Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon)

Photo of Scott Surovell
Party
Democratic
District
34: Parts of Fairfax County
Took Office
January 2016
Next Election
November 2027
Age
52
Twitter
Copatroning Habits
67% of bills he has copatroned were introduced by Democrats. Of all of the copatrons of his bills, 85% of them are Democrats. Of all of his fellow copatrons of the bills that he copatroned, 58% of them are Democrats.
Partisanship
?
Bills Passed
0% in 2024
From the Legislator’s Website

Letter to Specialty Bars Regarding Open Court of Appeals Seats

December 12, 2023
On December 11, the incoming chairs of Senate Judiciary Committee and House Courts of Justice Committee sent this letter to Virginia's specialty bar associations regarding the open Court of Appeals seats.

Severe Weather Likely This Afternoon And Evening

August 7, 2023
This afternoon, the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch until 9 p.m. in our region. I will update this post with more information as the weather impacts Northern Virginia.UPDATED 2 PM Office of Personnel Management Closing Federal Buildings at 3 PM Employees of Federal agencies in the Washington, DC area are authorized for Early Departure. Employees should depart 2 hours earlier than their normal departure time and may request Unscheduled Leave to depart prior to their staggered departure time. All employees Must Depart no later than 3:00 at which time Federal offices are Closed. Read the full order here Virginia Dept. Of Transportation Guidance: The safety of the traveling public and our crews is VDOT’s top priority. As forecasts and conditions could change, travelers should pay close attention to local weather reports and announcements from officials and limit their travels based on conditions. This severe weather system may cause downed trees, power lines and other debris, as well as flooding that will make roadways extremely hazardous or impassable. Stay away from downed wires and do not approach or touch trees or limbs that are entangled with wires as they could be extremely dangerous. If those are in state maintained roadways, VDOT crews must await the power company to remove any electrical hazard before addressing downed trees or other roadway debris. Travelers should use extreme caution on roadways: Obey all “road closed” signage. “Turn around, don’t drown” - Do not attempt to travel through flooded roadways. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the primary causes of flood-related deaths occur to individuals driving into or walking in or near flood waters. 6 inches of flood water is enough to knock an adult off of their feet 12 inches can move most cars 18-24 inches can carry away most large SUVs, vans and trucks Be alert to debris, downed trees and power lines. Move over for emergency crews operating in or near roadways. Be alert to High Wind Advisories, especially on bridges or taller structures. High-profile vehicles such as tractor trailers, SUVs or box trucks are especially vulnerable and should not cross a bridge when a High Wind Advisory is posted. Prior to travel, the public should check road conditions by calling 511, visiting www.511Virginia.org or checking the 511 Virginia mobile app. The public should report any problems such as flooding, downed trees or road hazards to VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center by visiting my.vdot.virginia.gov or call 800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623). National Weather Service Bulletin Summary: The severe threat is increasing across portions of the central Appalachians into the Mid Atlantic region. Widespread damaging gusts and at least a few tornadoes are expected. A Tornado Watch will be needed to address the increasing severe threat. Read the full bulletin here The good news is that you can survive a tornado! Even on the western fringe of tornado alley, chances are you will never experience a direct hit by a tornado.  However, being prepared is critical. By following these simple guidelines, you can protect yourself and your family from nature's most violent storm. No matter where you are, use these basic guidelines for tornado safety.  Refer to other sections of this guide for more details on staying safe in specific locations and circumstances. The most important things to remember are: GET IN - If you are outside, get inside.  If you're already inside, get as far into the middle of the building as possible. GET DOWN - Get underground if possible.  If you cannot, go to the lowest floor possible. COVER UP - Flying and falling debris are a storm's number one killer.  Use pillows, blankets, coats, helmets, etc to cover up and protect your head and body from flying debris. Read the full severe weather guidelines from NWS here Capital Weather Gang Storm At A Glance Analysis: Timing: 4 to 8 p.m., from west to east. Around 4 p.m. along Interstate 81 Around 6 p.m. near the Beltway and Interstate 95 By around 8 p.m. east of the Chesapeake Bay Note this timing could shift by an hour or so — either earlier or later. Coverage: Scattered to widespread. Main threats: Damaging to destructive wind gusts, brief tornadoes, hail, torrential rain and frequent lightning. Scattered to widespread power outages are probable. Bottom line: Stay aware of the evolving situation. Ensure outdoor items are secure and charge devices. Plan to avoid travel during storms. Read the full forecast here Important Resources Dominion Resources Power Outage Line 1-866-366-4357 Dominion Resources Storm Center Outage and Restoration Updates Northern Virginia Outages Map VDOT Street Problem Number 1 (800) FOR-ROAD VDOT REAL-TIME ONLINE PLOW MAP Other Resources Dominion NOVEC Washington Gas   Fairfax County Police:   703-691-2131  Prince William County:  703-792-6500 Stafford County:  540-658-4400

Fixing Old Colchester Road Bridge Over Giles Run

July 31, 2023
I sent the attached letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation to request grant funding to study improvements to the Old Colchester Road bridge over Giles Run Creek.  Senator Scott A. Surovell S... by Scott A. Surovell

Weekly Column: Examining and Correcting School Funding Formulas

July 24, 2023
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of July 25, 2023.    Examining and Correcting School Funding Formulas             The underfunding of Virginia’s public schools recently made headlines, when a new study concluded that Virginia’s K-12 education system receives 14 percent less funding that the average system in America even though Virginia has the 10th highest median family income.  This independent analysis collides with Governor Youngkin’s persistent call for more tax cuts.             This year, the state legislature should be adopting budget amendments to reflect adjusted revenues, but we have been unable to agree because of the Governor’s insistence on more tax cuts. Cutting taxes means less revenue for state responsibilities like education and mental health.                 As someone whose 20 years of education were subsidized by Virginia taxpayers from kindergarten through law school, I fully appreciate the importance of robust investments in public education.  Schools Are Underfunded Two weeks ago, Virginia’s nonpartisan independent auditor, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission or JLARC, published a long-awaited analysis of the adequacy of funding for Virginia K-12 education.  The study found that Virginia’s system receives 14 percent less funding than the average U.S. public education system after adjusting for labor costs or about $1,900 per student.  Among neighboring states, we also invest less than West Virginia, Kentucky and Maryland and slightly more than Tennessee and North Carolina.                The report highlighted several disparities baked into our existing education funding  approach that hurt our area.  First, existing funding underweighs Northern Virginia’s higher increased labor costs and caps state funding for school support employees like guidance counselors, nurses, social workers and teachers’ assistants - an approach that pushes these costs onto local government.  State funding also does not adequately account for English as a Second Language (ESOL) students, special education or children in poverty, students we broadly label as “At-Risk Students.”  This is significant because public schools must teach whoever walks in the door and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) report that elementary students speak 182 different languages or dialects at home.   Schools cannot control the number of at-risk students in their classrooms and Northern Virginia has a disproportionate share of ESOL students compared with the rest of the state and FCPS At Risk Student population would be the 5th largest school division in Virginia if it were its own school division.  In addition, state funding for at-risk students has declined on a net basis while actual expenditures have risen, costs funded by local governments. Fourth, while we do have a program to supplement localities with high labor costs called “cost to compete,” this funding is insufficient.  Arlington receives nine percent more funding while its labor costs are 40 percent more than average.  JLARC did find that the formula currently used to allocate funds called the “local composite index” (LCI) does work.  The LCI measures a locality’s ability to pay by comparing each locality’s relative income, real estate to taxes and student population.  Wealthier jurisdictions receive less state funding and less-wealthy divisions receive more.  The study also highlights concerns unique to rural areas.  It is important to realize that we must construct policies for jurisdictions as large as Fairfax County’s 1.1 million residents and 180,000 students and a system like Highland County, Virginia, with 2,295 residents and 195 students.  The JLARC analysis basically leaves two questions.  First, how do we craft a funding system that more equitably distributes more funds to elementary-secondary education in Virginia.  The solution must ensure that ESOL, special education and low-income students are accurately assessed and accounted for in the funding formulas.  We also must correctly account for localities’ true labor costs and needs.    The Senate Moved Forward             This year, the Senate Democratic Caucus took a first step by proposing to  eliminate the cap on state reimbursement for support employees, investing significantly more funds in at-risk students and proposing higher teacher raises.  Sadly, the House of Delegates Republicans and the Governor are prioritizing tax cuts. Hence, the budget stalemate.                The second issue is finding more resources to invest in education.  Annual tax cuts like those proposed by the Governor will not help us make longer-term investments in schools.  Virginia’s tax system needs also serious modernization so that revenues keep up with demands for the high-quality services the public expects.                 I am fortunate that public education gave me a foundation for success that I have enjoyed in life and I will continue to fight for policy choices that make those opportunities available to everyone.  Please email your views to me at [email protected].

1984 Attorney General Opinion Regarding Bulkhead Repairs

July 4, 2023
 Over the last year, I have heard confusion regarding the interplay of Virginia's Living Shorelines Law and repairs or replacement of existing shoreline treatment.   Below is an 1984 Attorney General's Opinion explaining what constitutes repairs and maintenance versus construction of new facilities. 1984 Virginia Attorney Gene... by

My Endorsement For Mount Vernon School Board Representative 2023

May 3, 2023
In the last four years, Northern Virginia's teachers and students have become a political punching bag for Governor Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares.  The Fairfax County School Board has been under siege with politically-motivated lawsuits and political investigations for the last four years.  As a result, only four incumbents are running for re-election and our Mt. Vernon School Board Member Karen Corbett Sanders is not running for re-election. Karen has done an amazing job fighting to ensure that students in our part of the county get the attention and share of resources that they deserve.  I am exceptionally proud of her efforts to reform the admissions process at Thomas Jefferson H.S.S.T. which previously rarely admitted students from Carl Sandburg Middle School, Walt Whitman Middle School, Hayfield Secondary School, or Mark Twain Middle School. Before the reforms she led, two middle schools made up 20% of every class.  She led the charge to obtain funds to renovate our schools.   You can read more about her accomplishments in the Commending Resolution I passed this session: Senate Joint Resolution 409 Commending Karen Corbett Sanders  I joined with Mt. Vernon District School Board Member Karen Corbett Sanders in endorsing Mateo Dunne to serve as the Democratic endorsed candidate for the Mt. Vernon District seat on the Fairfax County School Board. I join in my endorsement along with Delegate Mark Sickles, Former Delegate and Fairfax County School Board Chair and Mt. Vernon Member Kristen Amundson, Fairfax County Board Chair Jeff McKay, and Former Fairfax County Board Chair Sharon Bulova.     www.mateodunne.com/ Why do I support Mateo?  First, Mateo is prepared.  Mateo is an attorney and litigator with the United States Government and has been involved in our community serving as Vice President of the Stratford Landing Citizens' Association, Vice Chair of the Mt. Vernon Council of Citizens, and Vice-President of the Fairfax County Council of Citizens.  His four children all either attend or attended Fairfax County Public Schools in the West Potomac H.S. Pyramid. Second, we need people that are prepared to step into the ring and fight back when Governor Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares try to run our local school system.   In 2016, Mateo co-led "Fully Fund Fairfax County Public Schools" - an unprecedented coalition of teachers unions, Parent Teacher Associations and advocacy groups to fight the Superintendent's proposal to eliminate high school sports, language immersion, and elementary school education from elimination due to budget pressures. In 2017, Mateo played a very public and leading role in the referendum to adopt a Fairfax County Meals Tax to diversify revenue sources for FCPS so funding is not as reliant on real estate taxes. In 2018, Mateo pleased a leading role in the negotiation of a new Memorandum of Understanding between FCPS and the Fairfax County Police Department to eliminate The School-to-Prison-Pipeline in Fairfax County to reduce the involvement of police in school discipline. He led numerous grassroots campaigns to support efforts to fund the construction and renovation of Mt. Vernon's schools and eliminate trailers. He served as the Chair of the Design & Construction Committee for West Potomac H.S.'s $35 million renovation and expansion that added 71,000 SF of space, eliminated 18 trailers and relieved overcrowding. Going forward, Mateo has made clear that he intends to fight for progress in FCPS by increasing teachers salaries, implementing universal preschool education on U.S. 1, and fighting all efforts to divert public resources to private education.  If you would like to make your own judgment, you can watch the recent public forum where the candidates discussed the issues: Mt. Vernon School Board Gum Springs Forum My conclusion is that Mateo Dunne has been there to fight for Mt. Vernon's teachers and students in the past and he is the strongest candidate with the track record that demonstrates he will be there for us in the future. How to Participate in Online Democratic Endorsement Process? For the first time, the Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) is allowing non-members to participate in the FCDC endorsement caucus.  Voting is allowed in-person or electronically.  However, in order to participate, you need to register by midnight on May 5, 2023.  You can sign up at this link: Register to Vote in FCDC School Board Endorsement Caucus Next, you need to vote on online between May 13 and May 20, 2023 or in person between 10 am and 4 p.m. on May 20 at the South County Government Center, Room 221ABC.   I have also endorsed three other candidates for the Democratic endorsement for the At-Large positions on the Fairfax County School Board.

The Medicaid Unwinding and What It Means for Virginia

February 27, 2023
The Medicaid Unwinding is one of the biggest challenges that many of our constituents will face in the coming year and community engagement is going to be crucial to make it go smoothly. This isn't just a problem for people who will lose coverage. When people are uninsured, they don't go to the doctor for preventative medicine which can result in long-term worse health outcomes, and higher costs when they eventually have an emergency. Health insurance premiums may rise for everyone to pay for that emergency care. Below, I've summarized a few points on Medicaid unwinding from https://coverva.org/en/phe-planning. Starting next month, Virginia will begin reviewing members’ health coverage to make sure they still qualify, however closures will not occur prior to April 30, 2023. People who qualified for Medicaid and other programs during or before the pandemic were required to stay covered through the duration of the public emergency. During that time, they may have accepted a new job and begun earning more than is allowable for the program. The Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act was signed into effect on December 23rd, 2022. This omnibus bill decoupled the continuous coverage requirement from the public health emergency effective March 31, 2023. This means on April 1, 2023, all states may return to normal enrollment processes, including redeterminations and processing reductions/closures of coverage. We have 12 months to make the transition to normal coverage. Virginia will not discontinue coverage without asking enrollees for updated information. If someone is still qualified, they have time to provide information to the state and make sure they maintain coverage.  If the state determines that someone no longer qualifies for health coverage from Virginia Medicaid, they will get: Notice of when the Medicaid coverage will end, Information on how to file an appeal if the member thinks our decision was incorrect, and A referral to the Federal Marketplace and information about buying other health care coverage. If someone is worried about losing coverage, they should: Update their contact information by calling Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282 or online at commonhelp.virginia.gov. We must have current contact information on file, such as a mailing address and phone number(s), so members receive important notices and so we can reach out if we need more information. Watch for and respond quickly to notices about their coverage. Sign up for email and text updates, follow us on social media and visit us at coverva.org and facebook.com/coverva/ Virginians who do not qualify for Virginia Medicaid can buy health insurance through http://www.enrollva.org/. Enroll Virginia has offices in communities across the state to help Virginians get high quality, affordable health coverage. You can sign up for insurance on the Federal Marketplace on HealthCare.gov: Within 60 days after losing health coverage or Anytime during the annual open enrollment period from November 1 through January 15 Virginians who do not qualify for health coverage from Medicaid may be able to get financial help to lower the cost of private health insurance through HealthCare.gov. The amount of financial help is based on the cost of insurance where the applicants live, how many people are in their household, and their estimated yearly income. Here are some other useful links from a VPLC webinar last month: Webinar recording  Webinar slides Enrollment assistance locator tool SignUpNow Medicaid workshops  CMS unwinding guidance and resources Cover Virginia "Return to Normal Enrollment" page DMAS "COVID-19 and the Return to Normal Enrollment" page Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Center for Children and Families "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023: Medicaid and CHIP Provisions Explained" report

