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Legislative Update: 5 February 2023

Friday was the last day for a bill to be brought forward for a committee vote with sufficient time remaining for the bill to receive a vote on the House Floor before the Crossover deadline of Tuesday, February 7th. Signifying this last dash, the House Floor is convening today, on Sunday, to have bills read for the first time that were passed in committees on Friday so that those bills can be read for the third time on Tuesday and meet the deadline.

2023 Session Overview Numbers
(Total # of bills and resolutions)

K-12 EDUCATION

HB 1909: Opportunity Classrooms 
If passed, this bill would establish the Opportunity Classroom program for schools. It would allow a teacher or a parent (with the support of a teacher) to establish an agreement with the school board to teach an alternative curriculum in a classroom designated for that purpose in a school.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed in a House Education subcommittee and the House Education Committee. Last week, it passed on the House Floor. It is anticipated to be assigned a committee in the Senate this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1508: Education Success Accounts
If passed, this bill would establish Education Success Accounts (ESA) for Virginia students leaving the public school system. It would put parents in the driver’s seat by giving them access to a portion of public education dollars allotted to their student to be utilized for costs like private school tuition or homeschool curriculum. ESAs allow dollars to follow each student, instead of funding systems.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed in a House Education subcommittee and the House Education Committee. Last week, it was passed in a House Appropriations subcommittee and was sent to the House Appropriations Committee, where they referred it back to the House Education Committee.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1821: Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit Expansion
This bill expands the Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit (EISTC) program, which provides education grants to children from low income families.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed in a House Education subcommittee and the House Education Committee. Last week, it passed in a House Finance subcommittee, the House Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee. It is on the House First Reading Calendar today and is anticipated to receive a House Floor vote this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE
  • Video about the EISTC program

HB 1507: Parental Rights and School Transparency
This bill reiterates and protects parental rights and provides parents with more education transparency in schools.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed in a House Education subcommittee and the House Education Committee. Last week, it passed on the House Floor and was referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Health.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

REGULATORY REFORM

HB 1758: Universal Regulatory Sandbox 
If passed, this legislation would create the Virginia Regulatory Sandbox Program. This program would facilitate a stronger free market and accelerated innovation by establishing an application process by which individuals may be granted a waiver from one or more state laws or regulations to make a desired product, use a desired production method, or provide a service.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed in a House General Laws subcommittee and the House General Laws Committee. Last week, this bill was passed by indefinitely (killed) in a House Appropriations subcommittee.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 2347: Regulatory Budget
This bill establishes the Regulatory Budget Program to help Virginia’s state agencies reduce the amount of regulations that come from their department in a two-year period. If passed, the bill would have an expiration date of  January 2027.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed in the House General Laws Committee. Last week, this bill passed on the House Floor and was referred to the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology. It is anticipated to be on a committee agenda in the near future.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1784: Digital Tokens & Decentralized Autonomous Organizations
This bill formalizes the use of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations to create an exception from security regulations regarding digital tokens. It will remove barriers for small tech companies to start businesses in Virginia, utilizing block-chain and algorithmic technology to increase business efficiency.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed a House Commerce and Energy subcommittee. Last week, this bill passed the House Commerce and Energy Committee. It is anticipated that this week the bill will receive a vote on the House Floor.
  • To see bill text and info: Click HERE

ELECTIONS

SB 1180: Private Interests Funding Elections
This legislation seeks to repeal critical aspects of the prohibition on private funding in elections that the General Assembly passed on a bipartisan basis last year. It would allow local registrars to solicit grants from non-governmental entities to fund election administration and train election officials.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee. Last week, it passed on the Senate Floor. It is anticipated to be referred to a House Committee this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

SB 1380: Ranked Choice Voting Expansion
If passed, this bill would expand Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in Virginia. Currently, this method of elections is only allowed for City Council and Board of Supervisors elections.

Ranked choice voting disconnects elections from issues and allows candidates with marginal support to win. It comes in multiple formats, some of which are a nightmare to count accurately, severely inhibiting transparency. It also disenfranchises voters, because ballots that do not include the two ultimate finalists are cast aside.

  • Bill status: Last week, this bill was passed by indefinitely (killed) in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee.
  • SB 1380 text, history, and information: Click HERE

SB 884: Election Reforms
This bill establishes many measures to increase the security of elections, including repealing same day voter registration, requiring an excuse for absentee voting, better voter ID requirements, making ballot harvesting illegal, and more.

