|
|
General Assembly convenes for 2008 session
The General Assembly convenes Wednesday, January 9 for its 60-day “long” session. Gov. Tim Kaine will address the General Assembly at 7 p.m. on Jan. 9th. We can expect about 3000 pieces of legislation to be introduced this session, more than half of them with some effect on local governments.
VML staff information
Information on how to reach VML staff during the session is attached at the back of this bulletin. Please tear this sheet off and keep it handy!
Feb 7: VML/VACo Legislative Day
If you haven’t registered, download registration form or e-mail or call Sherall Dementi (sdementi@vml.org; (804) 649-8471) for more information. Registration is $40 per person.
Legislative Day Tentative Program
Thursday, Feb. 7
Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 N. Third Street11 a.m. Registration Noon Staff briefing on priority legislative issues to prepare attendees for meetings with legislators later in the day. Gov. Tim Kaine has been invited to speak. 2 p.m. (about.) After the briefing, local officials can go to the General Assembly Building or to the Capitol. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Cash bar for local officials (at the Marriott Hotel) 6:30 – until Local officials are strongly encouraged to take their legislators to dinner. Legislative Bulletin and Action Call schedule
This is one of many Legislative Bulletins that will be sent to you this session. Typically, you can expect to receive the Legislative Bulletin every Wednesday and Friday, although the schedule may be altered as legislative actions dictate.
The bulletin is available by e-mail to any official from a VML-member locality. The bulletins also are posted on the VML Web site.
From time to time, VML will send out Action Calls urging bulletin subscribers to contact a legislator in support of, or in opposition to, a specific proposal.
If a bill is in committee, usually only the localities that have legislators on the relevant committee will receive the Action Call. It is important that each locality respond as often as possible to these calls for action because we rely on a relatively small number of jurisdictions to let legislators know the positions of local governments. Your timely response to action calls may make the difference on whether a bill is reported out of committee or not.
Please let VML staff know about your legislators' reactions when you talk to them or their aide about a particular issue. Just e-mail or call the staff contact for the bill, or leave your message with VML Office Manager Joni Terry (804/649-8471; jterry@vml.org ).
General Assembly schedule
Important dates for the 2008 session are noted below. These dates are subject to approval by the General Assembly.
Jan. 9 First day of session; prefiling deadline is 10 a.m.; last day to file charter, local fiscal and correctional impact, sales and property tax exemption, and VRS bills, as well as legislation creating or continuing a study. Jan. 17 Deadline for submitting House and Senate budget amendments Jan. 18 Deadline for introduction of legislation Feb. 7 VML/VACo Legislative Day Feb. 12 Crossover Day; each house to finish its own legislation, except budget, revenue, debt, VRS bills. Feb. 21 Each house to complete work on its budget Feb. 27 Each house to complete work on budget bill of the other house; budget conferees appointed March 3 Last day for committee action on legislation March 6 Budget bill conference report to be made available March 8 Adjournment April 16 Reconvened session
General Assembly telephone numbers, e-mails available
Contact information for General Assembly members is available below as separate word documents. Committee assignment information will be available in the near future.
House members phone and email | Senate members phone and email
It’s a good idea to ask legislators how they prefer to be reached during the session. Knowing whether that is by telephone, fax, or e-mail will increase the likelihood that your legislator will receive your messages.
Information about members and legislation also is available through the Legislative Information Services Web site at http://leg1.state.va.us.
Lobbying Tips
Help VML to help you!
Telephone calls, emails and faxes from “back home” are the most effective lobbying tool for local governments. Please keep these points in mind:
- Remember the “rule of three:” people need to hear the same message at least three times before it really takes hold. Ideally you and VML staff will be delivering the same message, thus reinforcing each other.
- Consider joining your VML legislative team for a day. Just call several days in advance to schedule a visit.
- Don’t be intimidated about calling your legislator-you may not be able to talk to them directly anyway because of their unpredictable schedule. Just be prepared to tell the legislative aide the bill number that you are concerned about, how it affects your community, and briefly why you support or oppose it.
- Telephone calls, faxes or e-mails (if your legislator uses it) work better than letters. Legislation can be introduced and voted on in committee within 24-hours. If you want your legislators to know what you think about a bill, don’t assume that you have time to mail a letter. Contact them immediately!
- Stay in touch with your legislators over the weekend and make the most of informal opportunities to discuss your issues.
- Work through your local media on important legislative issues such as tax reform and local authority. Take the opportunity to write a Letter to the Editor or an Opinion Editorial in your local newspaper or to appear on a local radio or TV news program. Delegates and senators need to hear from your shared constituents. Contact David Parsons, VML's Director of Communications (804/649-8471 or dparsons@vml.org) for assistance in working through your local media.
- Whether communicating directly with a legislator or working with the media, please remember a few simple rules:
- Be polite and positive in all your communications.
- Do not show anger. Instead, know your facts and make your case to be effective.
- Ask for a commitment: will you please support or oppose the bill? (Please advise VML when your legislator takes a position – one way or another -- on a bill of consequence.)
- Don’t blind-side your legislator. Give them the facts and the benefit of your knowledge on an issue and its effect on your community before talking to the media.
- Remember to say, “thank you.” Legislators, just like you, appreciate positive, constructive feedback. Look for opportunities, especially publicly, to give them credit for their efforts.
League lobbying contact information
The area code for the numbers listed below is 804.
Name Cell Office Areas of responsibility Mike Amyx mamyx@vml.org 387-9692 523-8521 overall legislative guidance, general legislative inquiries Tim Ailsworth tailsworth@vmlins.org 310-3097 273-0038 insurance and workers' compensation Janet Areson jareson@vml.org 400-0556 523-8522 state budget, health and human services Mary Jo Fields mfields@vml.org 400-0555 523-8524 directs legislative team; education, elections, retirement and rules Mark Flynn mflynn@vml.org 400-1321 523-8525 legal, land use, zoning, technology, immigration, telecommunications (except for taxes), general government Neal Menkes nmenkes@vml.org 400-1191 523-8523 taxation and finance, state budget, transportation funding, community and economic development Kimberly Pollard kpollard@vml.org 400-1987 523-8528 public safety; immigration, photo-red Denise Thompson dthompson@vml.org 640-5615 523-8530 environment, transportation David Parsons dparsons@vml.org 523-8527 Communications director League office e-mail@vml.org 649-8471 343-3758 Legislative consultants
Name Office Areas of responsibility Randy Cook wrcook@mmecpc.com 746-3773 courts, criminal law, civil law, eminent domain Marianne Radcliff mradcliff@kemperconsult.com 649-7945 transportation Howard Dobbins dobbins@wmcd.com 643-1991 general government, Senate Local Government Roger Wiley roger.wiley4@verizon.net 780-3143 telecommunications taxes; freedom of information; procurement; general laws
What's new | Marketplace | VML Insurance Programs | About the League | Calendar | Sustaining membership
Legislative activities | Publications | Conferences | Affiliate organizations | Links
©2008 Virginia Municipal League. Comments and questions about this page or the data provided may be addressed to Manuel Timbreza.
Special thanks to the Virginia Institute of Government for hosting this site.
