Summary

News

About

Web Links

• VA Legislative Information Systems (LIS)
• House Committee pages

Subcommittees

Ad Hoc Subcommittee

Meets on: the call of the Chair

Members:  Kathleen Murphy (Chair),   Jeff Campbell,   Lee Carter,  Nancy Guy,  Steve Heretick,  Keith Hodges,   Joe McNamara,  Will Morefield,  Danica Roem

Charters Subcommittee

Meets on:   Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. in 400-A Subcommittee Room

Members: Danica Roem (Chair),  Wendy Gooditis,  Clint Jenkins,   Dave LaRock,  Charles Poindexter,  Ibraheem Samirah,  Suhas Subramanyam,  Scott Wyatt

Land Use Subcommittee

Meets on:  Wednesday at 4 p.m. in 400-B Subcommittee Room

Members:  Steve Heretick(Chair),  Alex Askew,  Carrie Coyner,  Nancy Guy,  Jay Jones,  Jay Leftwich,   Will Morefield,  Martha Mugler

Bills

Bills reported out 

HB 1919 – Local green banks (January 29, 2021)

• Chair Delegate Korey sponsored a bill that which establishes green banks in local ordinances to promote the invest of clean energy technologies.
• Voted to report bill 13 – Yeas 8 – Nays 1 – Abs.

HB 1752 – Golf Cars and Utility Vehicles; Operation of vehicle on highways (January 15, 2021)

• Delegate Brewer introduced a renewal of a bill that authorizes the town of Smithfield, VA to operate a golf cart or utility vehicle on a designated public highway.
• Voted to report and refer bill to Transportation Committee 16 – Yeas 0 – Nays.

HB 1743 – Industrial Development Authorities; size of board in certain towns (January 15, 2021)

• Delegate Wright sponsored a bill of that which reduces the number of members that can be appointed to industrial development authority boards in Kenbridge and Victoria from 7 to 5.
• Voted to report bill 20 – Yeas 0 – Nays.

HB 1768 – Lynchburg parking authority shortens the term of office (January 15, 2021)

• Delegate Walker sponsored a bill that shorters the term of office of appointees to the Lynchburg Parking Authority from 5 years to 3 years beginning on or after July 1, 2021.
• Voted to report bill 20 – Yeas 0 – Nays.

HB 1825 – Virginia Beach sports or entertainment project (January 15, 2021)

• Delegate Askew sponsored a bill that amends provisions related to bond issuance
• Voted to report bill with technical amendments 20 – Yeas 1 – Nays.

HB 1859 – Clean energy and other programs; local financing (January 15, 2021)

• Delegate Guy sponsored a bill to change the parameters for local ordinances authorizing loan contracts for the installation by property owners of clean energy or stormwater management improvements.
• Voted to report bill with an amended substitution 16 – Yeas 6 – Nays.

HB 1927 – Economic development authorities in Fairfax County (January 15, 2021)

• Delegate Sickles sponsored a bill which would allow Fairfax County to appoint 9, instead of 7, commissioners to the economic development authority.
• Voted to report bill 20 – Yeas 1 – Nays.

HB 1949 – County executive form of government (January 15, 2021)

• Delegate Runion sponsored a bill that allows counties that have adopted the county executive form of government to carry over unspent funds from year to year for multiyear grants and capital projects.
• Voted to report bill 20 – Yeas 2 – Nays.

HB 2043 – Virginia Beach tourism authority (January 15, 2021)

• Delegate Guy sponsored a bill to establish the Virginia Beach tourism authority in order to support and stimulate tourist attraction the city.
• Voted to report bill 13 – Yeas 9 – Nays.

