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.
Today’s Sponsor
Supporting an affordable clean energy transition for all Virginians and a more ethical state government. Visit www.cleanvirginia.org to learn more.
Miyares ends the dismissal of child support cases
The Office of the Attorney General today announced the discovery of about 1,000 blanket dismissals of failure to pay child support cases since October 2021.
“Since taking office, I learned that the Division of Child Support Enforcement was requesting the dismissal of hundreds of child support show cause actions filed against parents who were not making their court-ordered payments, even in cases where the pattern of nonpayment was egregious,” Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a statement Thursday. “Judges and legislators rightly expressed concern to my office. The cases brought to my attention were overwhelmingly absentee parents trying to run from their financial responsibilities.”
Discretion always lies with the Judge regarding special circumstances for individual child support cases, but it is the OAG’s job to ensure that hearings are held and to provide legal support to the client.
“Having investigated the matter, I have instructed our attorneys that we will no longer request the dismissal of petitions against parents who are not paying child support, absent special circumstances,” Miyares continued. :Children should never have to go without because the government is giving their parent a pass from responsibility. Parents subject to court orders will not be permitted to hide from their financial obligations to Virginia’s families.”
The announcement from the OAG says they are releasing the information to the public because of the “concern expressed by Judges and legislators, and because of the impact this former practice had on Virginia parents and their children.”
Congressional beef? Democratic Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07) is pushing hard for legislation that will ban the trading of stocks by members of Congress. A colleague of hers disagrees strongly with the idea.
For context, according to Market Watch, Luria either bought or sold $766,000 worth of stocks in 2021.
The Speaker comments on Senate bill that would make masks optional in schools
Speaker of the House Todd Gilbert commented on the bipartisan legislation coming out of the state Senate that would make masks optional in public schools.
“Kids can’t wait any longer. The science finally needs to be followed. The moment I receive SB 739, which now rescinds statewide mask mandates in schools, a special House Education Committee meeting will be convened to get it to the Governor for his immediate action,” Gilbert said Wednesday.
Gilbert then commented again Thursday morning: This bill has been received and referred and is scheduled to be heard tomorrow morning in [Del. Glenn Davis’] House Education Committee.”
The bill passed in the state Senate on a 21-17 vote Wednesday. The Republican-held House is expected to pass the bill without any problem.
The Brick wall returns after a day of compromise
The Senate Education and Health Committee killed several pieces of legislation this morning.
Democratic Senate leadership commented on the bills after they killed them Thursday:
Caucus Chair Mamie Locke said: “My colleagues in the Education and Health Committee this morning stood strong to prevent the exact backsliding Virginians feared when Governor Youngkin took office. We always have and always will protect the health and safety of Virginians, denounce racism and division, and maintain Virginians’ constitutional right to make family planning decisions on their own. We are never going back.”
Education and Health Committee Chair Louise Lucas said: “The Senate Democrats’ brick wall remains steadfast, pushing back on much of Governor Youngkin’s agenda to take Virginia back to ‘the good ol’ days’ of discrimination, incarceration, and backwards policies that do not serve the Commonwealth. I’m proud of what the Education and Health Committee was able to accomplish this morning, and we will continue to fight hard to make sure any attempt at regression is stopped in its tracks.”
Majority Leader Dick Saslaw Said: “Addressing both the economic and health impacts of the covid pandemic requires every Virginian to do their part. SB601 and SB711 would grant broad license to flout science-based public health guidance developed for the greater good. We must trust experts, scientists and doctors–not base policies on conspiracy theories and misinformation.”
Senator Janet Howell said: “Abortion is a constitutional right, and has been since 1973. I remember the days of women losing their ability to have children or dying in medically dubious procedures because they didn’t have another choice. SB710 attempts to completely undermine that right, and would force Virginians and their families to make the same types of extremely personal, heart-wrenching decisions they had to make before the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. We cannot go back; we will not go back.”
Senator Ghazala Hashmi said: “While Senate Democrats remain open to the idea of specialized, results-oriented public K-12 education, SB608 and SB635 would create a two-tiered system in our schools that would siphon away funds from the schools that need it most. The argument presented on charter schools in Virginia would be to help students who are presently in failing schools achieve a separate education in a new school. However, this approach leaves so many students behind–disproportionately low-income families and children of color, furthering the divide we are seeing in education outcomes.”
Governor Youngkin appeared on Fox News
National:
New Survey Finds 66% of Swing State Voters Negatively Impacted by Higher Prices; 63% Say Now is Not the Time for New Spending Bills that Could Make Inflation Worse
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), a founding member of America’s Job Creators for a Strong Recovery – a coalition opposed to President Biden’s tax increases – released a new survey today showing that Americans living in key swing states have been negatively impacted by higher prices at places like the gas pump and the grocery store. A majority of voters in Arizona, West Virginia, New Hampshire, Nevada, Colorado, and Montana believe the Build Back Better Act will make inflation worse and want Congress to avoid taking actions that will increase inflation even further.
Voters are concerned about inflation, with an average of 66% reporting that higher prices have negatively impacted their personal finances. 59% of all voters disagree that their personal financial situations are improving, with 45% strongly disagreeing.
“Congress should avoid bills that will only worsen inflation”
57% of voters believe that the Build Back Better Act will make inflation worse, and 63% want Congress to avoid taking actions that would increase inflation even further.
In West Virginia, an overwhelming 72% of voters support Senator Manchin’s decision to suspend negotiations on the Build Back Better Act last month, with 66% strongly supporting the move. Additionally, 82% of West Virginians agree with Senator Manchin’s position that any new social spending programs should be targeted to low income and middle-class families.
“Now is not the time to put jobs or our economic recovery at risk”
Voters are concerned with the effect that higher taxes, as proposed in President Biden’s Build Back Better Act, would have on U.S. businesses and their ability to compete internationally. 54% of voters agree that requiring American companies to pay more in taxes than international competitors would hurt job and economic growth in their state.
In Arizona, that number jumps to 56% – two points higher than the average taken across six swing states.
