Carbon Sequestration Workgroup passes the House, returns to the Senate
Legislation introduced by Senator Lynwood Lewis establishing a Carbon Sequestration Task Force has now passed the House and will be sent back to the Senate so two small amendments can be considered. SB 1374 (Lewis) directs the Secretary of Natural Resources, jointly with the Secretary of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to convene a task force […]
Increased fine for littering ready for Governor’s signature
A bill increasing possible fines for dumping or littering has now passed the House and Senate and will be sent to the Governor for consideration. HB 1801 (Edmunds) doubles the current possible minimum fine for dumping or disposing of litter, trash, refuse or other specified items on public property or on private property without permission, […]
School Construction and Maintenance Financing Legislation Encounters Mixed Fortunes
As previously reported, several pieces of legislation seeking to address K-12 school construction and maintenance needs are making their way through the General Assembly. On February 15, SB 1106 (Stanley), which creates the Public School Assistance Fund and Program to be administered by the Department of Education for the purpose of providing grants to school […]
Governor announces mid-session revenue reforecast
On February 15, Governor Ralph Northam notified the chairs of the “money committees” that revenue collections had performed well enough to warrant a mid-session reforecast. General Fund revenues are now expected to increase by $730.2 million over the biennium relative to estimates included in the December introduced budget – $410.1 million in FY 2021 and […]
‘Return to School’ bill modified in House subcommittee
On February 15, SB 1303 (Dunnavant) was heard and modified by the House Education Committee’s SOL and SOQ Subcommittee. As previously reported, the bill that passed the Senate would require that each local school division in the Commonwealth make virtual and in-person learning available to all students by choice of the student’s parent or guardian. […]
SLAF expansion ready for Governor’s signature
Having now passed the House and Senate, a helpful bill proposing expansions of project eligibility for Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) projects is ready to be sent to Governor Ralph Northam for signing. As previously reported in Capitol Contact, SB 1404 (Lewis) proposes two changes to SLAF. First, the bill authorizes SLAF awards for projects […]
Legislation providing flexibility for teacher licensure clears Senate Finance
HB 1776 (Ward) would require the Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) to grant a two-year extension of licenses for teachers and school personnel whose licenses expire on June 21, 2021, in order to provide additional time for individuals to complete the requirements for licensure. This is meant to provide additional flexibility to school personnel as […]
Local government funding mechanism for flood mitigation and protection reports to House floor
Legislation introduced by Senator Adam Ebbin establishing a new funding mechanism for flood mitigation and protection has advanced, reporting out of the House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee, 22-0. SB 1309 (Ebbin) authorizes grants from a local Stormwater Management Fund to be used for flood mitigation and protection measures that are part of a comprehensive […]
VACo supports allowing counties to finance renewable energy and energy efficiency investments through ‘green banks’
HB 1919 (Kory) authorizes local governments to create green banks, an emerging finance mechanism that leverages public funding to attract private capital for investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other distributed energy resources. The legislation specifies that a locality may, by ordinance, establish a green bank to promote the investment in “clean energy technologies” […]
Legislation addressing taxation of room rentals by online travel companies moves forward
SB 1398 (Norment) addresses a long-standing issue with the collection of sales and use and lodging taxes on accommodations arranged by an intermediary, such as hotel stays booked through an online travel company. The legislation would require sales and use and transient occupancy taxes to be calculated based on the total charges or the total […]
New elements for local and interjurisdictional emergency operations plans pass Senate, head to the Governor’s desk
Legislation codifying new elements for local and interjurisdictional emergency operations plans has passed the Senate by a vote of 36-3. HB 2085 (Askew) adds a requirement to § 44-146.19(E) of the Code of Virginia, stipulating that a local or interjurisdictional emergency operations plan shall “contain provisions to ensure that the plan is applied equitably and that […]
Bill establishing duties to render aid and report wrongdoing by law enforcement officers fails in Senate Judiciary
Legislation that would have established both a duty to render aid and a duty to report wrongdoing for law enforcement officers has been narrowly defeated, failing to report out of the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 6-9. HB 1948 (Levine) took a multipronged approach to new requirements for law enforcement officers. First, it […]
‘Money Committees’ Release Budgets
The House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee met on February 10 and reported their respective amendments to the Governor’s introduced budget. The Wednesday meeting marked a departure from the traditional “Budget Sunday” unveiling of the committee budgets, which was originally scheduled for February 7, but was delayed until later in the […]
General Assembly transitions to Special Session
The 2021 General Assembly convened in special session on February 10. Governor Ralph Northam issued a proclamation calling for the special session last week as part of a planned effort to extend what would otherwise be a 30-day regular session to the traditional 46-days allotted for the short session in odd-numbered years. To ensure continuity […]
WIP III wastewater bill received favorably by House committee
SB 1354 (Hanger) has been heard for the first time in the House, reporting favorably out of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, February 11. SB 1354 is one of a pair of bills that establishes a framework and timeline for wastewater treatment plants to undertake improvement projects to achieve specific […]
SLAF eligibility expansion clears House committee
Legislation proposing expansions of project eligibility for Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) projects has cleared its first hurdle in the House, reporting of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee by a vote of 21-0. SB 1404 (Lewis) proposes two changes to SLAF. First, the bill authorizes SLAF awards for projects related to Chesapeake […]