Joint Commerce & Labor Coal Ash Meeting #3

On December 21, 2018, we met for the third Joint Meeting of the Senate and House Commerce and Labor Committees to focus on coal ash legislation for next session and discuss the report recently issued by Dominion that you can read here:

Dominion Coal Ash Recycling Study

First, Dominion Resources presented their findings resulting from the study required by my legislation - Senate Bill 807 - from last year's session.

• There are 11 ponds at four different sites, five have not been closed yet
• One station (Chesterfield) still burns coal and creates coal ash
• There are 27 million cubic yards to be disposed of - 1.8 million truckloads or about 300,000 rail cars on 461 acres of ash ponds
• Dominion believes we have 15 years to close the ponds starting in 2019

They are on track to close six of the 11 ponds as permitted by SB807.  The bill also required them to go out to the markets and obtain proposals on coal ash recycling from cradle to grave including dewatering, removing it, treating it, and selling an end product.  

They summarized the recycling proposals responses as follows:

• They involve 600-700 trucks per day and/or about 700 railcars per years)
• Closer in markets used trucks while shipments to far markets involved rail transport

The estimates ranged from a total of $2.345 to $5.642 billion.  Dominion has already spent about $400 million so far on coal ash remediation at the four sites.  About 45-46% of the cash can be recycled based on market demand assumptions.  

Weekly Column: Small Advances against Predatory Lending, but More to Do

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of December 17, 2018.

Small Advances against Predatory Lending, but More to Do

                Predatory lending, imposing abusive terms and high interest rates on borrowers regardless of ability to pay, is a nagging problem in Virginia, the 36^th Senate District and especially in the U.S. 1 Corridor.  I will introduce legislation in January to end to these abusive practices.

                There are many kinds of high-interest or predatory loans.  First, payday loans are loans that are secured against a consumer’s pay check.  In 2009, the Virginia General Assembly enacted restrictions on payday loans which caused the practice to scale back to about six locations in and around the 36^th District.

                In 2010-11, some of the same companies went back to Richmond and persuaded the legislature to authorize car title loans.  Today, in Northern Virginia car title loans are offered by companies like Title Max, Loan Max, Advance America, Cash Point or Fast Auto Loans.  These companies are allowed to make loans at interest rates between 15-22% per month or up to an annual percentage rate (APR) or 267%.  Several locations have shut down.  The number of locations has gone from 21 to 12 around the 36^th District. 

Weekly Column: Ending Gridlock, Seeking Transportation Funds for Our Area

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of December 3, 2018.

Ending Gridlock, Seeking Transportation Funds for Our Area

As traffic congestion continues to plague us, I  am intensifying my fight for more transportation resources in our area.  Last week, I testified before the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) and made the case for more funds for several critically needed transportation projects:  the I-95/Occoquan bottleneck, U.S. 1 widening and bus rapid transit, U.S. 1 in Dumfries and several other projects. 

A few years ago, we began scoring projects based on objective criteria including congestion relief, economic development, environmental benefits and safety improvements.  Not surprisingly, U.S. 1 scored relatively high using these new metrics as compared to projects around the rest of Northern Virginia, a result that underscores my long-term point that U.S. 1 has been long ignored over the last few decades. 

Weekly Column: Federal Tax Reform to Force Action at 2019 General Assembly Session

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of November 26, 2018.

Federal Tax Reform to Force Action at 2019 General Assembly Session

At a recent Senate Finance Committee retreat, state legislators had a preview of economic and revenue projections and other significant issues expected to be debated in the 2019 General Assembly session.

A vice-president of Moody’s Analytics said that Virginia’s economy continues to perform well due to increased federal spending coupled with federal tax cuts.  However, he likened the performance to a sugar high and said that indicators are starting to point toward a recession in the next two years because of increased interest rates and increased import/export tariffs.  He cautioned that rising lending could exacerbate a recession.  He also noted that Virginia’s budget was well positioned for a recession because we have bolstered our Rainy Day Fund.

