General Assembly session extended until Tuesday

From The Bolling Report - March 9, 2008

The 2008 session of the Virginia General Assembly was scheduled to conclude on Saturday, March 8th. Unfortunately, the General Assembly was unable to reach agreement on the adoption of a new state budget for the 2008/2010 biennium.

Because of this impasse, the General Assembly session has been extended until Tuesday, March 11th. At that time legislators will return to Richmond to take final action on the budget. In the meantime, budget conferees will meet to settle differences on several important issues.

At present Senate and House budget conferees are divided on Governor Kaine’s proposed expansion of the state’s pre-kindergarten program, mental health funding, state employee and teacher pay raises, bonded indebtedness and several other issues.

While the adoption of a state budget is never easy, I believe that most of the budget challenges the General Assembly has faced this year came about because Governor Kaine introduced a budget in December that was fiscally irresponsible.

Even though the Commonwealth’s economic growth has slowed considerably, Governor Kaine proposed a budget that included hundreds of millions of dollars in spending on new and expanded government programs.

The Governor then sought to pay for this new spending by taking an excessive amount of money out of the state’s Rainy Day Fund, redirecting lottery profits and transportation dollars to the general fund, maxing out the state’s credit card on future debt and embracing unrealistic future revenue projections.

While it is disappointing that legislators were unable to resolve these budget issues on time, it is important for us to adopt a budget that rests on a solid fiscal foundation. I continue to encourage the budget conferees to base their final budget on the following important principles:

- Minimize spending on new and expanded government programs. During challenging economic times, we should not authorize any new government programs, and we should direct increases in existing programs to the core responsibilities of state government.

- Minimize withdrawals from the state’s rainy day fund. The Senate has proposed withdrawing $460M from the rainy day fund, while the House of Delegates has proposed withdrawing $250M. This is too much. We should minimize rainy day fund withdrawals to preserve the rainy day fund for future economic emergencies.

- Do not redirect lottery profits to the general fund. The constitution requires that lottery profits be returned to local governments for use in public education. We should not use this money to pay for other government programs.

- Do not redirect transportation dollars to the general fund. $180M was earmarked for transportation construction during the 2007 session of the General Assembly. I believe that we should continue to use this money for transportation construction, and not redirect it to other government programs.

- Ask state agencies to make further reductions in their budgets. With the exception of core responsibilities like education and public safety, we should demand further spending reductions from state agencies to help balance the budget.

- Base the budget on realistic revenue projections. With our economy currently growing at a rate of about 2.5%, it is very risk to base a budget on future economic growth of almost 7%. If we fail to achieve these overly optimistic revenue projections, we will face continuing budget shortfalls in future years.

My hope is that the budget conferees will be guided by these principles as they continue their deliberations. If they are, it is still possible to adopt a budget that is fiscally responsible and has widespread bipartisan support. If they do not, they could be creating a fiscal house of cards that could collapse under as at any moment.

In challenging economic times, government should do what families and businesses must do – we must prioritize our spending carefully and we must tighten our belts and spend within our means.

Finishing work on a new state budget is not the only issue that remains unresolved in Richmond. Two other important issues continue to confront the General Assembly – judicial appointments and transportation.

Judicial Appointments Remain In Doubt

Most Virginians don’t get terribly excited about judicial appointments, but making certain that we appoint qualified and capable jurists is one of the General Assembly’s most important constitutional responsibilities.

During most sessions of the General Assembly, judicial appointments are handled in a fairly routine fashion. While disagreements do occasionally arise, they are usually resolved. Unfortunately, the process has become much more difficult this year.

Most of the judicial impasse has arisen in the Senate, where the new Democratic majority is trying to lock Republicans out of the judicial selection process contrary to the historical practice and Rules of the Senate.

The Rules of the Senate require that in order for anyone to be nominated for a judgeship the Senators in that judicial circuit must agree on who the nominee will be. If the Senators in the judicial circuit cannot agree on a nominee, the Rules of the Senate provide that no nomination will be made.

