Manassas Journal Messenger | State bill to bear fruit
The Ginger Gold Apple is on its way to becoming Virginia’s state fruit thanks to a bill sponsored by local elected officials working on the final month of the General Assembly session in Richmond.
Sen. Linda T. “Toddy” Puller, D-Mount Vernon, sponsored the fruit bill and she has another food-related, but much more serious bill on the docket.
Last year kitchens that serve food to homeless people or for hunger prevention programs were shut down because they didn’t meet industrial food service standards. Puller is sponsoring a bill that would relax the food service standards for these kitchens and prevent them from having to purchase expensive equipment.
The following is a list of bills sponsored by the Prince William-Manassas area delegation.
This year’s General Assembly session is scheduled to end Feb. 24.
Sen. John H. Chichester,
R-Fredericksburg
RECEIVED SENATE APPROVAL
• SB 750 includes a myriad of budget amendments for the second year of this biennial budget. This bill received Senate approval and proceeds to the House of Delegates for consideration.
• SB 770 would allow institutions of higher learning to sell bonds up to $103.55 million to pay for capital projects. The projects include student housing at George Mason University, James Madison University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Virginia State University. This bill received unanimous Senate approval and awaits consideration from the House Appropriations Committee.
• SB 771 would help fund $250 million in nutrient removal technologies to clean the Chesapeake Bay. The Senate gave this bill its unanimous approval. It awaits consideration from the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee.
• SB 1105 updates Virginia’s tax code with federal guidelines. This bill awaits House Finance Committee approval and it has already passed unanimously in the Senate.
• SB 1333 would require the Marine Resources Commission to give permits to anyone wanting to place a temporary shellfish enclosure in state waters. The Senate approved this bill unanimously and it awaits consideration in the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee.
RECEIVED HOUSE AND SENATE APPROVAL
• SJ 468 commends the United Parcel Service of America for its 100th anniversary on Aug. 28. This resolution received full House and Senate support.
REJECTED
• SB 1106 amends the Freedom of Information Act by exempting from disclosure the name and personal information of a constituent in his or her correspondence with an elected official. This bill was left in the Senate General Law and Technology Committee.
Del. Robert G. Marshall,
R-Prince William
RECEIVED HOUSE APPROVAL
• HB 1742 would have prevented any more streets into the state highway maintenance system next year, unless the road was in an area controlled by a homeowner association. This bill was incorporated into HB 2227, which the patron withdrew because the subject of this legislation was already included in another bill that passed in the House. That bill, HB3202, is the House transportation plan seeking review in the Senate.
• HB 1743 adds Lyme disease to the list of diseases that must be reported to the Department of Health. This bill received unanimous House approval and awaits consideration in the Senate Education and Health Committee.
• HB 1746 Requires the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to compile and maintain an up-to-date inventory of all railroad corridors in Virginia abandoned after Jan. 1, 1970. This bill received unanimous House Approval and proceeds to the Senate for consideration.
• HB 1885 updates the definition of voice over Internet protocol service, which is not regulated by the State Corporation Commission. This bill received unanimous House approval and is awaiting consideration in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
RECEIVED HOUSE AND SENATE APPROVAL
• HB 1744 increases the income limit for elderly and disabled taxpayers from $72,000 to $75,000 in Northern Virginia localities, including Manassas, Manassas Park, Prince William County, Fairfax, Falls Church, Loudoun County, Fauquier County and Alexandria. This bill received final approval from the House and the Senate.
REJECTED
• HB 1747 would have designated U.S. 15, Va. 29, U.S. 50, Va. 28 and other roads in Northern Virginia as emergency response evacuation routes, which would prevent certain design impediments. This bill was left in the House Transportation Committee.
• HB 1748 would have designated Va. 606 between Va. 28 and U.S. 50 a primary highway according to VDOT’s standards, which would increase funding for the road’s maintenance. This bill was left in the House Transportation Committee.
• HB 1749 would have required that voters in Fairfax and Loudoun counties be able to vote on whether or not the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority could raise tolls on the Dulles Toll Road more than $2. The House Transportation Committee tabled this bill.
• HB 1750 would authorize special license plates bearing the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom Flag. The House Transportation Committee tabled this bill.
• HB 1751 would authorize special license plates to promote brain tumor awareness. The House Transportation Committee tabled this bill.
• HB 1752 would have required that money not spent by a school board in one fiscal year be reverted back to the school board budget and not the budget of the locality from which the money originated. The House Education Committee tabled this bill.