Next, we examined the state budget.  Nearly 70 percent of Virginia’s general fund revenue comes from income taxes.   Traditionally, Virginia has been a “conforming” state, meaning that the Virginia’s definition of adjusted gross income is identical to the federal definition and taxpayers and accountants do not have to use two different sets of rules to figure out taxes.  However, the tax bill passed by Congress in early 2018 significantly rewrote what constitutes income and limited deductions.  Most significantly, Congress and President Trump limited the deductibility of real estate taxes and state and local income taxes to a total of $10,000 (aka “SALT”).

Weekly Column: We Deserve Answers

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, and Potomac Local in the week of November 12, 2018.

We Need Answers

On November 17, 2017,  coming home from work around 10:00 p.m., I saw police lights at the end of Alexandria Avenue where it intersects with Fort Hunt Road in the Mount Vernon area near my home.  I assumed there was an accident. 

The next morning, I learned that an accountant from McLean, Bijan Ghaisar, had been shot by two U.S. Park Police officers after he drove away after being rear-ended by an Uber driver on the George Washington Memorial Parkway near Slater’s Lane.  Very little about the Park Police’s official story made sense to me the next morning.   

About two weeks later, I sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) asking a series of questions.  I received a cursory response.  

About two months after the incident, the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) released a dash cam video of the incident starting near Dyke Overlook on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.  The video showed Ghaisar driving down the Parkway slightly over the speed limit trailed by two U.S. Park Police cruisers.  Anyone who drives the Parkway knows that without adequate shoulders there are few places to pull over. 

November 8 Vigil for Bijan Ghaisar

Last Thursday night, I helped organize a vigil for Bijan Ghaisar at the corner of Fort Hunt Road and Alexandria Avenue where he was shot four times in the head, unarmed after he was the victim in a traffic accident - two blocks from my house.

I have sent two letters to the Federal Bureau of Investigation seeking answers and have merely been told "we are working on it."

The Federal Government's failure to promptly issue a report and make a decision in this case is outrageous.

Thank you to the 100 citizens including many Mount Vernon residents who came out to remember Bijan and tell the government that his family and our community deserve answers.

Here is the news coverage in case you missed it.

WJLA Channel 7 - Rep. Don Beyer says FBI investigation into Bijan Ghaisar shooting wrapped up weeks ago (Nov. 8, 2018)   

WTOP - Vigil marks nearly 1 year after Virginia man fatally shot by Park Police

Channel 9 Coverage - Peggy Fox

Channel 4 Coverage - Jackie Bensen 

Report on Coal Ash Hearing #2

Nate Benforado with SELC Addressing Committee

Spent the day today in Richmond for the second meeting of the Joint House/Senate Commerce and Labor Committee meeting on resolving Virginia's coal ash situation.

Dominion Briefing
Dominion was first to the podium.  They briefed the committee on a recent Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals opinion that reversed a Richmond federal judge who held that their Chesapeake Coal Ash landfill was violating the Clean Water Act.  The appellate court held that the trial judge was wrong and that although the landfill was leaking toxic metals, it was not leaking it in a way that violated the Act.

Next, Dominion talked about the status of their request for proposals on coal ash recycling.

• 86 people from 51 firms attended Dominion's initial information session
• 26 suppliers indicated interest in bidding
• They held tours at four sites where 57 people from 23 firms attended
• They received 115 questions and issued 12 clarifications for the bid process
• They ultimately received 12 bids with 2,100 pages of information
• They are currently asking questions of the bidders and then expect to have a report to the legislature by November 15, 2018

Dominion also noted that they are exploring have multiple solutions are multiple sites and not unitary solutions at each site.

Hurricane Florence Approaching East Coast (UPDATES BELOW)

A powerful hurricane is on track to hit the east coast this weekend bringing heavy rain to our region.

Monitor your local news sources for the latest weather conditions, and check the  National Weather Service  for up-to-date information.

Here are couple important tips, websites and numbers to keep you safe:

Weekly Column: Labor Day 2018: Virginia Has a Long Way To Go

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, and Potomac Local in the week of September 3, 2018.

Labor Day 2018: Virginia Has a Long Way to Go

Labor Day this past Monday was a fitting reminder for us to work harder to not only honor working people in the United States and Virginia, but to strengthen our economy and supports for employees.  Virginia has a long way to go.  

Last week Oxfam America released a study that found that Virginia ranked #51 out of 51 as the best state to be an employee – yes, dead last.  This included rankings of #48 in worker protections, #49 in the right to organize, and #51 in wage policies.   This is troubling news. 

