eNews

 

In this issue:

• Support for Virginia Beach
• Governor calls special session for July 9
• VML Legislative Committee meets
• Will federal chaos affect Virginia?
• DEQ requests SLAF input from municipalities
• SLLC offering free webinars
• VDOT workshops in Williamsburg

 

Support for Virginia Beach

VML staff joins our members in expressing our sincerest condolences in response to last Friday’s horrific attack at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center. To help organize efforts to assist victims’ families and affected personnel, the City of Virginia Beach has partnered with The United Way of South Hampton Roads and VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads.

To make a financial contribution, click here for a direct link to The United Way’s donation page or text VABEACH to 41444. For more information on volunteer opportunities, click here to learn more about VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads.

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Governor calls special session

In the wake of the Virginia Beach attack, Governor Ralph Northam announced Tuesday that he plans to convene a special session this summer to address gun violence in the Commonwealth. Preliminary priorities outlined by the Administration include:

• Universal background checks
• A ban on assault weapons, to include suppressors and bump stocks
• Extreme risk protective orders
• Reinstating the one-gun-a-month law
• Child access prevention
• Required reporting of lost or stolen firearms
• Expansion of local authority to regulate firearms, including in government build

The special session will begin on July 9. VML will keep members apprised as more details become available.

VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

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Legislative committee addresses full agenda

Education funding, broadband mapping, E-911 funding, scooters and workplace safety were among the issues on the agenda of VML’s Legislative Committee, which held its first meeting of the year on June 6 in Richmond.  Suffolk Council Member Roger Fawcett chairs the committee and Williamsburg Council Member Benny Zhang serves as vice chair.

Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni talked with the committee about the Northam Administration’s priorities, including early childhood education, equity and excellence in the K-12 system, the Career Pathways program – which will streamline pathways from K-12 to employment – and higher education opportunities, and affordable post-secondary education opportunities.

Michael Saperstein, vice president of law and policy for US Telecom, spoke about the challenges and opportunities of broadband mapping and explained his association’s pilot program (which includes Virginia). The goal is to create a single, nationwide database of broadband availability, where service providers can overlay maps of where they can, or cannot, provide service. This pilot began in March and is expected to be completed this summer, in July or August. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and some members of Congress have expressed interest in this pilot.

Angelina Panettieri, technology & communications principal associate for the National League of Cities, gave the committee an update on federal issues, including small cell preemption order review, and legislative efforts on infrastructure, community resilience and workforce development. Bryan Griffith, NLC’s new manager of state league services, also participated in the meeting.

Local and state funding issues surrounding E-911 and Next Generation 911 (NG 911) were presented by Terry Hall, director of emergency communications for York-Poquoson-Williamsburg. Hall discussed the estimated deployment costs for NG 911 ($60 million). He also outlined how changes to 911 revenue collection (the state took it over from localities) and funding distribution (state grants to localities with a portion of the funds staying with the state) could ultimately triple local costs for NG 911 operational and recurring costs. He discussed a survey that will go to localities about 911 funding distributions and program costs. This survey will be going out through VML and VACo, using the POLCO survey platform.  Hall expressed his belief that the use of the POLCO platform will greatly enhance the response rate for the survey because it allows for better targeting of the local staff who will be completing portions of the survey. He thanked VML for its leadership and assistance on this issue.

Jim Regimbal of Fiscal Analytics (who contracts with VML on economic forecasting and budget issues) gave the committee a thorough overview of budget issues from the 2019 Session, and the issues he believes would be of greatest interest to localities in the coming months.

VML legislative consultant Bernard Caton discussed E-scooter legislation approved by the 2019 General Assembly and the need for localities to act on ordinances or take administrative action to create pilot programs by the end of 2019. Those committee members whose localities have already begun dealing with dockless E-scooters provide additional detail.

Considering last week’s events in Virginia Beach and the Governor’s subsequent announcement of a special session on gun control, the committee spent considerable time discussing local workplace safety. The committee discussed potential actions, including recommendations regarding local authority over firearms on local government property. The committee’s recommendation will be taken up by VML’s executive committee before the commencement of the July 9 special session.

Finally, the committee assigned issues to VML’s six policy committees, including state assistance to local enforcement (HB 599 funding), community services board funding, and communications sales and use taxes.

The committee’s next meeting will be held September 6 in Richmond.

VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org

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Will Washington chaos spread to the Old Dominion?

There was a period in Virginia’s history when state politicians disdainfully referred to federal dollars as “tainted.”  Flash forward to these trying times and you might find Virginia’s political elite complaining that the flow of federal dollars “t’aint enuff.”

The General Assembly appropriated over $20 billion of federal money in this year’s legislative session.  Federal dollars make up roughly 20 percent of the state’s operating budget with most of the “D.C. money” concentrated in the state’s education, health and human resources, transportation, and environmental protection programs.

Without these dollars, state policymakers would be forced to raise state taxes, cut popular and essential services, dump the funding responsibility on other payers like local governments or families of college students, or opt for actions from all three categories.

But, the importance of federal dollars is more meaningfully measured by the impact this money has on the Commonwealth’s economy. Virginia is a major recipient of federal defense dollars ($46.2 billion in FY 2017), trailing only California in the total value of defense contracts, military installations, and stationed military personnel. Measuring defense spending as a share of the state gross domestic product, Virginia tops all other states with a percentage of 8.9 percent.

Federal entitlement spending (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security) and discretionary spending (e.g., defense and domestic programs) supercharge the state’s economy in Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads and other points south and west of the I-95 and I-64 axis. Federal largesse has propelled the Virginia economy and insulates us, to some degree, from economic trends popping up elsewhere in the country.

So, how will Congress and President Trump make sure that the federal spigot continues to function?  Well, if the past is a guidepost for the future, then call a plumber.

The great partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans, between the House of Representatives and the Senate, and between Congress and the president appears bottomless. Skirmishes over border security and immigration policies, infrastructure funding, the $19.1 billion disaster-aid package, and trade agreements and imposition of tariffs are the new normal. Bipartisan solutions and compromises are shouted down. How can congressional legislating compete against cable news headlines featuring Russian interference in U.S. elections, the issuance of multiple subpoenas, cries of impeachment, fake videos of elected leaders and fake social media accounts, and nasty partisan one-upmanship?

