The Virginia General Assembly adjourned sine die on Saturday, March 10th, concluding a 60 day session dominated by a number of high profile issues as well as a budget impasse that will send the General Assembly into Special Session in April. The Northern Virginia Chamber had a successful session, particularly as it relates to the Chamber’s top legislative priority – securing a $154 million dedicated funding source for Metro for the first time in the system’s forty year history.
Transportation
The Chamber has been the leading advocate in Virginia for the MetroNow Coalition, a group of prominent business and non-profit organizations in the Greater Washington Region that have come together to focus attention on bringing about governance, operations, and funding solutions to Metro – specifically, working regionally to secure $500 million in dedicated funding needed to ensure Metro’s long term state of good repair. This regional coalition is represented in Annapolis, Richmond, and Washington, D.C., working to ensure each of the three jurisdictions fulfills their responsibility to ensure our region enjoys a safe, reliable, and efficient Metro system.
Senator Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax) and Delegate Tim Hugo (R-Clifton) each introduced comprehensive Metro funding and reform bills that were approved in both the Senate and House but failed in the opposing body after crossover, sending the bills to conference committee. The House conferees were Delegate Hugo, Delegate Rip Sullivan (D-McLean) and Delegate Chris Peace (R-Hanover), while the Senate conferees were Senator Saslaw, Senator Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach) and Senator Tommy Norment (R-James City County)
After a number of days of meetings and negotiation, there was a consensus reached with the WMATA conference committee to provide $154 million in dedicated and sustainable funding for Metro’s capital needs, including reforms aimed at improving efficiencies throughout the system. All six conferees agreed to the report, and the bills passed the Senate by a 26-14 margin, and the House by a 96-1 margin. The full revenue dedicated to Metro from Virginia is predicated upon Maryland and the District of Columbia agreeing to provide their full share of funding - $167 million and $178.5 million, respectively. The full conference committee report can be found here.
Virginia’s action was timely and influential as this week the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the City Council committed to providing the District’s full $178.5 million share. Maryland’s General Assembly remains in session through April, and our MetroNow partners will continue to press on Maryland leaders to follow the lead of Virginia and Maryland and commit to their full share to ensure the region provides the full $500 million in annual funding needed to return Metro to a state of good repair.
The Northern Virginia Chamber is grateful for the leadership demonstrated by the General Assembly, and the Northam Administration, and we look forward working with them to make sure this legislation enhances Metro and Northern Virginia’s transportation infrastructure network for years to come. The Chamber’s press release on the passage of the bills can be found here.
Budget Impasse and Special Session
The General Assembly adjourned sine die without a completed budget for the sixth time since the year 2000, leading the Governor to call a special session to address the budget for April 11th. The key difference between the House and Senate budgets remains the House inclusion of revenues realized from federal funds related to expanding Medicaid. For many years, it was the Senate that served as the chief advocate for Medicaid expansion, however with the significant shift due to the November elections, the House included expansion in its budget for the first time.
The House and Senate differ both on whether to expand the healthcare program for Virginia’s working poor, and how to best do so. As a result, there is a $600 million gap between the two budgets. The House budget includes additional funding for Chamber priorities in infrastructure, workforce development, and other key investments.
The House Republican Caucus is divided on support of Medicaid expansion - due to this, conferees on the House side are substantially different from in years past. House Appropriations Chairman Chris Jones (R-Suffolk) and Delegate Luke Torian (D-Prince William) are returning conferees, and they will be joined by new members Delegate Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg), Delegate Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach), Delegate Chris Peace (R-Hanover), and veteran Northern Virginia legislator, Delegate Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria).
Senate conferees are similar to previous years with Senate Finance Co-Chairs Tommy Norment (R-James City County) and Emmett Hanger (R-Augusta), joined by Senator Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach), Senator Steve Newman (R-Lynchburg), Senator Frank Ruff (R-Clarksville), and representing Northern Virginia Senator Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax) and Senator Janet Howell (D-Fairfax).
The conferees will likely meet in the interim to try and find common ground between the two budgets ahead of the April 11th Special Session. This is important, as along with Medicaid reform and coverage expansion, there are a number of key Chamber priorities at stake:
Economic Development
The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce supports investment in strategic economic development programs and incentives that will grow Virginia businesses as well as attract new businesses to the Commonwealth. This includes incentives that drive collaboration between the private sector, public sector, and Virginia’s colleges and universities.