When Republicans controlled the Senate, this was the practice. After last falls elections, the new Senator Majority Leader, Senator Richard Saslaw (R-Fairfax) assured Republicans that this practice would continue. Unfortunately, the Democrats did not keep their word.

During this year’s judicial selection process, Democrats have tried to nominate judges in judicial circuits where Republicans do not agree on the nominee. In fact, in some parts of the state Democrats have tried to nominate judges in judicial circuits where every elected Senator is a Republican.

Obviously, this is contrary to the Rules and customary practice of the Senate and Republican Senators have taken a strong stand against this change in the Senate’s longstanding history of bipartisan judicial selection.

As a result, the General Assembly has been unable to move forward on several judicial appointments, including appointments to the Virginia Court of Appeals, State Corporation Commission, Workers Compensation Commission, Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission and a slate of circuit and general district judges.

Amazingly, the General Assembly agrees on several of these appointments, but Senate Democrats have taken the position that they will fill no judicial vacancy unless they can fill every judicial vacancy. This is an extreme example of the arrogance of power.

I remain hopeful that the General Assembly will be able to find a way to resolve this impasse. However, to do so Senate Democrats are going to have to keep their word and comply with the Rules and customs of the Senate.

The solution is simple – the General Assembly should move forward with appointments on those judgeships where there is agreement among the members. These judgeships should not be held hostage to the partisan antics being practiced by Senate Democrats.

Transportation Funding Likely To Be Subject Of Special Session In April

One final issue also remains unresolved in Richmond – funding for Virginia’s beleaguered transportation system.

During the 2007 legislative session, the General Assembly passed a statewide and regional transportation plan that was estimated to raise $1.2B annually for transportation in Virginia.

On the statewide level, $600M in additional funding came from the implementation of abusive driver fees (which have now been repealed), a $10 increase in annual vehicle registration fees, and increases in registration fees, fines and penalties for heavy trucks.

On the regional level, an additional $600M in funding ($400M in Northern Virginia and $200M in Hampton Roads) came from a series of tax and fee increases that were to be enacted at the discretion of the Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads transportation authorities.

However, last week the regional components of this plan were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Virginia. The Supreme Court ruled that the General Assembly could not delegate its taxing authority to an unelected body.

It appears likely that Governor Kaine will call the General Assembly into a Special Session in April to decide how to replace the $600M in transportation funding that has been lost in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads by this ruling.

Already, various parties in Richmond are taking sides on how this issue should be resolved.

Governor Kaine and General Assembly Democrats have called for a “statewide solution.” In fact, Senate Democrats have already proposed increasing the state gas tax by 5 cents per gallon and increasing the motor vehicles sales tax (titling tax) from 3% to 3½%.

In addition, Senate Democrats want the General Assembly to propose a series of tax increases in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, including increases in the regional sales tax, grantors tax, transient occupancy tax (NVA), and gas tax (Hampton Roads).

However, Republicans have argued that the focus needs to be on replacing the revenue that has been lost as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision on the regional components of the 2007 transportation plan.

However, Republicans are divided on the approach that should be taken.

Some Republicans propose having the regional tax increases struck down by the Supreme Court implemented by direct action of the General Assembly.

Some Republicans propose giving local governing bodies in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads the ability to enact these tax increases at their discretion.

Some Republicans object to imposing any tax increases whatsoever, arguing that additional dollars should be provided to transportation from existing revenue sources once the economy begins to grow again.

I would like to hear from you on this issue. How do you think we should approach the future of transportation funding in Virginia? If you would like to share your thoughts with me, you can contact me at bill.bolling@ltgov.virginia.gov.

While this edition of The Bolling Report has discussed some of the unresolved issues still pending before the General Assembly, the General Assembly did take final action on several other issues over the past two weeks. I will discuss these issues in next week’s edition of The Bolling Report.