The fact is that precious little has passed both the House and Senate. Only a total of eighteen bills have become law since January and supporters of those bills had to wait out the 35-day partial shutdown of the federal government.

Congress needs to turn its attention towards debating the annual military policy bill, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, and President Trump’s demand for another $4.5 billion for the southwestern border wall.

But, before congressional paralysis sets in on these issues, there are even more difficult challenges ahead.  In the October-November timeframe, the U.S. Treasury will run out of debt capacity to borrow money to keep the government operating. Failure to raise the debt ceiling could damage the fiscal stability of the country and possibly force the government to default on its ever-growing debt.

In addition, if a comprehensive budget deal is not reached, the specter of sequestration authorized under the 2011 Budget Control Act turns into an automatic $125 billion spending cut, whittling both military and domestic programs. And if that scenario turns true then the financial and economic impacts on state government and Virginia’s overall economy could be significant.

Stay tuned.

VML Contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

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DEQ request input on Stormwater Local Assistance Fund needs

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking your input to identify future funding needs for Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF)-eligible nutrient reduction projects in the Commonwealth. They have prepared a survey to solicit your input.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MNT553Q

This survey intends to capture an estimate of the SLAF funding needed for local governments conducting stormwater projects in the near future. This link goes to a PDF of a letter from DEQ director, David Paylor, with additional details regarding the importance of this survey.

VML encourages our member to participate by completing the survey by July 3, 2019.

Questions about this survey should be directed to Mike Crocker at 804-698-4012 or cwfap@deq.virginia.gov.

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SLLC offering free webinars

The State & Local Legal Center has announced two free webinars in July:

• Supreme Court Review – July 23 – 1:00 PM EST: The census citizenship question case and the Maryland and North Carolina partisan gerrymandering cases are expected to be the blockbusters of the current Supreme Court term for states and local governments. Read more and register here.
• Supreme Court Police Cases – July 10 – 1:00 PM EST: The Supreme Court decided no shortage of police cases this term. Topics covered range from forfeitures to fabrication of evidence to First Amendment retaliatory arrest. Read more and register here.

Contact: Lisa Soronen (SLLC Executive Director), lsoronen@sso.org

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VDOT workshops in Williamsburg; project submissions requested

City, county and town managers and administrators are encouraged to join VDOT for the Local Programs Workshop at the Williamsburg Lodge on September 9-11. This eighth annual workshop will bring together local government, VDOT, FHWA and Consulting Engineering staff to focus on providing an overview of local programs and provide training for program management and project development.

This year, one track will be VDOT’s new Qualification Program classroom course.  This course is available to local government staff only.  You can find information about the Qualification program here.

There will be 15 other breakout sessions, including:

• Funding program information
• Project Development
• Project Delivery
• New Technologies
• and more!

Mobile Workshops will offer an opportunity to see various completed projects in the Williamsburg area:

• Capital Trail Bicycle Tour (Jamestown Settlement to Chickahominy Bridge)
• Jamestown Discovery Boat Tour
• Jamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
• Colonial Williamsburg and City of and City of Williamsburg projects Walking Tour

VDOT is looking for submissions of projects to highlight in the local programs workshop. To submit a project for inclusion in the showcase visit the Project Showcase page.

Early registration for the workshops ends on July 15. Register before then to enjoy the reduced rate.  You can find all workshop and registration information at www.vdotlocalprogramsworkshop.com.

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In this issue:

• FCC goes after local authority (again!)
• Please send us your electric scooter ordinances and actions
• Mandate assessment schedule announced
• State revenues skyrocket in April
• Transportation funding bills promise I-81 improvements
• Final SOQ focus group meeting to be held next week
• FCC chairman backs T-Mobile/Sprint merger
• CSA special education public input sessions scheduled
• Workgroups present recommendations to new State Board of Elections
• Continuous Quality Improvement info for CSAs now available
• Mental health study discusses behavioral health realignment and children’s services
• Senator McClellan addresses Campaign to Reduce Evictions
• VML holds regional meeting
• VML tourism survey contest starts
• Early registration deadline for Resilient Virginia conference
• I-81 fuel tax seminars offered

FCC goes after local authority (again!)

The FCC is making another attempt to usurp local government authority. Current FCC regulations prohibit “laws, regulations, or restrictions imposed by State or local governments or private entities that impair the ability of [exclusive use] antenna users to install, maintain, or use over-the-air reception devices.”

This means that local governments cannot regulate the placement of these reception antennas (i.e. satellite dishes, etc.) on property occupied by an owner or tenant if the antenna is for that person’s “exclusive use.”

Now the FCC wants to expand the regulation to include wireless internet service provider hubs and relays serving multiple users–homes and businesses. Moreover, the new rule would effectively exempt providers of these structures from local regulation on placement.

While VML supports efforts to increase small-cell wireless deployment, we do not agree that local governments should lose the ability to regulate where and how the hubs and relays are placed.

The new rule was requested by the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) and approved unanimously in a public meeting in early April. The FCC has requested comments as to:

• Whether this change would help spawn investment in needed infrastructure by allowing fixed wireless providers to deploy hub and relay antennas more efficiently in a manner that is consistent with public interest.
• What extent do state, local or private restrictions currently delay or impede the installation of fixed wireless hubs and/or relay antennas.

Numerous comments have been filed and can be reviewed here public comment. Comments are due by June 3^rd. The  full notice is listed in the Federal Register.

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

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VML seeks member’s electric scooter ordinances and administrative actions

HB2752 – now Chapter 780 of the 2019 Acts of the Assembly – gives localities until Dec. 31, 2019, to enact an ordinance or take administrative action to establish a demonstration project or pilot program regulating the operation of motorized skateboards or scooters, bicycles, or electric power-assisted bicycles for hire, provided the regulation or other action is consistent with the provisions of Chapter 780.

We need your help

VML has received requests from member localities about ordinances and actions other VML-communities are taking regarding scooters and bikes.  If your community is undergoing a pilot or are either developing, or have developed an ordinance, please email details to VML’s Director of Policy Development Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org.

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2019-2020 mandate assessment schedule announced

Update to mandates catalog now available

The Department of Housing and Community Development is soliciting comments on selected mandates placed on local government, according to the calendar shown further below. Mandates may be like the weather: it’s easy to complain but more difficult to do something about it.  This is your chance to weigh in on these selected mandates.