Weekly Column: $100 Million for Undergrounding U.S. 1 Utilities; General Assembly Session Ends

February 26, 2023
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of February 27, 2023.    $100 Million for Undergrounding U.S. 1 Utilities; General Assembly Session Ends            We have completed the 2023 Session of the General Assembly, but our work is not done.  Legislating has ended for now, but we did not finalize the state budget and will likely return for a special session to compete that work. Of my 31 bills, 19 are with the Governor and one additional bill could be considered in a special session.  All of my bills passed with bipartisan support and I am hopeful that the Governor will sign them.            Most importantly, we made significant progress in obtaining funding for undergrounding utilities on U.S. 1.   Delegate Paul Krizek, Senator Adam Ebbin and I amended a bill addressing a new Fauquier County transmission line to add a first-ever pilot program for an underground electric distribution line on the U.S. 1 Corridor if Fairfax County requests the funding as part of the U.S 1 widening and bus rapid transit project.  The bill is now on the Governor's desk.   Dominion Power would fund and build the infrastructure and the cost would be recovered over time from all Dominion ratepayers through rates subject to Dominion’s standard ratemaking process. This would cost ratepayers about $0.20 per month for every $100 million expended.  Delegate Krizek and I previously secured a commitment from Verizon to fund the installation of buried Verizon fiber optic cables provided that the duct bank was expanded to include conduit for Verizon’s lines.  Coupled with the standard contribution from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), this should fund the lion’s share of cost for burying all lines. We will now work with Fairfax County and VDOT to make this happen assuming the Governor signs the bill.  The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) confirmed to Delegate Krizek and me that a project delay relating to adding underground utilities would not jeopardize its $460 million FTA grant to construct bus rapid transit.  Adding underground utilities to this project would require updated environmental assessments, engineering and a longer construction period which could drive project costs up and require additional funding.  Since the Dulles Corridor has seen $6.8 billion of investment in the Metro Silver Line project, $1.4 billion for the I-495 HOT Lanes $3.7 billion for the I-66 HOT Lanes, we hope that some increases to this $900 million project can be accommodated. Both chambers passed my legislation to revitalize our Commission on Utility Regulation (CUR) to help oversee our transition to clean energy.  My bill requires the CUR to have regular meetings, receive updates regarding implementation of legislation and hire at least four full-time, nonpartisan policy staffers to advise us on utility policy.  This will make future legislation less reliant on industry lobbyists and interest groups, which can only mean better results for Virginians.  Fairness for Local Dealers My bill to rebalance the relationship between Virginia’s locally-owned vehicle dealerships and vehicle manufacturers passed unanimously.  Manufacturers have sought to exert increased control over vehicle sale processes like mandating significant investments to gain access to electric vehicle inventories.  Ensuring dealers’ independence means more variety in selection, lower prices through competition and the survival of thriving community businesses.  I was proud to work with them to craft nation-leading legislation.   I also passed legislation that will authorize Virginians to recover damages against local governments that bring enforcement actions that violate state laws or local ordinances and recover their attorney’s fees.  It is often currently impractical for Virginians to challenge enforcement actions that localities bring in violation of state laws or local ordinances.  My bill passed the House of Delegates unanimously and the Senate 39-1.  Unlike other states, Virginia does not have recall elections, but instead authorizes legal actions to remove local elected officials under a voter petition process.  State elected officials can only be removed by impeachment or the legislative body in which they serve.  Recently, many local elected officials have been subjected to frivolous removal actions under this old Virginia law.  Nearly all actions have been dismissed without an evidentiary hearing.  I carried legislation drafted by the Boyd-Graves Commission, a group recommended changes to reflect five state Supreme Court opinions back through the 1920s that clarify the law’s meaning .  My bill will reduce confusion. It passed unanimously. Next week, I will write about more bills I authored, other bills we passed and the status of the state budget.  Please share your views with me at [email protected].     

Weekly Column: General Assembly Is Finalizing Bills

February 18, 2023
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of February 20, 2023.    General Assembly Is Finalizing Bills     Now that the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates have completed work on all bills from each chamber, each chamber has begun work on bills from the other chamber.  Some of the more difficult bills met their fate last week.      It appears that both houses will approve around 20 of my bills which I will discuss in a future column.  This column focuses on several of my bills that the House of Delegates rejected. Protecting Choice     In the aftermath of last year’s Dobbs decision, we must do everything we can to protect Virginia women and healthcare providers from prosecution for exercising their reproductive healthcare rights.  Virginia is likely to become a sanctuary for women seeking reproductive healthcare due to our geographic position and existing laws.  My legislation would prohibit the extradition of Virginia medical professionals who provide reproductive healthcare to other states.  It failed on a party-line vote.       I also sought to allow Virginia women to sue any company that sells or provides access to their personal reproductive healthcare information such as their menstrual data or location history derived from phone use that can be used to determine if they have visited a reproductive healthcare clinic.  None is covered by state or federal healthcare privacy laws.  My bill would have effectively ended the dissemination of this information for monetization or use in prosecution.  The Senate approved my bill on a bipartisan vote, but a House committee killed it on a party-line vote.      The same House committee also rejected my legislation to clarify Virginia’s emergency protection order or “red flag law.” Red flag laws permit a court to order the temporary removal of firearms from people that may be a danger to others or themselves. These laws have reduced suicide by 9-14% in adopting states, but these laws do nothing if they are not used.  About 60 of Virginia’s 140 jurisdictions saw little to no use of the law.  After the Senate approved it on a bipartisan vote, a House committee defeated it.      In 2020, former Governor Ralph Northam’s comptroller advised state agencies to redact the names of all state employees using their official employment credit cards for paying for things like hotels and restaurants.  I crafted a bill with the Virginia Coalition for Open Government to end redaction of this information so Virginians can see the names of state employees who spend taxpayer dollars.  The Senate passed my bill passed unanimously, but a House subcommittee killed it on a party-line vote.  Making Solar More Available     I also carried two bills to make shared solar energy more available.  Shared solar allows consumers and small businesses to purchase access to a solar farm and net the energy produced by the farm against their home electricity bill.  This allows people to have access to solar if they cannot construct panels on their own roofs due to tree cover, homeowners’ association rules or financial constraints or because they do not own their roof.     In 2020, I passed legislation authorizing a shared solar program in Dominion Power territory, but Virginia’s State Corporation Commission set a minimum bill amount to cover a share of costs of using the legacy or traditional system, but failed to fully consider the benefits of solar, such as climate change mitigation, better air quality, fewer service outages and grid upgrades.  My second bill would have created a new program in Southwest and Southside Virginia.  The House rejected both bills on party-line votes after the Senate passed them with large bipartisan majorities.      Finally, the COVID pandemic taught us how critical and exposed our healthcare and grocery store workers are in their job serving us every day.  Recent polls show that 81% of Virginians support sick leave for all workers.  Our front-line workers deserve it more than anyone.  When frontline workers are regularly exposed to viruses and get sick, they are forced to choose between getting paid and getting better and many have no choice but to work sick.  A modest sick leave benefit would help everyone.  A House committee killed my bill on a party line vote.     This week, both chambers will act on some of the toughest bills filed in this session and legislators will conduct negotiations on final budget amendments before we adjourn this Saturday.      Please send me your feedback at [email protected]

Weekly Column: Making Progress

February 13, 2023
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of February 13, 2023.   Making Progress in Richmond                As the General Assembly completed its fourth week of work last week, I am pleased to report that the state Senate approved 29 of my 32 bills and sent them to the House of Delegates.  The Senate voted for 19 unanimously and only one bill passed without any Republican votes. I am carrying legislation on behalf of the Virginia Crime Commission that requires the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue an annual report showing the incidence of drunk driving (DWI) arrests for both drug and alcohol relative to numbers of officers and population densities.  The bill also requires DMV to collect data on drug levels related to motor vehicle deaths and DWI arrests so that we can determine where to leverage our resources and make adjustments in the law.                 We need this bill because most police officers report that incidents of “drugged driving” or driving under the influence of other drugs is rising.  We also need to be better prepared to interdict high drivers as we move toward the retail sale of marijuana.  A recent poll shows that 30 percent of Virginians think it is acceptable to drive after smoking marijuana, which is very dangerous.                The number alcohol-related arrests has plummeted in Fairfax County and in the entire state, although alcohol-related collisions have not dropped by nearly the same amount.  Much of this decline in prosecutions has to do with reduced emphasis on enforcement.  I hope that this bill will help educate us all on the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and marijuana and help focus law enforcement. Budgets Indicate Priorities  The Senate and House announced their proposed budgets last week.  Here are some of the key differences.  The Senate rejected all of Governor Youngkin’s proposed $1 billion in tax cuts.  First, corporations should not pay a lower tax rate than people.  Second, most of our programs have been historically underfunded and our excess revenues are being generated by inflationary pressures.  Our police, fire, teachers and other government employees have not received raises that keep pace with inflation. The proposed Senate budget provides $300 million more for K-12 education than the House budget and includes a 2 percent teacher pay increase instead of the one-time merit bonus proposed by the Governor.  We also allocated $230 million to lift the cap on non-teaching support positions in schools such as guidance counselors, mental health counselors and nurses.  Virginia has had 63,000 more students enrolled while employing 1,700 fewer support staff since that arbitrary cap was put in place in 2010.  Our children especially need these services post-pandemic.                The Senate also eliminated the Governor and House’s proposed increase in funding for so-called “lab schools” and reallocated the funding to make up for the Governor’s $200 million error in school funds the state reported it was sending to localities.   The Senate budget also allocates $224 million more for financial aid than the Governor’s budget and $200 million more than the House budget.  We also included a $75 million payment towards our $22 billion unfunded pension liability.                The Senate budget includes my request for $600,000 to fund new staff to help us navigate our green energy transition and $200,000 each for the Lorton Community Action Center and Ecumenical Community Helping Others in Springfield.                 The budgets will now head to each chamber and a joint conference committee will resolve the differences.  The most difficult discussion will revolve around tax cuts.  We already cut $4 billion in taxes last year and our chamber does not believe that we should continue reducing our resources given our underfunded programs, continued economic uncertainty and our $22 billion unfunded pension liability.                 I have received hundreds of responses to my constituent survey.  Only 10 percent of respondents want us to invest funds on widening roads as opposed to maintaining existing highways (48%) or investing in transit (19%).  Eighty-two percent of respondents want to see reproductive choice as decided by the Roe v. Wade case codified in Virginia’s Constitution.  You can complete my survey at www.scottsurovell.org/survey.                  This week, various House of Delegates committees will consider my bills.  This will likely present new challenges given the partisan differences between the chambers.  As always, please share your views and suggestions with me at [email protected].

Bills Moving on to the House

February 8, 2023
2023 General Assembly Crossover Update The General Assembly has reached the Crossover portion of the legislative session. This is when bills passed in the Senate go to the House and bills passed in the House go to the Senate to gain approval from both chambers. This session the Senate has passed 29 of my bills. Those are all summarized and linked below: SB 796 Consolidated Corporate Tax Filings Makes it possible for larger companies to file a consolidated tax return instead of hundreds of separate tax returns to save paperwork and expense at the Virginia Department of Taxation. Yea’s: 38 No’s: 0 SB 799 Juvenile and Domestic Relations Expert Witness Testimony Allows parties to present expert medical testimony in Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court by affidavit instead of requiring witnesses to come to trial.   Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SB 801 US Army Police Authority Gives U.S. Army and Air Force Police the authority to serve search warrants off-base jointly with Virginia law-enforcement agencies. Requested by Fort Belvoir police who discovered limitations trying to investigate stalking charges. Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SB 813 Freedom of Information Act Credit Cards Clarifies that governments are required to release the names of government employees using government credit cards. The Virginia Comptroller has claimed that this information is exempt from disclosure under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.   Yea’s: 39 No’s: 0 SB 814 Deaf Interpreters Allows Virginia Courts to use interpreters from a broader pool of potential signing professionals due to lack of interpreters available post-pandemic.  Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SB 815 Lemon Law for Small Businesses  Extends Virginia Lemon Law to any small business that owns five or fewer cars.  Yea’s: 27 No’s: 12 SB 817 Attorney’s Fees Lien Clarifies the rules regarding asserting and perfecting  attorney’s liens in tort and contract cases. Yea’s: 39 No’s: 0 SB 821 Sex Offense Notice Fix Requires the Secretary of Education to gather notification information for all school systems for sex offense charges and convictions, clarifies method of notification to ensure a document trail, requires law enforcement to check employment for accused persons, and expands the list of sex crimes for notification. Yea’s: 39 No’s: 0 SB 835 Definition of Obscenity   Removes depictions of homosexuality from the statutory definition of “sexual conduct” for purposes of books that can be sold, loaned, or displayed to juveniles. Yea’s: 25 No’s: 12 SB 841 VASAP Local Boards Clarifies that courts have the power to adjudicate probation violations for DUI charges that are reduced to Reckless Driving and requires Virginia’s Alcohol Safety Program to include a local attorney who practices DUI law on local alcohol safety boards. Yea’s: 39 No’s: 0 SB 871 Auto Dealer Franchise Agreements Prevents auto manufacturers from putting excessive requirements on automotive dealer franchises and preserves locally owned dealerships’ independence. Yea’s: 39 No’s: 0 SB 886 Sick Leave for Healthcare and Grocery Store Workers Requires employers of essential healthcare and hospital system workers to be provided sick leave to allow such workers to take time off when they are sick to help slow the spread of future COVID outbreaks as well as mitigating the common cold and flu. Yea’s: 22 No’s: 18 SB 895 Court of Appeals Immunity Jurisdiction Clarifies that interim orders in Domestic Relations cases are not appealable and that appeals of interim orders dismissing cases based on immunity are heard by the Court of Appeals instead of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Yea’s: 39 No’s: 0 SB 1065 Leesylvania Easement Allows the Department of Conservation and Recreation to transfer an easement to ten houses on the Potomac River surrounded by Leesylvania State Park. Yea’s: 38 No’s: 0 SB 1067 Red Flag Clean-Up Clarifies various factors to be considered by a magistrate or judge in reach a decision to remove firearms from a person due to their threats or mental condition. Yea’s: 23 No’s: 16 SB 1083 APCO Shared Solar Authorizes solar providers to begin providing shared solar in the Appalachian Power service territory. Yea’s: 35 No’s: 5 SB 1166 Commission on Utility Regulation Transparency Improves transparency and oversight of Virginia’s transition to clean energy by requiring regular meetings, reports to the Commission regarding implementation of significant legislation by the State Corporation Commission, Governor and other entities, provides full-time staff for vetting energy policies and studies, creates a new energy development fund to be promote energy research at in-state research universities, and provide oversight of state application for federal energy grants.  Yea’s: 21 No’s: 19 SB 1243 Reproductive Health Data Protection Prohibits a Virginia judge from ordering the extradition of a Virginia citizen for out-of-state abortion or reproduction-related prosecutions for conduct that is legal in Virginia and creates a private cause of action to allow individuals to sue companies for selling data regarding their reproductive health or location data. Yea’s: 23 No’s: 17 SB 1244 Crime Victim’s Rights Act Fix Requires that the Attorney General comply with the Crime Victim’s Rights Act.  If this would have been in place, the Ghaisar family would have been consulted before the Virginia Attorney General dismissed the prosecution of the two U.S. Park Police Officers who murdered him. Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SB 1266 Shared Solar Minimum Bill Fix Reduces the minimum bill that Dominion Energy can charge shared solar subscribers and expands the cap on allowed shared solar service.  Yea’s: 24 No’s: 15 SB 1397 Default Structure to Adopt Essential Health Benefits Plan Creates a process for the state to adopt a new baseline essential health benefit for purposes of the plans sold in the Virginia State Healthcare Exchange for future years. Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SB 1398 DWI Study Requires DMV to collect data on drivers who are convicted of using drugs, alcohol, or a combination of them and aggregate the data on a statewide basis so that the decline in alcohol-impaired driving and the rise of drugged driving can be better evaluated for additional solutions. Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SB 1399 Authority to Adopt New Essential Health Benefits Plan Creates authority for the State Corporation Commission to adopt a new baseline essential health benefit plan this year based on two new mandated benefits approved in last General Assembly Session. Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SB 1402 Expungement Cleanup Amends the expungement and sealing reforms passed in 2021 to facilitate the implementation and programming of the new sealing processes. Clarifies that marijuana charges are automatically sealed instead of expunged, clarifies that a petition for sealing can only include offenses that stem from the same transaction or occurrence, and ensures access to expunged records by the subject of the record. Yea’s: 39 No’s: 0 SB 1431 Recall Election Rewrite Clarifies the circumstances that a local government official can be removed from office in a recall election.  Yea’s: 39 No’s: 0 SB 1482 New Commissioner for the SCC Authorizes a new commissioner on the State Corporation Commission to equalize the length of terms due to two pending vacancies. Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SB 1494 Attorney Discipline Revision Provides a disbarred attorney seeking reinstatement to elect a three judge panel to consider reinstatement instead of only consideration by a committee of attorneys. Yea’s: 25 No’s: 14 SB 1495 Civil Penalty for Abuses of Power Allows any person who is impacted by the willful unlawful actions of a local government to sue the locality to seek an injunction and recover attorney’s fees. Yea’s: 40 No’s: 0 SJ 257 Commending the Honorable Glenn L. Clayton II Passed Senate and House SJ 279 Commending the Honorable Mitchell I. Mutnick Passed Senate and House SJ 280 Commending Doreen Gentzler Passed Senate and House SJ 299 Commending the Honorable William J. Minor, Jr. Passed Senate and House

