2/15/2024 Senate version of the Potomac Yard Arena Proposal Hits a Speedbump—or a Roadblock?Read Now Senate version of the Potomac Yard Arena Proposal Hits a Speedbump—or a Roadblock?Last November, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced his proposal to relocate the Washington Wizards NBA team and the Washington Capitals NHL team from DC across the river to a to be constructed two billion dollar arena to be built in the City of Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood. There is no question that the arena and entertainment district proposal, which also includes a separate 3,000 capacity concert venue, is a unique opportunity for Alexandria to diversify its tax base.
The House of Delegates version of the bill, HB 1514, sponsored by Delegate Luke Torian of Prince William was recommended on 17-3 vote by the House of Delegates Appropriations Committee for the consideration of the full House. The Senate cognate of that bill, SB 718, sponsored by Senator Scott Surovell of Mount Vernon was not docketed for a hearing before this Tuesday’s crossover deadline for all bills to pass in their house of origin. Senator Louise Lucas, chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee reasoned that the bill put too much risk on the Commonwealth, possibly leaving taxpayers on the hook for the bonds issued for financing. Lucas also pointed out that the project’s proposed financing was not viable without the public bond issuance. She also said it would be atypical and precedent-setting to use the Commonwealth’s contingent moral obligation debt to fund a private economic development project. Even though the bill has not yet been considered by the traditional pre-crossover deadline, the House version of the bill could advance and be considered by the Senate—and the Senate rules do allow for the governor to send down another bill at any time. The project was also included in the governor’s proposed budget. In my opinion, it is critical we don’t rush to approve a project that would impact generations of Virginians without answers to important questions. Three components must be in any bill I could consider supporting. First, the protection of the communities that would be most directly impacted--including a deep investment in affordable housing to avoid driving out families who live in nearby neighborhoods. Second, Northern Virginians need a real commitment from the Commonwealth to the long-term health of the Metro system. And third, I need confidence that the project would include meaningful and binding agreements to create good-paying jobs, in construction, service and hospitality through Project Labor and Labor Peace Agreements. The governor’s transportation report released from the Kimley Horn firm contains a number of potential improvements--most of which have merit. Unfortunately, the report, just like the governor's introduced budget released in December, includes zero commitment to long-term funding of the Metro system. Unfortunately, the only commitment the governor has mustered is one to consider budget amendments for short-term Metro funding. The report predicts that Metro could in the future support 50% of the arena traffic to Potomac Yard. Unfortunately, this could never be achieved unless Metro receives long-term, sustainable funding from the Commonwealth. As I said, for this proposal to win my vote, it must do three things. First, enhance the community's quality of life experience, not harm it. Second, provide good-paying jobs and careers. And third, the project must fit hand-in-glove with a long-term transportation vision for our thriving but traffic-choked region. I prefer that consideration of this proposal not be rushed because it is clear to me that adequate answers have not yet been provided to fundamental questions. For my part, as long as the Potomac Yard proposal is alive, I’ll keep pushing for answers on transportation, affordable housing, and worker protections. It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District. My legislative email address is [email protected]. FUNDING FOR METROAs we near the midpoint of the session, I wanted to update you on one of my major priorities: finding solutions for immediate, and long-term funding for Metro.
