Commending Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr. (SR132)

Introduced By

Sen. Tommy Norment (R-Williamsburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate

Description

Commending Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr. Read the Bill »

Status

02/06/2017: Passed the Senate

History

DateAction
02/06/2017Presented 17105211D
02/06/2017Laid on Clerk's Desk
02/06/2017Rules suspended (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/06/2017Taken up for immediate consideration
02/06/2017Engrossed by Senate
02/06/2017Agreed to by Senate by voice vote
02/06/2017Bill text as passed Senate (SR132ER)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 6 minutes.

Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.

AND THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT MAKE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE, I CAN THINK OF FEWER ISSUES THAT CONTINUE TO BE A GREATER CONCERN THAN DYSLEXIA. AND THE FACT THAT SO MANY YOUNG CHILDREN ARE DIAGNOSED TOO LATE, THAT IT IS OFTEN THE CASE THAT READING SPECIALISTS DON'T HAVE ALL THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO ENGAGE IN THE EARLY INTERVENTION THAT IS SO CRITICAL FOR THESE YOUNG CHILDREN, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO MUCH BECAUSE WHAT THIS BILL ASKS IS JUST ONE IN EACH -- ONE FOR EACH SCHOOL BOARD, AND IT'S ALREADY THE CASE THAT WE HAVE READING SPECIALISTS, SO JUST TO BE CERTAIN THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY EDUCATED TO THE MIN NAL STANDARDS TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO REMEDIATE DYSLEXIA, I THINK, IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL AND THERE IS A VERY, VERY HIGH CORRELATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DYSLEXIA AND HIGHER THAN AVERAGE IQs, SO THESE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CAN LEARN AND WHO CAN SUCCEED, BUT IF THEY FALL BEHIND, THEN THEY FALL YEARS BEHIND AND THEY DO BECOME BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AND THEY GO ON TO HAVE MANYING MANY OTHER CONCERNS AND CHALLENGES WITH HIGHER THAN AVERAGE DROPOUT RATES, SO ANYWAY, HAVING CO-PATRON BILLS WITH SOME OF THE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN ON THIS BILL, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY TO GIVE THERE BILL YOUR STRONGEST SUPPORT. THANK YOU.

Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-Winchester): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE SENATOR FROM STAFFORD, SENATOR STUART.

Sen. Richard Stuart (R-Westmoreland): THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. SPEAKING TO THE BILL.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR.

Sen. Richard Stuart (R-Westmoreland): MR. PRESIDENT, I HADN'T INTENDED TO SPEAK TO THIS, BUT I HAVE TO TAKE ISSUE WITH THIS NOTION THAT THIS IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. I PRACTICED LAW FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS NOW AND IN THE EARLY YEARS OF MY PRACTICE, I REPRESENTED A LOT OF YOUNG ADULTS, CHILDREN IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. LIKEWISE WHEN I WAS COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY, I HAD TO PROSECUTE THEM AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY WERE REALLY BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GOT FRUSTRATED IN SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T READ, BECAUSE THEY WERE DYSLEXIC OR THEY HAD SOME DISORDER LIKE THAT THAT AFFECTED THEIR ABILITY TO PERFORM IN THE CLASSROOM. SO IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT AN UNFUNDED MANDATE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE COST TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US AND ALL THE LOCALITIES WHEN THOSE KIDS GET FRUSTRATED, THEY ACT OUT IN CLASS AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO ADJUDICATE THEM IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHICH COSTS 20 TIMES AS MUCH AS IT WOULD TO GET THEM SOME HELP IN THE CLASSROOM. AGAIN, WE TALK ABOUT UNFUNDED MANDATES. THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES THAT WE GIVE EVERY CHILD A FREE AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AND I THINK -- I BELIEVE IN THAT AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT AND THE LAST I CHECKED, WE GIVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS MONEY TO DO THAT. SO IF WE'RE GIVING THEM THE MONEY TO PERFORM THE EDUCATION AS THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRES, WHY CAN'T WE ALSO GIVE THEM ADVICE OR GUIDANCE AS TO HOW WE THINK THEY SHOULD SPEND IT. I HOPE WE PASS THE BILL.

[Unknown]: THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE SENATOR FROM ARLINGTON, SENATOR FAVOLA.

Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington): THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. SPEAKING TO THE MEASURE AND ASKING THE SENATE TO PLEASE PASS THIS BILL, I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, MANY SCHOOL SYSTEMS WOULD SAY IT ACTUALLY IS COST EFFECTIVE TO DETERMINE EARLY ON WHAT THE CAUSE IS IF A CHILD IS FAILING OR NOT READING UP TO PAR BECAUSE IF THE CHILD CONTINUES TO FAIL, THE CHILD CAN BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR AN IEP AND ADDITIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, ACTUALLY, THAT ARE FEDERALLY REQUIRED ARE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE, AND ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES, OF COURSE, ARE COSTLY TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND TO THE TAXPAYER OVERALL. SO IN TERMS OF BEING EFFICIENT WITH OUR DOLLARS, IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN DETERMINE EARLY ON THAT DYSLEXIA IS THE ISSUE, I WOULD ARGUE IT IS A COST SAVINGS AND THE CHILD CAN BRING -- CAN BE BROUGHT UP TO READING LEVEL SOONER, BE ABLE TO PERFORM BETTER AND, IN FACT, ACTUALLY ENJOYS THE BENEFITS OF HIS OR HER INTELLIGENCE AND BEING ABLE TO APPLY IT. I STRONGLY ASK THE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE TO SUPPORT THIS BILL.

[Unknown]: THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE SENATOR FROM HENRICO, SENATOR DUNNAVANT.

Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico): THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I JUST RISE TO SAY THAT I HAVE JUST SEEN DOCUMENTATION THAT THERE IS NO UNFUNDED MANDATE WITH THIS LEGISLATION. I WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR SINCE I'D COMMENTED ON IT EARLIER. AND I WILL BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE BILL.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE QUESTION IS SHALL SENATE BILL 1516 RECORD THEIR VOTES AYE, THOSE OPPOSED NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico): AYES 40, NOS 0.

[Unknown]: AYES 40, NOS 0. THE BILL PASSES. IF EVERYBODY COULD TAKE THEIR SEATS, PLEASE, WOO EITHER GOING TO RETURN TO THE MORNING HOUR FOR A FLOOR PRESENTATION. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. I WOULD CALL ON THE SENATOR FROM JAMES CITY COUNTY. MR. PRESIDENT -- IS THIS WORKING? >>EZ. MR. PRESIDENT, I RESPECTFULLY MOVE THAT THE RULES OF THE SENATE BE SUSPENDED AND THAT THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR BE EXTENDED TO CERTAIN DISTINGUISHED PERSONS.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE QUESTION IS SHALL THE RULES BE SUSPENDED AND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR GRANTED TO DISTINGUISHED RECORD THEIR VOTES AYE, THOSE OPPOSED NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: AYES 40, NOS 0. AYES 40, NOS 0. THE RULES ARE SUSPENDED. THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR ARE GRANTED. THE SENATOR FROM JAMES CITY COUNTY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE SENATE, WE HAVE TRULY FORTUNATE TODAY TO HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL GROUP THAT IS GATHERED WITH US, PROBABLY A HISTORICAL MOMENT AS WE DEAL WITH THE 2017 OUTSTANDING VIRGINIANS. I AM HIGHLY DOUBTFUL, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT THERE HAS EVER BEEN TWO BROTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AT THE SAME TIME AS BEING THE OUTSTANDING VIRGINIANS.