VACOLAO’s Legislative Priorities – 2019 VA General Assembly

Tuesday February 5th was “crossover” day in the Virginia General Assembly when bills passed in the House of Delegates move to the Senate for  consideration and vice versa. Bills that did not pass either house are dead for the current session. Most of the bills that VACOLAO supports this year did not pass.  They were killed in committee and subcommittee on party-line votes. Two anti-immigrant bills (SB 1156 and HB 2270) passed their chambers and now will be up for consideration in the  other chamber. The following are descriptions of the bills and their current status. Please note that this report will be updated as the remaining bills move through the General Assembly. You can see the updates at this link: https://goo.gl/VYiYhf

VACOLAO Supports Driver Privilege Cards

VACOLAO supports several Virginia  House and Senate bills providing driving privilege card for aspiring Americans residing in Virginia as already authorized in 12  states such as Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The below bills would allow immigrants to operate motor vehicles in a lawful manner as they go about their daily lives like getting to work, visiting a sick relative, attending a house of worship or taking their children to school. They would also help ensure that drivers on the road meet proper safety regulations and insurance requirements, creating a safer environment on the roads for all Virginians.

HOUSE    

HB 1843, chief patron: Delegate Robert Bloxom

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+HB1843

HB 2025, chief patron: Delegate Kathy Tran

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+HB2025

History and current status: HB 1843 and HB 2025 were assigned to the six-member Transportation Subcommittee #4.  Despite a room full of both bills’ supporters, on 1/25/19, both bills was tabled, meaning it did not get enough votes to be passed to the full Transportation Committee.  

YEAS–Adams, L.R., Garrett, Collins, Miyares (4 Republicans).

NAYS–Carr, Delaney. (2 Democrats)

See link for video of hearing:  https://www.facebook.com/130850813607672/videos/2357978540942838/

SENATE

SB 1740, chief patron: Senator Scott Surovell

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+SB1740

SB 1641, chief patron: Senator Jennifer B. Boysko –  http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+SB1641

History and current status: SB 1740 and SB 1641 FAILED to report out of  Senate Transportation Committee on a party-line vote of 7 to 6.

YEAS- Deeds, Marsden, Favola, Edwards, McClellan, Boysko ( 6 Democrats).

NAYS- Carrico, Newman, Cosgrove, DeSteph, Chase, Suetterlein, Peake (7 Republicans)

The room was full of supporters who testified in favor of these bills before this committee.

You can see the hearing at this link:  https://www.facebook.com/130850813607672/videos/240567936857224/

Analysis of this hearing in SPANISH: https://www.facebook.com/130850813607672/videos/2223650797903250/

VACOLAO Supports In-state Tuition for Immigrant Students:

There were two type of bills. One for those applying permanent residency and other for DACA holders. All these bills failed in committee on a party line vote.

In-state tuition; eligibility, certain individuals who have applied for permanent residency

SB 1148, chief patron: Senator David Marsden

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=191&typ=bil&val=SB1148

SB 1640, chief patron: Senator Jennifer Boysko

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+bil+SB1640

History and status: On 1/17/19, SB 1148 was incorporated into SB 1640 and voted out of the Senate Education and Health Committee in an  historic vote after many years advocating for this bill. The bill was received 8 yeah votes with Senator Chase crossing over to vote with all the Democrats  and 7 no votes and was referred to the Senate Finance COmmittee. The Finance Committee voted to return he bill to the Senate Education and Health where this time it died with Senator Chase changing her vote to NO on 1/31/19.  

YEAS–Newman, Black, Carrico, Cosgrove, Dunnavant, Chase, Suetterlein, Peake–(8 republicans).

NAYS–Saslaw, Lucas, Howell, Locke, Barker, Petersen, Lewis- (7 Democrats).

You can find the video of the hearing here: It is precisely at 57:00 minutes of the hearing

https://virginia-senate.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=2494

HOUSE

HB 1882, chief patron: Delegate Mark Keam:

http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+cab+HC10109HB1882+BREF

History and status: On 01/25/19  House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (5-Y 3-N)

YEAS–Rush, Landes, Poindexter, Stolle, Robinson–5.

NAYS–Torian, Carr, Hayes–3.

