eNews – May 31, 2024
Workgroups and commissions get to work, Registration open for Emerging Technology conference...and more!
Friday, May 31, 2024/Categories: eNews

This edition of eNews is sponsored by JJM Associates a lighting manufacturer representative agency assisting municipal and DOT customers with product selection and design of roadway and downtown lighting, as well as sports lighting and signal poles. Learn more >
In this issue:
VML News
Finance
Workgroups and Commissions
Opportunities
VML News

FOIA/COIA training confirmed for VML’s Elected Officials Conference: June 26
The Elected Officials Conference is a valuable training and networking opportunity for newly elected and veteran local officials from across the Commonwealth. This in-person event will be held in Richmond at the offices of McGuireWoods LLP (800 E Canal St, Richmond, VA 23219).
FOIA/COIA training confirmed: As part of the conference, representatives from the Virginia Freedom of Information Act Council (FOIA) and the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Advisory Council (COIA) will provide the training required every two years for certain state and local government officers and employees including local government elected officials.
Room block now available: Rooms at a block rate of $169 are available for the night of June 25 at the Delta Hotel Richmond Downtown (555 E Canal St, Richmond, VA 23219). The hotel is offering a discounted parking rate of $10 per day for those registered under the VML room block.
Learn more and register for the event and lodging here >.
Pre-conference event: Baseball at the Diamond (June 25, 6:00 p.m.)*
VML is hosting an evening of bonding, baseball, and ballpark fare as Richmond's Flying Squirrels take on the Somerset Patriots at the Diamond. Transportation will be provided from and to the Delta Hotel Richmond Downtown (555 E Canal St, Richmond, VA 23219).
*Please indicate your intention to participate by selecting this option during the registration process.
VML Contact: Mitchell Smiley, msmiley@vml.org
VML now accepting entries for 2024 Innovation Awards
The people who make local governments work do so much for their residents with little or no expectation of recognition. That’s why nearly 50 years ago, the Virginia Municipal League launched our “Achievement Awards” to recognize outstanding work being done by local governments across Virginia. The program went on to become Virginia’s highest honor in local government creativity. In 2017 the name was changed to “Innovation Awards”, but the purpose remains the same: To celebrate all that you do to make your city, town, or county a great place to live!
It’s time again for our members to spotlight programs and individuals that have made a big difference to your residents by creating innovative solutions to address emerging needs.
Learn more and access submission materials here >.
The awards will be presented at VML’s Annual Conference in Virginia Beach the evening of October 13.
VML Contact: Manuel Timbreza, mtimbreza@vml.org
Emerging Technology Conference registration now open
Who: Communications professionals, IT professionals, public sector / emergency communication leaders
What: Converge at the crossroads of technology and public safety. Topics include AI, GIS, cybersecurity, IoT, and Converged Communications.
Why: Prepare your organization for converging technology in an evolving threat landscape.
Keynote Speaker: Timothy Ramsay, Global Cybersecurity Leader, Mandiant Strategic Advisor
Registration Fee: $100
Lodging: Hilton Short Pump | (804) 364-3600
- $107/night + tax
- Please refer to the "VACP Emerging Technology Conference" when calling to make reservations to ensure you receive the conference rate.
- The reservation cut off date is July 3, 2024 (after this date we cannot guarantee availability of rooms or room rates.)
Registration available here >.
A flyer for this event is available here >.
This event is brought to you by the Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) and the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and Foundation, Inc.
VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org
Finance
Money committees transition from budget development to agency and program oversight
With the recent enactment of budgets dictating the Commonwealth’s spending levels and policies for the remainder of the current biennium and the biennium that begins on July 1, 2024, the staff at the Department of Planning and Budget are scrambling to execute those decisions to ensure monies are released without delay.
In the meantime, the House Appropriations Committee (HAC) convened earlier this week – about two weeks later than normal – to begin their interim oversight of the budget. As part of their agenda, they heard the latest monthly revenue report from the Secretary of Finance but also highlights from recent changes to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP) and progress toward transitioning various workforce initiatives to the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.
Changes to the VMSDEP program that were agreed to by the Governor and the General Assembly have generated considerable pushback by veteran’s groups, so the HAC asked staff to explain the purpose behind the changes as well as detail the modifications. Chairman Luke Torian explained that the background information on the program will be useful to an advisory group the Governor recently created to weigh in on the recently enacted changes.
