Del. Joe Morrissey (I-Highland Springs)

Photo of Joe Morrissey
Party
Independent
District
74: Counties of Charles City and Henrico (part); City of Richmond (part) [map]
Took Office
January 2008
Left Office
March 2015
Age
61
Website
joemorrisseyfordelegate.com
Copatroning Habits
64% of bills he copatroned were introduced by Democrats. Of all of the copatrons of his bills, 97% of them are Democrats. Of all of the copatrons of all of the bills that he also copatroned, 51% of them are Democrats.
Partisanship
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Tag Cloud ?
business children cigarette constitution constitutional amendment court crime education election employment environment felony firearm gun handgun health judge locality payday lending pollution poverty regulation safety sbe smoking tax transportation unemployment vehicle voting
Bio

Delegate Morrissey served as Richmond commonwealth's attorney from 1989-1993. He holds a BA in economics from the University of Virginia, a JD from Georgetown and an Master of Laws from Trinity College (Dublin). He has three children. A Democrat, in 2014 he was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, leading him to resign his seat, run for reelection as an independent, and win his seat again.

Recent Mentions in the Media

WTOP: 2019 Virginia election guide: Key races to watch

September 18, 2019 | 3:00 am
  Absentee voting opens Friday in hotly contested races that will determine control of Virginia's General Assembly and of key local offices across Northern Virginia.

WTVR CBS 6 News: Your voter’s guide to the 2019 Virginia Elections

September 17, 2019 | 4:00 pm
  In order to help Central Virginia voters get informed on the candidates running in their area, CBS 6 has compiled this General Assembly 2019 voter guide.

The Republican Standard: The Rise Of The Last RFK Democrat

September 17, 2019 | 8:01 am
  For those of you who have been longtime readers, you know of my affinity for former Delegate “Fighting Joe” Morrissey — the Democratic nominee for the ...

Blue Virginia: Virginia Campaign Finance Numbers From July 1 Through August 31, 2019 Coming In… [UPDATED 9/17]

September 17, 2019 | 3:27 am
  Campaign finance numbers from July 1 through August 31 are now coming in. I'll put up numbers as they are made available tonight and tomorrow morning.

Richmond magazine: Comeback Candidate

August 27, 2019 | 3:00 am
  Former Del. Joe Morrissey isn't letting past controversies get in the way of his political future. Morrissey took on a fellow Democrat, incumbent Sen. Rosalyn ...

From the Legislator’s Website

These are all of the video clips of Joe Morrissey’s remarks on the floor of the House since 2009. There are 381 video clips in all.