The short title, a link to assessment in the current mandates catalog and the time period in which the assessment will be conducted are shown below:

Assessment	Link	Date of Assessment
Local Stormwater Utility Program Reporting	LEG.APA003	07/01/19 to 08/30/19
Adult Protective Services	SHHR.DARS004	10/01/19 to 12/31/19
Vision and Hearing of Student to be Tested	SOE.DOE088	08/01/19 to 09/30/19
Student Code of Conduct	SOE.DOE103	08/01/19 to 09/30/19

Further, DHCD has updated its mandates catalog to include the assessments done for 2018-2019. Links to these assessments are as follows:

Assessment	Link
Dept. of Education School Staffing Ratios	SOE.DOE010
Dept. of Education Standards of Accreditation Requirements	SOE.DOE030
Dept. of Education Broadband Connectivity Capability	SOE.DOE148
DEQ Stormwater Management Programs by Localities	SNR.DEQ039
DHCD Local Building Permit Fee Levy	SCT.DHCD021
DHCD Virginia Main Street	SCT.DHCD022
Dept. of Social Services Support Payments for Public Service	SHHR.DSS081
Virginia State Police Officer Involved Shooting	SPSHS.VSP018

If you have any questions about the assessment process, please contact David Comny at (804) 371-8010 or david.comny@dhcd.virginia.gov. Information on the cataloging and executive agency assessment of mandates on the Commission’s website at www.dhcd.virginia.gov.

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State revenues in April skyrocket almost 30 percent

On a fiscal year-to-date basis, total revenue collections rose 6.2 percent through April, beating the annual forecast of 5.9 percent growth over last fiscal year. The state reports general fund collections, thus far, in FY19 at $16.7 billion compared with $15.7 billion a year earlier.

April’s individual income tax revenues made up 71 percent of the general fund collections. The Virginia Department of Taxation attributes the strong performance for individual and corporate collections to the effects of the 2017 federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Income Taxes	April Growth	Fiscal Year to Date	Official Estimate
Individual Income Tax Withholding	7.4%	3.7%	3.8%
Individual Income Tax Non-withholding	40.3%	6.7%	15.2%
Individual Income Tax Refunds	(9.1%)	(10.0%)	3.3%
Corporate Income Tax	50.4%	13.8%	5.6%

Collections of sales and use taxes, reflecting March sales rose 2.9 percent in April. On a year-to-date basis, collections have increased 3.4 percent, close to the annual 3.7 percent estimate.

Steady employment growth continues to boost state revenues. From April of last year to April 2019, seasonally adjusted total nonfarm employment was up 43,100 jobs or 1.1 percent. Over-the-year employment growth in the Commonwealth has been positive month after month for 61-months. The state’s April unemployment rate of 2.9 percent was unchanged from March and remains below the national rate of 3.6 percent. And, the Secretary of Finance reported this week that Virginia wages and salaries grew at 3.8 percent in calendar year 2018.

However, the state labor participation rate continues to lag pre-Great Recession percentages.

As for non-withholding revenue collections registering less than half of the official estimate, the Department of Taxation says the individual payments made in the first half of May are 37 percent higher than last year’s checks. The average check size for May and June of this year needs to increase by roughly 26 percent to make the forecast.

The reduction in individual income tax refunds means more dollars for the state treasury. Since the tax filing season began in February, the Department of Taxation has issued 130,000 fewer refunds than through April of last year. Part of the drop in the number of refunds is attributed to the changes made in the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

To make the FY19 official estimate and to fully fund the $450 million appropriated for the Taxpayer Relief Fund (up to $110 for individual filers and up to $220 for joint filers), total fiscal year revenue growth needs to hit 5.5 percent. Strong collections in April make hitting that target likely.

VML Contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

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New transportation funding bills promise improvements to I-81

Proponents of legislation (HB2718 and SB1716) signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam are eagerly waiting for operating and capital improvements along the 325-mile stretch of interstate from Virginia’s border with Tennessee to the West Virginia boundary line.

In a presentation made last month to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the Deputy Secretary of Transportation pointed out that the new funding will produce over $800 million for I-81 improvements over the next six-years and another $700 million additional dollars for other major Virginia Interstates.

Even with the funding boost from the actions taken by the 2019 Session of the General Assembly, there still will not be enough money to carry out the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program. Members of Virginia’s congressional delegation hope to close that funding gap with more federal money, focusing on the infrastructure package that could emerge from talks between President Trump and Democratic congressional leaders.

It is unlikely, however, that the federal government will step up its transportation funding commitments.  A meeting this week between President Trump and Congressional Democrats on a $2 trillion infrastructure proposal flopped. Additionally, the president along with conservative Republicans have already announced their opposition to gasoline tax increases.

VML Contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

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Virginia Board of Education to host its final SOQ focus group meeting in York County

Following the April 2019 release of Standards of Quality (SOQ) proposals for consideration by the Virginia Board of Education, the Board has hosted several focus group sessions across the state to gather stakeholder input. Recommendations for this year include salary increases of up to 25 percent for teachers in targeted “hard-to-staff” schools where retention has been particularly challenging, as well as the creation of new teaching, mentoring, health support, and administrative positions. The draft proposal can be accessed here.

The final meeting will be held Wednesday, May 29 at Tabb High School in York County. To RSVP for the focus group portion of the meeting, please contact Jessica Ackerman at jackerman@vml.org no later than Tuesday, May 28. To speak during the public comment portion of the meeting, please contact Sonya Broady of the Virginia Department of Education at sonya.broady@doe.virginia.gov.

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FCC chairman backs T-Mobile/Sprint Merger

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has supported the $26 billion merger after the companies committed to deploying a 5G network that would cover 97% of the U.S. population within three years of the merger closing and 99% within 6 years. The commitment further specifies that 85% of rural Americans would be covered within 3 years and 90% in 6 years. Sprint has also agreed to divest its Boost mobile division which has a prepaid wireless segment. The FCC Chairman reported that the draft order would be available in a few weeks. Read his full statement here.

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

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CSA private special education study public input sessions scheduled for June

The number of children placed in private (non-residential) special education programs and the cost of those placements have been increasing at an impressive pace and have become a major cost driver for CSA at the state and local level. Following a preliminary examination of the issue by a joint legislative subcommittee, the 2018 General Assembly directed the Office of Children’s Services (OCS) to contract for a study of the private special education program costs. The study began in the fall of 2018; a report is due to the General Assembly by Oct. 1, 2019.