Virginia has done nothing to raise the minimum wage since 2009, when Congress increased it to $7.25 per hour or about $15,000 per year without time off.  In Northern Virginia, anyone earning $7.25 per hour has to be either supported by someone else or on government assistance.  

Weekly Column: Setting Budget Priorities

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, and Potomac Local in the week of July 15, 2018.

Setting Budget Priorities

Last week, Governor Ralph Northam announced that Virginia finished the fiscal year with  $551.9 million more in revenue that we projected when writing this year’s budget. 

First, the good news is that most of this surplus is due to increased tax revenue from payroll withholding taxes, not one-time revenue sources like capital gains or tax avoidance strategies related to the recent changes in federal tax laws.  The Virginia economy has truly started to perform again. 

However, it is important to keep these numbers in context.  The state’s General Fund has been under significant stress over the decade since the Great Recession and automatic federal spending cuts caused by a process called a “sequester.”  In the nine years I have served in the General Assembly, this is the second fiscal year that the Commonwealth has experienced revenue growth equal to or greater than the historical average.

Weekly Column: Historic Budget Supports Health Care, Teachers, Police and More

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, and Potomac Local in the week of June 3, 2018.

Historic Budget Supports Health Care, Teachers, Police and More

                Last week, the Virginia legislature, with my support, took several major steps forward. First, we agreed to expand Medicaid, health insurance for disabled and low-income Americans, so that now, over 36,000 people in the 36^th Senate District receive their health care from Medicaid.  This includes over 24,000 children, children whose parents now have no health care.  Starting January 1, 2019, that will change.                  

                Medicaid expansion will provide health care to between 300,000 and 400,000 Virginians and create 30,000 new jobs, many of which will be right here in eastern Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford Counties.  It will also save taxpayers $180,000,000 every two years by shifting charity care at state teaching hospitals and prison health care to Medicaid.  All of us pay for uninsured people who must resort to costly hospital emergency rooms for their care.  Providing Medicaid coverage can help people avoid hospital emergency rooms for non-emergency care and will help limit insurance premium increases.

Dumfries U.S. 1 on the Verge - Comment by Saturday!

If you ever get down to Dumfries to talk to its residents, one of the first things you learn is like Eastern Fairfax County, the state of U.S. 1 is one issue that binds all of its residents together.  In the next three days, they have an opportunity to do something about it.

Only Three Ways Out of Dumfries
(Click to Enlarge)

Dumfries and its communities to the east along the Potomac River have basically only three ways to get out of town - U.S. 1 North, U.S. 1 South, and two-lane Van Buren Road.  In-fact, U.S. 1 cuts across the creeks for each peninsula into the Potomac River, within a quarter mile of where each creek becomes tidal.  This basically turns each peninsula into a massive cul de sac.

When coupled with the endemic congestion on Interstate 95, the consequences for the Town are tragic.  Each time I-95 becomes gridlocked, interstate traffic bails out onto U.S. 1 causing U.S. 1 to freeze and leaving thousands of residents with no way out.  The gridlock has also stymied the town's ability to attract high quality development to its business areas.

Demanding Investments From NVTA For Our Community

Last night, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority hosted a public hearing to receive public comment before deciding how they will allocate over $1.248 billion over the next six years. I joined Dumfries Mayor-Elect Derrick Wood and Town Councilwoman-Elect Monae Nickerson to advocate for funding four projects on U.S. 1. 

Here are the four projects:

• 2018-006-1 - Route 1 Widening (Fort Belvoir to Costco) - $127,000,000
• 2018-007-0 - Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit - $250,000,000
• 2018-016-2 - CSX Bridge Widening at U.S. 1 and I-95 - $12,000,000
• 2018-053-1 - Widen Route 1 Through Dumfries - $116,554,00

We were joined by the Mount Vernon Council of Citizens and the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation who spoke in support of the projects.  Unfortunately, the Northern Virginia "Transportation" Alliance - a coalition of Tysons and Dulles-Area businesses and developers spoke specifically in opposition to the Route 1 projects even though U.S. 1 BRT ranked #8 for congestion relief on the formula that they drafted and pushed us to enact!  