  • Bill status: Last week, this bill was passed by indefinitely (killed) in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 2242: Restricted FOIAs
This bill will prohibit Freedom of Information Act requests to local electoral boards and registrars in a specific timeframe before and after an election. This bill forces Virginia registrars to ban and suppress voters’ rights to public election information for over a third of the year, and in some cases over half of the year, making Virginia the least transparent state in the U.S. for voters seeking information about elections.

  • Bill status: Last week, this bill was stricken from the docket (killed) in a House General Laws subcommittee.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1847: Locality Election Audits
This bill would improve current election auditing options and processes, by allowing an additional method of risk limiting audit called the Batch Comparison Method. This allows a few precincts in a locality to be hand counted to compare to the numbers that were produced on the voting machines.

  • Bill status: Last week, this bill was passed by for the day in a House Privileges and Elections Committee and did not receive a vote in the House Privileges and Elections Committee.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1680: Same Day Voter Registration
This legislation would require individuals who register to vote on Election Day or soon before Election Day to sign a statement affirming they will only cast one ballot.

  • Bill status: Last week, this bill passed a House Privileges and Elections subcommittee and the House Privileges and Elections Committee. It is anticipated to receive a House Floor vote this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 2454: Voter Roll Maintenance – Voter Address Information Updates
If passed, this legislation would require that local registrars receive information monthly about voters who have moved to a new address or who need their voter registration changed or removed. This would be a positive change to enable a more accurate voter roll on a consistent basis.

  • Bill status: Last week, this bill passed a House Privileges and Elections subcommittee and the House Privileges and Elections Committee. It is anticipated to receive a House Floor vote this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 2234: Repeal of Same Day Voter Registration
If passed, this bill would eliminate the practice of registering to vote on Election Day and casting a ballot the same day, with a few exceptions (including uniformed service members).

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed a House Privileges and Elections subcommittee and the House Privileges and Elections Committee. Last week, it passed on the House Floor. It is anticipated that this bill will be referred to a Senate Committee this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1947: Repeal Permanent Absentee Ballot List 
This bill would replace the permanent absentee ballot list with an annual absentee ballot list. An application would need to be completed annually to receive mailed ballots.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed a House Privileges and Elections subcommittee and the House Privileges and Elections Committee. Last week, it passed on the House Floor. It is anticipated that this bill will be referred to a Senate Committee this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1948: Absentee Ballot Verification Method
This bill would replace the current witness signature requirement on a completed absentee ballot with the last four digits of the voter’s Social Security Number (SSN). Although more work needs to be done to ensure that SSNs are verified to belong to the voter, this method would be an improvement to the currently unverified witness signatures on absentee ballots. It also makes it easier for proper completion of an absentee ballot for individuals who live alone.

  • Bill status: Previously, this bill passed a House Privileges and Elections subcommittee and the House Privileges and Elections Committee. Last week, it passed on the House Floor. It is anticipated that this bill will be referred to a Senate Committee this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1793: DMV Voter Information Transfer
This bill would help maintain accurate voter information that is collected from voter visits to the DMV. It proposes to require permission from the DMV customer before any relevant voter information is transferred from the DMV to the Department of Elections.

  • Bill status: Last week, this bill passed a House Privileges and Elections subcommittee and the House Privileges and Elections Committee. It is anticipated to receive a House Floor vote this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

DONOR PRIVACY

SB 854 & HB 1551: Nonprofit Donor Names Disclosure
This bill would require nonprofit donors’ names to be displayed on public ads when they support a referendum and in certain cases if the nonprofit has a score card for legislators. Online public documents already disclose these donors, but displaying their names on ads would make them exceptionally more vulnerable to be targeted and doxed.

  • SB 854 status: Previously passed on the Senate floor.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE
  • HB 1551 status: Last week this bill was tabled (killed) in a House Elections subcommittee.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE
Legislative Update: 29 January 2023

WEEK IN REVIEW 

The conclusion of this week marks the end of the second full week of the 2023 Virginia General Assembly legislative session. With just over a week left until the Crossover date of February 7th, when bills that have passed in one chamber will be sent to the opposite chamber for consideration, committees are a-buzz with debate and lengthy agendas. Please see below for this week’s highlights, bill summaries and updates.

2023 Session Overview Numbers
(Total # of bills and resolutions)

EDUCATION

HB 1909: Opportunity Classrooms 
If passed, this bill would establish the Opportunity Classroom program for schools. It would allow a teacher or a parent (with the support of a teacher) to establish an agreement with the school board to teach an alternative curriculum in a classroom designated for that purpose in a school.