Public Consulting Group (PCS) is conducting the study.  Data collection has been completed, and PCS is preparing its analysis and recommendations, which will address potential mechanisms for statewide rate setting.

To aid their work, PCS has scheduled four public input sessions in June:

Monday, June 17, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.         
A.J. Ferlazzo Building Auditorium
15941 Donald Curtis Dr., Suite 180
Woodbridge, VA 22191-4291

Tuesday, June 18, 10 a.m. – 12 noon
William Fleming High School
3649 Ferncliff Avenue
Roanoke, VA 24107

Wednesday, June 19, 10 a.m. – 12 noon
Gildersleeve Middle School Auditorium
1 Minton Drive
Newport News, VA 23606

Thursday, June 20, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Virginia Department of Taxation
1957 Westmoreland Street
Richmond, VA 23230

VML contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org

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Workgroups present recommendations to new State Board of Elections

The newly appointed members of the State Board of Elections (see below) heard recommendations from the General Registrar/Electoral Board (GR/EB) Workgroup and the Benchmark Index Workgroup on Tuesday, May 14 at its first meeting in Richmond. Several recommendations from the two groups reflected ideas that had been reviewed during the 2019 General Assembly session, such as:

• Moving Virginia’s primary election day from the second Tuesday in June to the third Tuesday (when schools are no longer in session).
• Expanding the membership of the State Board of Elections from three members to five.
• Permitting the adjudication of boundaries by localities using a centrally maintained database of GIS files.

Other recommendations included:

• Development and collection of annual statewide technology surveys to better understand local capacity.
• Restoring state reimbursement rates to 100 percent for electoral board and general registrar salaries.
• Gathering detailed evidence for the level of funding required to run successful elections, particularly for smaller localities.

The new Board includes Chairman Robert Brink, former Delegate and Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs in the U.S. Department of Justice; Vice Chair John O’Bannon, former Delegate and current neurologist in the Richmond area; and Secretary Jamilah LeCruise, Norfolk-based attorney and president-elect of the Norfolk Portsmouth Bar Association Young Lawyers Section and the South Hampton Roads Bar Association. Their next meeting will be at the Midlothian DoubleTree Hotel on June 24, 2019.

VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

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CSA Continuous Quality Improvement information now available

Virginia’s local governments spend more than $135 million annually to serve more than 15,000 children and families through the Children’s Services Act (CSA).

The Code of Virginia outlines the responsibilities of the Community Policy and Management Teams (CPMTs) that oversee the CSA operations in their communities. These responsibilities include long-range community-wide planning for service provisions, reviewing and analyzing program data, and overseeing utilization management in their community.  In short, CPMTs track how efficiently and effectively the program is operating and how can it be improved.

Local CSA programs are also now regularly audited by the state. Among the items covered by the audits are how CPMTs carry out their responsibilities and how service funding is accounted.

In one of these audits, state auditors found that CPMTs had different understandings and definitions for program oversight, utilization management, and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and sometimes used terms interchangeably.

In 2018, the State Executive Council (SEC), which oversees the CSA program at the state level, created an ad hoc workgroup (whose membership included VML staff) to look at ways to support localities and their CPMTs with clear and consistent terminology for CQI and other commonly used terms related to CSA oversight and operations. The workgroup, which met throughout 2018, also looked for easy-to-use tools to help CPMTs meet Code of Virginia requirements.

The results of these efforts are now posted on the CSA website.

The Office of Children’s Services staff is available to help answer questions about the materials and how CPMTs can use them in their communities.

VML contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org

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Deeds mental health study discusses behavioral health realignment and children’s services

The Joint Subcommittee Studying Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21^st Century met May 22 in Richmond. Presentations and topics of discussion included several initiatives now underway in Virginia. Among these were the state alignment with the Family First Prevention Services Act, the Behavioral Health Redesign, the Virginia Mental Health Access Program (approved by the 2019 General Assembly), and STEP-Virginia.

A few of the presentations dealt directly with children’s services by looking at the current system and exploring opportunities to improve it. Nina Marino, director of the Office of Child and Family Services at the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) told legislators that Virginia ranks 23^rd in the country overall for mental health care for children under 18 years of age. Furthermore, of Virginia’s children with a major depressive episode, approximately 48,000 of them (or 63.1 percent) did not receive mental health service. And of those who received treatment, only 20.4 percent received consistent treatment. Marino, along with Margaret Hollard of Voices for Virginia’s Children, spoke of the need to consider children’s mental health needs as Virginia’s system of care is revised and expanded.

Legislators also heard a presentation by Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources Marvin Figueroa on current Administration efforts. These efforts include a workgroup looking at the causes of the high census at the state’s mental health hospitals with a focus on those with an emergency custody order (ECO), those with medically complex conditions and intoxicated individuals. The group will assess the most appropriate setting for treatment, time limits for ECOs, methods for diverting individuals from emergency rooms, and the evaluation process.

Another workgroup is examining the impact to hospitals of the state’s Temporary Detention Order (TDO) admissions. This group will develop options to divert more admissions to private hospitals, increase community services to reduce TDOs, and develop right-sizing plans.

Figueroa was asked about the state’s roll out of specialized transportation to reduce the burden of mental health crisis-related transports on local law enforcement. DBHDS Commissioner Hughes Melton told legislators that this is a statewide program but will roll out by region. Senator Deeds told Melton and Figueroa that law enforcement in rural areas is concerned that such services will not be available close enough to their areas to make a difference. Melton said that his Department was working on this issue.

VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org

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Senator Jennifer McClellan addresses Campaign to Reduce Evictions in Richmond

Senator Jennifer McClellan, representing the Senate Committee on Local Government, addressed attendees at the annual Richmond area meeting of the Campaign to Reduce Evictions (CARE) Thursday. Citing a 2018 article from The New York Times which found that five Virginia cities rank in the nation’s top ten for highest rates of eviction, Senator McClellan called for more evidence-based policy development in the General Assembly.

CARE is a coalition of nonprofit and research organizations, including the Virginia Poverty Law Center and the RVA Eviction Lab at Virginia Commonwealth University, dedicated to finding new solutions to reduce eviction and foreclosure rates across Virginia. Other presentations on Thursday focused on the impact of housing insecurity on physical and mental health, the overlap of home foreclosures and evictions, a summary of relevant legislation from the 2019 General Assembly session, and an update on the CARE Legal Helpline pilot.

