Status of Bills in the General Assembly February 14, 2020

Virginia Socialists' "Wish List" became their "To-Do List"

CLIFF NOTES:

• SAY GOODBYE to: Free speech, free exercise of religion, freedom of association, honest elections, any chance for free market healthcare or school choice, reasonable electric rates, right to work, whatever is left of manufacturing in VA, remaining the number 1 state to do business in, and Virginia's historical monuments. [Our AAA bond rating?]

• SAY HELLO to: Job loses, fewer new small businesses, higher & higher electric bills, higher taxes, unregulated on demand abortion, 5 cities with casinos, marijuana ok, dozens of business mandates, [increasing homelessness?] happier illegal aliens, unions, weaponized anti-discrimination, unattainable mandates and expensive tax credits to fight bogus climate change, more 'cause of action' clauses throughout the code and jammed courts. [This year's bills will mean "Full Employment for Lawyers".]

• [Saved the best for last - GOOD NEWS is at the end.]

THE BAD NEWS:

Economic Justice / Labor

• Virginia Values Act - MOAB One of the worst bills of the session. (HB1663, SB868) Creates harsh penalties for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity -- something as simple as calling someone by the wrong pronoun. Penalties start at $50,000 for a first offense and jump to $100,000 for a subsequent offense.
• Public employee collective bargaining; repeals right to work - MOAB (HB582 / SB939)
• Minimum wage increase - MOAB regional? (SB7)

Social Justice - Anti-discrimination

• Virginia Values Act [NOT] One of the worst bills of the session. (HB1663, SB868 see above)
• Abortion: Removes legal restrictions; (HB980 / SB733)
• Multiple hate crime prevention bills, adds SOGI [codifies thought crimes] (HB276, HB618, HB787, SB179)
• New birth certificate for gender change (HB1041, SB657) DMV license may show X for gender (SB246) Health Insurance Sex Change Coverage, creates new forms of gender (HB1429).
• Local governments may remove historical monuments (HB1537 / SB183)
• Food stamps may be used in restaurants (HB1410)
• Parental Rights [destruction] more vaccine mandates (HB1090)

Energy / Climate Change / Environmental Justice

• Governor's Virginia Clean Economy Act. - MOAB Carbon emissions to 0 by 2050 [worse than the Green New Deal] (HB1526 / SB851)
• State, regional, and local planning; consider impacts from and causes of climate change in adopting a comprehensive plan, regional strategic plan, or zoning ordinance. (HB672)
• Join RGGI - cap carbon and tax (HB981, SB1027)
• Windmills off shore $14 Billion (HB234, HB1664, SB860, SB998)

Taxes

• Gas taxes - MOAB (HB1414, SB890)
• New Central VA Transportation Authority - applies regional taxes (HB1541)
• Hampton Roads region; gas tax increase (HB1726)
• NOVA Transit funding; raises the existing regional transportation fee (HB729)
• Local gov't can levy more taxes - gas, admissions, cigarettes, lodging, meals (repeals currently required referendum SB588)

Property Rights

• Broadband easements - no provision for constitutional "just compensation" (HB831, HB1271, HB1280, SB794)

Elections

• National Popular Vote Compact (NPV) - overrides Electoral College (HB177)
• Repeal Photo ID; if forgot your ID you can sign a paper that you are who you say you are! (HB19, SB65)
• Same day registration (HB 201)
• DMV automatic voter registration (HB235, SB219)

2nd Amendment, Gun Control

• Assault Weapons Ban (HB961)
• Red Flag bills (HB674 / SB240)
• Universal back ground check (HB2 / SB70)
• Local gun control; local can impose gun free (killing) zones (HB421)
• Ban on militias (SB64)

2nd Amendment, Gun Control

• Early release of geriatric prisoners (SB624)
• Multiple bills easy on criminals
• Much of Northam's [soft on crime] criminal justice reform legislation has been carried over to next year.

Healthcare

• Establishment of Obamacare State healthcare Exchange (HB1428, SB732)
• Expanded COPN (higher medical bills) (HB879, SB279, SB764

Immigration

• Driver's licenses (driver privilege cards) for illegal aliens (HB1211 / SB34 / SB761)
• No cooperation with ICE (HB1150 / SB491)
• Office of New Americans [undefined] established (HB1209 / SB991)
• Instate tuition for illegal aliens (HB1315, HB1547, SB935)

Local Government

• Public employee collective bargaining (SB939)
• State, regional, and local planning; must consider climate change (HB672)
• Casinos in 5 cities (SB36)
• New taxing authority; referendum repealed (SB588)

[There is no free market category - with passage of even half of the mandates and other proposed legislation which will affect business, Virginia will no longer have free markets!]

THE GOOD NEWS:

Bills that CLIC-VA opposed that are DEAD

• Assisted suicide
• Estate Tax
• Elimination of single family Zoning
• Nonunion workers to pay union dues
• Law suits filed to stop implementation of ERA

Bills that CLIC-VA supports that are PASSING

• Restore SCC authority to protect electric ratepayers (HB1132 / SB969)
• NO civil asset Forfeiture without conviction (HB1522)
• Dept. of Elections to provide registered voter lists to the courts for jury summons use (HB500 / SB466)
• Electric customers not required to pay for services not used (HB167)
• Eminent Domain citizen protections (multiple bills)
• Steps toward stopping telephone solicitation calls (HB1244 / SB812)
• Board of Medical Assistance Services to include telehealth in the state plan for medical assistance (HB1332)
• Nuclear designated as clean energy - 40% of VA energy (SB549 / SB817/ SB828)
• Virtual Virginia available to all public schools (SB142)
• End suspension of driver's licenses over court costs (SB1)
• Local government must allow public speaking time in at least 1/2 of meetings (SB977)
• Solutions for out-of-network / surprise medical billing being considered in both bodies