Del. Davis wants to set aside a portion state education funding for savings accounts that parents can direct
Del. Davis wants to set aside a portion state education funding for savings accounts that parents can direct
It is almost time for session!
This is a daily newsletter covering Virginia politics from top to bottom. Please consider becoming the ultimate political insider by supporting non-partisan, independent news and becoming a paid subscriber to this newsletter today.
Have a tip? You can reply to this email, or email me directly at Brandon@virginiascope.com
Del. Marie March responded to a judge finding Del. Wren Williams not guilty of assaulting her
In case you missed it yesterday, a judge found Del. Wren Williams (R) not guilty of assaulting his primary opponent, Del. Marie March (R).
Here is the response that Virginia Scope received from March Wednesday evening:
“Today under oath, Wren Williams admitted to hitting me hard enough to throw himself backward. We had 4 witnesses allowed to testify that he changed course in order to veer to hit me and he lowered his shoulder to hit me. We had 8 more additional eyewitnesses wanting to testify about what they saw that evening.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney office did not call these witnesses after the Judge repeatedly sustained defense objections. Judges are appointed by politicians and the Swamp is deep, folks. Our country is in a sad state of affairs.”
Davis wants to set aside a portion of state education fund to give parents more options
Del. Glenn Davis (R) has introduced HB 1508, a bill that would establish education success accounts for K-12 students. The legislation sets aside a portion of the state education funding allocated to each child and deposits it into an education savings account, where the parent directs the funds to go to pre-approved education expenses, including a range of schooling options and support services.
“Too many students are trapped in schools that are failing them, especially in our historically black communities.” Delegate Glenn Davis said. “All children should have access to the resources necessary to reach their full potential and it starts with a strong educational foundation. This bill allows parents to choose the educational experience best suited for their child.”
Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle Sears appears to be helping Davis push this legislation and will participate in a press conference for the bill Thursday.
“The 2022 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) scores confirm that many of our children are not learning the basics of math and reading. Sadly, communities of color were hit the hardest,” Earle Sears said. “We will continue to invest in our public schools, and we currently fund them at the highest level in history, but we must provide options for students who need a lifeline now. We can do both. We need to empower parents to make choices on their child’s education regardless of zip code. Our children don’t get do-overs.”
Democrats strongly oppose taking any funding away from public schools so it will be interesting to see how this legislation fares in the state Senate where they have a slim majority over Republicans.
The session begins next week.
Hackworth announces reelection bid
State Sen. Travis Hackworth (R) announced his reelection bid Wednesday for Senate District 5. Hackworth has been representing the residents who resided in SD-38 since winning a special election in 2021 to fill the seat left vacant by Ben Chafin’s passing.
In his new district, SD-05, Hackworth is currently running unopposed. According to analysis from VPAP, Republican Glenn Youngkin won SD-05 by more than 40 points in 2021.
The new district includes all of Tazewell, Bland, Smyth, Giles, Radford, and Pulaski and parts of Wythe and Montgomery.
“I remember what it was like to constantly have unfunded mandates that we didn’t have the local funds to pay for,” Hackworth said. “As a businessman, I’ve also experienced the unnecessary burdens a bloating government can cause on small businesses. I’m running for re-election because I am proud to fight for the everyday working Virginian that needs a voice for them in Richmond. We are proud of the start we have had, but there is much more work to be done. My top priorities will be improving the economy, protecting our liberties, and making sure Southwest Virginians continues to have strong voices fighting on their behalf in the General Assembly.”
In-kind donations to Rouse and Adams
Here is another look at the financial transactions happening in the SD-07 special election between Aaron Rouse (D) and Kevin Adams (R).
If you missed a look at who donated cash to each campaign, check it out here. (Numbers provided by VPAP.)
Kevin Adams: $266,975 of in-kind donations reported
Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s PAC Spirit of Virginia reported $225,000 of in-kind services for the Rouse campaign.
According to the reports. $150,050 was spent on canvassing, The rest was spent on field staff supporting and research/polling.
$37,814 of in-kind donations was reported by the Republican Party of Virginia.
According to the reports, this money was used for direct mail.
Aaron Rouse: $83,346 of in-kind donations reported
$41,500 of in-kind donations was reported by the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus.
According to the reports, this money was used for campaign services.
$38,932 of in-kind donations was reported by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia.
According to the reports, this money paid for mail printing/postage, staff time, and printing services.
$2,500 from Clean Virginia for research purposes.
Morrissey to keep ‘open mind’ on abortion ban proposals, raising stakes of Virginia special election - WRIC
by Dean Mirshahi
Sen. Morrissey told 8News in a brief phone interview Wednesday, a week before the 2023 session begins, that he’s going to keep an “open mind” on the proposals put forward this year and that he wants to hear expert testimony before making a decision.
Democrats can stop Youngkin’s 15-week abortion ban proposal from advancing out of the Senate Education and Health committee. But there are legislative steps to hold a floor vote on the bill without it going through the committee.
Del. Kilgore weighs in on wages, weed, abortion, EVs and Town of Pound ahead of session - WJHL
“I think the increase will stop now because the House isn’t going to improve another increase because, you know, we’re hearing from our employers and our folks that it’s just hard,” Delegate Terry Kilgore (R-Gate City) told News Channel 11 Wednesday. Democratic leadership hopes to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026, but unlike previous increases that were cooked into the original bill, any additional ones will need to pass through the legislature.
In an interview that also touched on issues ranging from electric vehicle charging stations and abortion to legal marijuana and the future of the Town of Pound, Kilgore said he believes employers don’t have the wiggle room to endure further increases.
Virginia Community College System names new chancellor, ending tumultuous search - RTD
by Eric Kolenich
The State Board for Community Colleges named a new chancellor Wednesday, ending a long search in which the first choice backed out and Gov. Glenn Youngkin threatened the jobs of the board members.
David Doré, an administrator at an Arizona community college, will become the head of Virginia’s 23 community colleges, saying he’ll prioritize producing a more highly skilled workforce to meet industry needs. That vision aligns with the governor’s.
Still no Speaker on Day 3 of a new Congress
Republicans in Washington D.C. are still divided on who they want to be Speaker of the House.
Hannity pushes back against Boebert
