Virginia Senate Republican Caucus

The Virginia Conservative Caucus today unveiled its 2010 legislative agenda featuring over 53 pieces of legislation.  The agenda focused on three themes: "Encouraging Job Creation, Progress & Opportunity", "Strengthening & Protecting Families", and "Limiting Government & Defending Freedom."

Senator Mark Obenshain (Harrisonburg), co-chair of the Conservative Caucus, noted that "Conservatives in Virginia are committed to advancing a positive agenda of economic growth, fiscal restraint, public safety and family values.  The agenda we are unveiling today addresses the concerns we hear every day from people across the Commonwealth.  It is an agenda of real solutions to real problems.  It is about stimulating the economy, not overburdening it with taxes and regulations.  Our agenda is Virginia's agenda: economic opportunity, strong families, and safe communities."

Senate Republicans had a number of pieces of legislation included on the agenda.  Among them were:

Encouraging Job Creation, Progress & Opportunity

• SB 671 (McDougle) - Eliminates Virginia's corporate income tax
• SB 133 (Obenshain) - Creates a tax credit for donations to public school foundations and scholarships
• SB 601 (Wagner) - Apportions royalties Virginia might receive from offshore drilling
• SB 129 (Stosch) - Fiscally incentivizes companies that manufacture or assemble green energy equipment
• SB 310 (Martin) - Increases the amount of the credit an individual can take for long-term care insurance

Strengthening & Protecting Families

• SB 7 (Obenshain) - Includes accessories in the capital murder statute; Redefines the "triggerman rule"
• SB 520 (Norment) - Adds auxiliary officers to the capital murder statute
• SB 602 (Newman & Hurt) - Specifies the point of a child's independent and separate existence

Limiting Government & Defending Freedom

• SB 334 (Hanger) - Allows a person with a concealed carry permit to carry into a restaurant or club; prohibits consumption
• SB 283 (Quayle), SB 311 (Martin), & SB 417 (Vogel) - Provides that a resident of the Commonwealth shall not be required to obtain or maintain a policy of individual health insurance coverage
• SB 5 (Smith) - Requires posting of the budget & amendments to the General Assembly website for at least 72 hours before a vote is taken
• SJ 100 (Newman) & SJ 137 (Norment) - Requires the General Assembly to maintain permanent and separate transportation funds
• SJ 17 (Martin) - Urges Congress to recognize state sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment

To learn more about the Virginia Conservative Caucus and review their full legislative agenda, you can visit the Caucus website at http://vaconservativecaucus.org/