Update on Finance Legislation, including Grocery Tax Bills
Grocery tax bills defeated in the Senate, advance in the House: On January 18, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee considered SB 850 (Suetterlein), which would have eliminated the local option sales and use tax on food for human consumption and essential personal hygiene products and replaced the lost revenue via a supplemental school payment […]
Legislation and budget proposals seek to address state hospital capacity and temporary detention process
State hospital capacity continues to be a topic of concern at the General Assembly. Several bills address aspects of the temporary detention process in an effort to relieve pressures on state hospitals and law enforcement agencies. The Governor’s budget proposes several investments that are intended to address state hospital capacity, as well as enhancements to […]
Education Savings Account Bills and Charter School Amendment Fail to Graduate
As in past sessions, several bills seeking to divert public funds towards private education savings accounts have been introduced and heard at the General Assembly. Additionally, a constitutional amendment to usurp local control over the charter school approval process was also introduced. A brief overview of such legislation is listed below. Currently, there are several […]
VACo supports bills to streamline permitting of broadband infrastructure at railroad crossings
SB 1029 (Stanley) and HB 1752 (Head) seek to standardize the process by which railroads permit the crossing of lines for the deployment of broadband infrastructure to expand access to the internet. Currently, delays in reviews can stretch months at a time and require review fees more than $20,000 per crossing. This is of particular […]
Local Authority for Speed Limit Reduction Dies Again
This year, and in years past, a bill was introduced that gave the authority to localities to lower speed limits on roads in the state highway system located in a residential or business district to lower than 25 mph but not lower than 15 mph. HB 1939 (Plum) would have achieved a long sought-after transportation […]
Committee Disposes Bill Imposing Costs to Landfills
HB 1370 (Ware), as introduced, would not allow the siting of a new landfill in the Commonwealth within one mile of a private well. VACo opposed the initial legislation and during the bills hearing of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee, amendments were offered and adopted. The amendments removed the “one mile” provision […]
Capitol Contact ALERT! Call Now to Support Funding for School Construction
Bills to be Heard Tomorrow – Call House Finance Subcommittee Members to Support HB 2316 (Bourne) would permit any county or city to impose an additional local sales and use tax of up to 1 percent, if initiated by a resolution of the local governing body and approved by voters at a local referendum. The […]
Please Support VACo Priority Budget Amendments
Based on discussions with members while developing VACo’s legislative program, VACo worked with legislators and partner organizations again this session to introduce a package of budget amendments that support local government priorities. Budget proposals are being considered by the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, and both Committees are scheduled to report their […]
Enhanced Retirement Bills Referred to JLARC
Several bills adding employee categories to the list of employees eligible to receive benefits under the State Police Officers’ System were laid on the table by the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Compensation and Retirement. The bills were referred to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), which is currently conducting a study of […]
School Construction Financing Bills Pass Senate
On January 23, the full Senate passed SB 1408 (McClellan & McPike) on a bipartisan vote of 26-10. As previously reported, this bill would permit any county or city to impose an additional local sales and use tax of up to 1 percent, if initiated by a resolution of the local governing body and approved […]
School Board Unexpended Funds Bill Falters
On January 24, the House Education Committee’s K-12 Subcommittee acted on HB 2399 (Simonds). As originally drafted, this bill would permit any school board to establish a capital reserve fund as a savings account into which it exclusively deposits the local operating funds that remain unexpended at the end of the year for future school […]
Restoration of Recordation Tax
Starting in 1993 and up until 2020, localities across Virginia received a portion of state recordation tax revenue. Localities were yearly slated to receive $20 million, apportioned amongst the various counties and cities and could use these funds for transportation or public education purposes. In the 2020 General Assembly Session, this revenue was redirected towards […]
An Overview of Relevant Workers’ Compensation Bills
As in past session, several bills have been filed that would amend the Workers’ Compensation Act, specifically impacting county employees and insurance systems. A brief overview of such legislation is listed below. HB 1631 (Bulova) / SB 1088 (Ebbin) would allow dispatchers to claim workers’ compensation benefits relating to post-traumatic stress disorder under the Workers’ […]
VACo supports bill giving additional authority to localities with appointed school boards
On January 24, the House Education Committee’s K-12 Subcommittee took action on HB 1574 (Walker), which allows the governing body of a county, city, or town to file a petition with the circuit court of the county or city or of the county within which the town or the greater part thereof is located asking […]
Environment/Ag Bills Start Being Heard
HB 1406 (Anderson) seeks to eliminate the requirement for citizens in a locality to pay a licensing fee for registering their dog or cat with the locality. Further, this legislation would eliminate the misdemeanor penalty for failing to pay this licensing fee. VACo believes this legislation eliminates existing authority held by localities while curtailing a […]
2023 VACo Legislative Day Bulletin