With 32 Virginia rail stations and 31 bus lines on our side of the Potomac, Metro plays a vital role in the Commonwealth's economy and serves as a critical component of Northern Virginia's transit network. The entire system generates $1.5 billion in annual revenue from personal income and sales taxes, which goes to support programs and services across the Commonwealth. Metro is funded by a complex arrangement of federal, state and local sources spread across the capital and operating budgets. The capital budget, which is used mainly to keep existing stations, tracks and buses in a state of good repair, is funded by federal sources, state and local funds from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, including funding secured by legislation signed into law in Virginia in 2018. The operating budget, which is used to keep the buses and trains running, is funded by fare revenue and other sources (like advertising), federal pandemic relief funds, and state tax dollars from Virginia, Maryland, and the District. In Virginia, the local governments in Northern Virginia are responsible for paying Metro and they use a mixture of funds from the regional gas tax, state aid, and other local sources to meet this obligation. In 2018, we came together with the rest of the DMV region and secured $500 million a year in capital funding for Metro, which included $154.5 million from Virginia, $167 million from Maryland, and $178.5 million from the District of Columbia.. This capital funding has been crucial in ramping up repairs to stations, tunnels, and bridges. It has also been vital to the completion of the Yellow Line Bridge Tunnel Rehabilitation project, as well as the rebuilding of 11 Metrorail station platforms in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax County. Unfortunately, the legislative compromise reached in 2018 placed a 3% annual growth cap on how much Metro could ask Virginia’s local governments to contribute in operating assistance. Without further action by the General Assembly to lift that 3% cap, along with a significant cash infusion, Metro will be forced to make severe service cuts to close the budget deficit, which would be devastating for Northern Virginia. This would mean the closure of the 10 lowest-ridership stations across the system, and service cutbacks like the closing of stations at 10:00 pm. For Metrobus, this would eliminate 67 of 135 routes; and 41 of the remaining 68 routes would see reduced service. Metro has dug deep and found additional, one time and recurring savings to help close the gap, but regional partners need to do their part. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), where I serve as a Commissioner, put forward recommendations on Metro funding, accountability and reform, and is studying options for long-term dedicated funding. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) has also brought together staff and elected officials from across the region to find short and long-term solutions. I am disappointed that Governor Youngkin did not include any additional funding for Metro in his proposed Fiscal Year 2025 - 2026 budget. If we can’t solve this budget gap, we won’t have a working Metro system to serve the new Potomac Yard-VT station — and the governor’s proposed new arena for the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards. I want to extend my appreciation to Sen. David Marsden and Del. Mark Sickles for their proposed amendments to the state budget that would address the operating cap and provide additional state aid to Metro, which would be matched by Northern Virginia local governments. Because these solutions are short-term, I have also introduced SJ 28 to study and develop long-term sustainable funding solutions for Metro and other Northern Virginia transit systems. It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District. My legislative email address is [email protected]. Combating Animal CrueltyDuring the summer and fall, I heard from constituents who believe that there= should be stiffer penalties for those who hurt household pets. We have seen examples of this in our community. Last summer, someone left sausages with fish hooks on Duke Street in Alexandria outside for animals to eat. Thankfully, no pets were harmed in this instance, but experts said that if an animal were to have eaten one of the sausages, it could have caused severe injury. But because no pet was hurt, the assailant could only be charged with a misdemeanor under current law. In another instance, in the Del Ray neighborhood, a man was annoyed by his neighbor’s dog barking, so he combined rat poison with meat and threw it into his neighbor’s yard. Thankfully, the dog’s owner noticed the poisoned meat before the dog did and reported the incident. The perpetrator was arrested and charged with a class 1 misdemeanor for the offense despite the clear intent to cause harm to his neighbor's dog. That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 369 to increase the penalty for harming a companion animal. Under current Virginia law, it is a Class 5 felony for any person to maliciously wound a farm animal, which is punishable by up to 10 years in jail or a fine of up to $2,500. My bill would add household pets to that category, making the malicious wounding of a companion animal also punishable by a Class 5 felony. Current law provides a Class 1 misdemeanor for a first offense, which includes up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $2,500. SB 369 has received unanimous approval by two Senate committees and the full Senate before it moves to the House of Delegates for its consideration. On other legislation related to animal welfare, Senator Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) introduced Senate Bill 11. This bill would allow a judge to ban someone convicted of felony cruelty to animals from possessing animals for life, and ban a person convicted of misdemeanor cruelty to animals from possessing animals for a period of up to five years. Senators Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon) and Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) have also introduced Senate Bill 93, which would give any locality in the Commonwealth the authority to establish an animal cruelty registry on their website or their local police department’s website. Senate Pages FRom the 39th DistrictThis year there are not one but two pages from the 39th Senate District. Sydney Robasson and Jada Ashun are stellar students at Francis C. Hammond Middle School and are very impressive young women both in and out of the classroom. Both Jada and Sydney were amazing applicants. I am thankful that there was room in the Senate Page Class of 2024 so that both Jada and Sydney could participate. During the legislative session, Senate Pages are tasked with helping visitors find meeting rooms, taking recycling from member’s offices, delivering items to the Senate Chamber, and many other administrative tasks. I am very proud of both Jada and Sydney and their work this session.