HAC staff explained that exponential growth in the program, which has increased from $12.0 million in FY 2019 to $65.3 million in FY 2023 and projected to rise to $84.9 million beginning in FY 2024, required a review of legislative changes that had expanded eligibility and loosened requirements for program benefits. According to the staff’s presentation, for example, about 20% of the program’s benefits accrued to out of state students and graduate programs with in-state residents paying higher tuition costs as a result.
At the conclusion of the staff presentation (available here), Chairman Torian made clear that reviewing financial aid programs like VMSDEP are routine. In this case he noted, the additional scrutiny and subsequent changes are designed to rein in costs for the growing program that even with the enacted reforms required more than $20 million from the general fund each year to improve the program’s long-term viability.
The takeaway from this presentation seemed clear; that all programs, no matter how popular, will be subject to appropriate review, oversight, funding, and potential changes if deemed necessary. That’s a lesson we should all be mindful of as we advocate for our initiatives.
VML Contact: Joe Flores, jflores@vml.org
April revenue report exceeds forecast for reasons that may prove temporary
According to the most recent monthly revenue report (available here), April 2024 revenues exceeded the forecast by $162.6 million. Projected year-to-date general fund revenue are up by more than $1.2 billion, although more than half of that increase is attributable to volatile, non-withholding payments and fewer refunds. In other words, these may be one-time occurrences.
Withholding revenues, from wages and salaries, showed signs of strength, up 8.3% for the month and accounting for $502.3 million of the $1.2 billion in year-to-date general fund revenue collections. On the flipside, sales and use taxes but especially corporate income taxes came in weaker than expected. The latter has fallen considerably since the first half of the year.
As the month of May closes, we’ll get the next revenue report in roughly two weeks. Combined with April’s results, May 2024 revenues should give us a better picture of the Commonwealth’s fiscal health as the fiscal year end approaches. What that means going forward with all the cross currents we’re facing will be a challenge for the Commonwealth’s budget watchers.
VML Contact: Joe Flores, jflores@vml.org
Workgroups and Commissions
Housing workgroups get to work
There were a lot of bills related to housing this year and many were sent to the Housing Commission which created the three workgroups listed below. The bills to be considered by each group are listed for each below.
The Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) work group met on May 20 and discussed SB304 which made ADUs as a buy right use in single family zoned areas. The group came to consensus that proposed legislation for 2025 should require that ADUs be considered in the comprehensive planning process.
The other two work groups will meet on June 5. Their agendas can be found here >.
Affordable Housing, Landlord and Tenant Law workgroup:
- HB1124 (Carr) / SB233 (Hashmi) Faith in Housing for the Commonwealth Act.
- HB863 (Hernandez) Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act; flood-related disclosures.
- SB354 (Locke) Establishment by localities of certain real estate contract disclosures prohibited.
- SB555 (Williams Graves) First-time home buyer tax credit.
- SB693 (Sturtevant) Prohibited acquisition of residential land; restrictions; civil penalty.
- SB512 (Williams Graves) Income tax credit; adaptive repurposing of underutilized structures.
- HB878 (Bulova) Purchase of development rights for affordable housing.
- HB477 (Coyner) / SB50 (Locke) Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Pilot Program; expiration.
Local Land Use and Community Living workgroup:
- HB528 (Krizek) Property Owners’ Association Act; managed conservation landscaping; unreasonable restrictions prohibited.
- HB1236 (Marshall) Local government actions related to comprehensive plans, local planning commissions, subdivision plats and site plans and zoning ordinances; approval process.
- HB646 (Coyner) Zoning; certified recovery residence.
- SB123 SB123 (VanValkenburg) Improvements, repairs, or maintenance of property; entering adjoining property; petition for entry.
Accessory Dwelling Unit workgroup:
- HB900 (Srinivasan) Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units.
- SB304SB304 (Salim) Zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units.
VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org
Commission on Local Government discusses local fiscal distress bill
The Commission on Local Government met last week for their quarterly meeting; please find the agenda here. Theemembers discussed in detail the need to use the emergency regulations process to accelerate the regulations for SB645 (Aird), which is the local fiscal distress bill.
