For many years the VEA has been working to gain a statewide
health insurance option for Virginia school divisions. A statewide plan would offer small divisions
the economy of scale, reduce the volatility of rates associated with small
groups and save all involved a significant amount of money.
Senator Norment and Delegate Jackson Miller have both worked
to help us on this issue in past sessions.
This year Delegate Joseph Yost of Montgomery is carrying HB 1356 for us.
Today your chief lobbyist met with Delegate Yost, Delegate
Chris Peace and Sarah Wilson, the Director of the Department of Human Resource
Management. Mrs. Wilson’s agency would
administer the statewide plan and she has been most helpful and supportive over
the years.
Delegate Peace is an experienced and respected member of the
House Committee on General Laws to which the bill has been assigned. He offered helpful tactical suggestions and
his support will be most helpful.
What is also extremely helpful is that the Governor has made
it clear to individuals I have talked to that this issue is important to him as
has his Chief of Staff Jasen Eige. They
have been supporting this effort with budget language and arm twisting. Should this bill pass, it is one for which
school board and local government employees across Virginia could long be
thankful. If that happens, we’ll need to
remember who helped.