For more information on CARE and its activities, visit their website at reduceevictions.org.

For more details on eviction rates in Virginia, see Virginia Poverty Law Center Family and Housing Law Attorney Christie Marra’s article “Evictions in Virginia: Alarming facts, promising ideas and proposed solutions” in the March, 2019 issue of VML’s Virginia Town and City.

VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org

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VML holds regional meeting

VML hosted a regional meeting in Portsmouth on Tuesday evening. Vice Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke was kind enough to welcome us to their city as Mayor John Rowe in New York working on the city’s bond rating. Highlights included:

• 2019 General Assembly recap from Senator Louise Lucas and Delegate Steve Heretick
• Details about the V3 (Virginia Value Veterans) program from Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos Hopkins. The V3 program helps connect veterans with jobs. Localities can participate and become a certified employer. More information can be found here.
• Census update from Kevin Krisvold from the United States Census Bureau who discussed how localities can assist in accurate counting. It was a lively conversation!  If you have questions about the census, check out census 2020 resources.

Thanks also to Diane Kaufman who attended on behalf of Senator Kaine, Vernon Tillage on behalf of Senator Warner, Ryan Jackson of Congressman Bobby Scott and Juanita Williams on behalf of Congresswoman Luria. They were wonderful participants and we thank them for their commitment to hearing from local governments.

VML Contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

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VML announces “The Virginia You Love” survey contest

It’s summer! Time to get out and about. But, where to go? You tell us the best places (indoors or out-of-doors) to experience the Virginia you love.

Here’s how it works:

• Use our online survey to answer 3 questions about the places you love in Virginia by July 1, 2019.
• The winning destinations will be featured in the July/August issue of Virginia Town & City.
• Staff Pick Winner: To be chosen based on originality and creativity of the response.
• Popular Pick Winners: The ten places with the most mentions will be advanced to a final round. Those ten places will then be posted on social media for responses. The three places with the most positive responses will be winners.

All current Virginia residents can participate.

VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org

 

2019 Resilient Virginia conference early registration closing

Early registration rates for the 2019 Resilient Virginia Conference close on June 1. The conference will be held July 18–19 at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

Additional information is posted at https://resilientvirginia.org or email Annette Osso, managing director of Resilient Virginia at osso@resilientvirginia.org.

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Free seminars on new Interstate 81 fuel tax to be offered

Working in conjunction with DMV, the Virginia Petroleum & Convenience Marketers Association (VPCMA) has developed comprehensive seminars about specific provisions of the new fuel tax which takes effect on July 1 and will be imposed at all stations along the I-81 corridor. The seminars, which will be held in various locations in the Valley starting June 10, are free of charge but attendance is limited.

Visit www.vpcma.com/upcoming-events for specific locations and dates. Attendance is limited to the first 100 registrations per location. To register email elizabeth@vpcma.com with names of those attending and location. For more info call (804) 282-7534.

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In this issue

• Lucas, Heretick and Hopkins to speak at May 21 Hampton Roads regional dinner
• FOIA Council briefed on status of on-line training
• Jail health-mental health workgroup convenes
• Job numbers remain strong but skewed toward urban areas
• Housing Commission workgroup gets underway
• New Federal guidelines issued for Opportunity Zone Program
• New Federal legal opinion threatens multi-state lottery games
• Is the infrastructure deal between President Trump and Congressional Democrats cracking?
• More information on motorized scooters is forthcoming
• Governor wields veto pen
• Mellen appointed VML chief of staff
• Bulova joins VML as summer intern
• 2019 Innovation Awards categories expanded to 7; Deadline to submit entries is Aug. 12
• 2019 Resilient Virginia conference to be held July 18-19
• Women in Public Service Conference scheduled

Lucas, Heretick and Hopkins to speak at May 21 Hampton Roads regional dinner

Senator Louise Lucas and Delegate Steve Heretick will share their perspectives on the 2019 General Assembly session at the next VML regional dinner, to be held May 21 at the Renaissance Hotel, 425 Water Street in Portsmouth. Carlos Hopkins, Virginia Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs, will discuss new services and programming introduced by the Virginia Department of Veterans and Defense Affairs to support veterans statewide, and VML staff will present a brief overview of legislation of interest to local governments. For more details, please visit the registration pageon the VML website.

VML Contact: Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org; (804) 523-8521

 

FOIA Council briefed on status of on-line training

Alan Gernhardt, the executive director of the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council, gave an update on the status of the council’s electronic communications and social media guide at the May 8 meeting of the council. Gernhardt said that that work is being done to create efficient online training for local elected officials to comply with SB1431(Obenshain). This bill requires local elected officials to complete FOIA training, either by the local government attorney or through the FOIA Council website, within two months of taking office and once every two years while they are in office. The provision has a delayed effective day of July 1, 2020 – but every elected official who will be in office on July 1, 2020 will need to complete the training by December 31, 2020.

The Council heard from Delegate Bulova on HB2386, which relates to public institutions of higher education and donations/pledges made to them.  The Department of Forestry spoke about HB2201(Tyler) and the confidentiality of records held by the Department related to trade secrets, financial information and criminal violations (arson in particular). In addition, Gernhardt discussed HJ628(Heretick), which was a proposed study resolution on the threat of phishing that was referred to the council.  Three subcommittees were created to study these bills and the meetings will be scheduled shortly.

VML joins with other groups in thanking Fredericksburg City Attorney Kathleen Dooley for her years of service on the FOIA Council and in welcoming Sterling Rives, the new local government representative. Rives recently retired as the county attorney for Hanover County.

VML contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

 

Jail health-mental health workgroup convenes

New standards for health and mental health care in local and regional jails will be developed as the result of legislation passed by the 2019 General Assembly, and on April 29 an advisory group on jail healthcare standards met to begin work on those recommended standards.  VML and VACo representatives and staff are a part of that group, as well as representatives of local and regional jails, community services boards, the State Inspector General, the State Board of Corrections, and state agencies.

HB1942(Bell), HB1918(Stolle) and SB1598(Dunnavant) were the major bills that called for development of new standards and reporting requirements.  Additional bills and budget language addressed components of the overall issue, including state analysis of resources needed by jails to comply with the care to be provided by the state and local governments respectively.