Bills passed

• HB 1749 Nassawadox, Town of; amending charter, updates to reflect town’s shift of municipal elections.  Updates the charter for the Town of Nassawadox to reflect the town’s shift of municipal elections from May to November.
• HB 1764 Crewe, Town of; amending charter, changes to charter including town council, elections and powers. Makes various changes to the charter for the Town of Crewe in Nottoway County, including (i) staggering town council elections; (ii) changing from three to two the number of town council members required to call a special meeting; and (iii) transferring from the town council to the town manager the authority to appoint, suspend, or terminate the chief of police with majority approval by the town council. The bill also repeals provisions related to the establishment of a municipal court. This bill is identical to SB 1216.
• HB 1778 Removal of clutter from property; definition, civil penalty. Provides that a locality may by ordinance require the removal of clutter from property, except on land zoned for or in active farming operation, or may, whenever the governing body deems it necessary, after reasonable notice, have such clutter removed by its own agents or employees, in which event the cost or expenses thereof shall be chargeable to and paid by the owners of such property and may be collected by the locality as taxes are collected. The bill defines “clutter” as including mechanical equipment, household furniture, containers, and similar items that may be detrimental to the well-being of a community when they are left in public view for an extended period or are allowed to accumulate. Violations of the bill are subject to the existing civil penalty applicable to violations of provisions relating to the removal of trash, garbage, refuse, litter, and similar substances from property.
• HB 1783 Glasgow, Town of; new charter (previous charter repealed). Establishes a new charter for the Town of Glasgow in Rockbridge County and repeals the current charter, which was created in 1892. The proposed charter sets out the organization of the town’s government and contains powers typically granted to towns.
• HB 1858 Appomattox, Town of; amending charter, shifts local elections from May to November, etc. Shifts local elections for the Town of Appomattox from May to November and staggers the election of members of the town council. The bill makes organizational changes to provisions related to the election and appointment of town officers. This bill is identical to SB 1152.
• HB 1898 Zoning appeals, board of; appointments. Provides an exception to the general rule that an elected official cannot be appointed to a board of zoning appeals by allowing an elected official from a town to serve on the board of zoning appeals of the county in which the member also resides.
• HB 1919 Local green banks; authorizes a locality, by ordinance, to establish.  Authorizes a locality, by ordinance, to establish a green bank to promote the investment in clean energy technologies in its locality and provide financing for clean energy technologies, defined in the bill. The bill establishes certain powers and functions of a green bank, including developing rules and procedures, financing and providing loans for clean energy projects, and stimulating demand for renewable energy. The bill requires the green bank to be a public entity, quasi-public entity, depository bank, or nonprofit entity and requires the locality to hold a hearing and publish notice of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation prior to establishing the green bank.
• HB 2042 Trees; replacement and conservation during development, effective date. Gives a locality the ability to exceed general requirements in its tree replacement and conservation ordinances in specific circumstances, including development that impacts stormwater permit requirements, recurrent flooding, formerly redlined areas, and comprehensive plan compliance. The bill also directs the Secretary of Natural Resources and Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry to convene a stakeholder work group for the purpose of developing and providing recommendations to state and local governments related to policies that encourage the conservation of mature trees and tree cover on sites being developed, increase tree canopy cover in communities, and encourage the planting of trees. The bill will not become effective unless reenacted by the 2022 Session of the General Assembly, but the stakeholder work group is effective in due course. This bill is identical to SB 1393.
• HB 2053 Affordable & market-rate housing; DHCD to evaluate growing demand. Directs the Department of Housing and Community Development (Department) to convene a stakeholder advisory group to evaluate the construction of internal, attached, and detached accessory dwelling units as a strategy to address the Commonwealth’s growing demand for affordable and market-rate housing. The bill requires the stakeholder advisory group to report its findings and recommendations, including any legislative recommendations, to the Director of the Department, the Secretary of Commerce and Trade, the commissioners of the Virginia Housing Development Authority, and the Virginia Housing Commission no later than November 1, 2021.
• HB 2091 Covington, City of; amending charter, consolidated school division, salaries. Amends the charter for the City of Covington to help facilitate the consolidation of the school divisions of the City of Covington and Alleghany County. The bill sets out the salary of a school board member of such consolidated school district and shall become effective on July 1, 2022, provided that the consolidation of the City of Covington and Alleghany County school divisions is approved by the Board of Education prior to that date. This bill is identical to SB 1267.
• HB 2095 Bristol, City of; amending charter, changes to powers and organization. Makes changes to various provisions of the charter for the City of Bristol, including: (i) removing the city’s authority to adopt ordinances to provide for the prevention of immorality and for the suppression of gambling places and to authorize the appointment of law-enforcement officers in exchange with the City of Bristol, Tennessee; (ii) changing from city council to the city attorney the authority to appoint assistant city attorneys; (iii) removing the requirement that a citizen own real property to serve on the planning commission; (iv) aligning the requirements for appropriations outside of the appropriations ordinance with provisions of the Code of Virginia; (v) authorizing the city council to re-appropriate unexpended funds at the end of the fiscal year, regardless of whether obligated to an ongoing project; and (vi) authorizing the city attorney to make investigations into city affairs and removing such authority from other officers of boards and commissions. The bill contains technical amendments.
• HB 2180 Lynchburg, City of; amending charter, salaries of members of City Council. Provides that salaries of members of the Lynchburg City Council shall be determined in accordance with general law.
• HB 2186 Mathews County; appointment of bd. of director to the Economic Development Authority of the County. Provides that the Mathews County board of supervisors may appoint one employee of the locality onto the board of directors for the Economic Development Authority of the County of Mathews. Under current law, no locality’s economic development authority director may be an officer or employee of the relevant locality with certain exceptions for towns with a population of less than 3,500 and Buchanan and Frederick Counties.
• HB 2201 Solar and energy storage projects; siting agreements throughout the Commonwealth.  Expands existing provisions related to siting agreements and zoning special exceptions for solar projects located in an opportunity zone to include energy storage projects and makes the provisions statewide. The bill provides that its provisions shall not apply to any energy storage project that has received zoning and site plan approval, preliminary or otherwise, from the host locality before January 1, 2021. The bill also provides that its provisions shall not become effective with respect to energy storage projects unless the General Assembly approves legislation that authorizes localities to adopt an ordinance for taxation of energy storage projects such as solar projects with a local option for machinery and tools tax or solar revenue share. This bill is identical to SB 1207.
• HB 2217 Public access authorities; granted certain liability protections. Grants public access authorities, including the land holdings and facilities of such authorities, certain liability protections that are currently given to localities in relation to parks, recreational facilities, and playgrounds.
• HB 2252 Tazewell County; quitclaim and conveyance of easement by Board of Wildlife Resources. Authorizes the Board of Wildlife Resources to quitclaim any interest in a parcel of land and convey a right-of-way easement to the Valerie H. MacDowell Trust. The quitclaim is a result of a boundary line correction of an acquisition by the Board and applies to an unimproved parcel of land containing about 13.6 acres on the watershed of Little Tumbling Creek. The easement, which will follow an existing road and bridge across a portion of the Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area, will allow ingress and egress to the MacDowell Trust property from State Route 607. The MacDowell Trust shall be solely responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the easement. This bill is identical to SB 1400.
• HB 2287 Economic development authorities; size of board in Powhatan County. Reduces from seven to five the number of members that may be appointed to the economic development authority board by Powhatan County and reduces the quorum requirement to three members.
• HB 2323 Library aid; former regional library system.  Provides that former regional library systems that receive state aid, notwithstanding a loss of regional library status due to a city reversion, shall receive such aid regardless of when a former city reverted to town status.
• HB 2326 Child-care services; regulation in localities. Expands to include all cities the authority related to the regulation of child-care services that is currently available to certain Northern Virginia localities. This will have the effect of granting all cities authority by ordinance to regulate child-care facilities that provide regular care to one or more children not related by blood or marriage.

