Virginia Board of Education Standards of Quality Legislation
The Virginia Board of Education (VBOE) re-prescribed its biennial revisions to the state’s Standards of Quality (SOQ) in December 2020. Many of the Board’s recommendations remain unfunded in the Governor’s proposed revisions to the 2020-2022 budget and would require significant state and local funding. Two bills seek to codify the Board’s prescriptions. HB 1929 (Aird) […]
Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee changes to workers’ compensation presumption legislation largely address fiscal concerns
As previously reported, several pieces of legislation that propose changes to the Virginia’s Workers’ Compensation Act with potentially significant impact to local governments are making their way through the General Assembly. Over the course of two days, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee heeded testimony from VACo and adopted substitute language that significantly reduces the […]
Problematic landfill bills defeated in Senate committee
Three problematic bills prohibiting the placement and permitting for landfills have been effectively defeated in the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee on February 4. SB 1186 (Hashmi) preempted local authority, prohibiting the construction of any new municipal solid waste landfill within three miles of any designated historic district, building, structure, object, or site. […]
WIP III wastewater bills continue to find success in House and Senate
Two important bills that save localities money, provide greater certainty to wastewater treatment plants, and still provide a roadmap for achieving the goals and obligations of the Phase III Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP III) continue to find favor in the House and Senate. HB 2129 (Lopez) and SB 1354 (Hanger) establish a framework and timeline […]
Helpful public notice bill referred back to committee again; topic to be further studied
Despite favorably reporting from the House Counties, Cities, and Towns Committee twice, legislators have elected to send HB 2114 (Ransone) back to Committee – for a second time – so that the issue can be further studied. HB 2114 provides that in any instance in which a locality has submitted a timely notice of public […]
Legislation to assist in Marcus Alert implementation moves forward
SB 1302 (McPike) would provide additional funding for the crisis call center that will support implementation of last year’s Marcus Alert legislation and designate the call center as the 9-8-8 Crisis Hotline Center for purposes of participating in the national suicide prevention network. In July 2020, the Federal Communications Commission designated 988 as the new […]
A flurry of procurement bills
HB 2001 (Helmer) would require localities to design certain buildings and renovations with Virginia Energy Conservation and Environmental Standards to include charging stations and tracking of energy efficiency and carbon emissions. The bill applies to new buildings in excess of 5,000 square feet or any building renovated that would increase the value of the building […]
Expansion of Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) eligibility passes Senate committee
SB 1404 (Lewis) proposes a slight expansion of project eligibility for Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF) projects. Specifically, the bill authorizes SLAF awarded for projects related to Chesapeake Bay total maximum daily load (TMDL) requirements to consider total phosphorus reductions or total nitrogen reductions. Additionally, SB 1404 authorizes grants awarded for eligible projects in localities […]
Bill establishing Carbon Sequestration Task Force reports out of committee
Legislation seeking to establish a Carbon Sequestration Task Force has reported favorably out of committee and will now be heard by the full Senate. SB 1374 (Lewis) directs the Secretary of Natural Resources, jointly with the Secretary of Agriculture and Consumer Services, to convene a task force for the purpose of studying carbon sequestration in […]
Senate set to vote on new erosion and sediment control practices for solar projects
New erosion and sediment control practices for solar projects are set to be voted on by the Senate this week. SB 1258 (Marsden) makes changes to § 62.1-44.15:55.1 of the Code of Virginia, which deals with localities and solar projects. Specifically, SB 1258 requires that the State Water Control Board administer a Virginia Erosion and Sediment […]
State Parks funding bill unanimously passes House, referred to Senate committee
Legislation introduced by Delegate Bobby Orrock that seeks to address funding issues for Virginia’s state parks unanimously passed the House of Delegates and will now be heard by the Senate. HB 1804 (Orrock) requires the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to develop recommendations for one or more dedicated, stable sources of funding for […]
Increased fine for littering passes House
A bill increasing possible fines for dumping or littering has passed the House of Delegates. 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, raising the fine from $250 to $500. Initially the bill […]
Capitol Contact ALERT – Cigarette Taxing Authority Being Compromised: Call Senators to Oppose
SB 1326 (Hanger) requires that any locality that was not already imposing a cigarette tax on January 1, 2021, must be a member of a regional cigarette tax board in order to impose the tax. A regional cigarette tax board is defined in the bill as encompassing at least 10 member localities. The bill was […]
VACo Members – Encourage Your House of Delegates Members to Pass Helpful Public Notice Bill
VACo supports HB 2114 (Ransone), which provides that in any instance in which a locality has submitted a timely notice of public hearing to a newspaper published or having general circulation in the locality and the newspaper fails to publish the notice, such locality shall be deemed to have met certain notice requirements so long […]
Bills eroding governmental immunity defeated in House and Senate
Two bills that sought to erode longstanding principles of governmental immunity – HB 2045 (Bourne) and SB 1440 (Surovell) – have been defeated. VACo previously wrote about these bills in the 2021 Legislative Bulletin as well as a January 29 Capitol Contact Alert. HB 2045 (Bourne) was heard by the House Courts of Justice Committee’s […]
School construction and maintenance financing legislation overview
Many localities continue to face significant challenges raising local funding necessary to undertake school construction and renovation projects. Numerous factors impact the educational achievement of K-12 students, including the state of the facilities in which they are taught. Concern over the physical condition of schools in Virginia is not a recent development and several bills […]