Bills

  • HB1988: Campus police departments; reporting of felony criminal sexual assault.
  • HB1989: Motor vehicle title loans, payday loans, and open-end credit plans; caps interest rate.
  • HB1990: Payday lending; prohibition.
  • HB1991: Forfeiture of property used in connection with the commission of crimes; conviction required.
  • HB1992: Elections; absentee voting; no-excuse, in-person.
  • HB1993: Blighted property; locality as receiver.
  • HB1994: Cigarettes; all counties permitted to impose a tax.
  • HB1995: Pawnbrokers; electronic records shall be maintained on each transaction.
  • HB1996: Grand larceny; threshold.
  • HB1997: Purchase of handguns; limitation on handgun purchases; penalty.
  • HJ627: Constitutional amendment; restoration of civil rights.
  • HJ686: Constitutional amendment; General Assembly, term limits.
  • HR230: Celebrating the life of Damion L. West.
  • HB32: Minimum wage; increases wage from its current federally mandated level.
  • HB116: Traffic light signal photo-monitoring; amends provisions related to implementation of systems.
  • HB117: Paper and plastic bags; imposes tax of five cents on disposable bags used by purchasers, etc.
  • HB153: Writ of actual innocence; based on nonbiological evidence, additional petitions allowed.
  • HB309: General Assembly members; election or appointment to judgeship.
  • HJ3: Constitutional amendment; marriage (first reference).
  • HJ6: Constitutional amendment; qualifications for members of General Assembly, term limits.
  • HB1353: Absentee voting; persons eligible to vote by absentee ballot.
  • HB1355: Writs of actual innocence; petitions.
  • HB1364: Court-appointed experts; compensation in criminal cases.
  • HB1365: Mental health experts; appointment in criminal cases not involving insanity defense or competency.
  • HB1366: Smoking; unlawful for person to smoke in motor vehicle with minor present, civil penalty.
  • HB1367: Cigarettes; deemed litter for purposes of criminal punishment for improper disposal of trash.
  • HB1371: Reckless driving; removes driving in excess of 80 mph, etc.
  • HB1381: Plastic bags; imposes $0.05 tax beginning 7/1/14 on those used by purchasers to carry certain goods.
  • HB1878: Sources of revenue; establishing and adjusting for appropriations of State and its localities.
  • HB1879: Photo-monitoring systems.
  • HB1880: School calendar; local school boards responsible for setting and determining opening of school year.
  • HB1881: University of Virginia; appointment to Board of Visitors.
  • HB1882: Virginia Public Procurement Act; resident employment and apprenticeship participation.
  • HB2207: Firearms and firearms magazines, certain; unlawful to sell, import, etc., penalty.
  • HB2213: Candidate petitions; review of signatures, appeals.
  • HJ557: Celebrating the life of William Stuart Crabtree, Jr.
  • HJ563: Constitutional amendment; restoration of civil rights to persons convicted of felonies.
  • HB113: School calendar; local school boards responsible for setting and determining opening of school year.
  • HB114: Cigarettes; deemed litter for purposes of criminal punishment for improper disposal of trash.
  • HB115: Smoking in cars with a minor present; civil penalty.
  • HB116: Higher educational institutions; clarifies policies & procedures for violence prevention on campus.
  • HB121: Virginia Housing Trust Fund Authority; created, report.
  • HB122: Drivers licenses; allows military veterans who are at least 21 to have veteran status indicated.
  • HB123: Specialty criminal court dockets; court may establish to address specialized needs of defendants.
  • HB124: Plastic bags; imposes a tax of 20 cents on those used by purchasers.
  • HB797: Handguns; carrying while under influence of alcohol or drugs in a public place, penalty.
  • HB1122: Derelict and blighted buildings; authorizes locality to serve as receiver to repair.
  • HB1232: Virginia Public Procurement Act; resident employment and apprenticeship participation, required.
  • HB1278: Writ of actual innocence; person convicted of felony may petition Supreme Court.
  • HJ17: Constitutional amendment; restoration of civil rights to persons convicted of felonies, etc.
  • HJ23: Employment First initiative; Secretary of Health and Human Resources to develop in State, report.
  • HJ482: Commending Cody Allala.
  • HR76: Celebrating the life of Anthony Joseph Basile.
  • HR77: Commending the Reverend Dr. A. Lincoln James, Jr.
  • HB2339: Smoking in cars with minor present; civil penalty.
  • HB2340: Protective orders; expands class of persons eligible to include those in dating relationship.
  • HB2341: Plastic bags; imposed tax of $0.20 on plastic bags used by purchasers.
  • HB2342: Income tax, state; tax credit for hiring employees with disabilities.
  • HB2343: Handgun; Class 1 misdemeanor for carrying while under influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • HB2344: Cigarette butts; imposes civil penalty for improper disposal for each butt.
  • HB2345: National Guard; eligibility for service.
  • HB2346: Higher educational institutions; compensation of athletic coaches.
  • HB2347: Incarcerated defendant; waiver of payment of interest on fines and costs for certain cases.
