The SOL
reform bill, Delegate Greason's HB 930, was amended and reported by the Senate
and Education and Health Committee this morning. This bill, which names VEA as one of the
organizations represented on the SOL Innovation Committee, now heads to the Senate
floor where final passage appears to be likely.
The
committee carried over Delegate "Dickie" Bell's HB 324, the bill
which would have created a "stand alone" virtual school students
could enroll in as an alternate to attending their public school. Chairman Lucas will write to the Senate
Finance Committee requesting that they examine the funding provisions in the
bill, which VEA pointed out as being problematic. The vote to carry over was unanimous.
Senator
Emmett Hanger's SB 420, which had passed the Senate on a 38 to 0 vote, was tabled by the House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Compensation and Retirement. Delegate Joannou moved that the bill be
carried over, but there was no second.
This bill would have provided that the fiscal impact statements (FIS) given to
legislators as they consider retirement bills would include the impact of the
policy change on present and future retirees.
The VRS did not object to the bill.
Senator Hanger asserted that such information "should have a
bearing on how legislators vote."
This outcome is most disappointing and reflective of a callous lack of
concern for VRS members.
Work
continues on the diabetes bills. The
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Elementary and Secondary Education conformed
Senator Stuart’s SB 532 to Delegate Cole’s HB 134. The Cole language is much less
problematic. These bills appear to be
headed for a committee of conference where the differences between the two will
be ironed out.
The
scuttlebutt in the Capital's halls is that the General Assembly will adjournSine Die on March 8, without having completed a budget, and that the Governor
will call a special session to continue work on the budget.