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com

Sen. Obenshain wants Lottery Trust Fund

Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, has introduced legislation to establish a Lottery Trust Fund to stop what he calls the state’s “shell game” with money intended for education, according to Jeff Mellott at the Harrisonburg Daily News Record.

Because lottery proceeds, intended for education, are put in the general fund, Sen. Obenshain wants to see those monies set apart to be used for K-12 programs in Virginia public schools.

[Obenshain] said ... the state never created the trust fund and placed the money in the general fund in violation of the Virginia Constitution. Still, in spite of the constitutional questions, Sen. Emmett Hanger, R-Mount Solon, said the state has lived up to supporting education.

Obenshain introduced Senate Bill 800 to create the fund.

“It’s going to be a fix to what is increasingly being viewed as a significant legal problem that we have with the budget,” Obenshain said Thursday.

“It’s a fix. It’s there. It’s ready for us to adopt,” he said.

The Senate adjourned Friday without taking action on the bill.

Without the creation of the constitutionally required fund, Obenshain said any budget approved by the General Assembly might be considered invalid.

It would take a court test to determine the validity of the budget, he said.

“I would think the voters and taxpayers would demand [a court test] if the General Assembly would deliberately thumb its nose at the requirements of the constitution,” Obenshain said.

Obenshain’s bill requires that net lottery revenues be transferred on a biweekly basis to the Lottery Proceeds Fund for payment to counties, cities, towns and school divisions.

The bill stipulates that the money in the fund is not to be “commingled with any other fund or asset.” The bill needs the approval of the Senate, the House of Delegates and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.

Obenshain introduced the bill on Tuesday after Attorney General Bob McDonnell handed down an opinion that said the constitution, based on a change in 2000, mandates the creation of the Lottery Proceeds Fund for distributing the money to localities with school systems.

“This is not being done,” Obenshain said in a statement issued Tuesday, “and there is now a proposed budget that would funnel over $80 million away from education over the next two years. That is wrong.”

According to Obenshain, a lawyer from the state’s Division of Legislative Services raised the question whether Virginia lawmakers were violating the law by directing the money into the general fund before it were distributed.

The issue came up recently when Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican and president of the Senate, unsuccessfully attempted to prevent the Senate, controlled by Democrats, from approving a budget that rerouted lottery funds. Bolling argued that rerouting the funds requires a four-fifths vote.

When state lawyers ruled that a four-fifths vote wasn’t necessary, Obenshain said, Republicans went to the attorney general for his opinion on what the constitution required.

Budgets containing the lottery money, Hanger said, have passed with huge majorities in the past.
And, even without the Lottery Proceeds Fund, Virginia has supported education.

“The intent and spirit of the law is honored,” Hanger said, even if the money passes through the state’s general fund.

The Virginia lottery was started in 1988. After 20 years it is time to properly set up the education trust fund to ensure lottery proceeds go where they were originally intended.

AFP in Richmond ... the architecture

Old Richmond City Hall
Virginia State Capitol with skyline.

Richmond's old City Hall ... what a beautiful building.
Virginia State Capitol
Looking over Capitol Square.
Richmond skyline
State Capitol from side angle.

Photos by SWAC Daughter & SWAC Girl

AFP in Richmond ... listening to the AG

Mike Reynold listens as the AG speaks during AFP luncheon.

Photo by SWAC Girl

AFP in Richmond ... the elected officials

Delegate Ben Cline (with Trixie Averill and Mike Reynold).

Attorney General Bob McDonnell.


AFP luncheon guests watched the AFP's "Defending the American Dream" recap video.

Photos by SWAC Girl

Delegate Chris Saxman updates constituents....

By Delegate Chris Saxman

The 2008 General Assembly session is winding down, though important works remains to be done as House and Senate conferees try to work out the differences in the budget. Next week I look forward to presenting you with an end of session report on the accomplishments of the 2008 session. Today, however, I am writing to share with you the result of my legislative questionnaire I notified you about at the start of the session. Thank you for the outstanding participation and input you provided.

Let me take a moment to highlight some of the questionnaire’s findings.
Full results are posted on my website.