  • HB2348: Fertilizer and deicing agents; requires certain localities to regulate sale and application.
  • HB2349: Maximum speed limits; shall be 60 miles per hour where indicated by lawfully placed signs.
  • HB2350: Reckless driving; person driving in excess of 20 mph over speed limit is guilty.
  • HB2351: Writ of actual evidence; allows testing of biological evidence to be conducted.
  • HB2352: Motor fuels tax; rate increase.
  • HB2353: Renewable energy portfolio standard program; investor-owned electric utility, etc., to participate.
  • HJ633: Employment First initiative; Secretary of Health & Human Resources to develop & implement in State.
  • HJ634: Constitutional amendment; restoration of civil rights to persons convicted of felonies.
  • HR66: Commending the Richmond Boys Choir.
  • HB175: Barrier crimes; limits assault-related crimes to felony assault crimes only.
  • HB176: Speed limits; provides for 70 mph on certain portions of I-95 and I-295.
  • HB177: Seasonal tax preparation employees; disqualifies employee from receiving unemployment compensation.
  • HB178: Seasonal or temporary workers; disqualifies employee from unemployment compensation benefits.
  • HB179: Nonpartisan Redistricting Commission Act; created.
  • HB180: Marijuana; loss of driving privilege if convicted for possession in a motor vehicle.
  • HB181: Gift cards; prohibits issuance of those that automatically expire as a result of passage of time.
  • HB182: Incarcerated defendant; waiver of payment of interest on fines and costs accrued.
  • HB183: Expungement of criminal record; allows a person to have his conviction expunged after 10 years.
  • HB184: Petition to vacate finding of guilt of convicted person; upon discovery of new evidence.
  • HB185: Elections; qualified registered voter may vote in person from 14 to three days before election.
  • HB186: Smoking in cars with minor present; civil penalty.
  • HB187: Open-end lending; provides extensions of credit secured by motor vehicle titles, caps interest.
  • HB188: Payday Loans; limiting interest to a maximum annual rate of 36 percent.
  • HB519: Minority Business Enterprise, Department of; enhancement measures for small, women-owned, etc.
  • HB520: Sale of firearms at firearms shows; person who sells 3 or more to be licensed as a firearms dealer.
  • HB521: Plastic bags; bans use by retailers at point of sale unless designed and manufactured for reuse.
  • HB522: Deferred disposition in criminal cases; allows court to dismiss cases other than Class 4 felonies.
  • HB662: Health professions; disciplinary actions.
  • HB793: Criminal confessions; inadmissible unless videotaped.
  • HJ42: Constitutional amendment; restoration of civil rights to persons convicted of felonies, etc.
  • HJ199: Celebrating the life of Staff Sergeant Phillip Myers.
  • HJ433: Commending Emmanuel Episcopal Church on the occasion of its 150th anniversary.
  • HB1809: Consumer Finance Act; open-end loan plans secured by motor vehicle titles.
  • HB1810: Course credit; students called to active military duty may receive full credit.
  • HB1811: Deferred disposition; allows court to defer & dismiss any criminal case other than Class 4 felonies.
  • HB1812: Questioning employees about criminal convictions; prohibits employer from asking about certain.
  • HB1813: Criminal conviction; expungement of record upon showing opportunities for employment are prejudiced.
  • HB1814: Plastic bags; bans use by retailers at point of sale unless designed & manufactured for reuse.
  • HB1815: Questioning employees about criminal convictions; prohibits employer from asking about certain.
  • HB1816: Unemployment benefits; eligibility of seasonal or temporary workers.
  • HB1817: Speed limit; provides for 70 mph speed limit on certain portions of I-95 and I-295.
  • HB1852: Health Professions, Department of; confidentiality of investigations.
  • HB2318: Firearms; any person who sells three or more firearms at show be licensed as a firearms dealer.
  • HB2581: Tuition, in-state; eligibility for Native Americans.
  • HJ663: Windmill turbines; joint subcommittee to study efficacy of generating electricity therefrom.
  • HJ664: Constitutional amendment; restoration of civil rights for certain felons (first reference).
  • HJ717: Native Americans; honoring their contributions to State, etc.
  • HJ1004: Commending Leland D. Melvin.
  • HB1373: Tuition, in-state; eligibility for Native Americans.
  • HB1374: Restricted permit; issuance thereof for license suspension for nonpayment of fines and costs.
  • HB1375: Civil remedial fees; repeals provision for those imposed certain drivers.
  • HB1376: Crimes Against Minors and Sex Offender Registry; use of data by SAVIN.
  • HB1377: Payday lending charges; establishes maximum annual interest rate..
  • HB1378: Incompetent defendants; disposition.
  • HB1379: Public Procurement Act; exempts purchase of product used with distilled spirits intended for resale.
  • HB1568: Transfer of juveniles; consider after-discovered evidence not considered during transfer hearing.
  • HB1569: Deferred disposition; court dismiss any criminal case set forth re deferral & dismissal for crimes.
  • HJ186: Celebrating the life of Roy Otis Brown, Sr.