Weekly Column: Crossover Approaches, Protecting Women & Expanding Solar Access

February 8, 2023
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of February 8, 2023.    Crossover Approaches, Protecting Women & Expanding Solar Access                The middle of the General Assembly session is called “Crossover” – the day that each chamber must complete work on all bills originating in each chamber before starting work on bills that have “crossed over” from the other Chamber.                I introduced thirty-one pieces of legislation and twenty-nine appear to be on track to cross to the House of Delegates where passage will be much more difficult.  I was disappointed that my bill to turn the VA529 Plan’s $1.4 billion actuarial surplus into an endowment for Pell-eligible students failed, but no competing bills passed and both chambers appear poised to set up committees to further study the issue over the coming year to see if we can develop a consensus approach.                 Many constituents have reached out to me after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs case about doing more to protect women’s right to reproductive healthcare.  The Senate Privileges and Elections Committee reported a Senator Jennifer McClellan’s proposed amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that would put women’s right to reproductive healthcare on track to be placed on the ballot for ratification by voters into the Constitution of Virginia.                 The Senate Judiciary Committee also reported out my legislation which would protect Virginia’s doctors and women assisting with abortion care or contraception from extradition to states such as Alabama who have pledged to prosecute women.  My legislation also would allow Virginia women to sue any company who sold information regarding their reproductive information to any third party.  Many women keep information regarding their menstrual cycles on phone apps and location data kept by phones can be used to track who has travelled to and from various locations such as abortion clinics.  My legislation was sent to the floor on a party-line vote.                In 2020, I passed legislation that authorized companies to sell shared solar or community solar in Dominion’s service territory which I thought would be very useful in our community.  If you have lots of sun and own your roof, you can put solar panels on your roof and reduce your electric bill to nearly zero, but if you live in a community with lots of trees, do not own your roof, or live in a community with a homeowners’ association that prohibits solar panels, you cannot generate your own power.                 Shared solar allows homeowners to purchase portion of output from a specific smaller solar project and then net the output of those panels against your home electricity bill.   The solar industry and incumbent monopolies have continued to fight about what homeowners should pay to support existing electrical infrastructure and other costs associated with electricity production.  One of my bills requires the State Corporation Commission to consider the benefits of solar energy such as climate change, health benefits, and infrastructure upgrades in connection with determining that amount.  In addition, I am carrying legislation to authorize a shared solar program in the territory for Appalachian Power which is in Southwest Virginia.                 On November 17, 2021, Bijan Ghaisar was shot and killed at the corner of Fort Hunt Road and Alexandria Avenue.  He was unarmed and chased down by the police after leaving a traffic collision where he was struck from behind.  After the Trump Administration’s Department of Justice refused to prosecute the two police officers who shot him, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office attempted to prosecute him.  The prosecution was removed to Federal Court and Attorney General Mark Herring joined in the prosecution.  After Attorney General Jason Miyares was elected, he voluntarily dismissed the prosecution during its appeal without ever taking input from Mr. Ghaisar’s parents who qualify as victims under the Virginia Crime Victim’s Act.  My legislation to make clear that the law applies to the Attorney General has passed so far without any opposition.                Finally, the chambers announced their respective budget amendments this weekend and I will discuss that next week.  I have also received over 300 responses to my constituent survey which you can complete at www.scottsurovell.org/survey.   As always, if you have any feedback, you can reach me at [email protected].

Weekly Column: Important Bills Are Moving in the State Legislature

January 28, 2023
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 29, 2023.   Important Bills Are Moving in the State Legislature After three weeks into this General Assembly session, many of my bills are moving through committees or have been approved by the Senate and sent to the House of Delegates. Stronger Consumer Protections                The regulation of monopoly utilities is one of the most complex topics for crafting good policy.  Virginia’s two investor-owned utilities, Dominion Power and Appalachian Power, have combined revenues of nearly $20 billion from their customers.  That is nearly half the state’s $43.5 billion in General Fund revenues, but unfortunately, the legislature invests very little time supervising this spending by Virginia’s residents and businesses.                   Over the last decade, criticism of utility policy-making has risen, especially in compressed, 45 to 60-day sessions during which time there is limited public input.  The Division of Legislative Services provides us an attorney who is prohibited from giving policy advice leaving us to educate ourselves as best we can and largely dependent on stakeholder lobbyists and interest groups for policy analysis or other information. Working through the facts, noise and conflict is often very difficult.  There has to be a better way.                This is why I introduced legislation to reinvigorate the Utility Regulation Commission that was created in 2003 to oversee utility policy.  It has only met a handful of times in the last ten years and has no staff.  My legislation would require the commission to conduct regular meetings, conduct independent studies, review potential legislative options, receive annual reports from our utility regulators and have seven professional staffers.  Conservation advocates argue is could become the most important energy policy measures introduced in this session. The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee unanimously approved the bill this week.  It will be reviewed in the Finance Committee this week before moving on to the full Senate.                 The Virginia Comptroller recently reinterpreted an exemption in the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and began withholding the names of government employees using government credit cards.  With the support of the Virginia Open Government Coalition, I have introduced a bill to require names to be disclosed. Two Senate committees passed the bill and the full Senate will considerit this week.  Accepting All of Us                Earlier this year, Governor Youngkin issued guidance to schools addressing parental notification of books that contain potentially obscene material used in educational settings.  However, his guidance used a definition from a state law that prohibits the sale or loan of obscene books to children that labels any depiction of homosexuality as “sexual conduct,” even a book just depicts a gay couple eating dinner or playing golf.  This statutory language reflects ancient prejudices that sought to dehumanize gay Virginians as deviants instead of normal human beings.  The Senate passed my legislation to remove any depiction of homosexuality from the Code of Virginia on a bipartisan vote.                 On a bipartisan vote, the also Senate passed my bill to expand the “Lemon Law” to Virginia’s small businesses so that manufacturers will be required to deal with defective work trucks or passenger vans.   More College Scholarships                In the early 1990s, Congress authorized states to create tax-deferred college savings plans which are now called “529 Plans.”  Virginia was one of the first states in America to create a plan. The state partnered with American Funds and now has the most assets under management in America today.  Ninety-four percent of participants in the mutual fund-style component of the plan are residents of other states.                Last year, Virginia’s independent auditor, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) studied Virginia’s 529 Plan with independent actuaries and determined that the plan had a $1.6 billion actuarial surplus that could be available for appropriation.  Forty-percent of these funds came largely from out-of-state investors and sixty percent derives from unspent revenues in Virginia’s Prepaid Tuition Plan.  I introduced legislation to create a new endowment to be funded by this surplus which would eventually generate about 2,500 full scholarships per year to Pell Grant-eligible Virginia college students.  A Senate committee will hold a hearing, the first level of consideration, this week.                 Please complete my constituent survey at www.scottsurovell.org/survey.  As always, send me an email at [email protected] to share your views and suggestions or for  constituent services.  

Weekly Column: Bills Starting to Move Along

January 25, 2023
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 22, 2023.                  The second week of the General Assembly is in the books and I am carrying thirty-one bills and over a dozen budget amendments.  Several saw movement this week.                 Earlier this year, it was discovered that a guidance counselor was working in Glasgow Middle School two years after having been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor.  It is not clear whether the Chesterfield County Sheriff failed to notify Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) or whether FCPS failed to take action after receiving notice.  His employment was discovered after he was charged with solicitation a second time and discovered at that time.                My legislation requires the Secretary of Education to publish a written list with fax, email, and postal addresses for notification, requires notification of all arrests and convictions in writing by certified first class mail or fax and email so that there is a paper trail.  The Fairfax County guidance counselor also lied about his employment so the legislation requires law enforcement to run an employment check with the Virginia Employment Commission.  Hopefully, with these changes no further sex offender notifications will be lost in the system.  My bill passed out of committee unanimously and will be on the floor this week.                Fort Belvoir also came to me because Virginia Law restricts their law enforcement’s ability to investigate crimes that cross the boundary from the military base like stalking.  My legislation to allow Army and Air Force Police to investigate crimes that cross lines passed out unanimously.                 Two years ago, we passed legislation that prohibited foreclosing on someone’s home if a judgment does not exceed $25,000.  However, there is an exception for Homeowner and Condominium Associations who can initiate a foreclosure proceeding if you own as little as $1.  Attorneys have made me aware of associations and law firms who have initiated foreclosure proceedings over amounts as small as a few hundred dollars while demanding thousands in attorney’s fees to terminate foreclosure sales.  The homeowners associations complained that they needed to be able to threaten to take people’s homes to make them pay their assessments and my bill was referred to the Virginia Housing Commission to be studied over the next year.                The Fairfax County Circuit Court also asked me to carry legislation to assist with the procurement of interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing.  The Fairfax County Circuit Court has seen a shortage of these interpreters post-pandemic and would like to procure them from a larger pool.  The bill passed unanimously.                 I am also carrying a bill that expands Virginia’s Lemon Law to a business that has less than five vehicles.  A malfunctioning vehicle can be destructive to a small business owner.  Manufacturers are in a much better position to deal with lemons than our local car dealerships.  My legislation was reported by the Transportation Committee and will be voted on this week.                I am also carrying several budget amendments to help our area including appropriations to help the Gum Springs Museum, the Wish Center in Hybla Valley, the Ecumenical Community Helping Others organization in Springfield, and the Lorton Community Action Center.  I am also carrying legislation to appropriate funds to provide body cameras to the Virginia State Police which have already been deployed for all of our local police departments.                If you have any questions or feedback on session, please email me at [email protected]

Weekly Column: The 2023 General Assembly Has Started Its Work

January 17, 2023
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 15, 2023.    The 2023 General Assembly Has Started Its Work The first week of the General Assembly session is in the books. We spent most of it getting organized.  On the day before the session started, we learned that Virginia Beach voters had elected Virginia Beach Councilman Aaron Rouse to the state Senate in a special election to replace now-Congresswoman Jen Kiggans.  That changed the party composition of the Senate to 22 Democrats and 18 Republicans.  Senator-elect Rouse will be sworn in this week after his election is certified and he will be a welcome addition.                  The Governor delivered his State of the Commonwealth Address to a joint session of the legislature during our first week.  While it appears the Governor has presidential ambitions, I was disappointed that he used the occasion to blame President Biden and former Governor Northam for national and international trends like inflation and learning loss instead of offering more solutions that we could work together on.  The Senate has common ground with him on issues like bolstering investments in mental health.                Governor Youngkin’s presidential ambitions appear to have prodded him to focus on China at the expense of his state’s needs.  He focused part of his speech on banning Chinese land purchases.  The next day, we learned that he had cut off negotiations with Ford Motor Company on the construction of an electric vehicle battery plant in Halifax County.  Ford’s plan would have created 2,500 jobs in a county that has a median family income of $45,000 per year – 40 percent of Fairfax County’s – because Ford had chosen to partner with a Chinese technology firm to produce the batteries.  While China bashing is a popular sport right now with other presidential hopefuls, raising this topic in a speech historically meant to address the state’s problems, puts personal, national ambitions ahead of Virginians’ needs.                I am carrying 31 bills and about a dozen budget amendments.  Among them, I have introduced  legislation to expand transparency in our utility policy process.  Many people have concerns that Virginia’s regulated monopolies, like electricity transmission, have too much influence in making policy by moving billions of dollars around annually through your utility bills.  While we have attorneys to help draft legislation, the General Assembly has no permanent policy staff to brief us and provide objective advice on many issues.  My legislation would require the Virginia Commission on Utility Regulation to meet regularly, hire permanent policy staff and help better inform legislators.  With so few professional, knowledgeable staffers working for the General Assembly, I fear that too many legislators rely too heavily on industry lobbyists.  We have made massive changes in our energy laws in the last three years, involving billions of taxpayer and ratepayer dollars, and we need enhanced, professional policy support to transition to a clean energy economy.                 I am also carrying legislation to protect Virginia women in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs reproductive choice decision.  Several out-of-state attorneys general are targeting those who facilitate abortions.  I am concerned that a Virginian could be charged for giving a ride or otherwise helping a friend seeking this medical care.  My bill would prevent their extradition.                Today’s smartphones can log your every move and it is very easy to purchase data that shows who has visited a reproductive healthcare clinic.  Several phone applications also allow women to track their menstrual activity.  My bill would allow a person to sue if any information regarding their reproductive health history is sold by a third-party data broker.  Senator Barbara Favola is also proposing similar legislation prohibiting Virginia prosecutors from seizing such information by search warrant.                 The Virginia 529 Plan has generated a $1.2 billion surplus due to investment management fees and lower-than-anticipated tuition inflation.  I have proposed to create an endowment, fund it with the surplus and create 2,500 full scholarships for Virginia students who agree to remain in Virginia for eight years after graduation.                 Finally, I am hosting my Mount Vernon town hall meeting this Saturday, January 21, 9 to 11 a.m. at Walt Whitman Middle School and at 1 p.m. at Hayfield Elementary School with Senator Adam Ebbin, Senator George Barker, Delegate Mark Sickles, and Delegate Paul Krizek.  I will hold a town hall in South County after that.  If you have any feedback, please email me at [email protected].  

