Our friend’s over at the Conservative Legislation Information Council of Virginia (CLIC-VA) have compiled a summary of many of the current bills getting passed through both chambers of the General Assembly and are likely to be signed into law by Governor Northam:

A Window into Virginia’s Future

All of the bills listed below are working their way to becoming law.
These bills will shape Virginia’s future.

Much of this legislation is broad, vague, ambiguous and out right unconstitutional. Unless there are significant changes to pending legislation on the floor and in conference committees this coming week, repercussions from the 2020 General Assembly will be felt in the courts for years.

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PASSED – Good bills not getting much attention:
(On the way to the Governor)
• Electric customers required to pay only for services used (HB 167)
• Steps toward stopping telephone solicitation calls (HB 1244 / SB 812)
• Nuclear designated as clean energy – 40% of VA energy (SB 549 / SB 817/ SB 828)

THIS WEEK – Bills that clic-va opposed that are DEAD
• National Popular Vote compact – the 3rd (and last) bill was carried over. The committee will meet later this year. If the bill passes at that meeting, it will be on the floor very early in the 2021 session. This proposed bill will give all of Virginia’s votes over to the whichever Presidential candidate wins the popular vote, even if Virginia voters cast their ballots 180 degrees to the opposite of the national popular vote. In summary, how you vote will no longer….California and New York will decide who you vote for going forward.
• Assault weapons ban
• Repeal of the Commonwealth’s ‘Right to Work’ status

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Bad bills that are passing under the radar:

NEW STATE BUSINESSES
• State run retirement program for private companies HB 775
• Electric car charging stations (HB 511)
• Grocery stores in low income areas (HB 1509)

IMMIGRATION
• Driver’s licenses, ID cards for illegal aliens (HB 1211 / SB 34 / SB761)
• No cooperation with ICE (HB 1150 / SB 491)
• Office of New Americans (undefined) established (HB 1209 / SB 991)
• Instate tuition (HB 1179, HB 1315, HB 1547, SB 935)

HEALTHCARE
• Establishment of Obamacare Healthcare Exchange (HB 1428, SB 732)
• Expanded COPN (higher medical bills HB 879, SB 279, SB 764)

LGBTQ – Special Laws
• Public elementary and secondary schools; treatment of transgender students, policies. (HB 145, SB 161)
• LGBTQ cultural competency; DHRM to develop online LGBTQ training module for all state employees. (HB 581)
• Hate crimes; gender, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation, penalty. (HB 618)
• Gender-neutral terms; prohibitions on same-sex marriage and civil unions removed from Code. (HB 623)
• Certificate of birth; new certificate issued to show change of sex. (HB 1041, SB 657))
• Discrimination; sexual orientation and gender identity. (HB 1049)
• Health insurance; nondiscrimination, gender identity or transgender status. (HB 1429)
• Hate crimes; adds gender, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation, penalty. (SB 179)
• Conversion therapy; prohibited by certain health care providers. (SB 245)
• Driver’s license, etc.; sex designation on application form – X. (SB 246)
• No-fault divorce; gender-neutral terminology. (SB 247)
• Virginia Values Act adds to protected classes; Adds to protections in employment and housing – now includes ALL companies & entities, including schools, churches, associations, business, banking insurance, credit etc. that provide a product or service to the public. Cause of action; attorney’s fees, penalties (HB 1663 / SB 868)

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT – BIG NEW COSTS for taxpayers
• Local government public employees and teachers collective bargaining. Contact your local board of supervisors and ask if they are fighting this attempt by BIG LABOR to get a foothold in Virginia government which will cause wage & benefit cost increases and raise local taxes. (HB 582 – this bill has gone to the Governor – phone 804-786-2211) SB 939 has gone to a conference committee to resolve differences …then on to the Governor.
• Project Labor Agreements’ (HB 358, SB 182) and ‘Prevailing Wage’ [Davis Bacon] requirements (HB 833 / SB 8) raises the cost of all local construction projects (Schools, roads etc.) and stifles competition from local qualified businesses.
• State, regional, and local planning; climate change. [Agenda 21] Comprehensive plans strategies to focus development around transit, with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through coordination of transportation, housing, and land use planning. (HB 672, HB 585)
• New local gov’t taxing authority – gas, cigarettes, lodging, admissions, meals (the currently required referendum is repealed SB 588)
• Costly election mandates paid by local government; recounts; extended hours; extended early voting; same day registration more…
• New Central Virginia transportation Authority. Double whammy re: gas taxes in Central Virginia (HB 1541)
• New (additional) regional transportation taxes / fees for Northern Virginia and Tidewater

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SUPER BAD BILLS that are passing:

• Governor’s Virginia Clean Economy Act. – Carbon emissions to -0- by 2050 (worse than the new green deal HB 1526 / SB 851)
• Join RGGI (RGGI Caused higher electric bills in every state that joined.. HB 981, HB 1027)
• Public employee collective bargaining – (HB 582 local / SB 939)
• Virginia Values Act – One of the worst bills of the session. (Anti-discrimination weaponized – No religious exemption HB 1663, SB 868) SOGI (HB 1049)
• Minimum wage doubled. The only question is by when?
• HUGE Transportation bill. Gas taxes, rail and more (HB 1414)
• Broadband on private property allowed with NO just compensation (HB 831, HB 1271, SB 794)
• Abortion industry bills – All legal restrictions removed (HB 980, SB 733)
• Off shore wind – $14 Billion – First ever off shore wind project NOT built by a private company (HB 1664)
• Business mandate – private employers must provide sick leave (SB 481)
• School principals; incident reports no longer include misdemeanors. (SB 729)
• Local governments may remove historical monuments (HB 1537 / SB 183)
• Elections – Repeal Photo ID to vote; allow same day registration; Automatic voter registration by DMV more…
• 2nd amendment – Red Flag law; universal background checks; local gun control; militia ban; no online CHP; more…

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Bills that clic-va supports – Ultimate fate unknown

• Restore SCC authority to protect rate payers (HB 1132 / SB 969)
• SCC to decide rate of depreciation on coal plant closings – (would stop accelerated depreciation of global warming forced fossil fuel plant closings HB 528)
• NO civil asset Forfeiture without conviction (HB 1522)
• Eminent Domain citizen protections (multiple bills)
• Redistricting VA constitution amendment (SJ 118 Will be heard Mon 3/2 in House P&E. Please support – contact the committee members )
• Board of Medical Assistance Services to include telehealth in the state plan for medical assistance (HB1332)
• End suspensions of driver’s licenses over court costs (SB 1)

There is one week left in the 2020 session. March 7th is the last day the legislature can take action on hundreds of bills and the $138 Billion biennial budget! The General Assembly will reconvene on April 22nd to take up bills that the Governor amends or vetoes.

There will be an update next weekend followed by a score card; and then a final recap of 2020 after the reconvene session in April.

“Our Standard is the Constitution – for every issue, on very occasion, with no exceptions”

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Thanks
Carol Stopps and the CLIC-VA Team