• HB 1754 would have required VDOT to publish a report that lists all money spent for transportation purposes, including the sources of the funding. The House Transportation Committee tabled this bill.
• HB 1717 would have collected excess recordation taxes and dispersed it to the Commonwealth Transportation Board to be spent on projects that would reduce poor air quality, reduce traffic congestion and improve motorist and pedestrian safety. The House Appropriations Committee tabled this bill.
• HB 1718 would have changed land use code to allow a locality to deny or change a rezoning application only if the project would depend on roads in the area that do not have capacity to handle additional traffic. It would also send to the Virginia Department of Transportation any cash proffers collected from developers. The House Transportation Committee tabled this bill.
• HB 1745 would have allowed localities to charge developers for the cost of installing new public facilities such as schools, roads and sewers. The House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee tabled this bill.
• HB 1883 would have required that abortion clinics meet standards in place for ambulatory surgery centers. This bill received House approval in a 60-35 vote, but was tabled in the Senate Education and Health Committee.
Sen. Linda T. “Toddy” Puller, D-Mount Vernon
RECEIVED SENATE APPROVAL
• SB 779 would make the Ginger Gold Apple the state’s official fruit. The Senate gave this bill its full endorsement; it awaits House Rules Committee consideration.
• SB 791 guides the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to establish tax credits for people who build or renovate a home that is handicapped accessible. The Senate unanimously approved this bill and it awaits consideration from the House Finance Committee.
• SB 806 exempts kitchens where food for homeless shelters is made from normal food distribution standards. This would relax requirements for places where food is donated for hunger prevention programs and not mandate they purchase industrial food service equipment. Bill is effective immediately on passage. The Senate gave its unanimous approval to this bill and it awaits House General Laws Committee consideration.
• SB 807 would allow non-profit organizations to obtain ABC licenses to sell spirits. This bill received Senate approval and heads to the House General Laws Committee.
• SB 965 raises the compensation for mental health examiners in criminal cases from $400 to $750. The Senate gave this bill approval and it heads to the House Courts of Justice Committee.
• SB 1024 clarifies duties of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to include a long-term care policy for Virginia. Some of these duties would ordinarily fall under another secretariat of transportation, commerce and trade or education. The Senate gave this bill unanimous approval. It proceeds to the House for consideration.
• SB 1103 updates qualification requirements for someone who evaluates the mental capacity of someone who is receiving outpatient treatment. The Senate gave this bill its unanimous approval. It awaits consideration in the House Courts of Justice Committee.
• SB 1104 clarifies language in Virginia code dealing with people acquitted due to reasons of insanity. The Senate gave this bill its unanimous approval. It awaits consideration in the House Courts of Justice Committee.
• SB 1341 provides the subject of a laboratory test to also be able to receive the rest results along with the requesting doctor. The Senate gave this bill unanimous support. It awaits action in the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee.
• SB 1387 allows Prince William County to provide grants to help county employees, police, fire and rescue workers and teachers afford housing within the county. The Senate gave approval to this bill in a 38-1 vote and it awaits action in the House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee.
• SJ 327 continues the Joint Subcommittee to study the Commonwealth’s Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society. This resolution received Senate approval and heads to the House Rules Committee for consideration.
RECEIVED HOUSE AND SENATE APPROVAL
SJ 328 commends Dotty Eng of Alexandria for her years of service in Gold Star Wives of America, at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, and how she is a “shining example of the invaluable services provided by local volunteers.” The Senate and House approved this resolution.
• SJ 407 celebrates the life of David W. Harned of Mason Neck for his years of military service and for his “invaluable community service” through his column, “The Traffic Doc,” printed in the South County Chronicle. The Senate and House approved this resolution.
• SJ 408 commends Neabsco Elementary School principal Linda Trexler, an “exceptional leader and a gifted administrator,” who guided the school to a 90.1 percent pass rate in math and a 91.4 percent pass rate in language arts.
• SJ 409 commends Tina H. Allman, co-owner of Cars Incorporated in Dumfries, for her “dedication to the automobile industry, her community, and the Virginia Independent Automobile Dealers Association.” The Senate and House approved this resolution.
REJECTED
• SB 805 would allow victims of identity theft to freeze access to his or her credit report. This bill was tabled in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
• SB 964 would have mandated that property owner associations allow residents within their communities may post political signs. Puller requested this bill be pulled out of committee.