Reconvened Session Recap

The General Assembly reconvened on Wednesday to take up the amendments that the Governor proposed after reviewing the more than 1,700 bills that the House and Senate passed during this year’s legislative session. This historic session made even more history this week with the House and Senate meeting remotely in locations where we could distance ourselves while voting. You may have seen the media coverage showing the House convening under a tent erected next to the Capitol – yes, we had excellent weather for an outdoor meeting! The Senate convened indoors at the Science Museum of Virginia. Many thanks to the dozens of legislative and law enforcement staff who worked at the alternative chambers so that we could complete our business.

I have summarized below the most significant actions that we took during the reconvene session. I will continue to keep you informed with relevant, accurate information via Twitter, Facebook, and my website. Please email or call my office at delrwillett@house.virginia.gov or 804-698-1173 if you have any additional questions or need assistance.

Sincerely,

Rodney 

Reconvened Session Recap

Due to the ongoing public health threat of the COVID 19 pandemic, the Governor proposed many amendments to the budget which included the suspension of about $2 billion in new spending over two years. Many of the other changes that he proposed were to delay new law enactment dates, provide flexibility to agencies through budget language, and adjust funding amounts for state agencies. Those budget amendments include:

· Using CARES Act funds to provide incentive grants to child care providers

· New funding for needy school districts

· Delaying teacher salary raises

· Holding school counselor funding at 2020 levels

· Increasing nursing facility reimbursement rates

In addition to making changes to slim down our spending for the next two years, we voted to allow electronic games of skills machines to operate for another year, with a $1,200 per machine per month tax. The funds from this tax will go into a pool of money specifically for COVID 19 relief programs.

Minimum wage and collective bargaining bills were originally set to be enacted January 2021. Given the potential impact of those new laws on businesses and governments, legislators agreed to delay enactment to May 1, 2021.

Lawmakers also discussed an emergency release program for nonviolent offenders. This approved measure applies to prisoners with less than a year left to serve who have non-violent records and goes into effect immediately. The legislature also moved up the enactment date of a program that would grant parole to certain inmates who were sentenced after Virginia abolished parole, but before juries were informed there was no more parole. This is known as the “Fishback” law.

We adopted two laws targeting relief for renters. Eviction lawsuits will not be heard for two months after the courts re-open (see COVID 19 update below noting that the Supreme Court of Virginia has delayed local courts resuming normal operations through May 17th). And another capped interest rates for late payments to 10% which is effective immediately.

Payday loan reform laws were amended to move the enactment date up from July 2021 to January 2021.

The House of Delegates agreed with Governor Northam’s proposal to push back the May local elections to November but the Senate disagreed and the proposal did not survive.

New COVID 19 Information

Governor Northam has extended the ban on elective surgeries to May 1 and DMV locations will remain closed until May 11.

Governor Northam has signed an executive order waiving co-pay for FAMIS recipients, and waived preadmissions screenings for nursing facilities. These measures will give more people access to health care during this public health emergency.

The Supreme Court of Virginia’s has extended limitations on the operations of district and circuit courts through May 17th. Rental evictions hearings may not be heard during that time. And the legislature’s action this week now requires that courts not hold such hearings for two months after the courts reopen.

Commonwealth Connect has provided a new Virginia Wi-Fi Hotspot map, which you can access here.

All other information and resources that were previously included in this newsletter can still be found on my website and on my Facebook page.