Author: Gage Harter

School Bus Camera Legislation Passes out of Subcommittee

HB 168 (LaRock), which deals with school bus cameras, passed the House Courts of Justice Committee’s Subcommittee on Civil Law yesterday afternoon. The bill provides that a locality that has authorized by ordinance the installation and operation of a video-monitoring system on school buses for recording violations of unlawfully passing a stopped school bus may […]

Local Employee Grievance Procedures being challenged

HB 1293 (Hugo) proposes to make significant changes to local grievance procedures. Specifically, it requires that the final step of the grievance process – whether it is considered by a certified hearing officer or an impartial panel – be agreed to by both parties. This eliminates the opportunity for the jurisdiction to clearly state the […]

Update on charter schools

On February 2, SJR 6 (Obenshain) and SJR 93 (Obenshain) were reported on a 7-6 vote by the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee. These initiatives are intended to put to referendum on a constitutional amendment that would grant the Board of Education the authority to establish charter schools within the school divisions of the Commonwealth, […]

VHTF Bill Carried Over to 2017

VACo spoke in support of SB 105 (Locke) in yesterday’s Senate Finance Committee meeting. The bill provides that 20 percent of annual recordation tax revenue in excess of $325 million shall be deposited into the Virginia Housing Trust Fund. The bill is a recommendation of the Virginia Housing Commission. The committee voted to carry the bill over […]

Wireless Communication legislation impacts localities

HB 1347 (Heretick) prohibits localities from (1) charging any fees associated with the application, consultation, submission, review and processing for approval to construct, modify, collocate or replace a wireless facility, (2) acquiring information to evaluate an applicant’s business decision, (3) evaluating an application based on the availability of other potential locations, (4) dictating the type […]

Bill championing work force development in public schools advances

VACo supports SB 336 (Miller), which requires the Board of Education, in establishing high school graduation requirements, to include components relating to career and technical training. On February 4, the bill was unanimously reported by the Senate Education and Health Committee. VACo Contact: Larry Land, CAE

Annexation Moratorium Extended

SB 309 (Hanger) extends the moratorium on city annexations until 2024. It also directs the Commission on Local Government to evaluate the structure of cities and counties and to recommend alternatives to the current moratorium. The study by COLG is to be completed by December 2018. SB 309 was reported from the Senate Local Government […]

Proffer bills improved but still troublesome for counties

HB 770 Gilbert and SB 549 Obenshain as introduced would have severely curtailed localities ability to deal with the added community infrastructure needs created by rezonings through the proffer system. Under the original language of the bill, proffer discussions and agreements would have come to a screeching halt. VACo and other local government advocates met […]

Bill requiring gas collection systems in landfills to be carried over

On February 3, the Natural Resources Subcommittee of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee recommended that HB 1358 (Fariss) be carried over to the 2017 legislative session. HB 1358 requires all active sanitary landfills that hold a Title V operating permit issued by the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board and are located within […]

Bill allows local DSS employees to file petitions

SB 417 (Vogel) will be heard in tomorrow’s Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee. The bill allows designated nonattorney employees of a local department of social services to (1) initiate a case on behalf of the local department by appearing before an intake officer and (2) complete, sign, and file with the clerk of the juvenile […]