Commissions & Boards

Virginia Housing Commission

Source: Website

The Virginia Housing Commission exists to study and provide recommendations to ensure and foster the availability of safe, sound and affordable housing for every Virginian.

The Commission may also study and make recommendations relating to such other housing, real property, and community development issues as it may be called upon to consider or as may be desirable.

Capitol Square Preservation Council

Source: Website

Created by the General Assembly in 1999, the Capitol Square Preservation Council consists of thirteen individuals with expertise in art, architecture, landscape architecture, history, preservation, and administration. The Secretary of Administration, Clerk of the House of Delegates, and Clerk of the Senate serve as ex-officio members. This group is charged with planning and review of projects that affect the State Capitol, its historic artifacts, other historic buildings on or adjacent to Capitol Square, and the landscape and archaeological features of Capitol Square.

Bristol Virginia Utilities Authority Board of Directors

Source: Webpage

BVU Authority; Board powers, officers; broadband; FOIA. Reduces from nine to seven the number of directors on the Board of Directors (the Board) of the BVU Authority (the Authority) and alters the methods of their appointment and their powers and duties. The bill  institutes in their place a board of seven directors, comprising (i) one citizen of each of the following localities with its appointing authority: the City of Bristol, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; the City of Bristol, appointed by the Board; Scott County, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and Washington County, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and (ii) one member of the governing body of each of the localities of the City of Bristol, the Town of Abingdon, and Washington County, appointed by their respective governing bodies. The citizen of the City of Bristol who is appointed by the Board is required to be engaged in business and may be appointed initially by the Bristol City Council.

Fort Monroe Authority Board of Trustees

Source: Webpage

To govern the Fort Monroe Authority

Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Board of Trustees

Source: Webpage

Do all things necessary and proper to further an appreciation of the contributions of the first permanent English-speaking settlers and their American Indian neighbors of Virginia and the United States to the building of our Commonwealth and nation, to commemorate the winning of American independence on the battlefield at Yorktown, and to enhance our understanding of the making of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, including Virginia’s role in shaping the fundamental principles of the American constitutional system.

Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority

Source: Webpage

To (i) provide a high quality recreational attraction in the western part of the Commonwealth; (ii) expand the historical knowledge of adults and children; (iii) promote tourism and economic development in the Commonwealth; (iv) set aside and conserve scenic and natural areas along the Roanoke River and preserve open-space lands; and (v) enhance and expand research and educational programs