Status of Bills in the General Assembly January 25, 2020

Socialists' Agenda puts VA Economy / Jobs / Public Safety at Risk

The Good News:

• Some of the bills that would have created state-run Healthcare insurance died in committee.
• Catastrophic and Association healthcare insurance plans are passing.
• Bills which would have eliminated single family zoning died in committee.
• Senate has declared nuclear a clean energy source and the state is directed to develop a strategic plan for the role of nuclear energy as part of the Commonwealth's overall energy strategy.
• Governing bodies required to provide members of the general public with the opportunity for public comment during at least half of the regular meetings held each fiscal year.
• More transparency - Subcommittee meetings are now being live streamed when held in a room with a camera!

Continued to next year: DEAD(A way to kill a bill - often used to avoid taking a recorded vote)

• The House bill to reinstate the Inheritance Tax (Death Tax).
• Senate - VA constitution amendment to remove the definition of marriage.
• Senate - VA constitution amendment to enshrine abortion in our constitution.

The public policy changes below are on their way to becoming law.

Second Amendment:
Easy on criminals; tough on gun owners. [The Marxists' goal? To disarm the population] We'll see them in court!

• ALL Bills that supported the 2nd amendment or were tough on criminals are DEAD!
• So far the senate has passed a red flag law; universal background checks; one gun purchase per month; local gun control; gun free (killing) zones. More bills in committees - all moving us closer to gun registration, the pre-requisite to confiscation and ultimate disarming of the population.

ERA: Passed in both houses - has crossed over - final passage next. (Governor's signature not necessary.) We'll see them in court.

Economy / Free Market / Job KILLERS:

• Virginia Energy Plan - Mandates the establishment of greenhouse gas emissions reduction standards across all sectors of Virginia's economy (all sectors includes electricity, transportation, building, and industrial sectors) impact statement.
• Virginia Values Act* - Anti- discrimination re: "Public Accommodation" - (Employment, credit, housing, restaurants, bakeries, any establishment open to the public! - More anti-business than California's law) Public Accommodation as currently defined in the VA code.
• Virginia Council on Environmental Justice established.
• NO fracking allowed in eastern Virginia.
• *A bill to pack the SCC in favor of socialists
• Off shore drilling prohibition
• New (another) program to fund grants to subsidize residential energy efficiency measures.
• New rebate program for purchasers or lessees of certain zero-emissions vehicles.

Property Rights Killers:

• New Scenic River designations - Sections of Maury, Clinch, Pound, Staunton, James rivers, Gray's Creek [Are citizens with property along these rivers aware of the restrictions and the private property rights lost when this designation is applied. Many times in the past they were NOT!].

HEADS UP:

• A new planning district is in the works - will allow application of the extra regional gas tax in a large part of central Virginia.

Social Justice:

• Radical abortion regulation changes. Persons other than physicians can perform; repeals 24 hr wait and ultrasound requirements; facilities no longer need to meet minimum hospital standards. More to come.
• Lee-Jackson Day removed as a state holiday - designates Election Day as a state holiday.
• Bills mandating gender neutral pronouns or situations where no gender can be used.
• New birth certificates to show a gender change.
• [Thought crimes illegal.] Hate crimes reported to law enforcement.

WONKS' CORNER:

• Early-Release-For-Murderers Bill Advances
• * Virginia Values Act Would Harm State's Economy
• Payoff Time for Construction Unions
• Lawmakers Coddling Hospital Monopolies
• Bill to Expand (Pack?) SCC a First Test of Change