The questionnaire results showed:

- 70 percent oppose tax increases and want government to live within its means
- 70 percent oppose expanding the existing pre-K program for at risk children to other children not deemed to be at risk.
- Respondents overwhelmingly supported measures to fight illegal immigration
- 90 percent support giving local government more authority to deny new residential developments and more influence in land use decisions
- 70 percent supported reforms to payday lending including limiting the number of loans an individual can take out per year

The individual responses and comments were also of great assistance as I examined legislation that came across my desk this session.

In the next week the House and Senate will put together a budget agreeable to both chambers. I pledge to work with my colleagues to ensure any budget that passes protects core services, cuts wasteful spending and curtails unwise new spending given the fiscal uncertainty Virginia is facing.

I am looking forward to getting back to the Valley and having the opportunity to catch up with you and get your feedback on our efforts this session. As always, feel free to contact me as saxman@intelos.net if you have any suggestions or if I may be of assistance.

Sincerely,

Chris Saxman

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com

LG Bolling casts deciding vote to prohibit Planned Parenthood funding

On Wednesday, the Senate of Virginia approved an amendment to the House budget bill that would prohibit the direction of taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood. The vote on the amendment, which was offered by Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-Fairfax), was 20-20 and Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling cast the deciding vote in support of the budget amendment. In response to this action, Lieutenant Governor Bolling issued the following statement:

“I was pleased today to cast my first tie breaking vote of the 2008 legislative session in support of an amendment to prevent taxpayer funds from being directed to Planned Parenthood. At a time when Governor Kaine has chosen to eliminate $250,000 in state funding for programs that teach abstinence education to young people across Virginia, we should not be using taxpayer dollars to fund an organization that uses those funds to provide abortions and abortion related services.”

Planned Parenthood funding denied

Senator Ken Cuccinelli continues to stand his ground in the State Senate. The latest from his Compass newsletter....

For the first time this year, the Republicans got one of our budget amendments adopted! It was my budget amendment to deny taxpayer funds to Planned Parenthood. This is an amendment that has been before the Senate before, but it has never been successfully passed in the Senate.

This year, however, was different. Our Republican caucus stuck together in support of the Planned Parenthood amendment, and we were joined by Finance Committee Chairman, Democrat Chuck Colgan to reach a 20-20 tie. Not surprisingly, Lt. Gov. Bolling voted for the amendment, and it passed 21-20. Now, it wasn’t a simple path to get to 21-20, with about 4 hours of wrangling over procedure, but I’ll discuss that below.

After the consideration of amendments, the budget was passed, but it had the overwhelming opposition of the Republican caucus because it still raids the lottery funds, grabs way too much money from the rainy day fund, and creates new programs (like Gov. Kaine’s pre-K) at the expense of core services like transportation. Oh yeah, and then there’s those gas tax dollars still included…

Tumult
From the moment I put in the amendment today, the Dems were scrambling to try and prevent a vote on the merits on the amendment. They even invented a couple of new motions and tried those out ... to no avail.

Then they scoured the House budget for language that was similar to my proposed amendment. The House budget had an amendment to block funding for Medicaid abortions except under limited circumstances (e.g., life of the mother, rape, incest), and the Dems were prepared to argue that because the House abortion funding amendment had been rejected in the Senate (by the Dems), the subject had already been considered and ruled upon under Rule 47 of the Senate Rules.

Now, mind you, I had prepared multiple amendments, including (but not limited to) an amendment to block Medicaid funding of abortions and an amendment to block embryonic stem cell research, both in addition to the Planned Parenthood amendment. And I had already asked the Senate Finance Committee (SFC) staff if there was language in the House budget addressing ANY of these three amendments, as I knew that if they were in the House amendments that I needed to address them at a different point in the process to avoid the Rule 47 trap that the Dems wanted to spring.

The SFC staff told me that there was language in the House budget similar to my amendment to block Medicaid funding of abortions, but there was NOT language like the Planned Parenthood amendment.