It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District. My legislative email address is [email protected]. You can also reach us at our new Richmond phone number 804-698-7539. Investing in Public SafetyLast Wednesday, I took the gavel of the Public Safety Subcommittee for the first time. Over the course of the next month, the Senate Finance Committee will be working to report the Senate’s Budget to the full body for its consideration. Under the leadership of Democrats in the General Assembly, over the last four years, minimum salaries for state level public safety officers increased $10,769 on average for entry level positions and $19,918 on average for the highest ranked positions. This includes correctional staff at the Department of Corrections (DOC) and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Virginia State Police (VSP) officers, and also deputy sheriffs and regional jails officers. Between 2021 and 2023, we also provided significant bonuses for law enforcement and public safety officers. That included $4,000 for DOC and DJJ correctional staff, and $3,000 for deputy sheriffs and regional jail officers. We also provided $5,000 bonuses for VSP officers, as well as up to $2,000 for relocation expenses, and bonuses of between 2.0 and 8.0 percent of an officer’s salary. All of these were in addition to normal bonuses provided by agencies within their existing operating budgets. As the new Chairman of the Public Safety Subcommittee of Senate Finance, I look forward to continuing that track record of investment to keep Virginia communities safe. 39TH SENATE DISTRICT TOWN HALL RECAPThis past Sunday, I hosted a Town Hall at Alexandria City High School along with Delegates Charniele Herring, Alfonso Lopez, and Adele McClure. Special thanks to Virginia public radio journalist Michael Lee Pope for moderating our discussion.
We fielded numerous questions about the proposal to relocate the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to an arena in Potomac Yard, including project financing, the potential transportation impact along the Rt. 1 Corridor, and other quality-of-life issues. For more information about the proposed arena project, please visit www.MonumentalALX.com. In addition to discussing the Monumental proposal, we answered questions on an array of other topics, including the proposal to build a casino on the Silver Line Metro corridor in Fairfax County, gun violence prevention, and abortion access. Thank you again to everyone who came out; for those who are still looking to provide community input, you are still able to fill out my constituent survey, which can be found at adamebbin.com/survey. It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District. My legislative email address is [email protected]. You can also reach us at our new Richmond phone number 804-698-7539. Expanded Virginia Gambling to be Considered by General AssemblyVirginia’s legal gaming landscape has shifted rapidly over the past five years. In decades past, legal gambling was limited to the Virginia Lottery, authorized in the early 1990s through a statewide referendum. Prior to five years ago, the only other legal form of wagering in Virginia was charitable bingo and “pull-tab” machines. Charitable gaming provides a sizable portion of funding for many of Virginia’s nonprofit organizations, and is regulated by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. However, in 2018, Virginia expanded gaming when the General Assembly legalized wagering on “Historical Horse Racing” (HHR) machines at the Colonial Downs racetrack in New Kent County and six other sites, including the Town of Dumfries in Northern Virginia. The satellite locations required local approval though a local referendum before they could move forward. The HHR machines are overseen by the Virginia Racing Commission. In 2020, the General Assembly passed legislation that authorized gambling on most professional sporting events, overseen by the Virginia Lottery. Sports betting is available online, on a cell phone, or at a Virginia-based casino and other certain locations. In addition, the General Assembly - in 2020 - legalized casino gaming (overseen by the Virginia Lottery) at up to five locations pending approval in a local referendum. They include Portsmouth, Bristol, Norfolk, Danville, and Richmond. Since 2020, four of those cities have passed the required referendum and opened a casino. However, Richmond voters defeated a referendum to approve a casino two times in a span of three years. Three of the major gaming issues in 2024 are the potential legalization of “gray machines” (or “skill games”), the possible addition of casinos in Northern Virginia and Petersburg, and the legalization of slot machine-like Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs) in restaurants around the state. As I wrote in the Richmond Times-Dispatch this past fall, I am not a fan of gray machines, primarily because they are often encountered in nontraditional gaming environments, like convenience stores where families might shop for everyday items, or restaurants. This contrasts with destination-oriented gaming sites like a casino, where a consumer has made a conscious decision to seek out gambling. For several years, the machines operated in a “gray area” that was not explicitly legal. In my opinion, gray machines don’t serve the consumer interests of Virginia’s gambling public. