House moves bill requiring in-person school, Perryman receives big endorsement for LG, and 2/3 of Virginians believe Biden's election was valid
The latest in VA politics
Welcome to Tuesday! There is a lot of political news happening in Virginia as the General Assembly tries to wrap up by Monday and gubernatorial campaigns continue to hit the road.
Check out the highlights below:
A bipartisan bill to require in-person learning full-time advances in the House of Delegates
The Education Committee in the House of Delegates advanced legislation Monday that will require school districts to offer in-person learning to K-12 students five-days-a-week. If it passes in the Senate and Governor Ralph Northam signs it, the requirement would not go into effect until July making it largely symbolic for the current school year.
“This is a safe way for us to do the most important thing,” the bill’s original sponsor Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico) said Monday when addressing the committee. The Senator stressed that she believes getting kids back in school is the most important issue for the General Assembly.
Dunnavant, the only medical doctor in the Senate called the negative impacts that students are experiencing while missing school the worst health crisis happening now.
Dunnavant’s original bill was simple and would have only required districts to offer in-person learning as an option. It also had an emergency clause that would have made the legislation effective immediately, but that was removed in order for the bill to receive the support it needs to potentially pass. Additionally, Del. Schuyler VanValkenburrg (D-Henrico), a public school teacher, worked with Dunnavant over the last week to create a new version of the bill with much more included.
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall Endorses Sean Perryman for Lt. Governor
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall endorsed Sean Perryman’s campaign for Lt. Governor on Tuesday, citing her trust in Perryman’s ability to stick to true progressive values. Loudoun is the fourth largest county in the Commonwealth.
“Offering my support for a candidate is not something I take lightly. I don't need to agree with them on every issue, but I do need to be assured that their election will improve the lives of our most vulnerable populations,” said Chair Randall. “I need to trust that they support access to affordable health care, raising the minimum wage, and supporting environmental policies that will leave a better world for future generations. I need to rely on them to support policies that address racial inequities in criminal justice, housing, employment, and economics. Mostly, I need to trust that when elected they will keep their word. These are the reasons I offer my support for Lt. Governor of Virginia to Sean Perryman and will work to aid in his election.”
"Phyllis Randall is a widely-respected leader in Loudoun county because she takes seriously the task of creating a county where all can prosper,” said Perryman. “The evidence of her success can be seen in every corner of Loudoun, where she has led on the county's COVID response, economic development, and on racial equity. I'm so proud to have her by my side as we forge ahead in our campaign for a modern, compassionate Virginia.”
Perryman is coming off of a good week after his campaign launch video went viral and racked up over 700,000 views in a few days.
How blue is Trump’s shadow in Virginia? This year’s governor’s race is already shaping up as a key barometer. - Washington Post
By Gregory S. Schneider and Laura Vozzella
One candidate for governor carries a gun and a glittery American flag purse but won't wear a mask against the coronavirus. Another is a self-described socialist who got pepper-sprayed by police during racial justice protests last summer.
In between is a spectrum of potential nominees that’s bigger and more diverse than any slate of major-party candidates for governor that Virginia has ever seen. So far, six Republicans and five Democrats have filed papers to run.
Only 2/3 of Virginians believe Biden’s victory to be legitimate - Blue Virginia
The Wason Center for Civic Leadership at Christopher Newport University is out with part 2 of its new polling:
“Two out of three Virginia voters (67%) say 2021 will be better than 2020.” 92% of Democrats believe that, compared to 70% of Independents and just 33% of Republicans.
“President Joe Biden’s approval rating sits at 57%, and he receives his highest marks for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic (67% approve to 25% disapprove).” Among Democrats, Biden’s approval is at 94%, diametrically different than just 11% among Republicans.
“A majority of Virginia voters say Biden’s election was legitimate (68%), but one out of four say it was not (26%).” 100% of Democrats say Biden won legitimately, 67%-19% of Independents and…in the upside-down world, only 27% of Republicans. Pathetic.
Virginia will join 22 states in abolishing the death penalty
By Christina Amano Dolan
Capital News Service
RICHMOND -- Virginia will become the 23rd state to abolish the death penalty after two bills passed both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly on Monday.
In a release issued earlier this month, Gov. Ralph Northam said he looks forward to signing a legislation that outlaws the death penalty.
Under current state law, an offender convicted of a Class 1 felony who is at least 18 years of age at the time of the offense and without an intellectual disability faces a sentence of life imprisonment or death.
The identical House and Senate bills eliminate death from the list of possible punishments for a Class 1 felony. The bills do not allow the possibility of parole, good conduct allowance or earned sentence credits. The measures will also reclassify capital murders to aggravated murders.
Virginia governor candidate Kirk Cox makes campaign stop in Southwest Virginia -WCYB
Kirk Cox, a Republican running for Virginia Governor, made a campaign stop in Southwest Virginia on Saturday. News 5 caught up with Cox in Chilhowie, which he was meeting with community leaders, including former State Senator Bill Carrico.
Cox told us he wanted to meet with residents in this part of the state face-to-face to share his message.
Senator Lionell Spruill Endorses Delegate Hala Ayala for Lieutenant Governor
"I am proud to endorse Delegate Hala Ayala for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Hala is exactly the type of leader we need in Richmond," said Senator Lionell Spruill. "I've seen firsthand the crucial role that the Lieutenant Governor plays in the Senate and we need someone like Hala who can work to build coalitions and get things done. I hope you’ll join me in supporting Delegate Hala Ayala for Lieutenant Governor.”
Spruill is a member of the Virginia Senate representing the 5th District which represents part of Chesapeake and Norfolk. Previously, he served as the House of Delegates representative, serving since 1994
Democratic senator joins Republicans to kill bill aimed at workplace harassment - Richmond Times-Dispatch
by Patrick Wilson
Representatives of Gov. Ralph Northam and Attorney General Mark Herring backed a bill to strengthen Virginia’s laws against sexual harassment and workplace harassment. But a Democratic senator joined Republicans on a committee Monday to stop the proposal from moving forward this year.
The Senate had already rejected a similar bill from Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, after a hearing in which men on the Senate Judiciary Committee posed hypothetical scenarios, and McClellan repeatedly asked them to stop interrupting her.
General Assembly advances legislation that would force colleges and universities to provide more information to the public
The Virginia State Senate passed a bill introduced by Delegate Mark Keam (D-Fairfax), that would require Virginia’s public colleges and universities to update their websites and make more categories of information accessible by the public, such as upcoming meetings and archived records of the board of visitors and committees, contact information for board members, and certain financial information.
“I want to thank the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia, representatives of our public colleges, students, and open government advocates for working with me on this issue,” said Del. Keam. “Their input allows us to address the most urgent items now, and for stakeholders to meet in the coming months to develop additional recommendations for future legislative action.”
A university’s board of visitors is the governing body responsible for setting important policies impacting students, faculty, and other aspects of campus life, including housing policy, tuition rates, capital improvement project plans, and the university’s budget.
More Links:
State lawmakers pass bill to keep schools from suing over student meal debt
Appeals court plan still alive, despite lack of House action
Push to extend minimum wage increase to farmworkers voted down by Virginia Senate
Virginia lawmakers weigh scrapping ‘mandatory minimum’ sentences
Bill to suspend gun rights for domestic assault convictions passes in Virginia