The big things that the General Assembly recently did — or didn’t do — you already know about. Cannabis (did). Electronic “skill” games (also did). The arena (didn’t do).
The legislature, though, deals with thousands of bills — this year, 2,390 were introduced, of which 1,098 were passed. Some are more important than others but all were important to somebody. Here are some of the lesser-known things the legislature did that are worth noting — and keep in mind there may be lots of others; I don’t claim in any way that this is a comprehensive list. I’ve mostly focused on some of the bills sponsored by legislators from Southwest and Southside, with a few others thrown in because those bills are relevant here.
1. Opioid overdose reversal agents in public schools
State Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Washington County, sponsored legislation — SB 726 — requiring every school to have a supply of such opioid antagonists (commonly called Narcan) on hand. State Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax County, had a similar bill that was folded into Pillion’s. Pillion has long been associated with opioid-related issues; he’s chairman of the Opioid Abatement Authority. Last year, nine students at Park View High School in Loudoun County suffered opioid-related overdoses within a month, with four of those happening on school grounds.
2. Possible tax breaks for certain rural residents
State Sen. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell County, sponsored a bill — SB 564 — that directs the Department of Taxation and the Commission on Local Government to study the impact of granting income tax relief to people in certain economically distressed localities, specifically those with high unemployment and a high poverty rate, two criteria that would bring in a lot of counties in Virginia’s southwestern corner (but possibly some elsewhere). The agencies are told to determine “whether income tax relief would alleviate population loss and fiscal distress in such localities.” In other words, would a tax break cause fewer people to move out or, ideally, more people to move in?
This bill passed the Senate 40-0 and the House 86-12. Curiously, all 12 were Republicans. It’s obviously unusual to find Republicans voting against a possible tax break, but I know that one of those 12 — Del. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County — feels strongly that we shouldn’t have a patchwork tax system.
If the governor signs the bill, that study would be due by Nov. 1.
3. A possible state takeover of the Virginia Museum of Transportation
This has been something that legislators from both parties have tried to make happen over the years, including this year. Both Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, and state Sen. Chris Head, R-Botetourt County, had bills that died in committee.
Sometimes, though, where there’s a will, there’s a way, especially since Rasoul is a member of the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee, and Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt County, a longtime champion of the museum, is not just on the committee but one of an even more select group that works out the final language with Senate counterparts.
Lo, the budget contains what’s known in the trade as a “language amendment” — all words, no money — that directs the state to study a possible takeover. That report would also be due by Nov. 1.
4. Size for economic development sites in western part of state lowered
There’s been a lot of emphasis in recent years on Virginia’s need to have more “business-ready” sites available. The focus has been on large sites, such as the 3,500-acre Southern Virginia Megasite in Pittsylvania County. That’s a fine thing, but topography makes it difficult to find large sites in the western part of the state. Del. Ellen Campbell, R-Rockbridge County, sponsored a bill — HB 233 — that lowers the threshold for sites to qualify for the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program Fund from 100 acres to 50 acres, and only in certain parts of the state, or under certain conditions. Specifically, the lower threshold would apply if the site:
a) Is in GO Virginia Regions 1 and 2. The GO Virginia economic development Region 2 runs from Appomattox County to Giles County, bringing in the Lynchburg area, the Roanoke Valley, the Alleghany Highlands and the New River Valley. Region 1 covers everything from Wythe County to the west.
b) Is in localities “in which topographic or environmental factors constrain the availability of viable sites for economic development,” which will by definition bring in a lot of western localities;
c) “presents a unique economic development opportunity based on infrastructure, logistics, or other distinguishable features of the site”;
d) “creates an economic development opportunity not currently available in the regional inventory of economic development sites.”
This bill passed unanimously; it also got amended several times along the way. This is one of those bills that will never be a headline item but someday could mean the difference between some western locality getting some jobs or seeing them go elsewhere.
5. Treatment for pregnant inmates who are in need of substance abuse treatment
Two of Virginia’s women’s prisons, the ones in Fluvanna County and Goochland County, both are in the Senate district represented by state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland County, which explains his interest in the bill. SB 603 directs the Department of Criminal Justice Services, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Department of Health to “convene a work group of relevant stakeholders to study and make recommendations related to prioritizing treatment for incarcerated women who are pregnant and in need of substance abuse treatment” with a report due by Nov. 1.
6. Local food in school cafeterias
No more “mystery meat” — at least in terms of where it came from. State Sen. Danica Roem, D-Manassas, isn’t from our coverage area but her bill SB 314 has local implications for farm communities. It directs the Department of Education to encourage schools to buy more locally grown food for their cafeterias.
7. Artificial intelligence
The legislature voted to create a Commission on Artificial Intelligence to advise the General Assembly on AI-related issues and how the technology should and should not be used by the state. The final legislation — SB 487 — was sponsored by state Sen. Lashresce Aird, D-Petersburg, but incorporated a similar bill by state Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Washington County, which shows how bipartisan the support is for understanding this technology.
8. Large-animal veterinarians
The U.S. Department of Agriculture last year identified 240 places around the country with a shortage of large-animal veterinarians. Not surprisingly, some of those are in rural Virginia. Cardinal’s Matt Busse wrote about this last fall. In the most recent session, state Sen. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell County, sponsored SJ 15, which directs the Board of Veterinary Medicine, in consultation with the state veterinarian, to complete a two-year study of the shortage of large animal veterinarians. If you’re a farmer — or someone who likes to eat meat — this is kind of a big deal.
9. Saving the trees
It turns out that a lot of legislators — even most Republicans — really are tree-huggers. At least judging by the vote on SB 461 from state Sen. David Marsden, D-Fairfax County and chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. That bill, which passed with almost unanimous support, directs the Department of Forestry to create a plan to conserve forestland across the state.
10. A new logo for college sports uniforms
Come 2025-2026, you might see a new logo added to the uniforms of certain college teams. Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt County, sponsored HJ 84, which “encourages” teams to display the logo associated with the state’s upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Austin chairs that commission. Disclosure: We’ve received a grant from that commission to help write a series of stories about little-known aspects of Virginia’s role in leading up the Declaration. You can read those stories on our Cardinal 250 page. We, however, are not required to wear the logo (or clear our work with the commission).