Eastern Fairfax and Prince William County have waited too long for transportation investments into U.S. 1. Now is the time to fund these crucial projects and I will have little patience if the institutional forces of Northern Virginia continue to demand priority over areas that have lacked infrastructure investment for three decades.

Weekly Column: Comment on U.S. 1’s Future ASAP

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette and Springfield Connection in the week of May 15, 2018.

Comment on U.S. 1’s Future ASAP 

If you care about our community’s future, it is critical that you take a few minutes before May 20 to share our support for upgrading the U.S. 1 corridor, a major, but long-overlooked, commercial, residential and recreational thoroughfare in eastern Fairfax County. 

The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) is now deciding which projects to fund with $1.2 billion as part of its six-year plan.   

Fairfax County submitted several projects including widening U.S. 1 north from Fort Belvoir to Costco ($127 million) and establishing bus rapid transit from Huntington Metro to Fort Belvoir ($250 million) and made these top county-wide priorities.  NVTA ranked these two projects #23 and #24 out of 60 using the new “Smart Scale” criteria and numbers #2 and #8 out of 60 using the HB599 congestion mitigation criteria established by state law.  

Kingstonian Column: Affordable Housing Must Be Part of U.S. 1’s Remake

The following will appear in the May, 2018 Kingstonian Magazine and Beulah Corridor monthly magazine.

Affordable Housing Must Be Part of U.S. 1’s Remake 

This past month, as part of the “Embark Richmond Highway” process the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors made significant progress building on the U.S. 1 Multimodal Study authorized by Senator Puller and myself in 2011 which envisioned a six-lane U.S. 1 bordered by sidewalks, multiuse paths, a median-dedicated bus rapid transit and two-stop Yellow Line extension.  The zoning changes envisioned by Embark will be truly transformational.  However, U.S. 1’s revitalization is generating legitimate questions about the future of affordable housing for current and future members of our community.  

From the beginning, I have been concerned the impact of revitalization on affordable housing.  The South County Task Force led by Mary Paden recently convened a panel discussion on affordable housing after it was largely omitted from the Embark recommendations.

Route 1 Corridor Improvements Need NVTA Support

During the recent General Assembly session, both the House of Delegates and the Senate agreed to proposals that would fully fund Metro. Unfortunately, the House refused to include revenue increases so their version of the funding agreement takes money out of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA). This could have dire consequences for the 36th District. Route 1 corridor improvement and transit expansion projects are counting on funding from NVTA.

VIDEO: Demanding that EPA keep coal ash regulations in place

Yesterday, the EPA held a hearing on the Trump Administration's proposal to roll back Obama-era regulations on coal ash. My testimony is below.

One of the four large Chesapeake Bay watershed coal ash deposits is in Dumfries, Virginia in the 36th District. All four sites are leaking toxic heavy metals into groundwater and drinking water in the surrounding communities. I have introduced 10 bills to deal with the coal ash problem in Virginia and met with moderate success. Last year, my bill to require Dominion to study alternatives for dealing with the coal ash resulted in this report:

Coal Combustion Residuals Ash Pond Closure Assessment (November, 2017)

Weekly Column: Affordable Housing Must Be Part of U.S. 1’s Remake

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of April 15, 2018.

Affordable Housing Must Be Part of U.S. 1’s Remake 

U.S. 1’s revitalization, called Embark, is generating some legitimate questions about the future of affordable housing for current and future members of our community.  The first part of the Embark plan envisions building fourteen miles of bus rapid transit and extending the Yellow Line to Hybla Valley.  This is a long-overdue plan that can bring new life, opportunities and jobs to our area.

From the beginning, I have been concerned about Embark Route 1’s impact on affordable housing and have raised concerns in the planning meetings.  The South County Task Force led by Mary Paden recently convened a panel discussion on affordable housing after it was largely omitted from the Embark Route 1 recommendations.

Neabsco Creek Possible Shutdown

Neabsco Creek & Leesylvania State Park

Last month, the United States Coast Guard refused to place navigational buoys in Neabsco Creek after they determined that the creek had silted in to the point that it is not safe.  They went on to put up "Danger Shoaling" signs at the entrance to the creek.  The marinas served by the creek dispute those measurements and believe that the creek is still to navigate.