Weekly Column: Budgeting Is a Careful Balancing Act

December 28, 2022
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the first week of January in 2023.    Budgeting Is a Careful Balancing Act                  In December, Governor Youngkin proposed amendments to the state’s two-year budget.  While he did include some laudable proposals, he also continued to promote some unacceptable strategies.               Virginia’s revenue picture continues to be very positive, but many of our advisors have indicated that our revenue gains could be ephemeral.  First, inflation continues to be up and when things cost more, people spend more and employers give raises to keep up with inflation.  Since Virginia’s General Fund is largely funded by sales and income taxes, our revenues are up compared to some past years. Support Teachers and Police Officers               The Governor proposed another $50 million for his “lab school” experiment, an approach that is actually another attempt to divert funds away from our public schools.  He also proposed teacher retention bonuses.  I believe these funds should be structured as raises that permanently increase teacher pay instead of one-time raises for one year only.My caucus will try to focus more funding on secondary and post-secondary education, as they try to address the pandemic’s adverse impacts and expand educational opportunities for all students.  Unfortunately, we have not adequately funded raises for teachers, police or other public employees to keep up with inflation or private sector salary rates.  The state government currently has a record-high 17 percent staff vacancy rate, in part because of non-competitive salaries and the Governor’s directive prohibiting any of the state’s 106,000 employees from working from home without the personal approval of his chief of staff. Law enforcement staffs across the Commonwealth continue to have 10-20 percent vacancy rates.  We must pay our public employees better or we will continue to see attrition which erodes services that taxpayers expect.               Most disturbing is the Governor’s proposed expenditure of $50,000 to apparently cover costs associated with some type of new abortion ban.  Longstanding Virginia law requires all new felonies or bills that expand existing felonious conduct to be contingent upon appropriating $50,000 for new prisoner costs and it appears the Governor included this in his budget in anticipation of new abortion restrictions.  No legislation restricting women’s healthcare decision-making will pass the Virginia Senate.  A ban is unacceptable.No to Corporate Tax Cuts               The Governor proposed $1 billion in new tax cuts by putting corporate tax rate at 5 percent, a rate that is lower than the 5.75 percent rate paid by individuals.  Unlike individuals, most businesses already benefit from deductions, depreciation and other policies that lower the actual amount they pay in taxes.  In addition, our economic advisors have cautioned us against making significant changes how we fund the state governmentbecause some predict a likely recession in the next year.  I will fight unsound tax cuts for corporations.More for Mental Health                The Governor did propose $230 million of major new spending on behavioral or mental health.  The Senate Democratic Caucus proposed a similar measure last session, but it was sacrificed due to the Governor’s demand for $2 billion in tax cuts.  I am sure we can find common ground on this important priority as the shortage of mental health services continues to be a crisis.   He also proposed $100 million for Richmond’s massive raw sewage problem, a worthwhile proposal that I support. The city needs state help to end this pollution.                  Last year’s sales tax cut also created a $700 million hole in our six-year plan for transportation projects that we need to fill.                  State budgeting should also recognize potential impacts of the Federal Reserve’s actions.  Home sales are declining – which fund grantors’ taxes - and the economy could begin to slow down as interest rates reduce borrowing and consumer spending.  We must prepare and not set ourselves up for shortfalls by baking long-term tax cuts into our budget.               The legislature will convene on January 11 in Richmond.  In the coming weeks, I will report on proposals that I will carry this session.  Please share your views and suggestions with me at [email protected].

Weekly Column: Continuing Our Progress - Working for You

November 27, 2022
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of November 28, 2022.    Continuing Our Progress - Working for You             It has been an honor to serve our community in the Virginia legislature for the last 12 years.  I am letting you know that I will run for re-election to represent the 34th District in the Senate of Virginia in 2023. A New District             The redistricting of state and federal elected officials’ districts made substantial changes in the Senate district I have represented for the last six years. The area of Fairfax County south of Alexandria and east of Interstate 95/495 is currently divided between three state Senate districts.  After the election in 2023, there will only be one district and it has been renumbered as the 34th Senate District similar to the configuration in our area before 2001.  The new boundaries are roughly everything in Fairfax County south of Alexandria, west of the Potomac River, north of the Occoquan River and east of the CSX railroad tracks that run from Alexandria to Richmond, Pohick Creek and the former Lorton Prison.   The New 34th Senate District  I am excited to be reunited with many of my existing neighbors, former constituents and I look forward to working for a district that is more of a community than the current fragmented district.  My life in elected public service began in 2009 when I was first elected to the 44th House of Delegates District after Delegate Kris Amundson’s retirement.  I was elected to the current 36th Senate District after Senator Toddy Puller announced her retirement in 2015.  Much Accomplished - More to Do                 Since 2009, one of my top objectives has been the reconstruction and redevelopment of U.S. 1 to facilitate the extension of the Yellow Line Metro subway to the south.  As a result of Senator Puller and I securing $2 million in 2011 to conduct the U.S. 1 Multimodal Alternative Analysis Study, our community reached a consensus on a road design and supporting development which has resulted in a near $1 billion transportation improvement project that is currently underway in the corridor with the full support of Delegates Paul Krizek and Mark Sickles along with and Supervisors Dan Storck and Rodney Lusk.                 In 2020, I was proud to carry legislation to abolish the death penalty in Virginia and lead reforms of Virginia’s criminal justice system.  I led the fight to require Alexandria to stop discharging 150 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River every year and to require Dominion Energy to spend an additional $2 billion to clean up its coal ash ponds to the highest standards.  Expanding Medicaid and health care to 300,000 Virginians in 2017 was a proud moment for me, an advance that has created tens of thousands of Virginia jobs and made health care available to over 10,000 people that I represent.  I also proudly carried a bill to prohibit people from operating a motor vehicle while holding a cellphone and to provide driving privilege cards to 300,000 Virginians awaiting legal status – many of whom live in our community where one in four residents was born in another country.  As a graduate of West Potomac High School, James Madison University and the University of Virginia School of Law, I recognize that state and local public education invested in me so I could have success.  Fairfax County Public Schools now receive $463 million more per year or about $2,700 per student than when I was first elected in 2009 – a 98% increase over 2010.  We still do not pay our teachers nearly enough, but we have made significant progress.  I was also honored to negotiate Virginia’s new minimum wage bill with Delegate Paul Krizek which will increase Virginia’s minimum wage will rise to $12.00 per hour on January 1, 2023.  I was also proud to lift the ban on collective bargaining on our local public employee unions and expand all workers’ rights to hold employers accountable for wrongful conduct.    We have much work to do to improve our quality of life.  I hope I will earn your vote as your state Senator on November 7, 2023.  Please share your suggestions and views with me at [email protected].   

Yellow Line Service Follow Up: Alternative Service Options

August 9, 2022
Several Alternative Travel Options Available While Yellow Line Service is Suspended Need help navigating your options? Check out: https://novatransit.org/programs/novarides/ YELLOW LINE PASSENGERS: As you may recall, back in March the WMATA announced they are suspending Yellow Line service across the Potomac between Pentagon and L’Enfant stations for eight months, starting Sept. 10th, 2022. You can see my blog post about it here: Yellow Line Service Disruptions. As promised, I wanted to provide you with information for alternative service options while the Yellow Line is suspended. WMATA is providing several travel alternatives over the next eight months. This includes free shuttle bus service, alternative rail routes, free passage on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and Northern Virginia supplemental services from DASH, OmniRide, and Fairfax Connector. Riders can plan ahead by visiting the project’s Service Impacts and Travel Alternatives information webpage now. The work to the Yellow Line will happen over two phases. Below you will find Yellow Line specific travel alternatives for each phase. Phase One Travel Options-Sept. 10 - Oct. 22, 2022 Free Shuttle Service: Seven free shuttles will be offered during Phase One, including local and express shuttles in Virginia and three limited-stop shuttles crossing the Potomac River. Local shuttles will be available during all Metrorail operating hours. Yellow Line Local Express shuttles will be available most of the day (from 4:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. weekends). Yellow Line Express: Huntington-Pentagon Express shuttles will be available most of the day (from 4:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. weekends). Yellow Line Express: Huntington-Pentagon Limited shuttles will be available during weekday rush hours only. VA-DC Shuttle 3: Mt. Vernon-Potomac Park (former 11Y Route) (5 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.) Peak direction is toward Washington, DC in the morning and toward Virginia in the afternoon The shuttle stops at several locations in Alexandria along the George Washington Parkway, including Huntington Point, Franklin Street, King Street, and Pendleton Street. In Washington, D.C., stops are near the McPherson Square Station at 14th and I Streets, NW, and near the Farragut West Station at 19th and I Streets Rail Service: No Yellow Line service, but Yellow Line stations north of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station will be served by the Blue or Green lines Note: If 7000-series trains remain out of service, trains will operate less frequently Virginia Railway Express (VRE): VRE passengers will ride free during September and between certain stations in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia during October. The decision to suspend fares will make VRE a more viable option for Metrorail riders during the closure of Blue and Yellow Line stations south of Reagan National Airport for those returning to work post-Labor Day. DASH Bus (Fare Free) Line 35: Service between Van Dorn Metro, Yoakum Pkwy, Beauregard St, and Pentagon Metro Line 103:  Service between Braddock Metro, Russell Rd, Glebe Rd, and Pentagon Metro Line 104: Service between Braddock Metro, Cameron Mills Dr, Parkfairfax, and Pentagon Metro   OmniRide/PRTC Route D-100: Service between Dale City and Downtown Washington Route L-100: Service between Lake Ridge and Downtown Washington Route D-200: Service between Dale City, Pentagon, and Rosslyn/Ballston Route L-200: Service between Lake Ridge, Pentagon, and Crystal City Route D-300: Service between Dale City, Pentagon, and Washington Navy Yard RS South Route 1: Service between Triangle, Dumfries, Woodbridge, Pentagon, and Downtown Washington MC Montclair: Service between Montclair, Pentagon, and Downtown Washington   Reagan National Airport (DCA) Traveler Information: Free Shuttle Service: Travel options from the six closed stations: Yellow Line Local customers should transfer to the Blue Line Local at King St-Old Town Station. Phase Two Travel Options-Oct. 23, 2022 - May 2023 Free Shuttle Service: Metro will continue to provide three limited-stop shuttles crossing the Potomac River during weekday rush hours only.   VA-DC Shuttle 3: Mt. Vernon-Potomac Park (former 11Y Route) (5:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.)Service between Mt. Vernon, Alexandria, and Potomac Park every 20 minutes. Peak direction service only. Peak direction is toward Washington, DC in the morning and toward Virginia in the afternoon The shuttle stops at several locations in Alexandria along the George Washington Parkway, including Huntington Point, Franklin Street, King Street, and Pendleton Street. In Washington, D.C., stops are near the McPherson Square Station at 14th and I Streets, NW, and near the Farragut West Station at 19th and I Streets Rail Service: All stations will reopen, and service will resume south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station Yellow Line stations will be served by the Blue or Green lines If there are any changes or updates regarding these alternative travel options I will be sure to let you know in a timely manner. Thank you for your flexibility during this time as we continue to better transportation in our community.

Weekly Column: Working for a Safer, More Efficient Transportation System

August 1, 2022
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of August 1, 2022.    Working for a Safer, More Efficient Transportation System This is an update on several important transportation projects underway in our area, including the U.S. 1 Speed Study, undergrounding utilities on U.S. 1, the I-495 Southside Express Lanes Study, and the Youngkin Administration’s reallocation of transit funds. Since 2017, we have seen the following on U.S. 1 in Fairfax County: 1,785 crashes 1,185 injuries 15 deaths The per-lane-miles-travelled accident rate between Fort Belvoir and Hybla Valley is 70% higher than the Virginia and Fairfax County averages.  From Hybla Valley to Alexandria it is 40% higher. These are troubling numbers.  The $800 million widening of U.S. 1 and construction of bus rapid transit will bring significant safety improvements and is being engineered with lane widths assuming a 35 MPH speed limit. Last week, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) held a public hearing to announce the preliminary results of its study to lower the speed limit on U.S. 1 during the eight years between today and the completion of U.S. 1 construction.  VDOT’s study showed that a 35 MPH speed limit would significantly improve safety and reduce a driver’s travel time on the seven-mile stretch by only 90 seconds.  VDOT is taking public comments on its website before finalizing its recommendation.                  The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recently had their first public discussion on undergrounding utilities on U.S. 1 as part of the widening plans and examined a new utility fee to pay for the undergrounding, an outgrowth of legislation I carried in 2017 and 2019.  Over 450 Mount Vernon residents signed the petition I circulated with Delegate Paul Krizek requesting County action.   County staff expressed concern that undergrounding utilities could jeopardize funding from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).  It is not clear to me why that concern is only now being raised since this discussion has been ongoing for over five years, but I am hopeful that Congressman Don Beyer and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine can work out a solution with the FTA.                VDOT has also begun a study of adding express toll lanes on I-495 from the Springfield “Mixing Bowl” to Prince George’s County, Maryland.  When the Woodrow Wilson Bridge expansion was finalized in 2005, the extra capacity on the bridge was expressly reserved for transit, including rail.  I have serious concerns that toll lanes would permanently eliminate the possibility of rail on the bridge and cannot be accomplished without reducing the current toll-less access on the bridge’s existing ten lanes.  Additional vehicle capacity creates more vehicle-dependent, sprawling development and adds more vehicle commutes from Prince George’s County to Tyson’s Corner.  The Wilson Bridge, which carries heavy interstate traffic, is already clogged almost daily. Rail is a more prudent, forward-looking investment.                  The National Park Service instituted traffic calming measures on the south George Washington Memorial Parkway, including a “traffic diet” last year.  At the time, VDOT analyzed concerns by several constituents that the traffic diet would gridlock Fort Hunt Road predicted no impact.  This spring, VDOT analyzed new traffic data at my request and found traffic volumes on Fort Hunt Road have not changed since the Parkway traffic diet was implemented.                   Finally, many of us are concerned about the Metro system’s lack of capital investment due to insufficient government support.  The forthcoming closure of the Yellow Line Bridge over the Potomac River for eight months is the latest reminder.  Last week, we discovered that the Youngkin Administration reallocated $71 million of state transit assistance dollars into statewide road maintenance funds.  First, this means that area localities will have to make up the difference with local funds (e.g., your real estate or property tax dollars).  Second, it means that transit funds will be used to repave roads across the entire state instead of being spent here.                While road paving needs funding, I am shocked the Governor would take this action while simultaneously claiming we have $2 billion of unanticipated transportation revenues that can support a $500 million gas tax cut.  Many of us view his action as a raid on Northern Virginia transit to benefit other parts of Virginia.  We have asked staff to determine if this unilateral reallocation violates the state budget law.                It is an honor to serve as your state senator.  Please email me at [email protected] with your suggestions and feedback.

