Virginia Action
Regulatory Reform Bill Update 1/20

Regulatory Reform


SUPPORT


The following bill will be voted on in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee THIS AFTERNOON, 1/20.


SB1276 – Portable Benefit Accounts and Tax Deduction

This bill establishes a framework for portable benefit accounts for independent contractors and provides a state income tax deduction for contributions to these accounts. The legislation supports independent workers by creating a mechanism for flexible benefits and tax relief, allowing contractors to save for healthcare and other essential expenses while maintaining individual financial autonomy.


Please contact these Senators and ask them to VOTE YES on SB1276.

Commerce and Labor CommitteeDistrictPhoneEmail
Chair: Senator R. Creigh Deeds (D)11(804) 698-7511[email protected]
Senator Lamont Bagby (D)14(804) 698-7514[email protected]
Senator Bill DeSteph (R)20(804) 698-7520[email protected]
Senator Adam P. Ebbin (D)39(804) 698-7539[email protected]
Senator Mamie E. Locke (D)23(804) 698-7523[email protected]
Senator L. Louise Lucas (D)18(804) 698-7518[email protected]
Senator Ryan T. McDougle (R)26(804) 698-7526[email protected]
Senator David W. Marsden (D)35(804) 698-7535[email protected]
Senator Jeremy S. McPike (D)29(804) 698-7529[email protected]
Senator Mark D. Obenshain (R)2(804) 698-7502[email protected]
Senator Mark J. Peake (R)8(804) 698-7508[email protected]
Senator Bryce E. Reeves (R)28(804) 698-7528[email protected]
Senator Aaron R. Rouse (D)22(804) 698-7522[email protected]
Senator William M. Stanley, Jr. (R)7(804) 698-7507[email protected]
Senator Scott A. Surovell (D)34(804) 698-7534[email protected]

SUPPORT


This bill will be voted on in the House Health Subcommittee TOMORROW afternoon, 1/21.


HB1555SUPPORT: HB1555 – Healthcare Sand Box
Requires the Department of Health to establish the Health Care Regulatory Sandbox Program to enable a person to obtain limited access to the market in the Commonwealth to temporarily test an innovative health care product or service on a limited basis. 

To see bill text and info: Click HERE


Please contact these Delegates and tell them to VOTE YES on HB1555

Subcommittee: HealthDistrictPhoneEmail
Chair: Delegate Patrick A. Hope(D)1(804) 698-1001[email protected]
Delegate Charniele L. Herring(D)4(804) 698-1004[email protected]
Delegate M. Keith Hodges(R)68(804) 698-1068[email protected]
Delegate Marcia S. “Cia” Price(D)85(804) 698-1085[email protected]
Delegate Irene Shin(D)8(804) 698-1008[email protected]
Delegate Mark D. Sickles(D)17(804) 698-1017[email protected]
Delegate Kim A. Taylor(R)82(804) 698-1082[email protected]
Delegate H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.(R)83(804) 698-1083[email protected]
Delegate Rodney T. Willett(D)58(804) 698-1058[email protected]
Healthcare Bill Call to Action – UPDATE

HEALTHCARE


SUPPORT


UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE


This bill directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to develop a plan and estimate costs for expanding eligibility criteria under Medicaid for remote patient monitoring for individuals with chronic conditions. 


SUPPORT: SB910 – Phased Elimination of Certificate of Public Need – Failed through the motion to pass by indefinitely in the Senate Health and Education Committee with a vote of 13-Y and 1-N on January 16th.

This bill would establish a phased elimination of Certificate of Public Need with full elimination in 2027. 


Please contact these Senators and ask them to VOTE YES on SB843 and SB910.

Senate Committee: Education and HealthDistrictPhoneEmail
Chair: Senator R. Creigh Deeds (D)11(804) 698-7511[email protected]
Senator Lamont Bagby (D)14(804) 698-7514[email protected]
Senator Bill DeSteph (R)20(804) 698-7520[email protected]
Senator Adam P. Ebbin (D)39(804) 698-7539[email protected]
Senator Mamie E. Locke (D)23(804) 698-7523[email protected]
Senator L. Louise Lucas (D)18(804) 698-7518[email protected]
Senator Ryan T. McDougle (R)26(804) 698-7526[email protected]
Senator David W. Marsden (D)35(804) 698-7535[email protected]
Senator Jeremy S. McPike (D)29(804) 698-7529[email protected]
Senator Mark D. Obenshain (R)2(804) 698-7502[email protected]
Senator Mark J. Peake (R)8(804) 698-7508[email protected]
Senator Bryce E. Reeves (R)28(804) 698-7528[email protected]
Senator Aaron R. Rouse (D)22(804) 698-7522[email protected]
Senator William M. Stanley, Jr. (R)7(804) 698-7507[email protected]
Senator Scott A. Surovell (D)34(804) 698-7534[email protected]


Education Bills Update 1/20

EDUCATION


OPPOSE


UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

These bills will be voted on in the Senate Public Education Subcommittee on Thursday, January 16th, 30 minutes after the Senate floor adjourns in Senate Room C, Room 311, of the General Assembly Building


SB1031 – Religious Exemption for Education Requirements

Attacks the homeschooling religious exemption process by requiring parents to meet educational qualifications, submit annual notices and progress reports, and demonstrate certain instruction methods.


SB979 – Delayed implementation of new Public School Accountability System

This bill directs the Department of Education to delay for one year the implementation of the revised public school accountability system adopted recently by the State Board of Education after robust research and discussion.


