We are halfway through the 2017 Session of the General Assembly. This has been a busy and productive session and I’m happy to report back on several key issues.

Out of the fifteen bills that I introduced, fourteen have passed the House of Delegates and are now being reviewed by the Senate.

The following bills I presented are of particular interest to many of you:

HB 1836 – Addressing maintenance of segments of the Spotsylvania Parkway

HB 1838 – Neighborhood Assistance Act Tax Credits – Deals with benefiting low-income persons and eligible students with disabilities in underperforming school districts in the Commonwealth

HB 1477 – Cats and dogs; local government may, by ordinance, provide for lifetime licenses.

HB 2304 – Provides that the Department of Medical Assistance Services require all individuals who administer preadmission screenings for long-term care services to receive training on and be certified in the use of the Uniform Assessment Instrument; requires the Department to develop a program for the training and certification of preadmission screeners, develop guidelines for a standardized preadmission screening process, and strengthen oversight of the preadmission screening process to ensure that problems are identified and addressed promptly.

Other bills that we considered were HB 1852, that would authorize any person 21 or older who is not prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm, and is protected by an active protective order, to carry a concealed handgun for 45 days after the protective order was issued. HB 1853 would have created the Virginia Firearms Safety and Training for Sexual and Domestic Violence Victims Fund. The Department of Criminal Justice Services would have distributed funds to reimburse an entity that offered firearms safety or training approved by the Department free of charge to victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse, stalking, or family abuse. I voted for both bills to be passed on to the Senate for their consideration. However, most of this Session’s anti-gun legislation was tabled in both the Senate and House.

I voted to create a method, for the first time ever, to identify the source of on-farm raw milk sales, however the bill was defeated in committee.

Legislation dealing with the opioid crisis was a top healthcare priority. Many of those bills have passed in both the House and Senate. I voted in favor of the bills and I will continue to do so in order to bring this crisis under control.

We recognize that creating good paying jobs remains a top priority. The House passed legislation to prohibit local governments from adopting an ordinance setting the minimum wage higher than the state government. We also passed legislation protecting small business owners that operate franchises from being forced to unionize their employees.

Virginia is fortunate to have one of the best education systems in the world – thanks in large part to our great teachers and local leaders who have made it their life’s work to educate our children. The House of Delegates has sought to provide these educators with the tools, resources and flexibility they need to provide our children with a world-class education. That includes reducing burdensome licensure and continuing education requirements. To that end, the House passed legislation that waived certain licensure requirements for a teacher with an endorsement in career and technical education.

We are also taking action to control college costs. Proposed legislation sought to make college more affordable, not just with more money, but with specific actions to keep costs down. The House passed legislation to set standard acceptance of dual enrollment credits taken in high school.

The House of Delegates passed an amended two-year balanced state budget. Throughout last year’s revenue shortfall and continuing into this year, the goal has been to produce a structurally balanced budget that responsibly invests in the core functions of government. The Budget contains no tax or fee increases, it takes steps to secure the future of state employees, it makes strategic investments in K-12 and higher education and helps spur private-sector economic growth across the Commonwealth. While Washington drowns in debts and deficits, Virginia is leading the way on budgeting responsibly. The budget includes a full pay raise for state employees, additional investments in public education, and ensures oversight and transparency in economic development. The budget bill, HB1500, passed the House 98 to 2. The budget includes a 3% pay raise for state employees, and a 2% pay raise for state-supported local employees and sets aside funding to implement the recommendations of Speaker Howell’s Commission on State Employee Retirement Security and Pension Reform.

Also on both the House and Senate dockets were bills pertaining to Veterans. Many House bills and Senate bills dealing with Veterans have passed and are now being considered by the other side.

Again, I appreciate your support and welcome any input on legislation of interest to you. Session will come to a close on February 25th, after which time my Fredericksburg office will be open again on a regular schedule.