HB 2388. Chief patron: Delegate Alfonso Lopez

Link: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+cab+HC10114HB2388+BREF

History and status:  

01/25/19  House: Subcommittee failed to recommend reporting (3-Y 5-N)

YEAS–Torian, Carr, Hayes–3.

NAYS–Rush, Landes, Poindexter, Stolle, Robinson–5.

In-state tuition for individuals granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

SB 1055, chief patron: Senator David Marsden

Link: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=191&typ=bil&val=sb1055

History and status: 01/17/19  Senate: Incorporated by Education and Health (SB 1640-Boysko) (15-Y 0-N)

Supports Employment and Labor bills to combat wage theft and increase minimum wage

Nonpayment of wages; private cause of action by an employee.

This bill provides that an employee has a private cause of action against an employer who fails to pay wages to recover the amount of wages due plus interest at eight percent annually from the date the wages were due.

HB 1687, chief patron:  Paul E. Krizek

Link: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=191&typ=bil&val=hb1687

History and status: This bill is dead for the year

01/29/19  House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (6-Y 0-N)

02/05/19  House: Left in Commerce and Labor

Wage payment statements:

This will requires each employer to provide on each regular pay date a written statement, by a paystub or online accounting, that shows the name and address of the employer, the number of hours worked during the pay period, and the rate of pay.

HB 2664, chief patron: Delegate Lashrecse D. Aird

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+mbr+H274

History and status:

02/06/19  Senate: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

2/20/19 Signed by President of Senate  and Speaker of the House

SB 1696, chief patron: Senator Frank Wagner (identical to HB 2664)

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+SB1696

2/20/19 Signed by President of Senate and Speaker of the House

Increase Minimum Wage

This bill Increases the minimum wage from its current federally mandated level of $7.25 per hour to $10 per hour effective July 1, 2019, to $13 per hour effective July 1, 2020, and to $15 per hour effective July 1, 2021,.

SB 1200 , chief patron: Rosalyn Dance:

Link: https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+SB1200

History and status: Defeated by Senate (19-Y 21-N)

Supports bill that will foster trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.    

Remove provision inquiring and reporting of immigration status of persons charged with or convicted of certain crimes

HB 2392. Chief patron: Alfonso Lopez

Link: https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=191&typ=bil&val=hb2392

History and status: This bill is dead for the year

01/16/19  House: Subcommittee recommends passing by indefinitely (5-Y 3-N)

02/05/19  House: Left in Courts of Justice

Oppose Anti-Immigrant Bills  

Bill imposing restrictions on localities that welcome immigrants  

VACOLAO opposes SB 1156 introduced by Senator Richard Black that seeks to prohibit localities from adopting any ordinance, procedure, or policy that restricts the enforcement of federal immigration laws.

This is an unnecessary message bill that seeks to stigmatize immigrant communities and the localities that welcome them. There are no Virginia localities that have passed restrictions on the enforcement of federal immigration law.

Link: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+SB1156

History and status:

02/19/19  House: VOTE: PASSAGE (51-Y 47-N)

02/20/19  Senate: House amendment agreed to by Senate (21-Y 19-N)

Imposing new obligations on localities.

VACOLAO opposes HB 2270 introduced by Delegate Charles Poindexter, as amended when passing the House, this  bill requires that the sheriff, jail superintendent, or other official in charge of a local correctional facility or a regional jail in which an alien is incarcerated shall notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the release or discharge of the alien forthwith as soon as the release date is known

HB 2270, chief patron: Delegate Charles Poindexter

Link: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?191+sum+HB2270

History and status:

02/21/19  House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2270ER)

02/21/19  House: Enrolled

Senate Joint Resolution Commending U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

VACOLAO opposes this resolution as it ignores the harmful impact of ICE’s operations in the Commonwealth including the terrorizing of immigrant communities who live in constant fear of being permanently separated from loved ones. VACOLAO urges the Senate to instead send a strong message of welcoming Virginia’s immigrant communities who have brought so much benefit to our state’s economic and social development.

SR 255, chief patron: Senator Richard Black

Link: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=191&typ=bil&val=sj255

History and status:  This senate resolution failed:

02/06/19  Senate: Left in Rules

Posted in Virginia General Assembly.