This will cause numerous problems:

• There are three marinas with 50 jobs that could be threatened - E.Z. Cruz Marina, Hamptons Landing Marina, and Pilot House Marina.
• There are 1,000 boats in slips in the three marinas served by the creek.
• The Prince William County Fire/Police response boat is housed there on a lift.  Moving the boat will cost taxpayers $120,000 for new docking facilities and if no lift is available, it will cost $18,000 per year in bottom paint and a reduction of 4 knots per hour in response time.
• Lost access to the only 24 hour gas dock in Prince William County
• Lost access to the boat sewage pumping out facility
• Lost tax revenues
• Put massive pressure on Leesylvania State Park which is already overwhelmed with users.

The Army Corps of Engineers last dredged the creek in 1998 but has not conducted further dredging due to budget limitations.  This is also a statewide problem all over the tidal Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Weekly Column: State Regulation Thwarted, Time for Local Action

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of April 2, 2018.

State Regulation Thwarted, Time for Local Action

The March for Life put a spotlight on the country’s and Virginia’s permissive firearms regulation culture.  The young people’s outburst of civic activism and the new efforts of others who have not been very politically active is inspiring. 

Historically, I have proudly supported reasonable, bipartisan measures to allow Sunday hunting, reduce fees and cut paperwork for concealed carry gun holders.  Unfortunately, sensible measures to prevent firearm violence have been at a stalemate in Virginia.  Until there is broader political change in Virginia, we must take some steps at the local level.

Currently, Virginia law allows local governments to ban loaded shotguns and rifles, including semi-automatic rifles like AR-15’s, on public highways.  Nineteen localities, including Alexandria and Loudoun and Fauquier Counties, have adopted this approach.  I can think of no reason anyone needs to carry a loaded AR-15 or a shotgun a Northern Virginia highway.

Weekly Column: Embark Ushers in a New Phase for U.S. 1

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of March 26, 2018.

Embark Ushers in a New Phase for U.S. 1

Last week, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the Embark Route 1 comprehensive plan revision, a step that lays the groundwork for development over the next 30-40 years for the seven miles of U.S. 1 between the Huntington Metro Station and Fort Belvoir.  This plan, reflecting several years of community input, has significant implications for both Fairfax and Prince William Counties.

When I was elected to the House of Delegates in 2009, efforts to reach consensus for a Fairfax County, U.S. 1 road design had frozen during work on the U.S. 1 Centerline Study, issued by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in January, 2010 after a 15-year process.  Prince William County was planning a series of U.S. 1 redesigns while Fairfax County’s decision-making had stalled after disputes arose about incorporating transit into redesigns and right-of-way impacts.  Then-Congressman Jim Moran had secured $180 million to expand U.S. 1 to six lanes in Fort Belvoir, but that expansion would create a bottleneck at Jeff Todd Way.

Weekly Column: Successes in the State Legislature

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of March 12, 2018.

Successes in the State Legislature
Last week brought an end to the regular 2018 session of the General Assembly. Once again, I had some significant successes. The legislature sent 13 of my 61 bills to Governor Northam for his signature. Legislators continued 15 to 2019 for studies and referred several to agencies for administrative consideration.

While several of my budget amendments were included in the Senate budget, including the funding the first staff at brand new Widewater State Park in Stafford, we unfortunately adjourned without adopting a biennial budget due to the Senate Republican Caucus’s refusal to include Medicaid expansion into their budget. Budget discussions have completely stalled out and Governor Northam will call us into special session at some point in the next two months.

Spring 2018 Status of U.S. 1 Improvements

This morning, the "U.S. 1 Delegation" consisting of myself, Senator Ebbin, and Delegates Krizek and Sickles met with the project team with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Fairfax County Department of Transportation to talk about the status of the U.S. 1 widening and bus rapid transit in anticipation of our next public hearing.

First, Fairfax County's process to implement the state-funded U.S. 1 Multimodal Alternative Analysis Study will come to a conclusion when the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will vote to approve the Comprehensive Plan changes developed as part of the EMBARK Richmond Highway Process on March 20, 2018.  This plan will lay the groundwork for the next thirty years in our community.  You can get more information here:

EMBARK Richmond Highway - Plan Amendment 2015-IV-MV1

The County is in the process of developing its application for federal transit funding under the New Starts Program to fund approximately fifty-percent of the cost of bus rapid transit (BRT) from Huntington Metro to Fort Belvoir.

