David Toscano

Commentary on Virginia and U.S. Politics & Culture

David Toscano
  • Home
  • About David
  • States Matter
  • The Legislative Years
    • General Assembly Updates
      • 2019 General Assembly Session
      • 2018 General Assembly Session
      • 2017 General Assembly Session
      • 2016 General Assembly Session
      • 2015 General Assembly Session
      • 2014 General Assembly Session
      • 2013 General Assembly Session
      • 2012 General Assembly Session
      • 2011 General Assembly Session
    • Press Releases
  • Search

Turning Thoughts and Prayers into Actions and Laws?
Gun Safety Special Session, plus Redistricting Update

June 19, 2019 by David Toscano

Governor Ralph Northam has shown leadership by calling the General Assembly into Special Session on July 9 to address gun violence in the aftermath of yet another mass shooting – this one in Virginia Beach, which took thirteen lives. The Governor and those of us who support gun safety measures realize the challenges ahead; Republicans, who hold a slim majority in the House and Senate and chair the committees, have been consistently reluctant to discuss measures supported by many Americans to cut down on gun violence and mass shootings.

Immediately after the Governor issued his call, Republican leaders leapt to brand it as “hasty;” in their view, it is never a good time to act against gun violence. Even as the statewide Special Committee on School Safety spent months last year working on many different aspects of safety for our children, the Speaker prohibited us from including gun safety measures in our discussions. In the last General Assembly session, nearly 35 measures were proposed to help combat gun violence and increase gun safety (two by me). The House bills, and the only one that made it through the Senate, were referred to a small House subcommittee controlled by rural conservative Republicans, where they all died. For years, gun safety bills have not been allowed to come to the House floor for a vote. After the Virginia Beach tragedy, many of us hoped that minds will change and that some of these measures can pass. [Read more…]

Share

Filed Under: General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Domestic Violence, Gun Safety, Legislative Redistricting, Mental Health Policy, Special Session, Virginia General Assembly Process

Toscano Comments on Supreme Court’s Decision in Bethune-Hill Redistricting Case

June 17, 2019 by David Toscano

Toscano on U.S. Supreme Court Decision Dismissing House Republicans’ Attempted Appeal in Virginia House of Delegates, et al. v. Bethune-Hill

CHARLOTTESVILLE – Upon this morning’s release by the Supreme Court of the United States of its decision rejecting an appeal filed by the House of Delegates’ Republican leadership in the long-running lawsuit Virginia House of Delegates, et al. v. Bethune-Hill, et al., Delegate David J. Toscano (D-57th District) released the following statement:

“I have been fighting against this racially discriminatory redistricting plan since 2011, first by voting against it in the House of Delegates, and then as the Democratic leader in the House. It is very gratifying to see this lawsuit, brought by affected voters and supported by those who oppose unconstitutional redistricting based on race, finally decided and the wrongful composition of the affected House of Delegates districts corrected before I leave office. Despite spending millions of taxpayer dollars in their quest to keep racially-gerrymandered districts in place, Republicans must now face the November elections in districts that were drawn to respect voters’ rights and constitutional requirements. Because of this, Democratic candidates have a fairer chance to win, and hopefully we will see a more representative House of Delegates as a result.”

Delegate Toscano is available today to the media for further comment.

# # #

Share

Filed Under: Press Releases Tagged With: Legislative Redistricting

Week One of the 400th Session Is Underway

January 14, 2019 by David Toscano

Four hundred years is a very long time. For that entire period, Virginia has been governed by a representative legislative body. From the Jamestown settlement in 1619 to Williamsburg to Richmond, the House of Delegates (formerly House of Burgesses) has met each year to pass laws – some good and some bad – reflecting the preferences of those who elected us to serve.

We convened on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, for this 400th anniversary session, and, as with all 399 sessions before, the issues we will discuss are important to the people of Virginia. [Read more…]

Share

Filed Under: General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Affordable Health Care, Casinos, Climate Change, Environmental Protection, Equal Rights Amendment, Gun Safety, health care costs, Legislative Redistricting, limiting campaign contributions

Virginia House Republicans Betting On Kavanaugh? Redistricting’s Next Phase

October 9, 2018 by David Toscano

Last week, I wrote a piece that linked the Kavanaugh hearings with the General Assembly’s machinations on redistricting. Now, with Justice Kavanaugh confirmed and sworn in, our House of Delegates redistricting may take yet another twist.

In previous writings, I have detailed the long and winding road that led to the federal court decision to strike down the Republicans’ 2011 redistricting plan due to unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. Since that June 26, 2018, Court decision in Bethune-Hill v. Virginia State Board of Elections, and despite numerous requests by Democrats to reconvene the General Assembly to consider legislative options, the Republican strategy has been to delay any legislative action in hopes that new maps could not be drawn in time for the 2019 House of Delegates election. [Read more…]

Share

Filed Under: General Assembly 2018 Tagged With: Legislative Redistricting

Kavanaugh, Due Process, And Legislative Impasse In Richmond

October 1, 2018 by David Toscano

Few Washington events have rivaled the spectacle and drama of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings. Once thought a shoe-in for the U.S. Supreme Court, the conservative judge is now embroiled in a maelstrom of accusations that include attempted sexual assault, prolific drinking, possible lying to Congress, and an insufficiently judicial temperament, all of which may eventually sink his nomination and may even threaten his standing as a sitting judge on the D.C. federal appeals court. [Read more…]

Share

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Legislative Redistricting, Special Session, Virginia General Assembly Process

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 5
  • Next Page »

Join My Email List

Topics

2016 presidential election 2017 Virginia election ABC law enforcement procedures Adoption Affordable Care Act - Virginia Affordable Health Care Anti-Discrimination Charlottesville and Albemarle County Charlottesville sidewalk funding program Climate Change Coal Tax Credits DNA Database Expansion Domestic Violence Education Educational reform Environmental Protection Equal Rights Amendment Ethics reform Financial exploitation of elderly Foster Care Gun Safety Immigration Job Creation Judicial Appointments K-12 Education funding Legislative Redistricting Medicaid expansion Mental Health Policy Pre-K Education Funding Religious Freedom Renewable Energy Reproductive Choice Same-Sex Marriage Senator Creigh Deeds Sexual Assault Policy Special Session State Employee Compensation University of Virginia Virginia budget Virginia General Assembly Process Virginia Health Insurance Marketplace Virginia Higher Education Funding Virginia Retirement System funding Virginia transportation Voting Access

General Assembly Updates 2011-18

  • General Assembly 2018
  • General Assembly 2017
  • General Assembly 2016
  • General Assembly 2015
  • General Assembly 2014
  • General Assembly 2013
  • General Assembly 2012
  • General Assembly 2011

Contact Me

211 E. High Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone: 434-220-1660
Fax: 434-220-1677
david@davidtoscano.com

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Email list
Donate to the Virginia First PAC

Help me bring more common sense to the General Assembly by helping elect candidates that share our views in other districts across the Commonwealth. Make a contribution to my leadership PAC, Virginia First, where funds go directly to support candidates across the state. - David

Authorized by David Toscano
© Copyright 2006-20 · DavidToscano.com · All Rights Reserved ·