• About
  • Contact

Virginia Municipal League

Building Better Communities Through Sound Government

BETTER COMMUNITIES THROUGH SOUND GOVERNMENT

  • Organization
    • About the League
      • Strategic vision and goals
      • Benefits of VML Membership
      • Directions to the VML office
    • Board of Directors
      • Executive Meeting Packets
      • Serving on the Executive Board
      • VML Past Presidents
    • League Staff
    • Local Government Members
      • Benefits of VML Membership
    • Affiliate Organizations
    • VML/VACo APCO Steering Committee
      • VML/VACO APCo Steering Committee Board
    • Partners
  • Member Resources
    • General Assembly
    • ARPA Resources
    • Publications
    • Presentations
    • General Forum
    • Account
    • Reset Password
  • Education
    • Events >
      • 2023 Local Government Day
      • Virginia Local Elected Officials Conference
      • Annual Conference >
        • 2022 Annual Conference
        • 2021 Annual Conference
        • 2020 Annual Conference
        • Past Annual Conference Programs
        • Future Conference Dates
      • Virginia Mayors Institute >
        • 2022 Virginia Mayors Institute
        • 2021 Virginia Mayors Institute
        • 2020 Virginia Mayors Institute
      • 2022 Hurricane Season Briefing
      • ARPA Monitoring & Reporting Compliance Webinar
    • Essay Contest
      • Essay Contest Past Winners
    • Civility. Respect. Solutions.
    • American Rescue Plan Act Resources
    • Coronavirus Resources
    • Innovation Awards
      • Innovation Award Past Winners
    • Virginia You Love: 2022 Survey Contest
    • Racial Inequality – Local Statements
    • Wallerstein Scholarship
  • Advocacy
    • 2023 General Assembly
      • 2022 GA Resources
      • 2021 GA Resources
      • 2020 GA Resources
    • 2023 Local Government Day
      • 2022 Local Government Day
      • 2021 Local Government Day
    • Legislative Program
    • Legislative Committee
    • Policy Statements
    • Policy Committees
      • Community & Economic Development
      • Finance
      • General Laws
      • Human Development & Education
      • Infrastructure, Transportation & Environmental Quality
    • State Budget Overview Session
    • Local Federal Issues
    • Federal Advocacy
  • Media
    • VTC Magazine
    • eNews Newsletter
    • VML Voice Podcast
      • Subscribe: The VML Voice
    • Get the VML APP
    • Legal Resources
    • Local Officials’ Resources Series
    • Other Publications
    • News Releases
  • Calendar
  • Classifieds
    • Job Openings
    • Create Jobs
  • Corporate Engagement
    • Community Business Membership
      • Community Business Members Listings
    • Advertising with VML
    • Terms & Conditions
  • eNews
  • Town and City
  • Subscribe: The VML Voice
  • Legal Resources
  • Local Officials’ Resources Series
  • Other publications
  • News Releases

eNews Jan. 3, 2020

Friday, January 03, 2020 - 04:13pm

In this Issue:

General Assembly:

  • 2020 General Assembly set to convene
  • Augmented eNews schedule
  • 2020 General Assembly information and resources
  • Get ready for the 2020 session by reviewing VML’s legislative program

Events & Opportunities:

  • Grant funding webinar for Chesapeake Bay watershed localities
  • Upcoming VML events

 

General Assembly

2020 General Assembly set to convene

VML encourages our members to get involved!

The 2020 session of the General Assembly will convene on Wednesday, Jan. 8. This is also the last day for prefiling bills (10 a.m. deadline) and to file legislation to create or continue a study.

With so many pressing issues and so many interested parties, what can you do to help ensure local government voices are heard? First, stay in touch with your delegates and senators, making sure that they know how proposed bills and budget amendments will affect your community. Keep up with VML’s eNews and action calls so that you can keep your delegation informed about legislative proposals that you like or don’t like.

Contact your VML legislative team

Please be sure to let league legislative staff know if you have concerns about an issue. Also, please let us know about your communications with legislators.

  • Michelle Gowdy – Executive Director, mgowdy@vml.org
  • Janet Areson – Director of Policy Development, jareson@vml.org
  • Neal Menkes – Fiscal Policy Manager, nmenkes@vml.org
  • Jessica Ackerman – Policy and Advisory Relations Manager, jackerman@vml.org
  • Mitchell Smiley – Policy Manager for Transportation & Natural Resources, msmiley@vml.org

 

Augmented eNews schedule for the 2020 session

VML will publish eNews more often during the session. If you know someone on your staff that should be receiving eNews, they can subscribe here.