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the bill to legalize gray machines does not contain a system that the Commonwealth could verify or audit to ensure that the Department of Taxation and the small business owners where the machines are located get their fair share of the proceeds. I am also concerned that some proposals to legalize gray machines do not contain protections to dissuade wagering by underage Virginians. I also expect that bills to establish casinos in the Tysons area of Northern Virginia, along with a conference center, and in the City of Petersburg, will generate much attention. As Chairman of the General Laws and Technology Committee, I have appointed a Gaming Subcommittee so that the numerous, and complex gambling bills can be compared and considered, with the exception of one bill that was considered by the Commerce and Labor Committee. I also serve on the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Feasibility of Establishing a Virginia Gaming Commission to provide a more unified governance of the various forms of gambling in Virginia. As described above, the current landscape for Virginia gaming involves the Virginia Racing Commission, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Virginia Lottery. I believe that one single entity overseeing what is now a regulatory patchwork would better serve the public. 39th Senate District Town Hall - This Sunday, January 21stThis Sunday, January 21st, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, at Alexandria City High School, please join me and Delegates Charniele Herring, Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Alfonso Lopez, and Adele McClure for a 39th Senate District Town Hall. The event will be moderated by Virginia public radio reporter Michael Lee Pope, who will pose questions pre-submitted online or at the event. If you would like to RSVP, or pre-submit a question, visit www.adamebbin.com/townhallrsvp Stay In The KnowYou can stay on top of General Assembly events through the Virginia Legislative Information System (LIS) website. On that site, you can find many helpful links, including:
My new legislative email address is [email protected]. You can also reach us at our new Richmond phone number 804-698-7539. It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District. Thank you, 2024 Legislative AgendaState Senators are limited to introducing 21 pieces of legislation this session, so I am hard at work putting the final touches on my package of bills for 2024. As you may have seen, I have already introduced one amendment to the Virginia Constitution, as well as four pieces of legislation, including one that I am carrying with my friend and newly-elected fellow Senator, Schuyler VanVallkenburg.
I have also filed several pieces of additional legislation, including bills that would:
SAVE THE DATE!I will co-host a Town Hall meeting with the rest of the 39th Senate District delegation to the General Assembly on Sunday, January 21st, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Alexandria City High School. Along with Delegates Charniele Herring, Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Alfonso Lopez, and Adele McClure, I will be responding to your questions, and listening for good ideas. ARENA PROPOSAL FOR POTOMAC YARDOn Monday evening, earlier this week, I participated in a virtual town hall hosted by the Del Ray Citizens Association, to hear questions from the Alexandria community about the proposal for relocating the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals from the District to Potomac Yard. For those who participated, and patiently waited while we negotiated technical difficulties, I thank you. If you missed the opportunity to participate, either because of your schedule, or due to technical difficulties, you can view the meeting in its entirety online by clicking here, which you can also find on the Del Ray Citizens Association YouTube channel. It is clear that public-private sports/entertainment proposals do not always work out well for taxpayers and local communities; that’s why every proposal must be thoroughly vetted by elected leaders and the public, and tested with hard questions. To that end, I will continue to urge the Youngkin Administration to respond to important questions I have heard from the community about the proposal for Potomac Yard. Update on State Aid to Public K-12Last year, thanks to the leadership of Senate Democrats, Virginia partially lifted the Great Recession-era cap on state funding for public school support staff. Because of that change, the Commonwealth now will pay its share for 3,670 additional support staff for the 2023-24 school year.
For localities in the 39th Senate District, that investment includes:
Public school support positions, like as guidance counselors, teacher assistants, and school nurses, are fundamentally critical to the success of Virginia’s children. Virginia needs to maintain its expanded support for them, and continue the effort to pay them what they deserve. Many students have barriers to learning, and they require support beyond what some of the best public school teachers could provide. That’s why public school support staff play such an important role in helping Virginia’s students overcome their challenges, and gain an education that will help them uplift themselves and their communities. In reaction to the Great Recession, an arbitrary cap was imposed on the number of public school support staff the state would pay for; this action reduced state support by hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Since the cap was established in 2009, support staff decreased by 3,630 positions across the state; while at the same time, Virginia’s public school enrollment increased by more than 16,000 students. When lawmakers, led by Senate Democrats, pressed Governor Youngkin to agree to partially