Public Comments for 02/01/2023 Appropriations
HB1465 - Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee; established.
HB1508 - Virginia Education Success Account Program; established, report.
While HB1508 seems like a step in the right direction towards expanding school choice in the Commonwealth of Virginia, it explicitly excludes children whose parents are already making the sacrifice to send them to private or parochial schools. Access to the potential savings that the bill would enable should not be restricted solely because a family has already chosen to make the sacrifice required to send their children to private or parochial school. School choice is school choice, regardless of when that choice was made. The bill should be amended so that it benefits ALL Virginia students, including those who do not currently attend public schools.
Dear Chairperson Davis and Members of the House Appropriations - Elementary and Secondary Subcommittee: As a Virginia resident, a parent, and State Director for American Atheists, which has more than 1,700 constituents in Virginia, I write in opposition to HB 1508.
We highly support ESA's! Please bring this to Virginia parents and students. This is vital in our success to keep up with other States who have higher Educational ratings than we do. Thank you for helping the children in this great Commonwealth.
Please support HB1508. One's zip code should not determine the quality of one's education. I see Education Success Accounts as being similar to Pell Grants for K-12 education. They can be used at any institution whether public or private.
I fully support HB 1508. Fairfax Public Schools, where all 3 of our children were enrolled, are failing students by bringing academic standards down in the name of equity and by indoctrinating in the Critical Race Theory, LGBTQ, and transgender ideology instead of teaching reading, writing, math, and sciences. That was the reason we took our last son out of the public school and enrolled him in a private school with a price tag of $20,000 a year. Education Savings Account will not only help families like our pay for the alternative education, but will make public schools think twice: should they continue with indoctrination and lose state funds or should they go back to education without indoctrination?
House of delegates committee members: I ask that you oppose HB 1508 as it is simply designed to take resources away from public education. Vouchers are well known to have been used in the attempt to see public education decline. I would respectfully remind all committee members that public education is the only institution that accepts clientele without condition to participate in that institution. Public education is a national security issue and as such should not be open to the whims of anyone who feels their child or constituent somehow can do better. Children do better when parents are involved; schools do better when they are faithfully supported. Public education, on the whole, is and has been consistent with raising the character and literacy of all who enter it. Vouchers are simply a means to lessen public education and eventually deny education through increasing the poverty of each school and lessening the educational standards of all who remain without vouchers. Thank you. Riad Mahayni Chesterfield County,
Support 1508, This bill gives much needed help to families to get the help their children need. It does not have to be used to take a child out of that school, but can be used to get help with tutoring and educational therapies and other resources to help their child succeed according to their individual needs. Help children and parents get the help they need that may not be available in their particular school.
Please oppose HB 1508. Voucher bills are often pitched as providing the opportunity for the economically challenged to access private educational alternatives. However, the private elementary school average tuition cost is $13,073 per year and the private high school average is $16,572 per year. Consequently, voucher programs are not going to result in bringing those programs into reach for many of our fellow citizens. I believe the real intent of voucher programs is to begin a movement away from public education for all and towards a private model of educational delivery. Instead of endeavoring to break a model that is one of the world's few attempts to educate all of its citizens up to the age of higher education, perhaps we should consider how best to commit ourselves to its success. This is our approach for all other public services like defense and public safety. Why then would we consider removing resources from this critical public mission of education to bolster the opportunities of our most well off citizens to the detriment of schools that are already at a disadvantage when confronting present day challenges. I hope that, instead of contributing to this draining of resources for the Commonwealth's schools, you will oppose HB 1508.
ExcelinEd in Action is pleased to support the expansion of educational opportunity for students as contained in HB 1508. Family-directed accounts like the ones created in this legislation empower families with the freedom to pursue the education options best suited to their students' individual needs and aspirations. A child can attend private school and receive speech therapy on the side. Another child can learn math and science online, English and history at home, see a tutor twice a week and save leftover money for future education expenses. With a Success Account, education is no longer “use it or lose it.” Parents, guardians and students decide where the best values are and can direct their child’s funds in the most efficient way. Thank you for your consideration and support.