Kingtowne/Beluah Corridor Monthly Column: 2018 Session Wrap Up

The following will appear in next month's Kingstonian Magazine and Beulah Corridor monthly magazine.

This year, I had a relatively successful session.  I passed 13-14 pieces of legislation including bills to lower fees for security freezes on credit reports, facilitate child testimony at abuse proceedings, provide juvenile court judges discretion to reduce charges if children rehabilitate, allow courts to withhold for spousal support, providing local government funds for commercial transit corridor utility undergrounding, and education children about the dangers of sexting. 

My bill to raise Virginia’s lowest-in-nation misdemeanor-felony threshold passed after putting the bill in for nine years.  Also, my bill to extend our coal ash study process for twelve months so we can clarify how many billions of dollars the coal ash remediation process will cost before choosing a method.

Weekly Column: Underground Utilities, Transportation Solutions Get Attention

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Mt. Vernon Voice, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of March 4, 2018.

Underground Utilities, Transportation Solutions Get Attention

The second to last week of the General Assembly session brought a conclusion to most committee work in the legislature, passage of several important bills and a fierce wind storm. 

On Friday, a powerful wind storm struck Virginia and inflicted millions of dollars in damage to people and property, far more harm than most people anticipated.    Many people lost electricity, some for several days.  According to Dominion Energy, it was the fifth worst power outage in company history after Hurricanes Isabel, Floyd, Irene and the 2012 Derecho. 

The mass destruction reaffirms my view that we need to invest in utility undergrounding immediately.  The newer developed parts of Northern Virginia where power lines are underground did not suffer outages and while undergrounding is expensive, the disruption of people’s lives has great value also.

Powerful Nor’Easter Moving Through 36th District (UPDATES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

A powerful wind storm is causing damage across Northern Virginia and the 36th District. 

Dominion reported that 224,000 customers were without power this morning.

Here are couple important tips, websites and numbers to keep you safe:

Weekly Column: Budget Overtime Likely, BYOB Legalized, and U.S. 1 Utilities

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Mt. Vernon Voice, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of February 6, 2018.

Budget Overtime Likely, BYOB Legalized, and U.S. 1 Utilities

Week Seven of the General Assembly brought some focus to the state’s budget situation and movement on a few important bills of the session.

On Tuesday we debated our respective budget amendments.  The budgets are separated by a massive revenue gulf due to Medicaid.  The House of Delegates’ budget included Medicaid Expansion with a work requirement.  The Senate Budget did not.

BYOB at Swimming Pool Legal After July 1, 2018

This week, we passed a bill that legalized activity that most of my constituents probably thought was legal.

Before homeowners' associations came into existence in the 1980's, neighbors banded together to form associations to purchase property to build recreational amenities such as pools and tennis courts.  We have many in the 36th District including the Little Hunting Park Club, Inc., Hollin Hills Pool, Hollin Meadows Swim and Tennis Club, Riverside Gardens Swim and Tennis Club, Hayfield Farm Swim Club, Mansion House Club, Inc., Virginia Hills Swim Club, and the Mount Vernon Park Association.

As a side note, one of these pools was the defendant in litigation that resulted in the desegregation of pools.  I wrote about it here:

The Dixie Pig: Black History Month & Mount Vernon's Paul Sullivan (Feb. 15, 2012)

I have been a member of the Mount Vernon Park Association since I was four-years old in 1975.  As an adult, we've often used their picnic facilities to cook out and drink a bottle of wine.  I was surprised when this year, I found out that was illegal!

Apparently, Virginia Law currently requires a private facility to obtain a banquet license every time someone wants to consume alcohol on their premises.  Delegate Rip Sullivan came to the rescue with HB 1520 which codifies an exception for personal consumption of alcoholic beverages at swim clubs.

The bill actually got a little bit of heat in committee and on the floor so I had to stand up and defend it.  You can watch the floor debate above.

I am proud that my constituents can now continue to drink alcohol at their swim clubs (subject to club rules) without fear of prosecution!