lifting the Great Recession-era staff support cap, that represented a significant policy victory that was years in the making. This means that the Commonwealth will finally pay its share of the costs for 3,670 additional support staff for the 2023-2024 school year. Virginia’s legislative research arm – JLARC – just last summer estimated that the state is underfunding the public education system by as much as $ 4 billion per year. The report concluded that Virginia spends less per public school student than our neighboring states of Kentucky, Maryland, and West Virginia. During this next legislative session, which begins on Wednesday, January 10th, legislators must take into account the demonstrated need for more K-12 public education funding, not less. As a senior member of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, I will fight to protect these hard-won investments in public education in the Commonwealth, and expand them where we can afford. Unfortunately, Governor Youngkin’s proposed 2024-2026 state budget would invest less in Virginia’s public education system, not more. That is unacceptable. Thank you, YOUNGKIN'S PROPOSED 2024-2026 BUDGETFundamentally unserious. Those two words fairly summarize the proposed state budget from Governor Youngkin. To its core, the Governor’s proposed state budget ignores the warnings of nonpartisan staff, and some of his own economic advisers. Youngkin’s fiscal proposal could result in an out-of-balance state budget. As the nonpartisan staff director of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee told members, including myself, less than two months ago: “Recent increases to the standard deduction have reduced individual income tax revenue, the primary [general fund revenue] source, and staff would caution against further changes without adjusting spending or increasing other revenue sources.” Youngkin is again calling for a permanent tax break to predominantly benefit Virginia’s wealthiest residents. To pay for it, Youngkin wants to increase the regressive state sales tax on all Virginians and reduce spending levels for critical investments, including public education. After unveiling his budget proposal, Governor Youngkin added an even deeper note of unseriousness – a throw-away line in his speech about the Car Tax. Despite having two years to come up with a way to pay for it, Youngkin provided no plan – instead asking the General Assembly to improvise within our upcoming 60-day session. Now is a time for thoughtful leadership – not slogans or shoddy math. The budget of the Commonwealth of Virginia is not a game to be conducted with play money. As a returning member of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, I will scrutinize the budget and do everything I can to protect core investments in public education, Metro, affordable housing, mental health and public safety. LEGISLATIVE AGENDADuring this year’s legislative session, Senators are limited to introducing 21 pieces of legislation. The House of Delegates has not established such a cap. Given the new limitation on the number of bills that I can introduce, I will be advancing progressive priorities through my own legislative portfolio, as well as working closely with colleagues. I look forward to defending and advancing Virginia’s progress on LGBTQ equality and gun violence prevention. I will again introduce my amendment to Virginia’s Constitution to finally remove the discriminatory stain on our governing document that prohibits marriage equality, and instead enshrine an affirmative right to marry for two consenting adults in Virginia. I will also carry legislation to ban the carrying of an assault weapon in public, as well as other gun violence prevention bills. Stay tuned as I finalize the remainder of my legislative portfolio. POTOMAC YARD DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALThe proposal for an arena in Potomac Yard by the Commonwealth, the City of Alexandria, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment, has generated much interest and discussion, both locally and statewide. I was not involved in the development of this proposal. However, I firmly believe it is a non-starter without a fully-functioning Metro system, and I was dismayed that the Governor did not include additional funding for Metro in his proposed budget. The Governor needs to understand that new Metro investment is a requirement for the continued economic vitality of our region. We cannot even begin to consider his proposal for Potomac Yard without assurances that Metro will continue to adequately serve Northern Virginia. To find more information, watch the presentation by the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, or sign-up to receive alerts about opportunities to make your views heard on the proposal, click here. The announcement by Governor Youngkin and the City of Alexandria marks the start of a long process that ultimately will require a vote of approval by the Alexandria City Council as well as the Virginia General Assembly. I have not yet seen legislation that would establish the proposed Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority. I look forward to reviewing the economic studies completed and provided to the Commonwealth and the City of Alexandria in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the executive summary of an economic study that was completed for Alexandria can be viewed here. UPCOMING TOWN HALL MEETINGDelegate Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and I will be participating in a virtual Zoom meeting hosted by the Del Ray Citizens Association on Monday, January 8th, at 7:00.