The advisory group will meet over the coming months to discuss and develop language for standards regarding access to care, jail policies and procedures, communication of inmate needs, mental health training for correctional officers, and medication services.  A workgroup, which will include VML and VACo representatives, will determine the costs of implementing provisions of mental health services as required under HB 1942. That work must be completed by Nov. 1, 2019.  VML and VACo, in concert with the regional jails’ association, worked with Delegate Bell to add this fiscal impact workgroup to HB 1942.

The health and mental health standards will be promulgated by the Board of Corrections and will go through the regulatory process for adoption.

VML contact:  Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org

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Job numbers remain strong but skewed toward urban areas

Earlier this week the U.S. Department of Labor released the April data on hiring and unemployment. Some 263,000 jobs were created, eclipsing the consensus-economist forecast of 190,000 new jobs.

The unemployment rate dropped from 3.8 percent to 3.6 percent, the lowest in 50-years.

Average hourly earnings rose 0.2 percent following in the footsteps of a 0.1 percent March increase. Over the past twelve months, earnings have increased by 3.2 percent.  Payrolls have now grown for 104 consecutive quarters since the Great Recession petered out.

This ten-year economic rebound, however, has been uneven.  From 2010 to 2017, nearly half of the job growth occurred in the nation’s largest 20 metro areas.  About half of the net increase in business establishments across the country from 2007 to 2016 took place in either Washington, D.C. or New York City.  Rural America and areas outside metropolitan America led in job growth during the 1990s but not today.

An educated workforce, population density and an established business startup culture seem to be the requisites for economic growth, meaning not all areas of the country get a share of the bounty.

Job growth in the Commonwealth continues steadily, and the unemployment rate continues declining.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond reported this week that 8,000 net new jobs were added to the March payrolls.  Compared to a year earlier, total employment rose 0.9 percent (35,500 jobs) with Professional and Business Services adding the most employment (13,600 jobs for a 1.8 percent increase).

And, like the rest of the country, job growth varies from one metro area to another.

However, although the Virginia’s labor participation rate in March exceeds the 62.8 percent national participation rate, the state rate still lags the pre-Great Recession number.

In addition to job numbers the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks the increases and decreases of business establishments.  Job gains can often be attributed to the growth of new businesses.

The number of establishments in Virginia reporting job losses in 2018 Q3 was 56,260 including 11,365 closings.  In the same period 52,227 establishments reported job gains, including 10,575 openings.

As for real personal income, the most recent Virginia figures are for the fourth quarter of 2018. The year-over-year change from the 2017 time period increased 2.26 percent, which is smaller than the 2.65 percent increase for the U.S. and the 2.33 percent increase recorded for the six states served by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Virginia’s slow but steady economic growth is in line with the rest of the country.  The unanswered question is how will the state economy fare if the national economy stumbles over international trade, record-setting national debt, congressional deadlock, or an economic shock on the magnitude of subprime mortgages, high-tech bubble bursts, energy embargoes, or terrorism? Don’t be surprised to see another renewed effort in the 2020 General Assembly Session to squirrel away more cash in Virginia’s reserves, leaving localities to face their own fiscal sustainability challenges with only limited state assistance.

VML contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

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Housing Commission workgroup gets underway

Karst, impounding dams and special flood hazard areas were the topics of discussion at the Tuesday, May 7^thmeeting of the Virginia Housing Commission’s workgroup on Affordable Housing, Real Estate Law and Mortgages.

The workgroup considered issues raised by three pieces of legislation referred to the commission during the 2019 session:  SB1479(Deeds) and HB2175and HB2728(Convirs-Fowler).

SB1479 would have allowed localities to require the development of a karst management plan and the disclosure of the presence of karst as part of the application process for rezoning property from an agricultural use to a residential use. Karst is a type of landscape that is formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, including limestone and dolomite.

HB2175 would have required disclosures for properties located in special flood hazard areas.

HB2728 would have required a disclosure statement regarding the condition or regulatory status of an impounding structure or dam.

The May 7 meeting included presentations on both issues from the Department of Conservation and Recreation as well as Loudoun County.  Loudoun County’s presentation included a discussion of the county’s limestone overlay district that is designed to address potential issues related to karst. The presentations should be posted shortly on the commission’s website at http://dls.virginia.gov/commissions/vhc.htm?x=doc.

VML contact: Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org

 

New Federal guidelines issued for Opportunity Zone Program

On April 17, the U.S. Treasury released the second set of program guidelines for the Opportunity Zone Program.  The opportunity zones were created by the 2017 federal tax act as a strategy to entice businesses to invest in underdeveloped urban and rural areas. Under the program, investors can reduce their capital gains liabilities on previous investments if the gains are invested in any of the 8,700 nationwide opportunity zone communities. There are 212 opportunity zones in the Commonwealth.

The new regulations clarified many issues for investors, including how a qualified operating business is defined. The new rules also allow a choice of three so-called safe harbors—places where investors can put realized capital gains prior to investing that capital in a project—for meeting the statutory requirement that at least half of a qualifying business’ income comes from a trade or business in the designated opportunity zone. It should be noted that the legislation gave Treasury the authority to promulgate regulations to prevent abuse, but the guidelines do not explicitly define abuse of the program.

The new guidelines do not require investors to coordinate or even engage with local governments. There are no provisions requiring local oversight or participation by local governments to ensure that the federal legislation’s requirements are being met.  Reporting requirements will be addressed in subsequent years.

It is unlikely that the Opportunity Zone Program will improve the economic status of those who live in the zones without additional state and/or local incentives.  The challenges for those living in the zones and their local governments go beyond capital investment.

VML contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

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New Federal legal opinion threatens multi-state lottery games

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently issued a new interpretation of the 1961 Wire Act that could mean some nationwide lottery games would have to cease.  The Virginia Lottery uses five out-of-state vendors for its games.  In FY 2018, roughly 12.0 percent of the agency’s $2.1 billion in sales were from three multi-state games offered by the Virginia Lottery.  Estimated sales in FY19 are just under $2.3 billion.