The GO Virginia initiative ties closely with our vision of a Northern Virginia region that works together to drive collaboration on projects of regional significance in support of key priorities that move our region forward. The GO Virginia Board for the Northern Virginia region has approved three projects that are already funded and underway. The Northern Virginia Chamber supports maintaining the additional $15 million ($64 million total) over the biennium included in the House budget for this successful program.
Additionally, The Virginia Economic Development Partnership will continue to play a key role in attracting companies like Amazon and others to our Commonwealth. The Northern Virginia Chamber supports investments in a customized workforce training program, business marketing, and development of business ready sites.
Education and Workforce
The House budget includes $515 million in new funding for K-12, with $481 million dedicated to re-benchmarking, and $34.8 million in new programs. The House budget also accelerates a raise for K-12 teachers.
Both the House and Senate budget bills contain new funding for George Mason University to assist with operations and need based-financial aid.
The Chamber is advocating for added funding to the Workforce Credential Grant Program, which provides funding for students at community colleges throughout the Commonwealth who are earning credentials in high demand fields. In Northern Virginia, a significant portion of this funding has been applied toward students earning cybersecurity credentials. The House and Senate budgets contain $4 million for this program.
The House budget includes $50 million in funding to establish the Commonwealth Cyber (CyberX) Initiative. CyberX is intended to be an engine for research, innovation, and commercialization of cybersecurity technologies. The concept behind this is to address the statewide shortage of advanced and professional degrees within the cyber workforce. The hub of this initiative would be located in Northern Virginia and driven by universities and community colleges through a hub and spoke model. The Chamber supports preserving this forward thinking investment.
Judicial Positions
In Northern Virginia, complicated business litigation and sheer caseload volume demonstrate the need for a fully functioning judiciary. The recent caseload study conducted by the National Center for State Courts supports and recommends a total of 435 judges for Virginia – six more than the 429 authorized and 28 more than the current judicial funding level. The Chamber supports full funding for needed regional judicial positions in this budget to ensure a fully functioning judiciary in Northern Virginia.
Port of Virginia
The House budget includes $350 million for the widening and dredging of the Norfolk Harbor Channel to 55 feet – this investment in important to ensure the Port of Virginia retains a competitive edge on other ports located on the Eastern Seaboard.
The Northern Virginia Chamber maintains a full-time presence in Richmond during the General Assembly session. For more information about the Chamber’s policy platform and positions, please visit the Chamber’s 2018 General Assembly webpage and contact Mike Forehand or follow him on Twitter.
Transportation
The Chamber has been the leading advocate in Virginia for the MetroNow Coalition, a group of prominent business and non-profit organizations in the Greater Washington Region that have come together to focus attention on bringing about governance, operations, and funding solutions to Metro – specifically, working regionally to secure $500 million in dedicated funding needed to ensure Metro’s long term state of good repair. This regional coalition is represented in Annapolis, Richmond, and Washington, D.C., working to ensure each of the three jurisdictions fulfills their responsibility to ensure our region enjoys a safe, reliable, and efficient Metro system.
Senator Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax) and Delegate Tim Hugo (R-Clifton) each introduced comprehensive Metro funding and reform bills that were approved in both the Senate and House but failed in the opposing body after crossover, sending the bills to conference committee. The House conferees were Delegate Hugo, Delegate Rip Sullivan (D-McLean) and Delegate Chris Peace (R-Hanover), while the Senate conferees were Senator Saslaw, Senator Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach) and Senator Tommy Norment (R-James City County)
After a number of days of meetings and negotiation, there was a consensus reached with the WMATA conference committee to provide $154 million in dedicated and sustainable funding for Metro’s capital needs, including reforms aimed at improving efficiencies throughout the system. All six conferees agreed to the report, and the bills passed the Senate by a 26-14 margin, and the House by a 96-1 margin. The full revenue dedicated to Metro from Virginia is predicated upon Maryland and the District of Columbia agreeing to provide their full share of funding - $167 million and $178.5 million, respectively. The full conference committee report can be found here.
Virginia’s action was timely and influential as this week the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the City Council committed to providing the District’s full $178.5 million share. Maryland’s General Assembly remains in session through April, and our MetroNow partners will continue to press on Maryland leaders to follow the lead of Virginia and Maryland and commit to their full share to ensure the region provides the full $500 million in annual funding needed to return Metro to a state of good repair.
The Northern Virginia Chamber is grateful for the leadership demonstrated by the General Assembly, and the Northam Administration, and we look forward working with them to make sure this legislation enhances Metro and Northern Virginia’s transportation infrastructure network for years to come. The Chamber’s press release on the passage of the bills can be found here.