We will be fielding questions regarding the state’s role in the proposed arena project in Potomac Yard. This meeting will occur in advance of any votes pertaining to the proposed arena. Those who wish to attend can sign up to receive the Zoom link here. You can ask a question in advance here. New Democratic LeadershipAt the end of a whirlwind 2023 election season, Virginians retained the Senate Democratic majority, and delivered Democrats a majority in the House of Delegates, marking the first instance in Virginia since the late 1990s of a fully-Democratic legislature and a Republican Governor. In the weeks following Election Day, newly-elected and returning Senate Democrats conferred and elected colleagues to serve in leadership positions. We elected the following Senate Democratic Leaders:
As Senate Democrats chose their leadership, House Democrats also moved forward with selecting the leaders of their newly-elected Democratic Majority. House Democrats elected Minority Leader Don Scott (Portsmouth) to serve as the 58th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, and the first African-American to serve in the role in the General Assembly’s 405-year history. House Democrats also reelected my fellow-Alexandrian Delegate Charniele Herring as House Majority Leader, a role in which she previously served from 2020-2021. Delegate Kathy Tran (Fairfax) was elected to serve as House Caucus Chair. Congratulations to these Democratic leaders. I look forward to working alongside them. Political UpdateThis Election Day, I was humbled by the support of the voters of the 39th Senate District who reelected me with more than 78 percent of the vote. Thank you for the honor of representing you in the State Senate. I’ve worked hard to get results for our community’s progressive values, including protecting access to reproductive health care, safeguarding tenants from unlawful evictions, investing in our schools, banning guns from state buildings, and passing protections for LGBTQ+ Virginians. But there’s more work to do, and I’m up for the fight. Two weeks ago, I was proud to endorse Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger’s campaign for Virginia Governor. She’s proven she can bring people together to get results for Virginia, which she will do for us as our next Governor. With her in the Governor’s Office, we’ll get to work preventing gun violence, protecting access to reproductive health care, and delivering on the promise of equality for all Virginians. Lastly, I would like to give special thanks to Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson, who has served Alexandria for years as an unqualified progressive champion, councilman and mayor. His tireless work has made the city a better place to live, work, and enjoy life. I wish him all of the best in his future professional endeavors. SENATE GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEEIn addition to being elected Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, I was pleased to be selected by my colleagues to continue my service as Chairman of the influential Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology. I look forward to continuing my work pursuing solutions for all Virginians, particularly in the areas of affordable housing, renter’s rights, consumer protection and emerging technologies. VIRGINIA'S BUDGET OUTLOOKLast month, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee held its annual meeting - located this year in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Every mid-November, the committee holds an annual meeting outside of Richmond, where committee staff and economists provide presentations to committee members on the budget process, Virginia's economic outlook, and the major issues that are expected to demand much of the committee’s time in the coming legislative session. To mitigate the risk of an unanticipated revenue loss, the staff of the Senate Finance Committee – like the Governor’s Joint Advisory Board of Economists – recommend that the next state budget assume a mild recession over the next year. A soft landing may be possible, however. Recent economic performance continues to push any slowdown further out in the calendar. An economic slowdown could create a tenuous situation for Virginia’s budget, and would be exacerbated by the additional proposals for tax cuts expected from Governor Youngkin and Republicans. As the nonpartisan staff director of Senate Finance told members, including myself, last month: “Recent increases to the standard deduction have reduced individual income tax revenue, the primary GF [general fund revenue] source, and staff would caution against further changes without adjusting spending or increasing other revenue sources.” Unfortunately, what this means is – if the economy turns bad – the General Assembly may be forced to cut spending just to afford certain ongoing programs that we have previously funded. To establish significant – and new – programs, or to further reduce revenues, the General Assembly would be forced to make even deeper budget cuts, or raise revenue. For the reasons outlined, the upcoming budget is not the time to pursue additional tax cuts that would further erode revenue for public safety, public education, health programs, and much more. Governor Youngkin has directed state agencies to propose budget cuts, which will likely be included in the governor's budget that he proposes to legislators on December 20th. As a returning member of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, I will scrutinize the Youngkin Budget and do everything I can to protect investments in Virginia’s people. In particular, I will look to defend – and increase where possible – Virginia’s investments in affordable housing, Metro, mental health, and public education. 2024 LEGISLATIVE PREVIEWIn preparing for the coming legislative session, Senate Democrats have coalesced around several major priorities, including:
And finally, stripping the discriminatory ban on marriage equality from the Virginia Constitution, and enshrining an affirmative right to marry – which I will be proud to carry in the Senate, and Delegate Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax) will carry in the House. In addition, I will continue to fight for common-sense gun safety reforms, and push forward on establishing the adult use cannabis recreational market. I will also keep up the fight for more affordable housing and renter’s rights, as well as looking out for the rights of Virginia consumers, particularly in emerging technological fields. THANK YOUI have represented portions of Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax in the Virginia Senate since 2011, and for eight years in the House of Delegates before that. With unprecedented turnover in the General Assembly as a result of retirements and redistricting, I look forward to continuing my service as an experienced progressive leader for Northern Virginia.
The General Assembly adjourned Sine Die on Saturday, marking the official close of the 2023 legislative session. Though we have completed work on the nearly 2000 pieces of legislation filed during our short, 46-day session, our budget conferees still need to iron out the differences between the proposed Senate and House budgets. Though we complete the budgeting process by the close of most legislative sessions, it is not unheard of for budget negotiations to continue into a special session. I am hopeful that, when the conferees report their compromise proposal, it will look closer to the proposed Senate budget, which makes historic investments in education and funds long overdue core services.