The DOJ issued this opinion late last year.  The 1961 federal legislation was designed to curb gambling operations run by organized crime.  The new opinion replaces an earlier DOJ opinion issued in December 2011 that concluded that the Wire Act applied exclusively to interstate transmissions of communications relating to wagering on a sporting event or contest and did not include state lotteries.  The new interpretation says the prohibitions apply to lottery games played among the states like the Mega Millions game.

The New Hampshire Lottery Commission is suing over the opinion.  A federal judge ruled last month, over DOJ objections, that the lawsuit could proceed.  The Virginia Lottery signed on to an amicus brief in the case with six other state lottery agencies, five states and the District of Columbia.  Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring also signed on to a letter with 24 other attorneys general asking DOJ for a meeting to discuss the new interpretation.

Under the Virginia Constitution proceeds from the Lottery Proceeds Fund are appropriated to local governments, and the school divisions thereof, for public education.

VML contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

 

Is the infrastructure deal between President Trump and Congressional Democrats cracking?

Late in April the two top Democrats in Congress announced an agreement made with President Trump to try to craft a $2.0 trillion plan aimed at overhauling the nation’s crumbling roads, bridges, waterways, and other infrastructure, including broadband connectivity to rural areas and inner cities.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said they would meet again with the president in three weeks to talk about the most challenging feature of any infrastructure proposal:  How to pay for it?

Both the President and Congressional Democrats have fumbled past attempts to put together a federal infrastructure proposal and crashed into fiscal brick walls.  Federal gasoline tax increases and rollbacks of parts of the 2017 Republican tax cuts have been floated by Democrats but quickly deflated.  The Administration’s desire, as part of any infrastructure proposal, to water down environmental laws and regulations are not likely to pass congressional muster.

Unlike President Trump’s first infrastructure proposal that relied heavily on state and local dollars, Speaker Pelosi favors an infrastructure package with significant federal financial participation.  Her thinking is that 80.0 percent should be funded by the federal government with states and localities ponying up the remaining 20.0 percent.  Congressional Republicans are not likely to be persuaded unless the President proposes a funding scheme.

The bottom line is that states and local governments should not rely on a speedy federal intervention to address or even begin to fix the nation’s pothole problems.

VML contact: Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

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More information on motorized scooters is forthcoming

Localities need to remember that if they want to regulate companies that rent scooters or motorized skateboards, they must pass an ordinance or take some other governing body or administrative action by Jan. 1, 2020. HB2752(Pillion), enacted during the last session, authorizes localities to regulate the operation of companies that rent scooters or motorized skateboards. After Jan. 1, 2020, a company is free to operate without local regulation in a county, city, town, or political subdivision unless and until the locality or political subdivision adopts an ordinance or takes some other official action (e.g., initiates a pilot program).

VML will include additional information about the bill in a forthcoming eNews.

 

Governor wields veto pen

Wrapping up the 2019 General Assembly session, Governor Ralph Northam has issued a series of vetoes that affect local government as summarized below. The governor’s explanationsof his vetoes are hyperlinked.

Elections: Among the session’s redistricting bills, the governor vetoed SB1087 (Obenshain), which would have allowed for technical adjustments between redistricting years to align legislative districts with voting precinct boundaries, and he vetoed SB1579 (Suetterlein), which outlined standards and criteria for decennial redistricting. Governor Northam also vetoed HB2764 (Wilt) and SB1038 (Peake), both relating to the sharing of personal information during the voter application process. HB1620/SB1455 (Ransone; Vogel) would have increased the membership of the State Board of Elections from three to five and transferred responsibility for selecting the Commissioner of Elections from the Governor to the Board. Governor Northam had proposed a compromise, increasing the size of the Board without ceding control over the Commissioner’s appointment, which was rejected by the House. The Governor then vetoed the bills. Finally, HB2034 (McGuire) would have changed the process for the removal of local general registrars, but it was vetoed in anticipation of unintended consequences.

Human Services: SB1047 (Cosgrove) would have blocked the admission of registered sex offenders to shelters during declared state or local emergencies until the protection and security of all other residents of the shelter could be ensured, which the Governor ultimately deemed impracticable (veto explanation).

Land Use: HB2686 (Knight) would have changed the vote requirement for certain decisions by local zoning appeals boards from a majority of the membership to a majority of the membership present and voting. The Administration had proposed amending the bill to allow for a local option, but the General Assembly rejected the change (veto explanation).

Public Safety: Governor Northam rejected multiple bills from the General Assembly on the grounds that they would have restricted the discretion of judges and law enforcement officials. HB2042 (Murphy) would have set mandatory minimum sentencing standards for persons convicted of assault and battery against a family or household member (veto explanation). HB2270 (Poindexter) would have required local law enforcement to alert U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement of the release or discharge of any undocumented immigrants from correctional facilities (veto explanation). HB2528 (Hugo), meanwhile, would have expanded current law around accountability for death by Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substances beyond the immediate sale or distribution of a drug. Governor Northam arguedthat the bill could unintentionally discourage individuals struggling with addiction from seeking treatment.

School Safety: The Governor rejectedHB2053 (McQuinn) in favor of SB1406 (Dance), whose requirements for reducing the counselor-to-student ratio in public schools statewide aligned with his recommendations issued last December. Likewise, Governor Northam also vetoedHB2142 (Thomas), which would have mandated different requirements around the employment and training of school protection officers than those issued previously by the Governor’s Student Safety Work Group.

VML Contacts – Michelle Gowdy, mgowdy@vml.org; Jessica Ackerman, jackerman@vml.org; Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org; Neal Menkes, nmenkes@vml.org

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Mellen appointed VML chief of staff

Sue Mellen has been appointed the chief of staff at VML. In this position, she will be in charge of the administration, finance and human resources functions.  Mellen joins the League after a 31-year finance career with James City County, most recently as the Director of Financial and Management Services.  She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Christopher Newport University and a Master of Public Administration from Old Dominion University. During her career in James City County, Mellen served as a member of the Community Policy and Management Team and as a board member of Colonial Behavioral Health, the Williamsburg Regional Library and the Colonial Group Home Commission.

 

Bulova joins VML as summer intern

Josette Bulova has come on board at VML as an intern for the summer. Bulova will be entering her third year this fall at Christopher Newport University. She is pursuing a major in communications and a double minor in political science and human rights and conflict resolution. She is a graduate of Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax County. Bulova will be working with VML’s communications and policy teams and has already increased VML’s presence on Facebook. Bulova is no stranger to government. David Bulova, her father, is a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and Sharon Bulova, her grandmother, is chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

 

2019 Innovation Awards categories expanded to 7

Deadline to submit entries is Aug. 12

VML will be awarding 7 Innovation Awards to localities for outstanding achievements in their community projects and programs at VML’s 2019 Annual Conference in Roanoke. Award categories are based on broad topics with local governments of all sizes competing within these categories.