  • Bill status: Passed in a House Education subcommittee and the House Education Committee last week. Is anticipated to receive a House floor vote this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1508: Education Success Accounts
If passed, this bill would establish Education Success Accounts (ESA) for Virginia students leaving the public school system. It would put parents in the driver’s seat by giving them access to a portion of public education dollars allotted to their student to utilize for costs like private school tuition or homeschool curriculum. ESAs allow dollars to follow each student, instead of funding systems.

  • Bill status: Passed in the House Education Committee last week, anticipated to receive a vote in a House Appropriations subcommittee and possibly full Appropriations Committee this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1821: Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit Expansion
This bill expands the Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit (EISTC) program, which provides education grants to children from low income families.

  • Bill status: Passed in the House Education Committee last week, anticipated to receive a vote in a House Finance subcommittee this week and possibly full House Finance Committee.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE
  • Video about the EISTC program

HB 1507: Parental Rights and School Transparency
This bill reiterates and protects parental rights and provides parents with more education transparency in schools.

  • Bill status: Passed in a House Education subcommittee and the House Education Committee, has been read on the House floor once, and is anticipated to receive a House floor vote this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

REGULATORY REFORM

HB 1758: Universal Regulatory Sandbox 
If passed, this legislation would create the Virginia Regulatory Sandbox Program. This program would facilitate a stronger free market and accelerated innovation by establishing an application process by which individuals may be granted a waiver from one or more state laws or regulations to make a desired product, use a desired production method, or provide a service.

  • Bill status: Passed in the House General Laws Committee last week, anticipated to receive a vote in a House Appropriations subcommittee and possibly full House Appropriations Committee this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 2347: Regulatory Budget
This bill establishes the Regulatory Budget Program to help Virginia’s state agencies reduce the amount of regulations that come from their department in a two-year period. If passed, the bill would have an expiration date of  January 2027.

  • Bill status: Passed in the House General Laws Committee and was read twice on the House floor last week. It is anticipated to be read the third time and receive a vote on the House floor this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

FIREARMS

SB 1236: Second Amendment Protection
This bill would have repealed the authority for localities to have an ordinance banning firearms in parks, recreation and community centers, and at events that are permitted, or should have been permitted.

  • Bill status: This bill died last week in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

ELECTIONS

SB 1180: Private Interests Funding Elections
This legislation seeks to repeal critical aspects of the prohibition on private funding in elections that the General Assembly passed on a bipartisan basis last year. It would allow local registrars to solicit grants from non-governmental entities to fund election administration and train election officials.

  • Bill status: Last week this bill passed the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, it is anticipated to receive a Senate floor vote this week.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1877: Reduced Early In-Person Voting
This bill would reduce the in-person absentee voting timeframe from 45 days to 14 days.

  • Bill status: Last week this bill passed on the House floor. Next, this bill will receive a vote in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, but possibly not until Crossover or after, in 1-2 weeks.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1693: Ballot Drop Box Ban
This bill would prohibit the use of Drop Box locations to return a mailed ballot.

  • Bill status: Last week this bill passed on the House floor. Next, this bill will receive a vote in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, but possibly not until Crossover or after, in 1-2 weeks
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE

HB 1751, HB 2436, HB 2118 & SB 1380: Ranked Choice Voting Expansion
If passed, each of these bills would expand Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in Virginia. Currently, this method of elections is only allowed for City Council and Board of Supervisors elections.

Ranked choice voting disconnects elections from issues and allows candidates with marginal support to win. It comes in multiple formats, some of which are a nightmare to count accurately, severely inhibiting transparency. It also disenfranchises voters, because ballots that do not include the two ultimate finalists are cast aside.

Status: Last week, all three RCV House bills died in the House Privileges and Elections Subcommittee #2. SB 1380 is anticipated to be voted on in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee this week.

DONOR PRIVACY

SB 854: Nonprofit Donor Names Disclosure
This bill would require nonprofit donors’ names to be displayed on public ads when they support a referendum and in certain cases if the nonprofit has a score card for legislators. Online public documents already disclose these donors, but displaying their names on ads would make them exceptionally more vulnerable to be targeted and doxed.

  • Bill status: Passed the Senate floor last week, and is anticipated to be heard in a House Privileges and Elections subcommittee next, but possibly not until Crossover or after, in 1-2 weeks.
  • Bill text, history, and information: Click HERE