Virginia Senate Republican Caucus

In Richmond, a Blizzard of Bills

In Richmond these days, the only things falling faster than snow are axes falling on bills as we close in on crossover, the day by which all legislation must have been heard in its originating chamber.

To give you an idea of the barrage we're facing, the Senate has passed 297 bills thus far, and another 212 are dead. With just a few days to gocrossover is Tuesdayanother 523 are either still in committee or waiting to be heard on the floor.

This time of year, legislation is heard quickly, and often killed quickly. Controversial bills that have been bottled up for weeks are heard rapid-fire. At very least, the days before crossover are never dull, and there are always a few surprises in store.

Take, for instance, a number of gun bills that came before the Senate Courts of Justice Committee on Wednesday. Senate Democrats had kept the bills off the docket all session long, but on Wednesday, the committee chair relented and held hearings on the bills. To everyone's surprise for a committee with a 9-6 Democratic advantage, several good bills supported by gun owners reported out of committee.

Two in particular deserve mention: Senator Jill Vogel's SB 408, which allows those who may lawfully possess a handgun to transport it in a private motor vehicle if locked in a container or compartment, and Sen. Ralph Smith's SB 3, which allows applications for renewal of concealed carry permits to be submitted by mail, removing an unnecessary hassle for gun owners.

Also notable was the failure of SB 595, a bill to close the so-called "gun show loophole." Supporters of the Second Amendment recognize this bill as a transparent attempt to discourage handgun ownership by purporting to close a loophole that really does not exist. Democrats on the committee decided not to even take a formal vote on the bill, recognizing that they lacked the votes to pass it on a committee that overwhelmingly favors them.

As you might expect, with lagging revenues and the budget shortfall, we have heard a lot of talk about looming service cuts. Those supporting tax hikes have argued that if we do not accept new taxes and fees, we will have to cut essential services. (Some might suggest that they believe that all services are essential.) A common refrain on the floor has been that our budget will leave no money for sheriffs and law enforcement.

The articulated concerns are difficult to reconcile with the actions of some. One member of the Senate introduced a bill to allow felony drug offenders to collect TANF (welfare) benefits. That's right: some of those suggesting that cuts to law enforcement will be necessary actually want to make welfare payments to drug felons. I have long argued that our priorities are all wrong and that we need to treat education and law enforcement as the priorities they are instead of paying lip service to it.

Perhaps the most infuriating move this week, though, was the decision of Senate Democrats to kill Senator Frank Wagner's offshore drilling bill. Drilling fifty miles offshore is ecologically sound, fiscally prudent, and forward-looking. It is a vital component of an energy portfolio that helps decrease our nation's reliance on foreign oil, would bring jobs to the Commonwealth and generate royalties that would help fund transportation here in Virginia, and it is supported by our state's congressional delegation, including our two Democratic Senators, Jim Webb and Mark Warner. The bipartisan support for the measure sadly did not extend to the Senate of Virginia.

One of my bills, designed to divest the state's ABC stores, was passed by indefinitely in the Senate Finance Committee, at my request, to provide more time to work with the governor to refine the proposal. Virginia is one of eighteen states that maintain a liquor monopoly, and I think it's time we step out of the shadow of Prohibition and privatize the ABC stores in a financially and socially responsible manner. For those who support privatization, fear not. The effort is very much alive and is moving forward.

Divesting the state's ABC stores is not an easy task, and there are many components and issues to be addressed, but I will continue to work with the governor and I will return with a revised bill in a special or later session.

Finally, three of my bills passed earlier this week and a few others met their demise; all, however, shared a theme, inasmuch as they are reflections of the current state of our economy.

I've had a number of bills, plus a budget amendment, designed to free up education dollars and provide local school divisions with greater authority to spend the money as they see fit, to meet their highest priorities, not what the General Assembly thinks those priorities should be. These bills were requested and crafted in close consultation with several Shenandoah Valley school divisions.

As you might expect, the General Assembly did not relax its grip quite that easily. One bill, delaying adoption of new accreditation standards, did pass, but the others did not. Those other measures which would have freed up lottery funds (currently targeted to legislators' pet education projects in many cases) and money from the classroom size reduction fund and allowing schools to spend that money on their most urgent educational needs.

Another of my bills, SB 137, gives commissioners of the revenue and treasurers access to voter lists to provide commissioners of the revenue with the information necessary for them to identify those who should be paying taxes in their locality.

If we wish to keep the tax burden on Virginia's families and businesses as low as possible, it is critical for state and local governments to have the tools necessary to identify those who should be paying taxes, and this offers commissioners another tool to do so. Voter registration is not the only factor in assessing residency and it is not determinative, but it makes no sense to continue to deprive commissioners of the revenue of access to those records. The bill passed the Senate and is on its way to the House.

Several other bills I patroned also passed this week, including one designed to encourage homebuilding and another that fixes the unintended consequences, for some rural localities including Rockingham County, of some tax-related legislation that was enacted last year.

Finally, it was my privilege to meet with a number of individuals and groups from the district and from around the Commonwealth this week. I spoke with a group of pastors assembled for Pastors Day earlier this week; met with members of the Rockingham County Board of Supervisors and the New Market town council; and had the opportunity to speak with a few college students from Harrisonburg. Snow kept a few other groups away, but it's always a pleasure to meet with my constituents here in Richmond, and I look forward to those visits picking up again next week.

Mark Obenshain
Virginia State Senator

P.S. If you have not yet taken my constituent survey, please do so at www.markobenshain.com today!