Sign the petition to Underground Utilities on U.S. 1

July 18, 2022
On July 26, Mt. Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck is bringing a board matter before his colleagues that would raise the funds to finally underground utilities on U.S. 1 and other revitalizations areas in Fairfax County.  His plan creates a revolving fund with revenue raised by a utility fee capped capped at $1/month and reimbursed by development proffers.  Fairfax County is the only jurisdiction in Virginia authorized to impose this fee. Supervisor Rodney Lusk supports the measure and Patch is reporting that Chairman Jeff McKay also supports funding for underground utilities on U.S. 1.   Transit-oriented development requires underground utilities.  Climate change and traffic accidents undermine Fairfax County resiliency.   VDOT has committed $15 million and Verizon has already committed to fund their $45 million cost of undergrounding on U.S. 1 if the County pays $10M for to expand the underground duct bank.  Prince William County funded underground utilities on 14-miles of U.S. 1 using local funds.  Fairfax County is significantly wealthier and can afford the same amenities, and we cannot leave this money on the table.     Underground utilities are supported by the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens and the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce.  Please join Delegate Paul Krizek and me in urging the County Board of Supervisors to support Supervisor Dan Storck's proposal. We will deliver all comments you make to the Board of Supervisors before their meeting. Loading…

Weekly Column: U.S. Supreme Court Puts Virginian's Safety at Risk

July 4, 2022
The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of July 4, 2022.    U.S. Supreme Court Puts Virginian's Safety at Risk The U.S. Supreme Court on June 23 issued a disturbing decision on guns, the New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. v. Bruen case, which clarified the scope of firearms rules declared by the Supreme Court in a previous case, D.C. v. Heller, decided in 2008. This is yet another disappointing decision from that court, like the one I wrote about last week,  the Dobbs case, which would severely limit women’s reproductive rights.                 Before 2008, American courts interpreted the Second Amendment as authorizing states the freedom to regulate their militias – today’s National Guard.  In Heller, the Court invalidated the District of Columbia’s handgun ban and requirement that rifles in the home be stored with trigger locks and unassembled.  This was the first time the Court found such a right existed.                 Today, New York requires every gun owner to obtain a license to own or possess a gun and to meet certain character standards.  If a person wants to carry a concealed firearm outside the home, he or she has to demonstrate “good cause,” which courts have found is “a special need for self-protection distinguishable from that of the general community” such as specific threats. New York’s concealed handgun ban dates to 1905 and it was one of only six states where concealed carry permits are discretionary.  In Virginia, concealed carry permits must be issued unless you fall within one of 18 exclusions such as a felony conviction, mental illness or have specific misdemeanor convictions.                  The NY Rifle case abandoned tests that had been settled on by the federal appellate courts and set aside the New York rule by creating a new test stipulating that all firearms rules must be “consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition . . . when the people adopted them” and consistent with the “public understanding” of the amendment.                    This “historical tradition” test is preposterous.  At the time our country was founded, it took eight to 10 seconds to put one bullet in a musket.  The effective range of an 18th century musket was 50 to 100 meters.  George Washington would not recognize today’s firearms, you could not carry a pistol with 33 bullets your pocket and it is unlikely James Madison ever stuffed his musket rifle in his jacket while he perused grocery store aisles.  Concealable guns did not exist.                 The Court also discussed what kinds of “sensitive places” firearm regulation might be allowed including some “government buildings,” such as courthouses, but it did not clarify the scope. Given this discussion, Virginia’s rules prohibiting firearms on school property, in Richmond’s Capitol Square or in state government buildings could be at issue.                 In 2020, I helped pass several historic laws that could be at issue because of this case: ·         Universal background checks; ·         “Red Flag” laws allowing police to seize guns from mentally unstable people in an emergency; ·         Allowing only one handgun purchase per month; and ·         Allowing localities to regulate firearms on government property and at government-permitted events.   I was especially proud to carry the local authority bill after several men from Hopewell, Virginia, carried AR-15 rifles around the Alexandria Farmer’s Market while my father and son tried to buy a baguette and ham biscuits.  Since then, many Virginia localities have adopted ordinances prohibiting firearms in government centers, libraries, local parks and during parades, protests or other government-permitted events.  All of these ordinances are now at risk.  Background checks, red flag laws and gun purchase limits did not exist in 1776 and I have no idea what the Supreme Court thinks the “historical record” says about these rules.                  The Court has also created this new legal regime out of thin air.  It effectively requires legislators and judges to become historians.  History is often written by the victors, filled with the period’s prejudices and interpretation is subject of debate.  Law schools do not teach historical analysis and our system is wholly unprepared for this new “legal test” which is going to result in a legal feeding frenzy which is one reasons courts often avoid overruling precedents.  Confidence in the Supreme Court is at an all-time low today because today’s Court operates more as a legislature instead of nine impartial jurists who follow the U.S. Constitution or law enacted by democratic legislatures. 

Weekly Column: The U.S. Supreme Court Decision Threatens Women’s Fundamental Rights

June 26, 2022
The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of June 26, 2022. The U.S. Supreme Court Decision Threatens Women’s Fundamental RightsLast week the U.S. Supreme Court issued three very important decisions: Carson v. Maikin, New York Rifle & Pistol Assn v. Bruen and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Org. (Dobbs).  The Carson case relates to taxpayer funding of religious schools.  NY Rifle affects firearm violence prevention.  Dobbs eviscerates a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions.  This column addresses the Dobbs decision.  I will discuss NY Rifle next week, Carson and the Governor’s budget amendments in future columns.               The Dobbs case overruled the landmark Roe v. Wade decision which has been the law of the land since January 22, 1973.  That decision held that the right to privacy embodied in various amendments in the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights gave women a constitutional right to make their own healthcare decisions.  Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the Roe case was wrongly decided and should no longer stand.                  The Dobbs decision does not change Virginia law -- yet.  In Virginia, abortion is legal and in 2020 we even repealed a series of restrictions on a woman’s right to make this decision, limits put in place between 2010 and 2019, including requiring an external ultrasound and a picture of the ultrasound’s results given to the woman, requiring a 24-hour wait after obtaining the ultrasound, the provision of medically inaccurate information, and revoking a mandate to the Board of Health to unnecessarily regulate abortion clinics like hospitals.                 Today, a Virginia woman may obtain an abortion in the state without restriction during her pregnancy’s first two trimesters or during the third trimester if three medical doctors certify that the pregnancy will lead to the woman’s death or “substantially and irremediably impair the mental or physical health of the woman.”                After the Supreme Court’s decision, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that he will propose legislation to ban all abortions after the fifteenth week of pregnancy.  Another Senator has announced that he will introduce legislation to state that life begins at conception.   These bills will not pass the current Senate Education and Health Committee, but after the 2023 elections, if the membership and control of the State Senate changes, Virginia’s laws could be significantly modified or repealed.                 I support a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions.  In 2020, I even introduced legislation to codify Roe v. Wade, to put that policy into Virginia’s laws.  Senator Dick Saslaw introduced legislation to start the process of placing Roe in the Constitution of Virginia.  We withdrew our own bills at the request of several abortion rights organizations who did not want the legislation to be presented for various reasons.  The current composition of the General Assembly along with Governor Youngkin’s views make it impossible to pass these bills today, but that could change after 2023 or 2025 when we could try again.                  I cannot convey how disturbed I am by the Supreme Court’s decisions.  While past precedents have fallen before, the Court has never taken away a constitutional right.  Americans rely on the Court to follow our Constitution and the law through reliance upon precedent and incremental change.  Last week, the Court inappropriately behaved like a legislature.                  Five of the six justices who signed on to Dobbs and the other two opinions were nominated by presidents who did not win the American popular vote.  All six told Congress that Roe was settled precedent in their confirmation hearings.   One was confirmed after the U. S. Senate refused to hold confirmation hearings six months before an election.  Three were confirmed after the Republican majority changed internal rules and exempted Supreme Court nominations from the filibuster.   All were confirmed by U. S.  Senators representing a minority of America’s population.                  The Court’s legitimacy derives from the public’s trust, that the public believes that the court bases its opinions on the law and not on a judge’s personal opinions or religious beliefs.  This week’s decisions have eviscerated public confidence and will further inflame the divisions that have plagued our country for the last five years.                  I will do everything I can to protect the ability of Virginia’s women to have access to contraception and make healthcare decisions without government interference.  It is an honor to serve as your state senator. 

Weekly Column: Historic Investment In K-12 Education

June 6, 2022
The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of June 7, 2022.                 Last week, I wrote about some of the local effects of the bipartisan budget agreement that we sent to the Governor last week.  This week I will write about some of the broader issues addressed in the budget.                First, I was not pleased with the tax cuts which I believe are short-sighted.  The budget contains several other priorities I do not support such as a new $100 million “college laboratory school” program and new funds for school resource officers, but bipartisanship requires compromise.                    The overall budget is about $180 billion over a two-year period or biennium.  The General Fund portion of the budget which we have the most discretion around totals about $59 billion over two years.  It is balances and contains a constitutionally-mandated $1.1 billion deposit to our “Rainy Day Fund” which is now projected to total $3.8 billion by FY2023 as required by the Constitution of Virginia.  It also contains a $750 million deposit against our $15 billion unfunded retirement liability with the Virginia Retirement System.                The Budget contains a number of tax cuts which reduced available revenue by over $4 billion.  Specifically, it reduced revenues by $1.6 billion by increasing the standard deduction to $8,000 for individuals and $16,000 for joint filers.  It eliminates the state sales tax on food for human consumption and personal hygiene products at a cost of $372 million but leaves the 1% local option sales tax that funds K-12 in place.  The budget also contains rebates of $250 and $500 for single and married tax filers which will cost $1.0 billion.   It also makes the Virginia Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) partially refundable at a cost of $315 million and exempts military retirement pay from state income taxes in $10,000 increments starting in 2022 up to $40,000 in 2025.                 The budget contains historic investments in K-12 education including the state share of teacher pay increases of 5% each year and $1,000 bonuses for each school employee.  It partially eliminates the cap on state support for non-teaching personnel that has been in place since 2010 and contains state funded teacher recruitment bonuses of up to $5,000 per position.                It also contains a new $1.0 billion school modernization fund which directs funds to localities through three separate streams.  School construction has historically been a locally-funded activity and many conservative areas have refused to raise taxes to keep up with maintenance.                  Higher education received over $200 million of additional support for in-state tuition, financial aid, but the state is still only funding in-state student tuition at 50% of historic levels.  Several universities have kept tuition flat in light of this.                 The bill increases Health and Human Services funding by $1.4 billion including investments which will reduce our Medicaid Waiver Waiting List for developmentally and intellectually disabled persons.  It provides $86 million in new funding to raise personal care rates for personal attendants and $85 million for increased dental insurance reimbursements so more dentists will take Medicaid funded dental patients.  It raises the salaries of state mental health workers to the 50th percentile with salary increases averaging around 37%.  Our mental health system has been unable to keep up with demand or retain employees.  It also funds a state reinsurance program for our state healthcare exchange which will reduce insurance premiums for individuals purchasing their insurance from the exchange.                The budget contains $47 million to fund local police departments like Fairfax and Prince William County, about $70 million for raises to our Sheriffs, and $113 million for raises with the Virginia State Police and our correctional workers.  It also funds raises for state employees ranging between 10-15% over two years along with $1,000 one-time bonuses.                Finally, it also contains funds to widen I-64 to four lanes between Richmond and Williamsburg and creates a new State Trails Office with $41 million to develop major trails in the Commonwealth.  We also authorized $1.0 billion of capital improvements at our Western Hemisphere leading the Port of Virginia.  The remaining transportation budget is programmed by the Commonwealth Transportation Board.                It is an honor to serve as your state senator.  As always, you can reach me at [email protected].  

Weekly Column: You Can't Always Get What You Want

June 1, 2022
The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of May 31, 2022.                On Wednesday of this week, I cleared my trial calendar and headed to Richmond to vote for the bipartisan conference report on our $188 billion state budget.  The compromise was a mixed bag.  This week, I will write about some local priorities in the budget.  Next week, I will write about the coming tax cuts and some of the broader investments that benefit the entire Commonwealth.                 First, the Commonwealth’s current fiscal picture appears healthy but I have serious concerns that our excess revenues are largely driven by $5 Trillion of federal stimulus monies that have been pumped into our economy instead of solid underlying economic fundamentals.  It is very dangerous to reset tax rates assuming revenues that could vanish when the stream of borrowed money fizzles out.                    The budget appropriates an additional $214 million for Fairfax County Public Schools, $219 million for Prince William County Public Schools, and $78 million for Stafford County Public Schools.  The state is now sending Fairfax County, $468 million more per year than the first budget that was adopted when I was elected in 2010.  These funds will go a long way to ensure our teachers are paid fairly as long as the our localities match the state funding consistent with progressive Virginia policy.                Last year, Senator Adam Ebbin, Delegate Paul Krizek, Delegate Mark Sickles and I secured $2 million in the state budget to help defray the cost of purchasing River Farm which was under threat of development.  Now that the threat has been eliminated, I proposed budget language to repurpose that money to provide public access improvements, education opportunities, viewing platforms and shoreline stabilization which was included in the final budget.  It would not have happened without a team effort and will pay dividends for decades.                    Water service to the Town of Quantico has been a long standing battle between the Town and Marine Corps Base Quantico.  My proposal to use $17 million of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (APRA) to connect the Town to the Prince William County Public Service Authority water system was included.  The amendments also restored many water quality priorities I secured in the Governor’s and Senate’s budget including $3 million for stormwater mitigation in the Town of Dumfries and $300,000 of stormwater remediation in the Town of Occoquan which will help clean the Potomac River.                  Delegate Krizek, Delegate Sickles, Senator Ebbin and I also secured $400,000 of ongoing funding for Good Shepherd Housing’s to continue to provide housing, emergency services, children's services, budgeting, counseling and other resources for low-income families.  Good Shepherd has found this additional funding to be crucial – even in our raging economy where our recovery has been uneven.                 I was also able to pass and secure nearly $400,000 of funding to conduct a bipartisan autopsy of the Commonwealth’s pandemic response.  This pandemic was (hopefully) a once-in-a-century opportunity to test Virginia’s emergency and pandemic response systems.  There are many lessons to be learned about not just the pandemic but also our way of life.  We all received a crash course in remote meetings, vaccine distribution, vaccine mitigation and other practices that can pay us long-term dividends.  We tested our stockpiles and state of emergency statutes, and learned exactly which workers are essential and must continue working no matter how risky it is.  We need to continue our discussions in a post-pandemic environment.                While the budget has some important local priorities, it also contained major tax cuts and investments.  Next week, I will discuss that along with funding I did not support along with major missed opportunities.  As The Rolling Stones sang, "You can't always  get what you want, but if you try, sometimes you get what you need."  I voted “yes” to reach a bipartisan compromise.                   It is an honor to serve as your state senator.  If you have any feedback, you can reach me at [email protected].   

2022 Little Hunting Creek Cleanup!

March 23, 2022
  Mark your calendars to join me, Delegate Paul Krizek and Friends of Little Hunting Creek for our annual creek cleanup! Details are as follows: 2022 LITTLE HUNTING CREEK CLEAN UPAPRIL 30TH9 AM - 11 AMRSVP: bit.ly/CreekCleanup2022 Little Hunting Creek is one of the most severely degraded streams in Fairfax County.  In 2007, it was named “Fairfax County’s Trashiest Stream” by Fairfax County who spent over $50,000 of taxpayer funds removing trash. In our 12 years of creek cleanups, we have removed over 200 shopping carts, over 500 bags of trash, over a dozen bikes, multiple car sears and a .22 caliber rifle. We will have two sites staged for the event: Janna Lee Avenue Little Hunting Creek Bridge:  From Route 1 (at the intersection with Mount Vernon Memorial Highway), turn west onto Buckman Rd., right on Janna Lee Ave to the bridge over Little Hunting Creek. Click here to view this site on Google Maps Mount Vernon Shopping Plaza Near Sherwin-Williams Paint Store: From Route 1, turn N on Fordson Rd, the cleanup site is in the concrete channel adjacent to a Sherwin-Williams store in the NE corner of Mount Vernon Plaza. Enter from Fordson Rd., directly across from Mamma’s Kitchen (7601 Fordson Rd.) Click here to view this site on Google Maps As residents of Mount Vernon, we have a responsibility to improve our natural environment and protect the health of our local watershed. Volunteering is a great opportunity for young adults to spend time outside, gain community service hours and learn about their local ecosystem. Please note that all volunteers are strongly encouraged to wear rainboots or sneakers. Additionally, we will be providing water, light snacks and pizza for all those who come out and volunteer! If you are interested in attending, please RSVP so my team can be sure to provide enough food and supplies: RSVP After the cleanup, you are invited to join me at Cinco De Surovell at Fort Hunt Park at 1 pm! I hope to see you there.