SUPPORT


SB1346 – Virginia Opportunity Scholarships

The Virginia Opportunity Scholarship program is designed to give students greater access to learning opportunities that best meet their needs. 10,000 eligible K-12 students can receive $5,000 per academic year. This program is for Virginia students whose household income does not exceed $81,120 for a family of four. This scholarship puts money directly into families’ hands for expenses of attending an accredited private school in Virginia including, tuition, transportation, books, and other qualified educational expenses— such as summer school programs— so families can access the opportunities that work best for their child.

To see bill text and info: Click HERE


Please contact these Senators and ask them to vote NO on SB1031 and SB979.

Subcommittee: Public EducationDistrictPhone NumberEmail
Chair: Senator Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (D)16(804) 698-7516[email protected]
Senator Christie New Craig (R)19(804) 698-7519[email protected]
Senator Mamie E. Locke (D)23(804) 698-7523[email protected]
Senator Mark J. Peake (R)8(804) 698-7508[email protected]
Senator Stella G. Pekarsky (D)36(804) 698-7536[email protected]


Action Alert: Election Bills for Governor’s Action

The 2024 General Assembly session has been challenging to say the least!


However, with a lot of research, testimony in front of the Privileges and Elections committees and
productive meetings with legislators, we were able to kill or stall numerous bad election bills.
Additionally, Governor Youngkin has already vetoed two bills that proposed to re-enter Virginia into a
harmful system called ERIC, and he has suggested amendments to one other bill. 11 bad bills and two
election related budget items remain in the queue for the Governor to take action on. We are appealing to Governor Youngkin to VETO these 11 bad bills and 2 budget items and we need your help!


Please take a moment to email the Governor and urge him to VETO the bills listed below. For your
convenience, you may use or adapt the email template below. Please be polite and respectful and include
the bill lists.


Send Emails to [email protected] and
[email protected] or call 804 786-2211


[Your Name:]
[Your Address:]
[City, State ZIP Code:] [Date:]


The Honorable Governor Glenn Youngkin
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, VA 23218


Dear Governor,
I am writing to you today to express my opposition to the 11 bills and 2 budget items listed below. These
bills if passed into law will weaken Virginia’s ability to keep our elections fair and secure. I have provided
the problems with each of the bills to show why your veto is crucially needed. Please veto all these bills.


Thank you for your time and consideration.


Sincerely,


[Your Name]
[Your Title, if applicable]
[Your Organization, if applicable]
[Your Phone Number and Email Address]


Veto HB 26 – Provides new non-verifiable ID for voting, issued by welfare contractors: The bill adds more types of “acceptable” Voter identification, from private organizations certified or licensed by the state, Social Services, Dept. of Health, Behavioral Health, Medical Assistance. Even if they are issued for other purposes, these ID cards should not be acceptable for voter identification.


Veto HB623 and HB1408 – Reduces local control of elections: Decisions about early voting satellite offices, even daily schedules and locations, are removed from local Electoral Boards who are accountable to the community, and instead put under the control of the state or board of supervisors.


Veto HB 904 and SB300 –Removes data matching methods and deadlines to weaken verification of voter registrations: These two bills weaken Virginia’s current Voter List Maintenance laws by eliminating deadlines specified in the current law for General Registrars and the state. Without the existing deadlines, standards will be weakened to maintain current and accurate Registered Voter Lists. Voters in other states or localities have to be identified using a limited set of criteria, reducing the number of potentially illegal voters that will be sent to Registrars to remove.


Veto HB 939 – Limits the Second Amendment: The prohibition of possessing a firearm is expanded from 40-feet out to 100-feet out from a polling location, electoral board meeting location, or drop box. Sponsors had no evidence-based justification for the expanded locations and distance.
Veto HB1454 and SB246 – Makes non-citizen voting easier: These two bills remove the identifying
features used to distinguish between citizen and non-citizen state-issued driver’s permits and special ID
cards and extends the valid use period to match real Driver’s License. These bills make it easier for
non-citizens to vote.


Veto HB1534 – Limits a voter’s right to challenge another voter’s registration: This bill removes a voter’s right to challenge the legitimacy of any voter’s registration directly to the Registrar. Instead three registered voters must challenge in Circuit Court earlier than 60 days before an election.


Veto SB428 – Suppresses voter’s choices through Ranked Choice Voting: This bill would further reduce transparency and accountability. Election officials would be forced to conduct any “Risk Limiting Audit” only on First-Rankings in an election. Some voters’ choices are already systematically suppressed with Ranked Choice Voting, because votes are eliminated. Ranked Choice Voting should not be an approved method for any elections in Virginia.


Veto SB364 – Limits the First Amendment: This bill could suppress protected speech criticizing
election administration. Election officials and electors are given special protected status, and vaguely
defined intimidation and “threats” are made causes for civil lawsuits. The bill is not needed to protect
election officials, because existing laws protect all persons from intimidation or threats, and even Biden’s
DOJ found that 89% of alleged “threats” against election officials were protected speech. No evidence
was submitted by sponsors of any actual threats made in Virginia against election officials.


Veto Budget Item 77#2c – Audits and Election Certification: F.1. and F.2. of this budget line item
would prohibit the critical ability to conduct a risk-limiting audit of Virginia presidential elections
and would delay certification of elections by expanding by multiple days the time frame that electoral
boards are given to complete election certification and other processes.


Veto Budget Item 77#3c – Funding for ERIC: This item provides $200,000 in funding for the bills
that have already been vetoed that would have re-entered Virginia into ERIC.