One problem was simply that the amendments sounded very similar, so I was worried about losing the amendment on Rule 47 challenge. Thus, I rewrote the amendment to solve that problem, and on we went.

At that point (4 hours later…), the Dems seemed to run out of steam, and we pressed ahead with the amendment. I introduced the amendment and explained it, and then Janet Howell and Dick Saslaw went hyperbolic on us.

Senator Janet Howell (Fairfax Dem) got up and actually argued that passing this amendment would lead to women seeking illegal abortions ... though she was quite unable or unwilling to explain how passing the amendment would have such results (presumably because that would not be the result). This kind of baseless hyperbole is about as close as the abortion industry allies in the Senate ever get to actual “debate.” So much for the high minded exchange of views in the Senate.

Then the Majority Leader, Dick Saslaw (also Fairfax Dem [seeing a pattern here?]), added his own bit of hyperbole by threatening us all with the prospect that if the Planned Parenthood amendment were passed, “your pet project could be next!” Of course, this implies that funding Planned Parenthood is a “pet project” of Senator Saslaw’s ... an interesting revelation.

The whole 4+ hour process revealed something more than just disagreement over this amendment. The Dems literally brought the Senate to a screeching halt for over 4 hours to try and derail this little amendment. Why? Because their caucus is now dominated, particularly the leadership (aside from the Finance Committee Chairman), by super-liberal Democrats that are happily beholden to the most vigorously pro-abortion elements of their base (and I distinguish that from those that are merely pro-choice on the issue). This is consistent with their stacking of the Education & Health Committee 10-5, a partisan margin wider than any other committee in the entire Senate. Why did they do that? To kill any bill that had ANYTHING to do with abortion, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.

The budget debate will next move to the conference committee. The Senators that I understand will be on the conference committee will be Colgan, Houck, Howell, Saslaw, Stosch and Wampler. I don’t know who the House conferees will be yet. The conferees will begin trying to resolve the differences between the two budgets over the next week.

Note that all of this is begin done with a Governor in the background who has been using the budget as a political payoff to Planned Parenthood since the 2007 election. Gov. Kaine cut abstinence funding while keeping Planned Parenthood funding. I guess that tells you who’s side Gov. Kaine is on.

We may be half way through the path to a final budget, so we’ll see what happens the rest of the way. In closing, I must say that I appreciated my entire caucus sticking out the sparring over the Planned Parenthood amendment and voting for the amendment. It was clear half way through the day that one side or the other was going to break, and thanks to a united caucus, it was the Dems.


Sincerely,

Senator Ken Cuccinelli
Virginia 37th District

What was really wrong with the homestead exemption bill?

So I received a press release yesterday from Kevin O'Halleran with the Virginia State Democratic Caucus. It was the first time I had received something from them so was curious as to how they became so wayward as to send one of their talking points emails to a die-hard Republican.

It began by shouting out the headline, "REPUBLICANS KILL BILLS TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR STRUGGLING VIRGINIANS." Hmm, okay. That just begged to be researched because it did not sound like all the Republican electeds I know who are constantly working for the betterment of "struggling" Virginians.

In a classic "Political Spin: 101" opening, the email began:

In a move that shows the Republicans in the Senate are more concerned about partisanship than tax cuts for their constituents, the Republicans in the Senate block voted to kill House Bill 11 and House Joint Resolution 4 that would have provided property tax relief to struggling Virginians throughout the Commonwealth.

Now for "Research: 101."

HJ4, Property Tax Reduction Bill

- Yesterday Senate Republicans along with Two Democrats (Colgan and Puckett) voted to continue HJR 4 to 2009, which effectively killed the bill.

- HJR 4 would have called for a ballot question giving localities the ability to provide property tax reductions.

- The Problem with this legislation is that it was not a universal property tax reduction, so the localities could have made it apply to just one segment of the population.

- Property Tax Reductions for Homeowners should be universal.