For my part, nine of the bills I introduced have passed both chambers and are on their way to the Governor’s desk. I wanted to provide you with a brief summary of my legislative agenda below. SB 1085 Muffler Regulation - Would require the Superintendent of State Police to convene a work group to examine the issue of vehicle noise in Virginia and recommend legislative fixes to excessive vehicle noise. Passed Senate and House. SB 1086 Paid Leave Donor Protection Act - Would ensure that employees at companies of 50 or more employees who donate an organ are allowed up to 60 days of unpaid leave to recover from surgery. Passed Senate and House. SB 1087 Genetic Data Privacy - Would establish privacy rights over genetic data for users of direct-to-consumer tests like ancestry.com by requiring consent from consumer to the storage, dissemination, and use of their genetic data. Passed Senate and House. SB 1088 PTSD Coverage for 9-1-1 Dispatchers - Would allow 9-1-1 dispatchers to claim workers' compensation benefits relating to post-traumatic stress disorder under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act. Passed Senate. Defeated in House Commerce and Energy Committee. SB 1089 Eviction Reporting - Would require the Virginia Supreme Court to collect data on how many evictions are executed in Virginia each year, increasing available data to aid in policy making decisions to reduce evictions. Passed Senate and House. SB 1090 Medical Cannabis Expansion - Would add a new medical marijuana license to the one currently unserved health service area, ban the consolidation of licenses by a single entity, and initiate a study the expansion of the medical marijuana program. Passed the Senate, Defeated in the House Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee. SB 1091 Stormwater Management - Would expand the allowable uses of grants from a local Stormwater Management Fund to include joint flooding mitigation projects of condominium owners. Passed House and Senate. SB 1092 Protecting Election Officials - Would make it a felony to hinder or prevent an election official or their employees from administering elections and allow election officials to keep their address private on publicly available databases. Passed Senate, Defeated in House Privileges and Elections Committee. SB 1093 Notary Reforms - Creates standards for Virginia notaries based on nationally accredited best practices. These include required training and testing, and record keeping requirements. Defeated in Senate Judiciary Committee. SB 1095 Cannabis Tax Revenue - Decouples cannabis business taxes from federal law in Virginia, allowing businesses to deduct usual and necessary expenses from their state tax liability. Passed Senate, Defeated in House Finance Committee. SB 1096 Freedom to Marry - Would clarify that a marriage between two parties is lawful regardless of the sex of the parties. Passed Senate, did not receive hearing in the House. SB 1133 Creating a Retail Market for Cannabis - Would establish a framework for the creation of a regulated, adult-use retail marijuana market in Virginia. Passed Senate. Defeated in a House General Laws subcommittee. SB 1180 Elections Administration - Would allow election officials to receive nongovernmental grants or services for the purpose of supporting voter education and election support programs. Passed Senate, Defeated in House Privileges and Elections Committee. SB 1181 Ghost Guns - Would ban the sale, creation, or possession of the parts used to make “ghost guns” - unserialized firearms built from at home kits which allow users to skirt background checks. Passed Senate. Defeated in House Public Safety Committee. SB 1190 Statewide Housing Needs Assessment - Would require a comprehensive statewide affordable housing needs assessment every 5 years, to develop a biennial statewide affordable housing plan. Passed Senate and House. SB 1192 Public Carry Assault Weapon Ban - Would prohibit the carrying of assault style semi-automatic rifles and pistols in places open to the public. Passed Senate. Defeated in House Public Safety Committee. SB 1324 Child Tax Credit - Would create a refundable tax credit of $500 per child for households with a child under the age of 18. Passed Senate, Defeated in House Finance Committee. SB 1327 Cover All Kids - Would create a state-funded comprehensive health care coverage program for those 19 years or younger who currently remain uncovered due to their immigration status. Passed the Senate, Defeated in the House Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee. SB 1350 Regulating Vaporized Nicotine Products - Would require the Secretary of Finance to assess a licensing scheme for the sale of liquid nicotine and the most appropriate manner to enforce and administer licensing, age verification, product safety, and advertising restrictions for liquid nicotine. Passed House and Senate. SB 1458 Assisted Living Staffing Regulations - Creates regulations related to temporary employee staffing agencies who supply staff to assisted living facilities in order to create long term employment opportunities and address price-gouging through employment contracts. Passed the Senate, Defeated in the House Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee. SB 1456 - Streamlining Daycare Food Safety Regulations - Would ensure that caterers who supply food to child or adult day care centers or schools can continue to hold VDH restaurant permits and not require them to secure additional, unnecessary permitting in