These are all of the video clips of Scott Surovell’s remarks on the floor of the Senate since 2010. There are 210 video clips in all.

Bills

  • SB253: Shared solar programs; amends existing program provisions to apply to Dominion Energy Virginia.
  • SB254: Optometrists; expert witness testimony.
  • SB255: Shared solar programs; SCC to establish by regulation, etc.
  • SB256: Motor vehicle insurance; remedies for bad faith for refusal of claims.
  • SB257: Insurance; annual actual loss ratio report by dental carriers.
  • SB258: Substantial risk orders or factors.
  • SB259: Civil actions filed on behalf of multiple persons; types of class actions.
  • SB329: Compost and other products containing organic soil amendments infrastructure; civil penalty.
  • SB341: Common interest communities; foreclosure remedy.
  • SB501: Virginia College Opportunity Endowment and Fund; created.
  • SB502: Juvenile & domestic relations district ct.; parent filing petion for protective order against minor.
  • SB503: License plate reader systems; use by law-enforcement agencies, civil penalty.
  • SB504: Police and court records; expungement, term 'otherwise dismissed.'
  • SB506: Higher educational institutions, public; duties and powers of governing board.
  • SB507: Health care providers & grocery store workers; employers to provide paid sick leave, effective date.
  • SB508: Renewable energy portfolio standard; geothermal heating and cooling systems.
  • SB509: Court of Appeals; appeal of interlocutory orders.
  • SB718: Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority and Financing Fund; established, report.
  • SB729: Virginia Clean Energy Innovation Bank; created, report.
  • SB730: Nonliving shoreline stabilization structures; regulations.
  • SB737: Electric utilities; energy efficiency programs, on-bill tariff program.
  • SJ40: Commending the Honorable Grace Burke Carroll.
  • SJ41: Commending the Honorable Gayl Y. Branum Carr.
  • SJ43: Celebrating the life of Janet Marie Brooking.
  • SJ44: Commending the Honorable Mark C. Simmons.
  • SJ45: Commending Kathy Mack.
  • SJ47: Investor-owned electric utilities; SCC to study performance-based regulatory tools.
  • SJ50: Commending John T. Frey.
  • SJ59: Commending Pohick Episcopal Church.
  • SJ107: Commending Michael E. Stone.
  • SJ122: Commending the Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
  • SJ125: Commending the Honorable Lisa A. Mayne.
  • SJ142: Commending the Honorable Robert J. Smith.
  • SJ224: Commending Mount Eagle Elementary School.
  • SJ225: Commending Bucknell Elementary School.
  • SJ226: Commending Hybla Valley Elementary School.
  • SJ228: Commending Lula Bauer.
  • SJ229: Commending the Virginia-Taiwan Trade Office.
  • SR15: Judge; nomination for election to Court of Appeals of Virginia.
  • SR16: Judges; nominations for election to circuit court.
  • SR17: Judges; nominations for election to general district court.
  • SR18: Judges; nominations for election to juvenile and domestic relations district court.
  • SR19: Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; nomination for election of member.
  • SR134: Judges; nominations for election to Court of Appeals of Virginia.
  • SR135: Judges; nominations for election to circuit court.
  • SR136: Judges; nominations for election to general district court.
  • SR137: Judges; nominations for election to juvenile and domestic relations district court.
  • SR138: Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; nomination for election of member.
  • SB796: Income tax, corporate; returns, affiliated corporations.
  • SB799: Evidence of medical reports, etc.; testimony of health care provider or custodian.
  • SB801: Conservators of the peace; search warrants, military criminal investigative organizations.
  • SB813: Virginia Freedom of Information Act; record exclusions, State Comptroller records.
  • SB814: Interpreters for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing; court may appoint certified interpreter.
  • SB815: Va. Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act; expands definition of motor vehicle, clarifies consumer.
  • SB817: Attorney fees; written notice of lien requirements, validity and amount determinations.
  • SB821: Arrests, certain, and convictions of certain individuals; reports to division safety officials.
  • SB835: Juveniles; prohibited sales and loans, clarifies definition of sexual conduct.
  • SB841: Alcohol safety action programs; local independent policy board to select attorneys for board.
  • SB871: Motor vehicle dealers; franchise agreements, sale or lease of new motor vehicles.
  • SB886: Health care providers and grocery store workers; employers to provide paid sick leave.
  • SB895: Interlocutory decrees or orders, certain; appeals.
  • SB1065: Leesylvania State Park; DCR to grant certain easement to River Mouth Corporation.
  • SB1066: Historic rehabilitation; increases maximum amount of tax credit, effective provision.
  • SB1067: Substantial risk orders; substantial risk factors and considerations.
  • SB1166: Energy planning & electric utility oversight; membership for Com. on Electricity Utility Regulation.
  • SB1243: Reproductive health care services; definition, prohibitions on extradition for certain crimes.
  • SB1244: Crime Victim and Witness Rights Act; notifications to victims.
  • SB1266: Public utilities; minimum bill a subscriber to a shared solar program is required to pay.
  • SB1397: Health Insurance Reform Commission; review of essential health benefits benchmark plan.
  • SB1398: Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or a combination thereof; data collection.
  • SB1399: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Bureau of Insurance to select a new plan.
  • SB1402: Criminal records; expungement and sealing of records.
  • SB1428: Common interest communities; foreclosure remedy.
  • SB1431: Elected and certain appointed officers; procedure for removal by courts.
  • SB1461: Virginia College Opportunity Endowment and Fund; established.
  • SB1482: State Corporation Commission; increases number of members.
  • SB1494: Disciplining attorneys and reinstatement of attorneys; procedure by three-judge circuit court.
  • SB1495: Local enforcement action; willful disregard for applicable law, damages.
  • SJ257: Commending the Honorable Glenn L. Clayton II.
  • SJ279: Commending the Honorable Mitchell I. Mutnick.
  • SJ280: Commending Doreen Gentzler.
  • SJ299: Commending the Honorable William J. Minor, Jr.
  • SJ374: Commending Tamara Derenak Kaufax.
  • SJ375: Commending Stratford Landing Elementary School.
  • SJ376: Commending Washington Mill Elementary School.
  • SJ389: Commending the Eagle Festival.
  • SJ409: Commending Karen Corbett Sanders.
  • SB6: Judges; increases from six to seven the maximum number in the Thirty-first Judicial Circuit.
  • SB64: Proceeds of compromise agreements; investment in college savings trust accounts for minors.
  • SB97: Occoquan, Town of; new charter, previous charter repealed except section 2.
  • SB106: Retired circuit and district court judges under recall; evaluation.
  • SB246: Law-enforcement officer; purpose of traffic stop.
  • SB247: Careless driving; vulnerable road users.
  • SB248: Digestate; definition, definition of anaerobic digestion.
  • SB249: Sexual abuse of animals; definitions, penalty.
  • SB250: Nonhazardous solid waste management facilities; increases the annual fees.
  • SB251: Northern Virginia Transportation Authority; funds for pedestrian and bicyclist projects.
  • SB348: Support orders; retroactivity, arrearages, party's incarceration.
  • SB349: Division of marital property; Va. Retirement System managed defined contribution plan, etc.
  • SB350: Health records; patient's right to disclosure.
  • SB351: Workers' compensation; permanent and total incapacity, subsequent accident.
  • SB352: Health care providers and grocery store workers, etc.; employers to provide paid sick leave, clause.
  • SB392: Clerk of the court; copies of appointment order to counsel.
  • SB464: Witnesses; summons in a criminal matter, requirements.
  • SB465: Employee protections; candidacy for or service in the General Assembly.
  • SB466: Virginia College Equity Foundation and Fund; established.
  • SB565: Natural gas, biogas, and other gas sources of energy; definitions, energy conservation.
  • SB669: Law-enforcement employees; alleged wrongdoing.
  • SB740: Common interest communities; standards for structural integrity and reserves for capital components.
  • SB741: Facial recognition technology; authorized uses.
  • SB742: Marijuana; expungement of offenses, civil penalty.
  • SB745: Marijuana-related offenses; modification of sentence.
  • SB746: Minors; prohibition of deceptive tactics during custodial interrogation.
  • SJ6: Commending the Honorable Michael J. Cassidy.
  • SJ10: Pandemic response and preparedness; joint subcommittee to study.
  • SJ94: Commending the Honorable H. Jan Roltsch-Anoll.
  • SJ121: Celebrating the life of Joseph Rogers.
  • SJ208: Commending Rose Hill Elementary School.
  • SJ209: Commending Belle View Elementary School.
  • SJ210: Commending Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association, Inc.
  • SJ211: Commending Hayfield Elementary School.
  • SJ212: Commending Woodlawn Elementary School.
  • SB449: Death penalty; abolishes penalty, including those persons currently under a death sentence.
  • SB626: Hazardous Substance Aboveground Storage Tank Fund; created.
  • SB637: Estate tax; reinstatement.
  • SB641: Civil action; sale of personal data.
  • SB1092: Performance guarantees, certain; provisions for periodic partial and final release.
  • SB1165: Death penalty; abolition of current penalty.
  • SB1165: Death penalty; abolition of current penalty.
  • SB1180: Civil actions; actions filed on behalf of multiple similarly situated persons.
  • SB1180: Civil actions; actions filed on behalf of multiple similarly situated persons.
  • SB1181: Special immigrant juvenile status; jurisdiction.
  • SB1181: Special immigrant juvenile status; jurisdiction.
  • SB1182: Motor vehicle liability insurance; increases coverage amounts.
  • SB1182: Motor vehicle liability insurance; increases coverage amounts.
  • SB1289: Health insurance; carrier business practices, provider contracts.
  • SB1289: Health insurance; carrier business practices, provider contracts.
  • SB1339: Police and court records; expungement and sealing of records, Expungement Fee Fund created.
  • SB1339: Police and court records; expungement and sealing of records, Expungement Fee Fund created.
  • SB1384: Virginia Public Procurement Act; local arbitration agreements.
  • SB1384: Virginia Public Procurement Act; local arbitration agreements.
  • SB1385: Underground utility facilities; Fairfax County.
  • SB1385: Underground utility facilities; Fairfax County.
  • SB1440: Law-enforcement officer, etc.; civil action for unlawful acts of force or failure to intervene.
  • SB1446: Medicine and other healing arts; practice, provision of litigation assistance.
  • SB1457: Historic sites; urban county executive form of gov't. (Fairfax County), provisions in its ordinance.
  • SB1457: Historic sites; urban county executive form of gov't. (Fairfax County), provisions in its ordinance.
  • SB1468: Victims of crime; certifications for victims of qualifying criminal activity.
  • SB1468: Victims of crime; certifications for victims of qualifying criminal activity.
  • SJ278: Commending the Honorable Bruce D. White.
  • SJ279: Commending the Honorable Steven Selwyn Smith.
  • SJ280: Commending the Honorable Kimberly J. Daniel.
  • SJ281: Commending the Honorable Janine M. Saxe.
  • SJ283: Celebrating the life of Marisa L. Fleck.
  • SJ340: Commending Edwin C. Roessler, Jr.
  • SR506: Commending the Virginia State Police and the Virginia National Guard.
  • SR509: Commending Walt Whitman Middle School.
  • SR510: Commending Montclair Elementary School.
  • SR511: Commending Swans Creek Elementary School.
  • SR512: Commending Featherstone Elementary School.
  • SR513: Celebrating the life of Charles R. Hooff III.
  • SR522: Celebrating the life of Thomas F. Cleary, M.D.
  • SR523: Celebrating the life of Carlton Farquhar Andrus.
  • SR710: Commending the James Madison University softball team.
  • SR711: Commending Village Hardware.
  • SR712: Commending Ourisman Automotive Group.
  • SR713: Commending the Reverend Keary Kincannon.
  • SR714: Commending Michael Fanone.
  • SR715: Commending the Honorable Janice Justina Wellington.
  • SR716: Commending the South County High School girls' soccer team.
  • SB33: Consumer finance companies; loans, licensing.
  • SB34: Driver privilege cards; definitions, effective date, report.
  • SB35: Firearms, ammunition, etc.; control by localities by governing possession, etc., within locality.
  • SB37: Open-end credit plans; civil penalty.
  • SB38: Open-end credit plans; governing law.
  • SB72: Public defender offices; Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park and County of Prince William.
  • SB106: Hydraulic fracturing; drilling through any portion of a groundwater management area, prohibition.
  • SB108: Virginia State Justice Commission; purpose, membership.
  • SB160: Handheld personal communications devices; holding devices while driving a motor vehicle.
  • SB245: Conversion therapy; prohibited by certain health care providers.
  • SB246: Driver's license, etc.; sex designation on application form.
  • SB247: No-fault divorce; gender-neutral terminology.
  • SB428: Initial child support order; unreimbursed medical expenses for pregnancy and birth.
  • SB429: Child support; withholding from income of an independent contractor.
  • SB430: Minor's child-care records; access by parent.
  • SB431: Provision of mental health services to a minor; access to health records.
  • SB432: Spousal support; reservation of right to seek, material change of circumstances.
  • SB433: Domestic relations cases; invocation of constitutional rights, adverse inference.
  • SB434: Child support; assignment of tax credits.
  • SB435: Waterfowl blinds; blinds in locality where certain hunting prohibited.
  • SB436: Virginia Voluntary Do Not Sell Firearms List; established, penalty.
  • SB437: Bicyclists and other vulnerable road users; penalty.
  • SB438: Judicial performance evaluation program; risk assessment tool, use of alternative sanction.
  • SB439: Driving under the influence; remote alcohol monitoring, penalty.
  • SB440: Electronic transmission of sexually explicit visual material by minors; penalties.
  • SB441: Alcoholic beverage control; winery license privileges.
  • SB449: Death penalty; abolishes penalty, including those persons currently under a death sentence.
  • SB451: Juvenile and domestic relations district court; award of attorney fees and costs.
  • SB489: Criminal cases; authority to defer and dismiss.
  • SB491: Inquiry and report of immigration status; persons charged with or convicted of certain crimes.
  • SB492: Sex offenses; requiring registration.
  • SB625: Failure to advise of consequences of guilty plea; vacation of conviction.
  • SB626: Hazardous Substance Aboveground Storage Tank Fund; created.
  • SB628: Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; residential building energy analysis.
  • SB629: Shared solar programs; electric utility regulation, etc.
  • SB630: Common interest communities; electric vehicle charging stations permitted.
  • SB631: Abandoned and stolen shopping carts; local regulation.
  • SB632: Public utilities; aggregate energy storage capacity in the Commonwealth.
  • SB634: Alternative and efficient energies; subsidies and effective clause.
  • SB635: Right to reproductive choice; right to refuse contraception.
  • SB636: Racial inequity; repeals numerous obsolete and discriminatory Acts.
  • SB637: Estate tax; reinstatement.
  • SB638: Affordable housing; location near Metrorail station.
  • SB639: Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund; regional grant awards.
  • SB640: Unlawful detainer; expungement of actions, effective date.
  • SB641: Civil action; sale of personal data.
  • SB642: Multi-jurisdiction grand jury; functions, failure to pay wages.
  • SB645: Local arbitration agreements; disclosure of certain information.
  • SB646: Tetrahydrocannabinol concentration; definition.
  • SB655: Physical injuries or death caused to a person; consideration of bills.