- The enactment bill for this legislation has already been defeated, so as it stands right now, even if the measure was placed on the ballot and passed, it would never go into effect, because it currently has no enactment date.

- The process for a ballot question measure in Virginia is this:

* Bill must pass the General Assembly twice, and it must be once before and once after an election (so two different General Assemblies vote on the bill)

* Once it has been approved by two separate General Assemblies, it would be put on the ballot the following November for a vote, if the measure is enacted it would go into effect based on the enactment clause.

- Lowell Feld (Raising Kaine) is misrepresenting the facts on this bill.

* It was not a property tax reduction, it was a progressive tax aimed at impacting only one segment of the population.

* Bottom line is that this bill gives local governments the power to pick who they want to favor with lower rates and who they want to penalize with higher rates.

* Property taxes are a problem in Virginia, not just a problem for individuals who own a home valued under a certain amount.

* This bill truly would have been a knife to the heart of Virginia homeownership.

Info from Virginia Club for Growth

General Assembly: Bills that affect the home school community

Homeschool Participation in Interscholastic Sports: HB 375 (Delegate Carrico) would require the governing body of interscholastic activities for public schools to develop and implement an exception to its rules addressing enrollment and eligibility of nonpublic school students. After an unusual turn, the bill was returned to Delegate Fralin's subcommittee to be discussed again on January 21. It did not pass the committee, but because of a strategic move by Delegate Cole, it was brought back up for discussion at the next subcommittee meeting with enough votes to pass. However, because it was not listed on the docket, it was moved that the bill be "passed by" for the day. It will be heard on Wednesday, January 30.

Home Instruction Statute Changes: HB 767 (Delegate Tata), suggested by the Virginia DOE in consultation with HEAV, VaHomeschoolers, and HSLDA, initiated two changes in the homeschool statute. The changes simplify the homeschool statute and increase the filing options for homeschoolers. HB 767 passed the full House 82-17. It must now pass the Senate and be signed by the Governor in order to become law.

Driver Education under DMV: HB 1540 (Delegate Hugo) moves driver education from the Department of Education to the DMV and repeals the homeschool driver education statute in the process. HEAV and HSLDA have been in communication with Delegate Hugo. We have requested that he include language that protects homeschool driver education laws such as the use of a correspondence course for the classroom portion of driver education and the allowance for parent-taught behind-the-wheel instruction. Delegate Hugo is agreeable and indicated he did not want to harm homeschoolers. The bill will be heard in committee this week.

Homeschool Testing Options: HB 1183 (Delegate Lingamfelter) was accepted by the Education subcommittee in a substitute version. The language had been amended at the request of HEAV, VaHomeschoolers, and HSLDA. Delegate Lingamfelter noted: "This is a bill that will take some of the pressure off of the superintendent by giving homeschoolers more options in evaluating homeschool progress. Virginia is one of the stingiest states in giving only one clear-cut type of assessment. This bill gives homeschool families options for assessment." All present voted to report HB 1183 except for Delegate Ebbin. It will now be heard in the full Education Committee.

MORE BILLS THAT COULD AFFECT HOMESCHOOLERS....

- Truancy and School Drop-Out Prevention - HB 1263 - Delegate Franklin P. Hall
- Public School Grade Placement Testing - HB 107 - Delegate Mark Cole
- Community College Scholarship Match Program - HB 117 and HB 512 - Delegates Steven Landes & Rosalyn R. Dance
- Automatic Admission to Colleges - HB 165 - Delegate David Poisson
Computers Added to School Supplies Sales Tax Holiday - HB 263 - Delegate Onzlee Ware
Increase in Driving Hours for Holders of Learner's Permits - HB 889 - Delegate Matthew J. Lohr
Teacher Expenses Tax Credit - HB 985 - Delegate David A. Nutter
Clarification of Two-Year College Transfer Grant - SB 148 - Senator Walter A. Stosch

--Updated from Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV)

General Assembly: Delegate Chris Saxman's education tax bill - UPDATED

****Update: There was no opposition to HB 1164, but it struggled to get out of committee. The original vote was 2-2. There was a motion to lay the bill on the table (fail it), but the motion was not seconded. It was then moved to carry the bill over to the next meeting. In the end, the bill was reported out of committee to be heard before the full Education committee later this week. ****


The House of Delegates will debate a bill this week that provides a tax credit to businesses and individuals who donate to scholarship programs. HB 1164 passed out of a House committee on Monday by a vote of 13-7.

