2013 General Assembly Session

Portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have already been implemented in Virginia and throughout much of the country. These include the requirement that there should be no discrimination in insurance coverage based on pre-existing conditions and that parents can retain their children on their health insurance coverage until they reach the age of twenty-six. […]

The Governor and Attorney General’s Inappropriate Acceptance of Gifts Rumors have been swirling about the possibility of Governor McDonnell resigning his position in the aftermath of the Star Scientific ethics scandal. His recent apology and return of the loans may lessen the pressure for resignation – unless other transgressions surface. Nonetheless, the revelations have undermined […]

July 1, 2013, marked the date on which legislation passed in the previous session took effect, including any changes in the budget. Included in these are the following: Various fees and taxes will be reformed as part of the recently enacted bipartisan transportation bill. As part of the bill, the gasoline tax of 17.5 cents […]

The “Veto” Session commenced at noon on Wednesday, April 3, 2013, and finished at 1:00 a.m. the next morning. It is hard to believe that we could take so long, but most of our time was focused on electing new judges around the Commonwealth in a Special Session. The Governor made numerous recommendations for changes […]

The 2013 session of the Virginia General Assembly adjourned on Saturday, February 23rd at 5:21 p.m., with the passage of what is arguably the most significant legislation with which I have been involved since I took my seat in 2006. This session will be remembered primarily for two issues – transportation and Medicaid. Transportation When […]

I received many letters and emails regarding the transportation bill passed by the Virginia General Assembly on February 23, 2013. After considerable thought, and consultation with the Governor’s office and my colleagues in the House and Senate, I decided to support this bill, because it represents a significant step forward in our efforts to address […]

Yesterday was crossover, the day upon which bills introduced in one chamber of the General Assembly have to be approved and sent to the other, or they are defeated for the year. Our sessions are long and the debates intense, and many of these bills are controversial. Much of recent debate has focused on the […]

General Assembly Again Makes Headlines Virginia has yet again become fodder for late night talk show comedy. It would be funny if it were not so serious. In a dramatic power grab, Senate Republicans passed a wholesale redistricting bill and sent it to the House this week. The bill violates House rules, the Virginia Constitution, […]

The second week of the Virginia General Assembly has closed with several notable developments. Curbing Gun Violence House and Senate Democrats joined together this week in proposing a number of measures designed to curb gun violence, including more funding for mental health initiatives, greater efforts to provide security in public schools, and comprehensive background checks […]

The first week of the General Assembly has come to an end. The big news of the week involves the Governor’s State of the Commonwealth address. In that address, he unveiled a new proposal to fund transportation. For the last decade, we have done little to provide an adequate source of revenue to fund investments […]

On Monday, January 7, 2013, I arrive in Richmond for my eighth General Assembly Session, my second as Democratic Leader in the House. Each General Assembly session takes on a special character and tone and this one will be no different. Last year’s session garnered national headlines as Republicans pushed socially divisive legislation, including a […]