I fully support Delegate March's bill HB 1396. I believe that all Virginia parents should have the maximum support from the Commonwealth to choose the best education environment for their children -- without regard to the previous year. I have three children. Each is different, as is universally true for all families. Each child has needed different challenges and learning environments to elicit the best outcomes. Each of my children has attended public schools, private schools and has been homeschooled. In my judgment each of those matches was advantageous -- and necessary -- for each child. Fortunately, I was able to afford these options, even though I was continually paying for public schools in the years each child was not using them. Many Virginians cannot do that. Many of their children fail to receive the opportunities in education afforded by true educational choice. That is not fair to them. It is not beneficial to Virginia -- it reduces the calibre of our labor force. Delegate Davis' bill, HB 1508, is less than "half-a-loaf". It restricts which parents and students can participate in the ESA program and it provides only about one-third of the resources given to public school students. Not a good deal. Not acceptable for Virginia.
I support HB1508. We all know that public schools are overcrowded and the student to teacher ratio is terrible. Classes are too big and public-school buildings are beyond capacity. This is the only legislation that addresses overcrowding. Please support this bill.
HB1508 is a watered down version of HB 1396. It should be dumped. Legislators should support HB 1396.
I have no money to send my children to anything but my local failing public school. I would like to have better access and HB 1508 would provide that.
"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book
This bill please vote in favor for it would well benefit our children.
This bill please vote in favor for it would well benefit our children.
This bill would allow individuals who are being left behind in society due to financial restrictions to have the ability to access funds for more opportunities for their children. This bill is about empowering people more than anything else. I support this bill and hope it gets passed in this years general assembly. The education system needs a transformation, and this would be a first step.
School funding is limited. We should not support those who choose to attend private schools. Our public school teachers need adequate pay and resources. Keep the funds with our public schools.
Please note that in my opinion it is not the taxpayer's responsibility to financially support students and families NOT attending public schools. Funds are very limited and resources do not need to be taken away from the public schools.
Dear Legislators, I urge you to vote NO on HB1508 and speak out to your fellow subcommittee members with reasons why this bill is a disservice to VA children. Redirecting public school funds to families that choose to send their children to private school increases the opportunity gap for all children in Virginia. The purpose of a public education is for societal gain in addition to the personal gain of the learner. This means it is best for our entire society when we have high quality education, and the funding to ensure it, at the focus of our efforts, rather than allowing funds to be funneled towards private schools where we can not control the quality of education. Additionally, approving this bill would mean there would be less money for public schools. The funding and quality gap caused by this bill would be even wider and have an even harsher impact in southwest Virginia where schools are already under funded due to funding formulas. Thank you for your consideration of these points. Jocelyn Washburn
I strongly oppose HB 1508 Virginia Education Success Account Program. I do not approve of my tax dollars being spent to pay for a private education. I believe in a level playing field. This is an inappropriate use of my tax dollars. Public schools need increased funding, not reduced. Why not sent this bill to vote to the Commonwealth taxpayers? Our tax dollars need to support quality public education. Vouchers remove money from public schools. Public schools are part of our best achievements! This bill diverts funding from public education the money I pay in property taxes. I have not agreed to be taxed so that private schools can be funded. I support public education and am willing to pay my fair share toward the education of our community's children in public schools.
These bills are so important to the family, to our children. Please pass these bills!
To Whom it may Concern, Virginia already ranks at the bottom in per-pupil spending for public education even though it is one of the wealthiest states in the nation in median household income. Virginia already lacks in providing the necessary funds to support the Standards of Quality for education fully. Del. Davis has stated there is a huge need, especially in historically Black communities as an argument to support this bill. As a former educator in Virginia for over 40 years, I am offended by this narrative and see it as a distraction from the real issue. For as long as I can remember, Petersburg Public Schools, along with most school districts, have been sorely underfunded. There is too little evidence to support that vouchers significantly improve student achievement and black students and families are less likely to benefit from said vouchers. I strongly request that you don't support this bill and instead fund public education to its fullest so that ALL students can benefit.