The bill, patroned by Delegate Chris Saxman (R-20, Staunton), would provide better education opportunities for many Virginia students by allowing for scholarship funds with money donated by businesses and individuals receiving a tax credit for such donations. Many private scholarship programs annually turn kids away simply because there are always far more applicants than can be accommodated. This bill will encourage more donations to these important programs.

Because a majority of the Virginia General Assembly is controlled by the Virginia Education Association, the Virginia School Boards Association, and the Virginia PTA, legislation that provides any financial assistance for families who choose non-public schools has never been successful. Those groups are vehimantly opposed to parental choice in education.

While Delegate Saxman's bill does not provide a direct tax credit to families, it does allow for the creation of scholorship funds and promote donations to those funds through tax credits. Such programs will provide scholarships to students to be able to attend non-public schools. A tuition tax credit bill sponsored by Delegate Bob Marshall (R-13, Manassas) died in a House sub-committee late last week.

Please contact your Delegate and urge them to support HB 1164.

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com
Action Alert from the Family Foundation

Saxman: Dem refusal to vote on Right to Work bill

House Democrats refuse to record position on a measure sponsored by one of their own -- from Delegate Chris Saxman

Richmond, VA -- House Republicans today defeated House Bill 852, an effort to wholly repeal the prohibition on collective bargaining by government employees. House Bill 852 – sponsored by Delegate Adam Ebbin (D-Arlington), former Virginia Department of Commerce and Labor Chief Deputy Commissioner under Governor Mark Warner – would have allowed state and local government employees to collectively bargain with a union. If approved, the bill would have marked a reversal of Virginia’s long-standing status as a Right to Work state.

All House Republicans voted against this anti-business measure, citing it as detrimental to Virginia’s economy and likely to endanger the Commonwealth’s status as America’s best state for business.

In contrast, House Democrats – at the insistence of House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong (D-Henry) – remained in their seats refusing to cast a vote on this critical piece of legislation, even though sponsored by a delegate in their ranks. [emphasis added]

“What we learned today is that Virginia is just five votes away from abandoning its status as a Right to Work state,” declared House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith (R-Salem). “The Democrats expressed an unwillingness to have their votes recorded because they don’t want the public to know the extent of their fealty to organized labor. The Democrat leadership’s refusal to allow their members to vote violated a basic responsibility of elected public service, and did so to allow them to continue their practice of saying one thing to business and another to labor.”

“HB 852 pointed a dagger at one of the fundamental tenets that has enabled Virginia to become the best place in America for business to do business,” remarked House Majority Whip M. Kirkland “Kirk” Cox (R-Colonial Heights). “There was a clear choice. A vote ‘for’ this bill was a vote for giving Virginia’s pubic employees over to union boss control and a vote ‘against’ was a vote to protect and preserve an essential component to Virginia’s business-friendly environment. I am pleased that all House Republicans voted against this assault on public employees and the taxpayers of Virginia and am puzzled why Democrat members chose once again to turn away from tough decisions.”

“Today’s vote was another disturbing trend from Virginia Democrats’ efforts to erode the positive business climate that Republicans have fought hard to create and continue,” noted Delegate Terry G. Kilgore (R-Scott), Chairman of the House Commerce and Labor Committee. “House Republicans believe Virginia’s status as a Right to Work state is crucial to retaining the vitality of our Commonwealth’s economy. Failure to actively vote against this dangerous bill demonstrates that House Democrats do not support this pro-business legislation.”

Cross-posted at SixtyFour81.com