Budget Impasse and Special Session
The General Assembly adjourned sine die without a completed budget for the sixth time since the year 2000, leading the Governor to call a special session to address the budget for April 11th. The key difference between the House and Senate budgets remains the House inclusion of revenues realized from federal funds related to expanding Medicaid. For many years, it was the Senate that served as the chief advocate for Medicaid expansion, however with the significant shift due to the November elections, the House included expansion in its budget for the first time.
The House and Senate differ both on whether to expand the healthcare program for Virginia’s working poor, and how to best do so. As a result, there is a $600 million gap between the two budgets. The House budget includes additional funding for Chamber priorities in infrastructure, workforce development, and other key investments.
The House Republican Caucus is divided on support of Medicaid expansion - due to this, conferees on the House side are substantially different from in years past. House Appropriations Chairman Chris Jones (R-Suffolk) and Delegate Luke Torian (D-Prince William) are returning conferees, and they will be joined by new members Delegate Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg), Delegate Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach), Delegate Chris Peace (R-Hanover), and veteran Northern Virginia legislator, Delegate Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria).
Senate conferees are similar to previous years with Senate Finance Co-Chairs Tommy Norment (R-James City County) and Emmett Hanger (R-Augusta), joined by Senator Frank Wagner (R-Virginia Beach), Senator Steve Newman (R-Lynchburg), Senator Frank Ruff (R-Clarksville), and representing Northern Virginia Senator Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax) and Senator Janet Howell (D-Fairfax).
The conferees will likely meet in the interim to try and find common ground between the two budgets ahead of the April 11th Special Session. This is important, as along with Medicaid reform and coverage expansion, there are a number of key Chamber priorities at stake:
Economic Development
The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce supports investment in strategic economic development programs and incentives that will grow Virginia businesses as well as attract new businesses to the Commonwealth. This includes incentives that drive collaboration between the private sector, public sector, and Virginia’s colleges and universities.
The GO Virginia initiative ties closely with our vision of a Northern Virginia region that works together to drive collaboration on projects of regional significance in support of key priorities that move our region forward. The GO Virginia Board for the Northern Virginia region has approved three projects that are already funded and underway. The Northern Virginia Chamber supports maintaining the additional $15 million ($64 million total) over the biennium included in the House budget for this successful program.
Additionally, The Virginia Economic Development Partnership will continue to play a key role in attracting companies like Amazon and others to our Commonwealth. The Northern Virginia Chamber supports investments in a customized workforce training program, business marketing, and development of business ready sites.
Education and Workforce
The House budget includes $515 million in new funding for K-12, with $481 million dedicated to re-benchmarking, and $34.8 million in new programs. The House budget also accelerates a raise for K-12 teachers.
Both the House and Senate budget bills contain new funding for George Mason University to assist with operations and need based-financial aid.
The Chamber is advocating for added funding to the Workforce Credential Grant Program, which provides funding for students at community colleges throughout the Commonwealth who are earning credentials in high demand fields. In Northern Virginia, a significant portion of this funding has been applied toward students earning cybersecurity credentials. The House and Senate budgets contain $4 million for this program.
The House budget includes $50 million in funding to establish the Commonwealth Cyber (CyberX) Initiative. CyberX is intended to be an engine for research, innovation, and commercialization of cybersecurity technologies. The concept behind this is to address the statewide shortage of advanced and professional degrees within the cyber workforce. The hub of this initiative would be located in Northern Virginia and driven by universities and community colleges through a hub and spoke model. The Chamber supports preserving this forward thinking investment.
Judicial Positions
In Northern Virginia, complicated business litigation and sheer caseload volume demonstrate the need for a fully functioning judiciary. The recent caseload study conducted by the National Center for State Courts supports and recommends a total of 435 judges for Virginia – six more than the 429 authorized and 28 more than the current judicial funding level. The Chamber supports full funding for needed regional judicial positions in this budget to ensure a fully functioning judiciary in Northern Virginia.
Port of Virginia
The House budget includes $350 million for the widening and dredging of the Norfolk Harbor Channel to 55 feet – this investment in important to ensure the Port of Virginia retains a competitive edge on other ports located on the Eastern Seaboard.
The Northern Virginia Chamber maintains a full-time presence in Richmond during the General Assembly session. For more information about the Chamber’s policy platform and positions, please visit the Chamber’s 2018 General Assembly webpage and contact Mike Forehand or follow him on Twitter.