Weekly Column: 21 Bills Cross, Predatory Lending Restricted, and Coal Ash Progress

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Mt. Vernon Voice, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of February 6, 2018.

               Week Six of the General Assembly brought us to the midpoint of session, completion of work on all bills in our own chambers, and announcement of the proposed House and Senate budgets.

              Twenty-one of my bills “crossed over” to the House of Delegates including several this week.  First, my legislation continuing the moratorium on permitting the closure of coal ash ponds was continued for fourteen months so the legislature could have more time to gather information. 

Most other states have moved towards recycling coal ash into products such as bricks and concrete instead of burying it the ground for eternity.  Dominion has estimated that recycling will cost $4-8 billion but the recycling community contends that is greatly overstated.  My bill requires Dominion to seek specific recycling proposals from coal ash recyclers and to pass proposals along to the legislature so we can consider the actual cost of recycling next year.  It is important that we have correct information before we decide to make a decision that will pass along over a billion dollars of cost to electricity rate payers.

Weekly Column - Week Five: A Deal on Misdemeanor-Felony Threshold, Coal Ash Continues

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Mt. Vernon Voice, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of February 6, 2018.

Week Five: A Deal on Misdemeanor-Felony Threshold, Coal Ash Continues

The fifth week of session brought a furious pace to legislating including some of the most contentious bills of the session as we approached “crossover” – the day the Senate and House are required to complete action on legislation originating in each chamber.  It was mostly a successful week for me.  Twenty-one of my bills are now set to pass the Senate to be considered by the House of Delegates.

First, Governor Northam announced an agreement to raise Virginia’s threshold between misdemeanors and felonies from $200 to $500.  Once enacted, Virginia’s threshold will still be the second lowest in the United States.  I have introduced this legislation every year for nine sessions I was pleased it is finally going to be enacted into law.  

Weekly Column: Progress on Predatory Lending, Fracking, and Education Equity

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Mt. Vernon Voice, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of February 6, 2018.

Progress on Predatory Lending, Fracking, and Education Equity 

The third week of the General Assembly brought action on about two dozen of my bills.

First, my two remaining bills to address education equity were unanimously recommended by the Education Subcommittee.  The first bill prohibits localities from requiring children to use “electronic textbooks” without providing students with devices to use such “books” at home.  Many children in the U.S. 1 Corridor do not have computers or broadband at home and our schools should not mandate electronic learning without providing devices.

Chuck Colgan's Top 10

Last year, the longest serving member of the Senate of Virginia, Chuck Colgan, passed away After a long and impressive career in the Senate of Virginia where he served from 1976 to 2016 after serving the people of Prince William County for thirty years.  

At his funeral, his family put "Chuck Colgan's Top Ten" into the program which were rules that he told his children to live by.  A picture of them is at the right.  Good advice to follow!  

The 36th District Town Hall Wrap-Up

Over the past two weekends we have held six different town hall meetings.

Thank you all who attended the town halls, both in-person and online through Facebook Live, thank you for all the engaging questions you brought with you. Stay contacted with me via Facebook and Twitter to hear about future town halls.

You can watch video from each of the town halls below! 

Occoquan Town Hall – January 27, 2018

Weekly Column: Progress on Education Equity and Setbacks on Distracted Driving

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Mt. Vernon Voice, and the Potomac and Stafford Locals in the week of January 29, 2018.

               This past weekend, we saw about 150 people turn out at my three Town Hall Meetings in Occoquan, Montclair and Stafford County with Senator Jeremy McPike, Delegates Jennifer Carroll Foy, Hala Ayala, and Elizabeth Guzman.  You can watch videos of all six of my town hall meetings on my Facebook page or on my blog – The Dixie Pig – at scottsurovell.blogspot.com.  Thank you to everyone who turned out!

               On Wednesday, the Senate Transportation Committee killed my legislation to authorize temporary driving permits for Virginians who cannot show legal immigration status but can pass a driving test and are paying Virginia taxes.  Numerous studies in the fifteen states who have done this have shown that it reduces collisions, hit and run incidents, increases reporting other crimes to law enforcement, and results in significantly increased tax collections.  The bill died on a party line vote 7-8 after over three hundred people jammed the room and testified about how a lack of driving privileges affected them on a daily basis.