David Toscano – Page 18

GA Update: Freeze or Thaw?

February 9, 2018 by David Toscano

One of the most significant bills of this session is HB1558, which would repeal the Utility Rate Freeze Bill of 2015. There has been much confusion and controversy about what the bill does, and does not, actually do. Many of you are aware that in 2015, in response to concerns about possible rate increases in the aftermath of passage of the federal Clean Power Plan, a bill was passed to prevent increases by freezing electricity rates for several years. That bill also removed the State Corporation Commission (SCC) from its role in reviewing rates until 2022.

Over the last several years, two big changes have happened. First, the Trump administration has unraveled the Clean Power Plan. Second, our major utilities have accumulated substantial “overearnings.” Most estimates place these overearnings at several hundred million dollars. There is no reason that these overearnings should not be returned to consumers.

In response to this, several bills were proposed that would undo the rate freeze and reinstate SCC oversight for Dominion and the other utilities. Straight repeal has been defeated, and only HB1558 has a chance of passage this Session. The question, then, is whether this bill will return any overearnings to consumers, and the extent to which the bill will lead to new investments in renewable energy availability and use, grid modernization, and weatherization improvements to save energy. [Read more…]

Approaching Crossover

February 6, 2018 by David Toscano

The session is now in its fourth week, and the pace has not let up as the deadline for crossover approaches. If you want to watch our work, you can find links to the live and archived versions of the floor sessions here, and committee sessions here.

GUNS AND WAR MEMORIALS

Last Friday was Groundhog Day and we have again witnessed the defeat of most of the gun safety bills. These are often referred by the Speaker to a small subcommittee of largely rural legislators, where they are dispatched quickly in party-line votes. I had two bills (HB 1009 and HB 1019) that both met this fate. The first was a bill to add the City of Charlottesville to a list of jurisdictions where semi-automatic weapons are not permitted in public spaces. The second was a bill to allow localities throughout the Commonwealth to prohibit the carrying of weapons and firearms into a permitted demonstration area. Both of these bills were filed in response to the events of August 11th and 12th. Each was defeated on 4 – 2 votes in a small subcommittee of the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee of the House. Similar bills have also died in the Senate, along with other gun safety measures.

My bill (HB 1225) to clarify the law related to war memorials met a similar fate in a different committee. [Read more…]

The Pace Quickens As Bills Move

January 29, 2018 by David Toscano

We are now more than two weeks into the 2018 General Assembly session, and the pace has increased dramatically. Committees begin meeting at 7 a.m. and continue after session each day, often into the early evening. Most of my bills have not yet been reported to the House floor, although I have had success on several measures at the committee level.

Preservation, Medical Marijuana, And Parental Leave

My bill to assist the Preservers of the Daughters of Zion Cemetery with funding for their ongoing and important restoration efforts here in Charlottesville sailed through a subcommittee hearing, and is likely to be passed by the House next week.

I have supported various efforts to use cannabidiol oil or THC-A oil, derived from marijuana, to treat pain associated with a number of serious illnesses, and to broaden physicians’ ability to prescribe them for this purpose. At present, these oils can only be prescribed for intractable epilepsy. A measure I introduced to expand their availability to other illnesses has been heard in subcommittee and will move to the full Courts of Justice Committee soon. And Democratic bills (including mine) to mandate 12 weeks of parental leave for state employees when they add a child to their family, by birth or adoption, are awaiting action in an Appropriations subcommittee; I hope to be able to report progress on this soon. [Read more…]

Toscano and Others Request Overcharge Information from SCC

January 25, 2018 by David Toscano

Del. Toscano among signers of letter seeking SCC analysis of “rate freeze repeal” bills filed in the House of Delegates

RICHMOND, VA — House Democratic Leader David Toscano (57^th District) and five of his colleagues – Delegates Steve Landes (R-25^th), Jeion Ward (D-92^nd ), Lee Ware (R-65^th), Mark Keam (D-35^th), and Michael Webert (R-18^th) – delivered a letter Tuesday to SCC Chairman Jagdmann requesting an agency review and report on several bills submitted to “undo the ‘rate freeze’ adopted by the legislature in 2015, and to substitute a new regimen for utility rate regulation” as soon as possible. [Read more…]

Virginia’s Government Is Energized (and Open)

January 22, 2018 by David Toscano

We have completed the first full week of the General Assembly Session, and committees are now actively engaged in considering bills. To date, I have not had any bills considered before a full committee, though one bill (HB1346) has been sent from subcommittee to the full Courts of Justice committee, by unanimous vote.

Expanding Local Authority

My original bill to permit localities to regulate war memorials and monuments (HB1225) has been criticized by some for reasons that are unrelated to the specific language of my now-amended bill. Unlike other “statue” bills that have been introduced this year, one of which has already been killed in the Senate, my amended proposal is focused exclusively on Confederate monuments. Any criticism that my bill could be used to remove monuments honoring fallen veterans of the United States armed forces from recent wars or conflicts is totally misplaced. My bill also requires a public process to be followed before a locality can remove a monument. This would mean that a local Planning Commission would need to consider any change, and that there would need to be public hearings. Localities would also be permitted, but not required, to conduct a non-binding referendum prior to a vote to remove.

I have two other bills that will provide greater public safety authority to localities. The first is a bill (HB1019) requested by the Governor’s office that will allow localities which issue event permits for demonstrations and major public gatherings to prevent weapons and guns from being carried into such events. This bill has been assigned to the Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee, which is not known to favor restrictions on gun possession. I also filed a bill that would add Charlottesville and Albemarle to a list of specific localities that can prohibit semi-automatic weapons in public places (HB1009). This bill has been also been referred to the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee, and could be heard early this week. [Read more…]