Week 9 Update Sponsored By:
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The House and Senate are now in the final stages of approving a minimum wage increase, and it is imperative that the business community contact key legislators to ask for a moderated, regional approach that takes into account our cost of living compared to areas like northern Virginia. A straight raise to $15 per hour over the span of just several years would have a negative impact on many of our small businesses and the workforce that they employ.
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As the final days of the 2020 legislative session come to a close, your public policy team thought it would be a good time to give you a brief summary on how our business community fared under a General Assembly with a newly earned majority.
It's safe to say that this session has brought its fair share of ups and downs for our regional business community. While it will likely take a few days to gauge the impact of
hundreds of bills across various business sectors,
it can be said with certainty that business interests were met with a more skeptical eye that in sessions past. Efforts to impose a paid family medical leave program and a vastly increased minimum wage program are expected to pass into law this year, and
attempts
designed to increase the strength of labor and public sector unions by relaxing rules on project labor agreements and public employee collective bargaining are expected to pass as well.
The Senate of Virginia showed a more moderate approach toward many of the issues concerning the business community this session, amending many House bills to the lessen negative impact on business owners and their employees. With that being said, we are still dealing with numerous pieces of legislation that are costly and burdensome.
Not all of the news out of Richmond this session was
bad
, however. We successfully advocated for bonding measures that allow I-81 improvements to commence at a more rapid pace.
Additionally
, the Governor's Airline Service Incentive Fund will provide another tool that the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport can benefit from in its goal to attract additional non-stop flights to new cities nationwide. Repeal of Right to Work in Virginia, which would have immediately called our status as the #1 state in the nation to do business into question, was defeated in both the House and the Senate. We are also optimistic that the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority will be created by the close of session, which will bring much needed efficiency to how our state provides incentives to start ups and other ventures seeking to do business in the Commonwealth.
As we begin to wrap up our operations in Richmond this legislative session, we are already thinking ahead on how best to combat unnecessary and burdensome regulation moving into the future, as well as pushing for pro-growth policies that will benefit all of our area's businesses and employees. We will continue to be tireless advocates for our region's business community, and you can expect us to be very active in the off-season to that end. As always, please contact Terry Durkin at
tdurkin@roanokechamber.org
should you wish to be involved in our advocacy efforts.
You can find our weekly bill tracker below, and if you are interested in any items in the state budget
you can find it here
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General Assembly Bill Tracking
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Right to work; repeals provisions of Code that refers to denial or abridgement.
- 02/11/20 House: Left in Appropriations
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Establishes a procedure by which a local alternative minimum wage may be imposed in any locality.
- 01/28/20 House: Failed due to lack of motion
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Minimum wage; increases to $10 per hour effective July 1, 2020.
03/05/20 Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
- 03/05/20 Senate: Senators: Saslaw, Surovell, Newman
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Minimum wage, increases to $10 per hour effective July 1, 2020 (as amended)
- 02/27/20 House: Delegates: Ward, Krizek, Fariss
- 03/02/20 Senate: Senators: Saslaw, Surovell, Newman
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Establishes the Virginia Brownfield Renewable Energy and Coal Mine Grant Fund and Program.
- 02/11/20 House: Left in Appropriations
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Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy
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Paid family and medical leave program.
- 02/11/20 House: Left in Appropriations
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Study; Department of Rail and Public Transportation; Commonwealth Corridor passenger rail service; report
- 02/11/20 House: Left in Appropriations
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Fair share fees
- 02/09/20 Senate: Passed by indefinitely in Commerce and Labor (12-Y 3-N)
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Interstate 81 Corridor; motor vehicle fuels sales tax. Limits the application of the additional motor vehicle fuels sales tax imposed under current law in all counties and cities in Planning Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 to those counties or cities in Planning District 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 in which a portion of Interstate 81 is located
- 02/04/20 Senate: Passed by indefinitely in Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 3-N 1-A)
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Transportation bonds; I-81. Authorizes issuance of bonds in an amount up to $2 billion for revenue-producing projects in the Interstate 81 corridor.
- 02/05/20 House: Incorporated by Appropriations (HB1414-Filler-Corn) by voice vote
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SUPPORT
INCLUDED IN SPEAKER'S TRANSPORTATION BILL
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Virginia Tourism Authority; Governor's New Airline Service Incentive Fund
- 03/03/20 Senate: Senators: Edwards, Newman, Ebbin
- 03/04/20 House: Delegates: Austin, Bulova, Plum
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Workforce Development & Education
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STEAM programs; establishes STEAM Education Fund
- 01/29/20 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 1-N)
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DOE; experiential learning and workforce development opportunities in high-demand fields, report.
- 02/03/20 House: Subcommittee recommends striking from docket (6-Y 0-N)
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Apprentice agreements; ratio of journeymen to apprentices
- Senate: Failed to report (defeated) in General Laws and Technology (4-Y 10-N)
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Public institutions of higher education; State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; business advisory committee.
- 01/30/20 Senate: Continued to 2021 in Education and Health (15-Y 0-N)
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SUPPORT
NO FURTHER ACTION THIS SESSION
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Early childhood care and education; licensing.
- 03/02/20 Senate: Passed Senate (26-Y 14-N)
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SUPPORT
PASSED HOUSE & SENATE
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Research and development tax credits; extends sunset date, aggregate caps.
- 03/05/20 House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB748ER)
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SUPPORT
PASSED HOUSE & SENATE
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Commonwealth of Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority; created.
- 03/05/20 House: Delegates: Sickles, Ayala, Austin
- 03/05/20 Senate: Senators: Howell, Barker, Vogel
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Health insurance; association health plans
- 03/04/20 Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N)
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SUPPORT
PASSED HOUSE & SENATE
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Group health benefit plans; bona fide associations; benefits consortium.
- 03/06/20 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB861ER)
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SUPPORT
PASSED HOUSE & SENATE
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Virginia Health Benefit Exchange
- 01/27/20 Senate: Incorporated by Commerce and Labor (SB732-McClellan) (14-Y 0-N)
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Don’t Leave HR to Luck:
2020 Employment Law Symposium
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Gentry Locke’s Employment Law Attorneys will coach you on several magical tactics, strategies, and policies you need to help your company be successful.
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The registration deadline is March 13! Don't miss out. Register now.
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STAY CONNECTED:
Terry Durkin
Vice President of Public Policy
Roanoke Regional Chamber
TDurkin@RoanokeChamber.org
540.682.2111
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