When issues require immediate attention, legislative staff will send action calls asking local officials to contact legislators. Talking points will be included! Things move rapidly during the session, so please stay tuned and please respond to the action calls. Legislators need to hear from people in their districts.

VML Contact: Rob Bullington, rbullington@vml.org

 

2020 General Assembly information and resources

Note – We will provide additional dates, calendars and links via eNews as they are confirmed and become available.

Important dates:

  • January 7: All drafts of legislation to be prefiled available by noon
  • January 8: General Assembly convenes. Prefiling ends at 10:00 a.m.
  • February 6: Local Government Legislative Day hosted by VML in conjunction with VACo and VAPDC in Richmond
  • March 7: General Assembly scheduled to adjourn

Useful links:

  • Contact information for House of Delegates members
  • Contact information for Senate members
  • House and Senate committee assignments and schedules (updates in progress)
  • Streaming video of full House sessions

 

Get ready for the 2020 session by reviewing VML’s legislative program

The 2020 General Assembly brings with it a new majority in the House and Senate and new leadership on all its committees. It’s also a budget year. Governor Ralph Northam introduced his two-year biennial budget in December and the General Assembly will use its 60-day session to consider changes to that proposed budget, along with amendments to the current year (FY2020) budget, informally called the “caboose” budget.

State budget deliberations are of key interest to VML’s communities because local governments manage many state mandatory and high-priority programs, essentially functioning as an administrative arm of the state. VML communities will be anxious to learn the details of state funding commitments for big ticket items such as K-12 education, stormwater local assistance and water quality programs, local police department operations, as well as how adequate funding for community services boards and planning district commissions will be secured.

Apart from budget issues, legislative areas of concern to our members include provisions to expand broadband and access to housing, updates to the communications sales and use tax to reflect 21st century realities, land use and zoning issues; means to address distracted and inattentive driving, and fiscally responsible methods to handle presumptive disability benefits.

Download a copy of VML’s full 2020 Legislative Program here >.

VML Contact: Janet Areson, jareson@vml.org

[top of page]

Events & Opportunities

Grant funding webinar for Chesapeake Bay watershed localities

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chesapeake Bay Program are seeking proposals to improve water quality and habitat in the Chesapeake Bay watershed including its tributaries and streams. It is expected that grants totaling $5-7 million will be awarded in 2020 under the Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction Grant program. Proposals from existing partnerships are specifically the focus of this round of grant funding (partnerships can include local governments, nonprofits, institutions, and/or businesses). This grant program is designed to cultivate partnership and network growth and accelerate the scale and/or rate of water quality improvements.

Webinar and due dates

  • A webinar for interested applicants will be held January 9, 2020 at 1:00 pm EST. More details can be found on the grant webpage here >.
  • Pre-proposals are due February 28, 2020 by 11:59 pm EST.
  • Full proposals are due May 1, 2020 by 11:59 EST.

VML Contact: Mitchell Smiley, msmiley@vml.org

Upcoming VML events

January 6 – Finance Forum

Cosponsored by VML and VACo, the finance forum provides an excellent opportunity for local elected officials and staff to receive important information about the budget and legislative issues for the 2020 session.

Details and registration available here >

January 10 – Newly Elected Officials Conference

VML’s Newly Elected Officials Conference provides a valuable opportunity for both new and seasoned public officials to learn from speakers with extensive experience working with local government officials. Furthermore, they offer an excellent opportunity to learn what it takes to succeed and how to avoid common pitfalls as an elected official.

Details and registration available here >

February 6 – Legislative Day

This year, VML is partnering with the Virginia Association of Counties and the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions for Local Government Legislative Day in Richmond. This program will feature briefings on issues of greatest importance to localities during the 2020 General Assembly from state officials and staff. All attendees will then be encouraged to visit General Assembly members and committee meetings at the Pocahontas Building and the Capitol, before returning to the Omni Hotel for a brief reception and meet-up time with their delegation members.

Details and registration available here >

[top of page]

Comments and questions about this website or the data provided may be addressed to Manuel Timbreza
©2023 Virginia Municipal League
Virginia Municipal League
P.O. Box 12164, Richmond, VA 23241
13 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23219
804-649-8471

Copyright © 2023 · Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Terms and Conditions