  • SB658: Contracts with design professionals; provisions requiring a duty to defend void.
  • SB659: Contributory negligence; motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian, bicyclist, etc.
  • SB661: Accrual of cause of action; diagnoses of nonmalignant and malignant asbestos-related injury.
  • SB663: Practice of medicine and other healing arts; provision of litigation assistance.
  • SB664: Motor vehicles; liability insurance coverage limits, effective date.
  • SB937: TANF Scholarship Pilot Program; VCCS to establish and administer.
  • SB963: Energy manager; responsibilities.
  • SB995: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; labor organizations.
  • SB1043: Civil actions; filed on behalf of multiple persons.
  • SB1092: Performance guarantees, certain; provisions for periodic partial and final release.
  • SB5032: Assault and battery; penalty.
  • SB5033: Court authority in criminal cases; prosecutorial discretion to dispose of a criminal case.
  • SB5045: Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, et al.; required to prepare fiscal impact statements.
  • SJ34: Mandatory minimum sentences; VSCC to study use, etc.
  • SJ47: Court of Appeals of Virginia; Judicial Council of Virginia to study jurisdiction and organization.
  • SJ153: Commending River Oaks Elementary School.
  • SJ154: Commending Triangle Elementary School.
  • SJ155: Commending Forest Park High School.
  • SR71: Commending the Lee-Mount Vernon Sports Club.
  • SR516: Commending Lloyd J. 'Bud' Vye.
  • SR564: Commending the Honorable Janine M. Saxe.
  • SB93: Parole; eligibility for, at liberty between offenses.
  • SB613: Local government; deposition.
  • SB737: Driving under influence of alcohol; license conditions for first offense.
  • SB765: Coal ash ponds; mandatory testing of drinking water wells in Chesapeake Bay watershed.
  • SB766: Citizen water quality monitoring; use as evidence in enforcement actions.
  • SB767: Coal ash ponds; flaws in closure plans, delay of permit.
  • SB768: Electric utilities; recovery of costs associated with closure in place of coal ash facilities.
  • SB770: Absentee voting; alternative locations for in-person absentee voting.
  • SB771: Absentee voting; counting military and overseas absentee ballots received after close of polls.
  • SB808: Electric utilities; Transitional Rate Period, coal combustion residuals landfills.
  • SB938: Child support; withholding of income, contracts with an independent contractor.
  • SB1533: Coal combustion residuals; Chesapeake Bay watershed, closure.
  • SB1534: Coal combustion residuals; cleanup costs.
  • SB1535: Uniform Statewide Building Code; outdoor advertising.
  • SB1536: Out-of-state conviction of drug offenses; petition for restricted driver's license.
  • SB1537: Virginia Property Owners' Association Act; home-based businesses.
  • SB1538: Common interest communities; dissemination of annual budget, reserve for capital components.
  • SB1539: Child support; withholding of income of independent contractors.
  • SB1540: Protective orders; contents of preliminary orders, docketing of appeal.
  • SB1541: No-fault divorce; waiver of service of process.
  • SB1542: Civil actions; determination of indigency, no-fault divorce.
  • SB1543: Wrongful death beneficiaries; parents of decedent who receive support or services, etc.
  • SB1544: Assisted conception; parentage presumption.
  • SB1548: Consumer finance companies; loans, licensing.
  • SB1549: Virginia Consumer Protection Act; exclusion.
  • SB1550: Bicyclists & other vulnerable road users; person who operates a motor vehicle in a careless manner.
  • SB1551: School resource officers; memorandums of understanding.
  • SB1552: Absentee voting; alternative locations for in-person absentee voting.
  • SB1553: Urban county executive form of government; abandoned shopping carts.
  • SB1554: Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); violations and civil penalties.
  • SB1691: Dumfries, Town of; amending charter, town council elections, etc.
  • SB1740: Driver privilege cards; penalty.
  • SB1756: Virginia Condominium and Virginia Property Owners' Association Acts; stormwater facilities.
  • SB1757: Custody and visitation arrangements; best interests of the child, domestic abuse and child abuse.
  • SB1758: Juvenile and domestic relations district courts; jurisdiction, specific findings of fact.
  • SB1759: Underground electric distribution lines; placing in areas of transit-oriented development.
  • SJ438: Celebrating the life of John Harper.
  • SJ439: Commending United Community Ministries, Inc.
  • SJ440: Commending the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust.
  • SJ441: Commending the Prince William County Bar Association.
  • SJ442: Commending Neabsco Elementary School.
  • SJ461: Commending Barney Barnwell.
  • SJ465: Commending the Honorable Jan Brodie.
  • SB21: Grand larceny & certain property crimes; increases threshold amount of money taken, etc., to $500.
  • SB22: Security freezes; elimination of fees.
  • SB74: Handheld personal communications devices; use while driving.
  • SB85: Protective orders, preliminary; contents of order.
  • SB86: Driver's license; driving after forfeiture of license, penalty.
  • SB87: Careless driving; cause of injury to vulnerable road user.
  • SB88: Bicycle lane; penalty for driver to pass another vehicle using lane.
  • SB89: Child abuse or neglect; civil proceedings, testimony of children.
  • SB93: Parole, eligibility for; at liberty between offenses.
  • SB94: Police and court records; expungement of records.
  • SB95: Security freezes; protected consumer, proof of authority,
  • SB245: Conversion therapy; prohibited by certain health care providers.
  • SB447: Firearms; transfers, etc., penalties.
  • SB607: Electronic transmission of sexually explicit images by minors; penalties.
  • SB608: Police and court records; expungement, plea agreements.
  • SB609: Juvenile offenders; Retention of jurisdiction.
  • SB610: Adultery; reduces Class 4 misdemeanor to a civil penalty.
  • SB611: Motor vehicles; increases liability insurance coverage limits.
  • SB612: Assisted conception; parentage presumption.
  • SB613: Local government; deposition.
  • SB614: Spousal support; modification.
  • SB615: Spousal support payments; employer withholding.
  • SB616: Waiver of immunity; persons covered by insurance policy.
  • SB617: Statute of limitations; discovery rule.
  • SB618: Expert witnesses; no fees shall be charged by government officer and employees.
  • SB619: Virginia Human Rights Act; limitations on causes of action.
  • SB620: Arbitration; denial of motion to compel.
  • SB621: Driver privilege cards; authorizes issuance of new cards by DMV.
  • SB622: Local transportation plan; secondary system road construction program allocation.
  • SB623: Electronic Routing Registry; created.
  • SB624: Va. Consumer Protection Act; open-end credit plans.
  • SB625: Consumer finance companies; licensing by SCC.
  • SB626: Life insurance on minors; consent of parents.
  • SB627: Home inspection servicers; certain contract provisions prohibited.
  • SB628: Notaries; qualifications, misdemeanor offense of moral turpitude.
  • SB629: State Corporation Commission; disclosures of information provided by financial institutions.
  • SB630: Virginia Freedom of Information Act; civil penalty.
  • SB705: Va. Condominium & Property Owners' Association Act; contents of disclosure packets.
  • SB706: Common interest communities; reserves for capital components, budget.
  • SB707: Virginia Property Owners' Association Act; home-based businesses.
  • SB722: Condominium and Property Owners' Association Acts; access to association books and records.
  • SB737: Driving under influence of alcohol; license conditions for first offense.
  • SB765: Coal ash ponds; mandatory testing of drinking water wells in Chesapeake Bay watershed.
  • SB766: Citizen water quality monitoring; use as evidence in enforcement actions.
  • SB767: Coal ash ponds; flaws in closure plans, delay of permit.
  • SB768: Electric utilities; recovery of costs associated with closure in place of coal ash facilities.
  • SB769: Alcoholic beverage control; beer licenses.
  • SB770: Absentee voting; alternative locations for in-person absentee voting.
  • SB771: Absentee voting; counting military and overseas absentee ballots received after close of polls.
  • SB772: Claims; Danial J Williams, Joseph Jesse Dick, Jr., Eric Cameron Wilson, and Derek Elliot Tice.
  • SB785: Electronic textbooks; prohibits local school boards from requiring use in any course in grades 6-12.
  • SB786: Public schools; fee for enrollment of certain students.
  • SB787: Governor's Schools; enrollment.
  • SB789: Family life education; sexually explicit communications and images.
  • SB807: Coal combustion residuals and other units; permits, request for proposals.
  • SB808: Electric utilities; Transitional Rate Period, coal combustion residuals landfills.
  • SB938: Child support; withholding of income, contracts with an independent contractor.
  • SB951: Eastern Virginia; hydraulic fracturing prohibited.
  • SJ4: United States Constitution; ratifies Equal Rights Amendment.
  • SJ17: Commending the Honorable Gerald Bruce Lee.
  • SJ28: Driving under influence of alcohol; VSCC to study decrease in convictions.
  • SJ58: Law clerks; study on use and impact on judicial workload and work product.
  • SJ72: Commending the Honorable Helen Leiner.
  • SJ103: Commending the Honorable Craig D. Johnston.
  • SJ147: Commending the Honorable James C. Cacheris.
  • SJ148: Commending Fort Hunt Little League.
  • SJ149: Commending Riverside Elementary School.
  • SJ150: Commending John F. Pattie Sr. Elementary School.
  • SJ240: Commending Embark Richmond Highway.
  • SJ243: Commending the Mount Vernon Voice.
  • SB255: Toll relief; Department of Transportation to study.
  • SB533: Sales and use tax; exemption for certain nonprofit entities.
  • SB741: Tax administration; awards for detection of tax underpayments.
  • SB752: Health insurance provider contracts; accepting enrollees as patients.
  • SB814: Foreign business entities; services of summons for witness or subpoena duces tecum.
  • SB815: Child support, unpaid; priority of debts to be paid from decedent's assets.
  • SB816: Grand larceny & certain property crimes; increases threshold amount of money taken, etc., to $1,000.
  • SB817: Restricted driver's license; purposes.
  • SB818: Potomac River Watershed; DEQ to identify owner of any combined sewer overflow outfall, etc.
  • SB860: Use of handheld personal communications devices while driving; penalty.
  • SB861: Preliminary protective orders; contents of order.
  • SB862: Driving after forfeiture of license.
  • SB863: Operating a motor vehicle; obstructed view; secondary offense.
  • SB906: Introduction of snakehead fish; penalty.
  • SB907: Higher educational institutions, public; certain positions require residency of the Commonwealth.
  • SB1102: FOIA; records of completed unattended death investigations, definition, mandatory disclosure.
  • SB1103: FOIA; closed meeting violations, civil penalty.
  • SB1104: Form of ballot; order of independent candidates, required paperwork.
  • SB1124: Adultery; civil penalty.
  • SB1125: Virginia Consumer Protection Act; open-end credit plans.
  • SB1126: Consumer finance companies; Internet loans, report.
  • SB1335: Electronic textbooks; prohibits local school boards from requiring use in any course in grades 6-12.
  • SB1336: Sales and use tax; school supplies and hurricane preparedness sales tax holidays.
  • SB1337: Claims; Davey Reedy.
  • SB1338: Bicycle lane; penalty for driver to pass another vehicle using lane.
  • SB1339: Careless driving; infliction of injury on vulnerable road user.
  • SB1340: Towing; regulations.
  • SB1341: Government records; digital certification.
  • SB1342: District courts; jurisdictional limit does not include any attorney fees.
  • SB1343: Guardian ad litem; reimbursement for cost.
  • SB1344: In camera interviews of child; court's discretion to conduct recording or transcript.
  • SB1345: Driver privilege cards; issuance of new cards by DMV.
  • SB1346: Associate-degree-granting institutions; transfer of credit information.
  • SB1383: Coal ash; treatment by utilities, recycling.
  • SB1398: Coal combustion residuals unit; closure permit, assessments required.
  • SB1399: Coal combustion by-product impoundments; closure requirements.
  • SB1405: Higher educational institutions, public; notice of proposed tuition increase.
  • SB1439: Firearms; transfers to a non-licensed dealer.
  • SB1498: Intoxicated drivers; punitive damages for persons injured.
  • SB1512: Charitable gaming; conduct of games, special permits.
  • SJ84: Public transportation services; DRPT to evaluate study necessary to identify, etc.
  • SJ221: United States Constitution; Ratifies Equal Rights Amendment.
  • SJ226: Constitutional amendment; registration of voters (first reference).
  • SJ227: Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Governor's term of office.
  • SJ291: Study; Virginia State Crime Commission; decrease in driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
  • SJ292: Study; SCHEV; financial reserves; report.
  • SJ364: Commending Marine Corps Base Quantico.
  • SJ365: Commending the Honorable David S. Schell.
  • SJ366: Celebrating the life of Fannie Wilkinson Fitzgerald.
  • SJ370: Commending Bernard S. Cohen and Philip J. Hirschkop.
  • SJ374: Commending Alexandra Blaire Krieger.
  • SJ375: Commending the Honorable Jane Marum Roush.
  • SJ376: Celebrating the life of Michael Moore Skinner.
  • SJ377: Commending Occoquan Elementary School.
  • SJ442: Commending Tauxemont Cooperative Preschool.
  • SR130: Commending the Honorable Lon E. Farris.
  • SB164: Consumer finance loans; rate of interest.
  • SB165: Open-end credit agreements; sellers of certain goods to extend credit.
  • SB166: Motor vehicle title lenders; narrows exemption for consumer finance companies.
  • SB167: Consumer finance companies; annual reports.
  • SB170: Nonsuits; tolling of limitations, contractual limitation periods.
  • SB171: Insurance; jury award of attorney fees for bad faith.
  • SB172: Foreign entities; consent to jurisdiction & service of summons for witness or subpoena duces tecum.
  • SB173: Child custody or visitation; filing single petition.
  • SB174: Adultery; reduces penalty to a civil penalty.
  • SB177: Grand larceny; increases threshold amount of money taken, etc., to $1,000.
  • SB255: Toll relief; Department of Transportation to study.
  • SB256: High-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes; statute of limitations on penalties.
  • SB257: HOV and HOT lanes; penalties, increased fines for subsequent offenses.
  • SB258: Commonwealth Transportation Board; voting weighted by population.
  • SB259: Persons involuntarily admitted or ordered to outpatient treatment; purchase, etc., of ammunition.
  • SB260: Concealed handgun permit; disqualifications, residential mental health or substance abuse treatment.
  • SB261: Driving under influence; private property.
  • SB262: Conversion therapy prohibited.
  • SB263: Firearms; purchase by persons intending to commit act of terrorism, penalty.
  • SB318: Certificate of relief from collateral criminal consequences.
  • SB386: Evidence; objections to business records.
  • SB387: Regulation of towing.
  • SB388: Virginia Consumer Protection Act; failure to make required statement.
  • SB389: Local permitting or licensure; consent of common interest community association prohibited.
  • SB390: Temporary visitor's driver's licenses; DMV may issue.
  • SB391: Driver's license; driving after forfeiture, guilty of an offense.
  • SB392: Real property; judgment creditor may record an instrument, upon payment of fee for recordation, etc.
  • SB393: Preliminary protective orders; contents of order.
  • SB492: FOIA; limitation on exemption for certain criminal investigative files.
  • SB493: FOIA; closed meeting not authorized for discussion of pay increases.
  • SB494: Virginia Freedom of Information Act; record exclusions, rule of redaction, etc.
  • SB531: Digital document authentication standards; Secretary of the Commonwealth to establish.
  • SB532: Paper and plastic bags; authorizes localities in Planning District 8 by ordinance to impose a tax.
  • SB533: Sales and use tax; exemption for certain nonprofit entities.
  • SB534: Criminal history record information; unauthorized dissemination, civil actions.
