VACo Weekly Legislative Wrap – February 6
For the week of February 6
Governor Terry McAuliffe addresses more than 250 attendees at County Government Day
Governor Terry McAuliffe addressed more than 250 county elected officials and staff during VACo’s County Government Day. He encouraged leaders to “get into the game” when it comes to education. The Governor told the capacity crowd that there are 36,000 cyber jobs open today with an average starting salary of $88,000. The Governor said this […]
VACo Weekly Legislative Wrap – January 30
For the week of January 30
Bill to Curb Local Authority for the Provision of Broadband Services to be Heard on February 2
Legislation to impose significant hurdles and costly limitations for a locality to bring broadband to unserved areas was put off for a week at the request of the patron. HB 2108 (Byron) was rescheduled for a vote in House Commerce and Labor Committee on Thursday afternoon, February 2, in House Room D in the General […]
Wireless Bills to be Voted on Early Next Week; Contact Legislators to Oppose
HB 2196 (Kilgore) and SB 1282 (McDougle) would gut local zoning authority and require that localities allow wireless facilities in their rights of way and on all locally owned property. The bills grant special privileges to a single industry at the expense of the local taxpayers. Forced use of public property and right of way […]
Capitol Contact ALERT – Contact your Legislators NOW to oppose Broadband Services bill
Many VACo members have invested time, resources, and expense for the deployment of broadband to serve schools, businesses, and residential areas. HB 2108 (Byron), if passed, could halt these efforts and potentially bar future initiatives. HB 2108 will be heard in the House Commerce and Labor Committee on Thursday afternoon 30 minutes after adjournment in […]
VACo Opposes Bills to Exempt Electrical Substations from Local Approval
Appalachian Power seeks to exempt “any station, substation, transition station, and switchyard facilities” associated with certain high voltage transmission lines from local planning and zoning review. Currently only the overhead transmission lines – when approved by the State Corporation Commission (SCC) – “shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements” of local comprehensive plans and zoning […]
Capitol Contact ALERT – Contact your Legislators NOW to oppose Wireless bills
HB 2196 (Kilgore) and SB 1282 (McDougle) would gut local zoning authority and require that localities allow wireless facilities in their rights of way and on all locally owned property. The bills grant special privileges to a single industry at the expense of the local taxpayers. Forced use of public property and right of way […]
Support Needed for VACo Budget Amendments
Several budget amendments were introduced at VACo’s request. Budget amendments have begun to be heard in the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees in advance of the money committees reporting their respective budgets on February 5. Calls are needed in support of the following amendments: VRS Teacher Plan Item 475 #1h (Kilgore) | Item 475 […]
Bill Expands ‘Agritourism’ Definition
VACo opposes SB 1491 (Stuart), which defines “agritourism activity” to include the rental of a single-family residence for a period of at least one week. VACo opposes this measure because it further reduces local land use regulatory authority. Under legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2014 – HB 268 (Orrock) and SB 51 (Stuart) […]
Bill Creates Study on Recycling
SB 1518 (Lewis) expands the scope of the recycling programs supported by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to include beneficial use, defined as “the use or reuse of a material that otherwise would become solid waste in a manufacturing process or as landfill cover, aggregate substitute, fuel substitute, or fill material.” The bill […]
Bill Allows Sales of Lifelong Dog Licenses
HB 1477 (Orrock) authorizes local governments to provide for a lifetime dog or cat license. The maximum license charged by localities for a lifetime license at $50. The bill was unanimously recommended for reporting on a 7-0 vote on January 23 in the of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee’s Agriculture Subcommittee. VACo […]
Senate Charter School Constitutional Amendment to be Heard Wednesday, January 25
SJ 240 (Obenshain), which would allow the state Board of Education to establish charter schools, subject to criteria and conditions that the General Assembly would prescribe, is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee’s Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments on Wednesday, January 25. VACo has historically opposed such measures because they would […]
Several problematic education bills introduced
In addition to the constitutional amendments that would allow the Board of Education to approve charter schools, two bills on the same topic have been introduced. HB 2342 (Landes) and SB 1283 (Obenshain) would allow the Board of Education to establish charter school divisions in regions where one or more of the school divisions have […]
VACo Weekly Legislative Wrap – January 20
For the week ending January 20
Stormwater a Hot Issue during 2017 General Assembly Session
HB 1774 (Hodges) is a complex stormwater bill that is likely to undergo some significant changes before it is presented to the Chesapeake Subcommittee of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee. As introduced, HB 1774 allows local governments that “opt out” of managing their own stormwater programs to establish a “rural development growth […]