SB645 codifies budget language that created a process for identifying and assisting localities in financial distress. In Planning District 19 the legislation also allows for the appointment of an emergency fiscal manager to assume the fiscal operations of the locality.
VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org
FOIA Council creates workgroup to consider changes to FOIA charges
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act Advisory Council (FOIA) met earlier this week and took up Senator Roem’s legislation SB324 that would affect how much and when local governments can charge for all FOIA requests. The council created a workgroup that will include VML and VACo to study this issue. Please, please take the time to follow this workgroup and provide comments and/or examples on this issue. Information on when and where the workgroup will meet will be posted on the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council website.
VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org
Joint commission on health care sets leadership and 2024 workplan
The performance of Virginia’s health care workforce programs and strategies to extend health care access to vulnerable populations are among the topics to be addressed by the Joint Commission on Health Care this year. The Commission held its first meeting of the year on May 22 in Richmond, and members elected Del. Rodney T. Willett as chair and Senator Ghazala F. Hashmi as vice chair.
Besides the two major staff studies mentioned above that were approved last fall for the 2024 policy year, the General Assembly also referred the following topics for the Commission’s consideration:
- Policy solutions to the Commonwealth’s fentanyl crisis (HJ 41, Srinivasan)
- Sickle cell disease in the Commonwealth (HJ 60, Hayes) (by letter)
- Strategies to strengthen the anesthesia workforce in the Commonwealth (HB 1332 (Sickles)/ SB 33 (Locke)) (by letter)
- Medicaid program eligibility criteria and options to eliminate benefit cliffs (request of the Disability Commission) (by letter)
Finally, the commission will receive staff presentations on topics previously requested by commission members:
- Social determinants of health (June 2024).
- Services for individuals with traumatic brain injury in long term care settings (July 2024).
- Impact of technology on children (July 2024).
Information about the commission, including the studies and reports, may be found on the commission’s website here >.
VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org
Behavioral health commission sets leadership and discusses workplan
The Virginia General Assembly’s Behavioral Health Commission met earlier in May to elect its leadership and set its 2024 workplan. The Commission elected Senator Creigh Deeds as its chair and Del. Patrick Hope as vice chair.
The Commission reviewed a very ambitious set of potential workplan items. Some items were previously approved by the Commission late last fall for study in 2024, such as following up on STEP-VA recommendations and permanent supportive housing. However, additional items came to the Commission from the 2024 General Assembly through budget and letter requests. Given the number and complexity of proposed items, the Commission agreed to revisit the workplan at its June meeting.
Additional information about the Commission and its work can be found on its website here>.
VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org
Opportunities
Opioid Abatement Authority announces $22.7 million in annual grant awards to Virginia cities and counties
On May 23 the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority (OAA) approved $22,672,333 in grants to communities across Virginia for opioid abatement and remediation efforts.
“These grants will help communities across the commonwealth develop and expand programs to prevent opioid addiction, to provide treatment, and to support people in recovery,” said Senator Todd Pillion, Chair of the OAA Board of Directors. “Virginia fought back against companies that were pushing their highly addictive drugs on vulnerable people, and now we are making sure those settlement funds are bring used to save lives, support families, and restore communities.”
The list of awards from this most recent round of applications is available here.
In June 2023 the OAA announced its first major round of awards to cities and counties, totaling nearly $23 million, followed by a subsequent announcement of funds for state agencies totaling nearly $11 million. The total amount of awards made to date exceeds $56 million.
Virginia expects to receive a total of approximately $1.1 billion from litigation against manufacturers, distributors, and pharmacies that were alleged to have contributed to the opioid crisis. Payments from these settlements and bankruptcies began in 2022 and are expected to conclude by 2041.
The OAA was established by the General Assembly in 2021 to oversee the distribution of 55% of Virginia’s total settlement funds. Of the remainder, 30% is distributed directly to cities and counties, and the remaining 15% to the commonwealth. The use of funds is restricted by court orders and state statute, with the restrictions requiring that funds be used for opioid abatement and remediation efforts.
In November 2023, the OAA received the prestigious “Award for Excellence in the Application of the Opioid Litigation Principles” from a coalition of national public health organizations led by the faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
OAA Contact: For more information contact info@voaa.us