hodges) were unanimously passed by the Senate on February 20 by votes of 40-0. Having previously passed the House of Delegates on February 6, these two bills now head to the Governor’s desk for signing. The bills, drafted upon the recommendations of the HB 1774 Workgroup (named after Delegate Keith Hodges’s 2017 […]

Cooperative Procurement/Solar PPA Bill Carried Over to 2019

Senator John Edwards’ cooperative procurement/solar power purchase agreements (PPA’s) bill, SB 312 (Edwards), was carried over to 2019 at the request of the patron. Generally speaking, the bill seeks to take solar PPAs out of the cooperative procurement process in order to streamline and expedite solar deployment in localities. More specifically, SB 31 does the […]

Problematic Public Comment and FOIA Penalty Bills Falter in Subcommittee

VACo opposed SB 336 (Peake), which required that every elected public body afford an opportunity for public comment during any open meeting. This bill would require all advisory work groups or other committees formed by local boards to take public comment at all open meetings including work sessions.  VACo explained to House General Laws Committee’ […]

Bulova Stormwater Bills Pass Both Chambers, Await Signature from Governor Northam

Two stormwater bills patroned by Delegate David Bulova have now passed both the House and Senate and will now be sent to Governor Ralph Northam for signing. HB 377 (Bulova) eliminates the requirement to obtain a Virginia Water Protection Permit from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) when modifying stormwater management facilities that was created on […]

Electric Vehicle Charging Bill Passes Both Chambers

After passing the Senate, Senator Jennifer McClellan’s fee-based electric vehicle charging bill cleared the House on February 20 by a 99-0 vote. SB 908 (McClellan) clarifies and expands local authority to locate and operate a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station on locality owned or leased property. HB 922 (Bulova), Delegate David Bulova’s companion bill, […]

Added Penalties for Violations of FOIA

SB 630 (Surovell) provides that in addition to any penalties imposed under FOIA, if a court finds that any officer, employee, or member of a public body failed to provide public records to a requester in accordance with the provisions of FOIA because the official intentionally altered or destroyed the records prior to the expiration of […]

House Appropriations, Senate Finance Report Budgets

The House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees reported their respective budgets on Sunday, February 18, and as signaled by passage of two key pieces of legislation last week, the chambers take vastly different approaches to the issue of Medicaid expansion, with the result that the two budgets have very different levels of resources available to […]

VACo Opposes Bill Limiting Regulation of Fire Hazard Posed by Mulch

A simple requirement adopted by the City of Harrisonburg to keep “combustible landscape cover material” (i.e. mulch) at least 18 inches from a structure, has prompted a legislative proposal to prevent any locality from adopting common-sense rules to prevent a building from going up in flames due to mulch being too close to a structure. […]

Electric Vehicle Charging Bills Continue to Power through House and Senate

SB 908 (McClellan) and HB 922 (Bulova) were introduced to clarify and expand local authority to locate and operate a retail fee-based electric vehicle charging station on locality owned or leased property. Both bills continue to rapidly advance through the House and Senate. These bills seek to modify 2011 legislation that enabled any “person” to […]

Grievance Bill that would Upend Local Procedures Dies in Subcommittee

HB 1471 (Hugo) has been introduced in some form in six of the last seven General Assembly Sessions. VACo opposed this bill that sought to make several changes to local grievance procedures that apply to all localities and local government employees throughout the Commonwealth. Currently, many localities use a hearing officer or existing approved grievance […]

Governor Northam speaks at VACo County Government Day

VACo President and King and Queen Supervisor Sherrin Alsop encouraged the crowd of more than 200 County officials to make February 8 their day. “I know you’re excited to start your legislative experience,” Alsop said. “Please be sure to talk about the important legislative issues we’ve discussed. Today is our day – County Government Day.” […]

Have You Registered for VACo’s Supervisors’ Forum?

March 23-24, 2018 Registration Form Preliminary Agenda Register Online Book Online Omni Richmond Hotel On March 23-24, VACo will offer its biennial County Supervisors’ Forum, and there is still time for you to register! This two-day event in Richmond affords Supervisors and other county officials with the chance to examine issues you and your counties […]

Visit Carroll County and Puckett Cabin

At Milepost 189.1 in Carroll County, you will find Puckett Cabin. This cabin is the former home of Orlean Hawks Puckett, whose story of strength and goodwill has survived generations. Born in North Carolina, Orlean Hawks Puckett received little formal education before she married John Puckett at about age 16. They settled close to his […]