  • SB537: Coal combustion by-product impoundments; closure requirements.
  • SB538: Students with limited English proficiency; alternative to the eleventh grade Standards of Learning.
  • SB539: Conflict of Interests Act, State and Local Government; requirement to file semiannual disclosure.
  • SB572: Improper driving; jury may find accused not guilty.
  • SB649: Claims; Davey Reedy.
  • SB663: Careless driving; cause of injury to vulnerable road user.
  • SB664: Ballots; order of names of candidates for school boards.
  • SB739: Drug products; products compounded by nonresident outsourcing facilities.
  • SB740: Electronic textbooks; use by students.
  • SB741: Tax administration; awards for detection of tax underpayments.
  • SB752: Health insurance provider contracts; accepting enrollees as patients.
  • SJ1: United States Constitution; ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment.
  • SJ84: Public transportation services; DRPT to evaluate study necessary to identify, etc.
  • SJ141: Commending Charles Haley.
  • SJ167: Commending the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue.
  • SJ190: Commending the Friends of Dyke Marsh.
  • SJ191: Commending Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church.
  • SJ192: Commending Swans Creek Elementary School.
  • SJ197: Commending Anne Andrews.
  • SJ205: Commending Inova Mount Vernon Hospital.
  • SR89: Commending the Honorable Teena D. Grodner.
  • SR90: Commending the Honorable Thomas E. Gallahue.
  • SR91: Commending the Honorable Ian M. OFlaherty.
  • HB1289: Same-sex marriages; civil unions.
  • HB1684: Standards of Learning assessments; waivers.
  • HB2010: Public elementary and secondary schools; uniform statewide grading scale.
  • HB2011: Motor vehicle title lenders; location of offices.
  • HB2012: Starter interrupt devices; prohibits requiring installation on certain motor vehicles.
  • HB2013: State Corporation Commission; disclosure of records related to administrative activities.
  • HB2014: Adultery; reduces penalty from a Class 4 misdemeanor to a civil penalty.
  • HB2015: Creditor process; bankruptcy proceeding exemptions.
  • HB2016: Personal injury or wrongful death action; qualification of fiduciary.
  • HB2017: Aircraft, certain; local regulation.
  • HB2232: Persons involuntarily admitted or ordered to outpatient treatment; purchase, etc., ammunition.
  • HB2337: Family life education; sexually explicit communications and images.
  • HB2339: Electronic textbooks; access by students in their residence.
  • HB2375: Employers; reasonable accommodation for employees with disability.
  • HJ493: Constitutional amendment (first resolution); marriage.
  • HJ494: Constitutional amendment (first resolution); registration of voters.
  • HJ495: United States Constitution; Equal Rights Amendment.
  • HJ496: Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Governor's term of office.
  • HJ581: Highways; JLARC to study alternative taxes and fees for funding in the Commonwealth.
  • HJ582: Electronic government records; joint subcommittee to study feasibility of authenticating records.
  • HJ583: Local government charter, model; joint subcommittee established to study creation of charter.
  • HJ625: Education resources; DOE, et al; to study allocations.
  • HJ675: Commending the Honorable Dennis J. Smith.
  • HJ676: Commending the Honorable Charles J. Maxfield.
  • HJ677: Celebrating the life of the Honorable R. Terrence Ney.
  • HJ678: Celebrating the life of Jean Williams Auldridge.
  • HJ710: Celebrating the life of Warren Ira Cikins.
  • HJ787: Celebrating the life of the Honorable Herbert E. Harris II.
  • HJ867: Commending the Honorable Donald P. McDonough.
  • HJ868: Commending the Fairfax Young Democrats.
  • HJ869: Commending Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School.
  • HJ872: Commending Gerald W. Hyland.
  • HR303: Commending Hollin Meadows Elementary School.
  • HR307: Celebrating the life of Lieutenant Colonel John Albert Bornmann, Jr., USA (Ret.).
  • HB4: Hybrid electric motor vehicles; repeals annual license tax, refunds.
  • HB244: Grand larceny; threshold.
  • HB245: Conflict of Interests Act, State and Local Government; prohibited contracts between Governor.
  • HB246: Governor and Attorney General; parties to litigation with state, prohibited conduct, penalties.
  • HB247: Governor's Development Opportunity Fund; political contributions and gifts, prohibited conduct.
  • HB248: Special counsel; cap on compensation paid to those appointed to handle certain legal matters.
  • HB249: Judgment proceeding; setting aside judgment confessed.
  • HB250: Child custody or visitation; petition.
  • HB251: Real Estate Board; death or disability of a broker.
  • HB252: Public assets; misuse, penalty.
  • HB327: Law-Enforcement Officers Procedural Guarantee Act; definition of law-enforcement officer.
  • HB378: Improper driving; jury hearing case.
  • HB379: Commonwealth Transportation Board; changes composition of membership.
  • HB380: Virginia Freedom of Information Act; disclosure pursuant to court order or subpoena.
  • HB934: Security freezes; protected consumers, penalties.
  • HB936: Electronic textbooks; accessibility by students at school and in their residence.
  • HB937: Virginia Freedom of Information Act; application to the State Corporation Commission, exemptions.
  • HB938: Jurors; persons liable to serve.
  • HB939: Same-sex marriages; civil unions.
  • HB940: Adultery; reduces civil penalty.
  • HB941: Operating a vehicle or vessel containing a false compartment; penalty.
  • HB942: Death sentences; removes electrocution as manner of execution for prisoners, lethal injection.
  • HB943: Ignition interlock system; time for installation.
  • HB944: Ignition interlock systems; DUI drugs.
  • HB945: Driving under influence of alcohol; first offenders, license conditions.
  • HB964: Firearms; purchase by persons intending to commit act of terrorism, penalty.
  • HB979: Businesses, certain; local limitations on number.
  • HB980: Absentee voting; publication of street address for return of absentee ballots.
  • HB982: Police and court records; expungement of records, waiver of hearing.
  • HB984: Appeal from bail, bond, or recognizance order; compliance with appellate court.
  • HB1061: Electric utility regulation; renewable energy portfolio standard program.
  • HB1158: Distributed electric generation; establishment of community solar gardens.
  • HB1198: School buildings; National Register of Historic Places and Virginia Landmarks Register.
  • HB1248: 911 emergency service calls; recordings shall be deemed authentic if with certain information.
  • HB1260: Sexually explicit images; electronic transmission by minors, penalty.
  • HJ11: Constitutional amendment; marriage (first reference).
  • HJ12: United States Constitution; General Assembly to ratify and affirm Equal Rights Amendment.
  • HJ178: Celebrating the life of Lieutenant Colonel Gerald L. Read, USA (Ret.).
  • HJ179: Commending the Honorable Jonathan Cooper Thacher.
  • HJ181: Celebrating the life of Clifford Scott Hardison.
  • HJ189: Commending Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services, Inc.
  • HJ325: Commending Hybla Valley Elementary School.
  • HJ431: Commending West Potomac High School.
  • HJ436: Celebrating the life of Paul Russell.
  • HJ439: Commending Mount Vernon High School.
  • HJ440: Commending Bucknell Elementary School.
  • HB660: Solar photovoltaic power production projects; VDOT to lease space within highway rights-of-way.
  • HB679: Criminal history information; prohibits sale of person's conviction when record is expunged.
  • HB1908: Commonwealth Transportation Board; changes composition.
  • HB1909: Driving under influence of alcohol; defendant's blood or breath tested, exemplary damages.
  • HB1910: Voter registration; change of address.
  • HB1911: Judicial Council; directed to report on law clerks used by appellate and circuit courts.
  • HB1912: Child custody or visitation; issues may be included in single petition in JDRDC.
  • HB1913: Mechanics' liens; licensed contractors.
  • HB1914: Criminal history record information; unauthorized sale, publication, etc.
  • HB1915: Electronic textbooks; prohibits school board from making available for use by students in residence.
  • HB1916: Income tax, state and corporate; tax credit for solar thermal systems.
  • HB1917: Electric utilities; renewable thermal energy.
  • HB1973: Real Estate Board; death or disability of a broker.
  • HB2011: Urban county executive form of government; abandoned personal property.
  • HB2321: Virginia Freedom of Information Act; State Corporation Commission subject to Act.
  • HB2322: Community Colleges, State Board for; Board shall develop mental health referral policies, etc.
  • HB2323: Motor vehicles; locality may reasonably limit number of title loan businesses, payday lenders, etc.
  • HJ665: Constitutional amendment; repealing amendment dealing with marriage (first reference).
  • HJ666: State renewable energy utility; joint subcommittee to study feasibility of establishing.
  • HJ667: United States Constitution; General Assembly hereby ratifies and affirms Equal Rights Amendment.
  • HJ668: Constitutional amendment; registration of voters (first reference).
  • HJ792: Commending Stratford Landing Elementary School.
  • HJ873: Commending the Honorable Stewart P. Davis.
  • HJ874: Commending the Honorable Leslie M. Alden.
  • HJ875: Commending the Honorable Marcus D. Williams.
  • HJ876: Commending the Alice Ferguson Foundation.
  • HJ877: Commending Gum Springs.
  • HJ878: Commending Bethlehem Baptist Church.
  • HJ950: Commending Washington Mill Elementary School.
  • HR153: Commending Hollin Hall Senior Center.
  • HB659: Transportation Board; increases number of members.
  • HB660: Solar photovoltaic power production projects; VDOT to lease space within highway rights-of-way.
  • HB661: Workers' compensation benefits; refusal of employment by disabled employee.
  • HB662: Community Colleges, State Board for; development of mental health services.
  • HB663: Child care subsidies; time limits.
  • HB664: Tax credits, state; publication of names on Department of Taxation's website.
  • HB665: Lobbying and finance disclosure; disclosure of gifts and contributions.
  • HB666: General Assembly Conflicts of Interests Act; disclosure requirements.
  • HB667: Political contributions; prohibitions during procurement process.
  • HB668: Condominium and Property Owners' Association Acts; posting of documents on association website.
  • HB669: Absentee voting; persons age 65 and older on day of election may vote absentee.
  • HB670: Voter registration; copy of change of address made at DMV shall be forwarded to Board of Elections.
  • HB671: Tax administration; awards for detection of tax underpayments.
  • HB672: Community Solar Gardens; created.
  • HB673: Protective orders; Allows general distict court to transfer case to appropriate court.
  • HB674: Protective orders; minor may petition on his own behalf without consent of parent or guardian.
  • HB675: Grand larceny; increases threshold amount from $200 to $500.
  • HB676: Child support; interest on arrearage.
  • HB677: Power of attorney; termination.
  • HB678: Virginia Consumer Protection Act; local towing ordinances.
  • HB679: Criminal history information; prohibits sale of person's conviction when record is expunged.
  • HB680: Driving under influence of alcohol; award of exemplary damages.
  • HB681: Interest on appeal; computed from date of filing notice of to date appellate court issues mandate.
  • HB682: Child custody or visitation; issues may be included in single petition in JDRC; etc.
  • HB683: Courthouses and courtrooms; assessment for security.
  • HJ114: State renewable energy utility; joint subcommittee to study feasibility of establishing.
  • HJ115: United States Constitution; General Assembly of Va. to ratify and affirm Equal Rights Amendment.
  • HJ211: Commending Major Justin Constantine, United States Marine Corps Reserves.
  • HJ212: Commending Luigi and Anna Maria Tonizzo.
  • HJ214: Celebrating the life of Gilbert S. McCutcheon.
  • HJ229: Defined contribution pension; Va. Congressional Delegation urged to oppose for U.S. Armed Forces.
  • HJ303: Commending Elizabeth Klein.
  • HJ325: Commending Belle View Elementary School.
  • HJ326: Commending Ambassador William Green Miller (Ret.).
  • HJ336: Commending Cynthia N. Hull.
  • HJ397: Commending Eugene J. Coleman III.
  • HJ448: Commending Fort Belvoir.
  • HR4: House of Delegates; recording of standing committee and subcommittee meetings.
  • HR69: Commending Carolyn Gamble.
  • HR505: Commending Heritage Presbyterian Church.
  • HR506: Commending the Mount Vernon Athletic Club.
  • HR511: Celebrating the life of Adelaide Arthur.
  • HB822: Child support, etc.; single petition may be filed in juvenile & domestic relations district court.
  • HB1469: Reckless driving; failing to stop at a school bus.
  • HB1801: Transportation Board; changes composition.
  • HB1802: Personal property tax; classification of certain fuel-efficient motor vehicles.
  • HB1803: Contractors, Board for; provides for certification of home energy auditors.
  • HB1804: House of Delegates; digital recordings of meetings of standing committees and subcommittees.
  • HB1805: Tax administration; awards for detection of tax underpayments.
  • HB1806: Award of credit; Board of Education to provide an elective credit for applied music study of piano.
  • HB1807: Child custody, etc.; single petition may be filed in juvenile & domestic relations district court.
  • HB1808: Arrearages; payments collected by DSS shall be applied first to interest associated with arrearage.
  • HB1809: Attorneys for State and their assistants; duties.
  • HB1810: Grand larceny; increases threshold amount of money or value of goods.
  • HB1811: Child care services; DSS to identify strategies to increase reimbursement rates.
  • HB2459: Absentee voting; persons age 65 and older will be entitled.
  • HB2460: Political contributions; prohibition during procurement process, penalty.
  • HJ603: U.S. Route 1 Corridor; joint subcommittee to study creation of Corridor.
  • HJ604: Constitutional amendment; repeal of state law or regulation by localities (first reference).
  • HJ905: Commending the Sherwood Regional Library.
  • HJ914: Commending Jeff Todd.
  • HJ957: Commending Walt Whitman Middle School on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
  • HB818: Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB); composition.
  • HB819: Business entities; when referring to service of process includes any subpoena, summons, etc.
  • HB820: Cigarette tax; penalties for unstamped cigarettes.
  • HB821: Child custody; record of in camera interview.
  • HB822: Child support, etc.; single petition may be filed in juvenile & domestic relations district court.
  • HB823: District court; expungement of police and court records.
  • HB824: Melendez-Diaz notice; 6th Amendment rights to be given to an accused who is proceeding pro se.
  • HB825: Civil or criminal actions; allows circuit court clerks to establish electronic filing.
  • HB826: Electronic summons system; locality to assess an additional sum in district or circuit court.
  • HB827: Electronic recording of court proceedings; circuit & district court clerks have system in courtroom.
  • HB828: Larceny; increases threshold amount of goods that determines petit larceny to grand larceny.
  • HB829: Expert witnesses; extends application of two evidentiary statutes applicable in certain cases.
  • HB830: Food and beverage tax; adds Fairfax County to those that may impose.
  • HB831: Public Procurement Act; foreign & domestic businesses authorized to transact business in State.
  • HB832: Absentee voting; requires election results for central absentee voter precinct to indicate precinct.
  • HB833: Asbestos, Lead, Mold, and Home Inspectors, Board for; regulation of home energy auditors.
  • HB1262: Absentee voting procedures; deletes certain requirements.
  • HJ119: Route 1 Corridor; joint subcommittee to study creation thereof.
  • HJ430: Commending Ventures Outreach, New Hope Housing and the Rising Hope United Methodist Mission church.
  • HJ431: Commending West Potomac High School on the occasion of its 25th anniversary.
  • HJ432: Commending the agencies, companies, organizations, and people who assisted Virginians in the afterma