order to continue to provide meals to these schools and daycare centers. Passed Senate and House. SJ242 - Right to Marry - Would repeal the now defunct ban on same sex marriage in Virginia’s Constitution. Passed Senate, Defeated in House Rules Committee. SJ243 - Addressing Inland Flooding - Would add two local government members from areas impacted by inland flooding to the existing Joint Subcommittee on Recurrent Flooding. Passed Senate and House. While I am glad at the outcome on some of these important pieces of legislation, critical issues which passed the Senate were defeated by a slim GOP House majority. Similarly, our narrow, two seat majority in the State Senate was able to defeat the most extreme far-right proposals of the Youngkin agenda - legislation to restrict reproductive care, move backward on combating climate change, and discriminate and harass transgender youth were all defeated by the tightest of margins in the Senate. The clock is ticking as the General Assembly moves rapidly towards adjournment. Legislators and staff are putting in long hours in committee and on the floor to complete business by “Sine Die,” the final adjournment of the 2023 legislative session. With only 46 days scheduled to complete our business, there is little time remaining to find agreement on a budget, nominate and approve judges, and review the remainder of the over 1,800 pieces of legislation introduced this year. With both bodies having reported an amended budget, a small group of senior legislators, known as budget conferees, from the Senate and House money committees are hard at work on producing a compromise budget that both bodies are comfortable signing off on and sending to the Governor. It may seem improbable to produce such a document when the two proposals have a $1 billion gap in proposed spending. At a micro level, the budgets are also in disagreement on close to 100 substantive policy decisions and smaller alterations to state agency and program funding. Despite these wide differences, compromise, like the late-night coffee the conferees are consuming, is already brewing.
Before our scheduled adjournment on Saturday February 25th, the General Assembly must also take up the nomination and appointment of a number of judges from across the Commonwealth. The process by which Virginia selects its judges – from general district to the Supreme Court is fairly unique. Virginia is one of only two states where the legislature elects judges. The Governor can only weigh in on the process during the interim between sessions, when he can make short term appointments to unfilled seats, pending the approval of the legislature. This year we are tasked to fill seats in all five levels of Virginia’s courts, and, fairly unusually, to appoint two judges to the State Corporation Commission (SCC). The SCC is the independent regulatory authority that oversees utilities, insurance, and businesses in Virginia. There are currently two vacancies on the three member panel, one of which has been empty for a full year after House Republicans removed an exceptionally qualified judge from the commission for purely partisan reasons. Leaving the Commission shorthanded for this long reduces consumers' safeguards against unfair business practices. To help alleviate these concerns, Delegate Kathy Byron (R-Bedford) and Senator Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) have introduced legislation to streamline the process of appointing these important judges. The extended debate this session about the role of the SCC in reviewing energy rates and the enactment of clean energy underscores how necessary it is that we take action and fill these positions as soon as possible. The last major agenda item is to finish business on all remaining bills. A portion of the still outstanding legislation must have passed both chambers, but with different amendments offered by each body which can sometimes substantially change the underlying policy. To rectify these differences, these bills will be placed in committees of conference – small groups of legislators who are tasked with ironing out the differences outside of the normal chamber and committee process. So far, nine of my bills have passed the House. My SB 1091, which would allow condominium owners to apply for joint grants to complete flood mitigation projects, has now passed both chambers and is heading to the Governor’s desk for his signature. SB1087 which establishes the nation’s strongest privacy protections for your genetic data collected by ancestry.com and 23andme passed out unanimously. I was also glad to pass legislation providing living organ donors 60 days of unpaid leave to recover from this life saving procedure, and institute studies to address the rampant and frustrating vehicle noise we have seen across our region, as well as review how to license and regulate vaporized nicotine stores. However, I was disappointed that my two bills designed to help promote safety and reduce gun violence, were defeated in the House of Delegates and that my SJ 242, which would have provided voters with an opportunity to vote to repeal Virginia’s constitutional prohibition on same-sex marriage, was defeated in subcommittee in the House of Delegates. While I am disheartened that those important pieces of legislation did not pass, I will continue to fight in the future to ensure Virginia has a constitution that reflects its values. I look forward to the challenge, and it is my continued honor to serve the 30th District. |