Localities may submit only one entry in each of the following categories:

• Community Health – Includes building healthy community environments through active lifestyle programs, nutrition education and improving access to healthier food choices.
• Economic Development – Includes business development and retention; international competitiveness; infrastructure development and investment; planning, land use and zoning; blight; enterprise zones; housing; transportation; workforce development; and historic preservation.
• Environmental Quality – Includes natural resources and the authority of local governments to manage the environment, including water resources and quality, solid and hazardous waste management, air quality and the Chesapeake Bay.
• Public Safety – Includes police, fire, rescue services, emergency planning and coordinated response, building code enforcement, jails, health and mental health related to public safety.
• Working with Youth – Includes civics education, pre-k-12 education, summer programs, parks and recreation, and literacy programs.
• Communications – Includes promotional campaigns, branding campaigns, crisis plans, events, customer service programs; media can include online, video, print, social and other formats.
• [Newest Category] Risk Management – Includes the process of identifying, assessing and controlling threats to a locality’s capital and earnings … investments and diversification, IT security threats and data-related risks, and the risk management strategies to alleviate them.

To read the complete rules and to download entry form visit https://www.vml.org/education/innovation-awards/.  All entries must be received via e-mail by 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 12, 2019.

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2019 Resilient Virginia conference to be held July 18-19

Registration is now open for the 2019 Resilient Virginia Conference, to be held July 18–19 at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. Early registration rates are available through June 1.

This theme for the 2019 conference, “Connecting Rural and Urban Communities for a Resilient Future”, highlights the roles of Virginia’s rural and urban communities in addressing challenges from increased disruption by extreme weather events, climate change, national security risks, and on-going economic and community health concerns.

Resiliency topics ranging from resilient building and infrastructure design, resiliency in emergency management planning, health and equity concerns, economic opportunities, and the role of ecosystems and agricultural practices in mitigation will be covered at the conference.

Additional information is posted at https://resilientvirginia.org/or email Annette Osso, managing director of Resilient Virginia at osso@resilientvirginia.org.

 

Women in Public Service Conference scheduled

Mark your calendars now for the Women in Public Service Conference, to be held Sept. 19-20, 2019 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. The conference will be hosted by the Hampton Fire & Rescue Department. This year’s conference theme is “People, Purpose & Passion: Partners in Progress.” Registration for the conference opens Monday, July 15. Learn more athttps://hampton.gov/wipsor at the WIPS Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WIPSConferenceember.

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• eNews June 7, 2019   In this issue: Support for Virginia Beach Governor calls special session for July 9 VML Legislative Committee meets Will federal chaos affect Virginia? DEQ requests SLAF input from municipalities SLLC offering free webinars VDOT workshops in Williamsburg   Support for Virginia Beach VML staff joins our members in expressing our sincerest condolences in response […]
• eNews May 24, 2019   In this issue: FCC goes after local authority (again!) Please send us your electric scooter ordinances and actions Mandate assessment schedule announced State revenues skyrocket in April Transportation funding bills promise I-81 improvements Final SOQ focus group meeting to be held next week FCC chairman backs T-Mobile/Sprint merger CSA special education public input sessions […]
• eNews May 10, 2019 In this issue Lucas, Heretick and Hopkins to speak at May 21 Hampton Roads regional dinner FOIA Council briefed on status of on-line training Jail health-mental health workgroup convenes Job numbers remain strong but skewed toward urban areas Housing Commission workgroup gets underway New Federal guidelines issued for Opportunity Zone Program New Federal legal opinion […]
• eNews April 26, 2019   In this issue: VML events in SWVA are a wrap Policy committee nominations sought VML Annual Conference registration coming next week State revenues stumble in March Number of unemployed and employed Virginians increases Measles information from VDH Draft transportation improvement program begins hearings Environmental update: Watershed funding and cap-and-trade authority Some CSA placements now […]
• eNews April 12, 2019   In this issue: VML policy committee meeting date set Upcoming VML events in Southwest Virginia General Assembly reacts to federal tax reforms Woodbury named to TSA committee Changes to the 2018-20 state General Fund budget Public safety stakeholders discuss 2019 Homeland Security Grant NLC census preparation survey Small scale development workshop in Staunton   […]
• eNews April 4, 2019 General Assembly addresses Governor’s amendments and proposed vetoes The General Assembly returned to Richmond April 3 to address amendments and vetoes proposed by Governor Ralph Northam to bills and budget items approved during the 2019 Session. Amendments of interest: FOIA and I-81 The General Assembly concurred with the Governor’s recommendations to a FOIA bill, SB1554 (Surovell). As […]
• eNews March 29, 2019   In this issue: Action alert: support Governor’s FOIA bill amendments VML policy committee nominations now open Budget battle looms 2019 VML “If I were mayor” essay contest winners announced Governor revives transportation funding debate What is the connection between the national emergency at the southern U.S. Border and Virginia? Measuring economic growth is less […]
• eNews March 15, 2019   In this issue: Upcoming VML events in SWVA Transportation finance analysis Revenue collections and job numbers National economic news hard to read President’s budget proposal promises plenty of pyrotechnics Woodbury nominated for membership on STAC committee May is Building Safety Month Earth Day 2019 resources for localities   Upcoming VML events in Southwest Virginia […]
• eNews Feb. 28, 2019 – Budget Analysis Edition   Budget “onion” peeled The conferees released their 234-page budget conference report on February 23. Democratic and Republican delegates spent that Saturday arguing over a proposed change to the procedural rule to allow a floor vote on the report without first waiting 48-hours. Legislators finally decided that 24-hours would suffice for their individual reviews of […]
• eNews Feb. 25, 2019   In this issue: Budget conference report adopted FOIA training bill FOIA penalties bill Bills of interest: Final status report Jail health standards bills approved Transportation round up Natural Resources round up Cultivating neighborhoods & small-scale development lecture   The short session was long on amendments to the Commonwealth’s biennial budget As usual, some amendments […]