Monday, January 21, 2013
Some politicians, activist groups decry Monday proposal that could redistrict five Democratic senate districts.
Virginia’s State Senate narrowly passed a bill Monday night that could change the map of Senate and House districts across the state. The Senate bill, which squeezed through with a 20-19 vote, shifts the districts of five Senate Democrats—three representing Northern Virginia—toward more Republican-voting areas. (See a map of the proposed redistricting in the media box to the right.) Under the proposal, the districts of John Edwards (D-21st) Dave Marsden (D-37th), George Barker (D-39th), Chuck Colgan (D-29th) and John Miller (D-1st) would all change — and those changes would cause ripple effects to surrounding districts. Virginia’s Legislature last completed redistricting in 2011. Republican Sen. John Watkins (R-10th) defended the bill as "…
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Stay on the line to talk to your state delegate about issues important to you.
When your phone rings at 8 p.m. on Thursday, it could be Del. Ken Plum calling. Plum, who has represented a district including parts of Vienna and Oakton for more than 30 years, is hosting a conference call with constituents, so stay on the line to discuss the current Virginia General Assembly session. Plum said as the session got underway on Jan. 9 that his priorities would be public funding — and restoring funding cut during the recession — for K-12 and higher education; meeting and funding the mental health recommendations that were made after the Virginia Tech shootings; closing the gun show loophole that allows gun purchases without criminal or mental health background checks; obtaining additional state cash to go to Phase 2 of the …
Monday, January 14, 2013
At town hall in Vienna on Saturday, residents push for early voting, more online options.
Though it's January, the long wait times at Fairfax County polls in November's election are still a fresh memory in many voters' minds. When Sen. Chap Petersen asked the more than 100 residents at a town hall meeting Saturday in Vienna who among them stood for hours in hopes of casting a ballot, hands flew into the air — and calls to improve the process came with them. One way Petersen is hoping to prevent such long wait times, which plagued polling stations across the state in the 2012 General Election, is SB739, which would require there be at least one voting device for each 500 registered voters in a precinct, instead of the current 750 voter standard. Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova has already called for a …
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Ahead of 2013 General Assembly, legislators from Vienna-Oakton area take issue with some parts of Gov. Bob McDonnell's plans during town hall with residents Saturday.
When Del. Mark Keam (D-35th) first ran for office four years ago, he said the two issues almost exclusively on voters' minds were transportation and education. Four years later, as he hosted a town hall Saturday in Vienna with fellow legislator Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34th), the issues haven’t changed, he said. And while Keam was optimistic he and Petersen would see some progress through bills they’ve introduced this year, both Keam and Petersen said they anticipate “a fight” with certain parts of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation and education plans, which the governor unveiled last week as the General Assembly began its 45-day session. Transportation Petersen has introduced his own plan in response to McDonell’s transportation overhaul, …
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Del. Ken Plum among those who support bill, which would elevate penalty for texting while driving to include possible jail time and up to $2,500 fine.
A bill introduced in the Virginia General Assembly would make texting while driving a more serious offense — and the penalties upon conviction would be up to one year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine. It's not the first time such a measure has been proposed. But advocates say a recent court ruling that differentiates texting while driving from reckless driving should give them the support they need to get the bill through the General Assembly this year. "There's usually about 10 texting bills a year, and they usually all get killed," said state Del. Scott Surovell. "This year, something's going to change." State Del. Ken Plum (D-36th), whose district includes parts of Vienna and Oakton, has signed on to support the House bill, which would …
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Virginia governor's proposed $3.1 billion transportation overhaul gives higher percentage of sales tax to projects, leaves tax on diesel in tact.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, January 9
By Mark Robinson, Capital News Service RICHMOND – With the General Assembly set to convene, Gov. Bob McDonnell proposed Tuesday increasing Virginia’s sales tax and abolishing its nearly 27-year-old gas tax, making Virginia the first state in the country to do so. The measures are a part of the governor’s proposed $3.1 billion plan to fund improvements to Virginia’s transportation system over the next five years. The funds would supplement $14 billion of transportation projects already under way in the commonwealth, the most in Virginia’s history. “Declining funds for infrastructure maintenance, stagnant motor fuels tax revenues, increased demand for transit and passenger rail and the growing cost of major infrastructure projects …
Monday, January 7, 2013
Constituents invited to ask questions, talk issues at Saturday meeting in Vienna.
Del. Mark Keam (D-35th) and Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34th) are teaming up to host their annual town hall Saturday, just days after the start of the Virginia General Assembly's 2013 Session in Richmond. The meeting is scheduled from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the American Legion Dyer-Gunnell Post 180's Auxiliary, 330 N. Center Street, Vienna. Keam and Petersen will give an overview of the bills they have filed, or plan to file, this session, as well as the House and Senate's agenda for the year. Constituents can also talk about issues or give ideas and suggestions to the legislators. Petersen has pre-filed several bills (see Petersen's bills for the 2013 session), including one that would help restore voting rights to residents convicted of …
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Fairfax County residents gathered Saturday for a four-hour hearing.
Human services funding was a major talking point Saturday during a public hearing before Fairfax County’s delegation to the Virginia General Assembly. About 70 residents and stakeholders gathered at Fairfax County Government Center to speak during the nearly four-hour hearing, advocating for programs including family services funding, the Northern Virginia Training Center and Medicaid expansion, among others. Sharon Bulova, chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, kicked off the proceedings with brief remarks to state legislators. Bulova reiterated the county’s need for transportation funding – money that many folks in Richmond don’t think will arrive – and the restoration of the "cost of competing" salary assistance program …
Friday, January 4, 2013
Residents talk Silver Line, gun laws and other issues as legislators prepare for Virginia General Assembly Session.
Gun control was on the minds of residents Thursday- as well as Sen. Janet Howell (D-32nd) - as Howell and Del. Ken Plum (D-36th) held their annual public meeting in advance of the Virginia General Assembly session that begins next week. In the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., Howell told constituents she will work at the 46-day session to close the gun show loophole in Virginia: a law that allows people to easily purchase a gun at a show without a background check. "Virginia is deplorable in what we do," in regards to gun purchases, Howell said at the meeting Thursday evening at Reston Community Center. Howell, whose district includes Oakton, added the lack of funding for mental health services is …
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Legislators to meet with constituents Thursday before the Jan. 9 start of next General Assembly.
State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34th) and Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-67th) are holding a town hall meeting Thursday to speak with their constituents' before the start of the 2013 General Assembly session in Richmond. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Sully Government Center, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd. in Chantilly. The event is free and open to the public and no RSVP is required. "...before I go to Richmond, I want to hear about what issues are important to you," LeMunyon wrote on his website in a message about the meeting. LeMunyon, elected in 2009, serves on the following committees: Counties, Cities and Towns, Education and General Laws. So far LeMunyon prefiled HJ565, a resolution that makes application to the U.S. Congress to …
J Anderson
6:43 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I saw a comment and then it never made it here about Bolling's position. Well.....here is the background. http://coloradoindependent.com/126808/in-malpractice-case-catholic-hospital-argues-fetuses-arent-people more ›