I strongly oppose the Virginia Board of Education supplying pornography to any school system in the state. Those individuals including county, school, superintendents, librarians, school administrator and teachers.must know they are breaking VA State code(s) on the distribution of child pornography . Clearly, it ‘ is against the law, and they must resign and face criminal prosecution.
I oppose this bill! Taxes are meant to support public education. If there is a deficiency in a school or school system, extra resources should be provided. Removing students, and therefore funding, is not the answer. Our tax dollars are for the common good, not for individuals to use outside of the public school system.
Please oppose this bill. Every dollar spent on VESAP would be a dollar not spent on public education. A commitment to public education is a proud American tradition, from Thomas Jefferson to Horace Mann. Please uphold this tradition. You should not be defunding public schools. Public dollars for public schools!
It is our responsibility to use the limited resources (funds) directed toward public education for that purpose. As stewards of the public trust, I ask that you do not support this proposed legislation. I am a parent of four children who were successfully educated in the Montgomery County Public schools K-12. They are productive citizens contributing to the well being of communities in four different states. As a taxpayer, I expect state and local governments to have funding priorities directed to public, not private education. The proposed legislation introduced by Mr. Davis redirects essential funding for public education to individuals making choices to opt out of public education. That is their choice. It is not my obligation to support that choice at the expense of educating students in public schools. Your job is to ensure that educators throughout the Commonwealth are supported and encouraged in their efforts to provide a truthful, quality education for all eligible students. Excellent public education that values diversity and inclusion is essential to attracting and retaining employers to our region. The benefit to all students is access to state of the art resources and dedicated teachers that is insured by consistent, sufficient funding of public education . For those electing home schooling, their choice is personal; the responsibility of educating these children is owned by parents and guardians who likely want minimal accountability and governmental intervention. For families, guardians choosing private school, for whatever reasons, it is their responsibility, not mine or fellow taxpayers, to support that education. I ask that you carefully consider the reasons that this bill has been put forward in the first place. The motivations reside in dissatisfaction with some aspect of public education. Your job is to make public education the best it can be. That goal cannot be attained by reduced funding, which is the bottom line of this proposed legislation.
I don't believe that public school funding should be used for private schools.
I strongly oppose HB 1508 Virginia Education Success Account Program. I do not believe using public education funding to support private schools or homeschooling is an appropriate use of my tax dollars. Public schools need increased funding. Thank you, Susan Morikawa
I strongly oppose HB1508. Tax dollars need to support quality public education, not subsidize those who have the ability to pull their child from public schools (it's not possible for everyone). Vouchers remove money from public schools. When students are segregated into private schools, inevitably the least enfranchised students get left behind at public schools that are even worse off than before.In addition, public education is not just about providing students with the knowledge and skills allowing them to progress and thrive. It is also about preparing them to be active participants in a vibrant democracy. Strong public schools do this.
HB1475- While we would love to see homeschool students participate in activities, Career & Technical Student Organizations, such as SkillsUSA and the Technology Student Association, require specialized training not necessarily available through homeschool instruction. HB 1508- Education Success Accounts seem to take funding from public schools. Comprehensive schools around the state provide students access to career and technical instruction not available through home school means. HB 1695- Students absolutely need the extra support to access career pathways however the language should be inclusive enough to allow for flexibility of position title. As a current district-level work-based learning specialist, the manpower need is great but the positions will look different across districts and possibly even schools as a result of student career interest and labor market data. I have attached the Virginia ACTE Advocacy card for more information on ways to support Career & Technical Education.
It's very clear that individuals bringing bills or commentators haven't spoken to teachers in the schools or principals currently serving students. It's ridiculous that you wouldn't when bringing a bill that will directly impact your voting constituents. Students are important, so are teachers and principals. Please speak with them to appropriately understand what is going on inside schools when you bring policy to the floor.
I have fostered children for over ten years, and the faces of the children and their stories stay in my heart forever. I am also a mother of two teenagers. As a mother and caregiver for youth, I recognize that every child has very different talents. Reflecting on my experiences as a caregiver, I remember two teens I had to stay with me. I knew in my heart that with these teens' trauma, they were not ready to jump into public school yet. If we had this bill in place, I feel that their biological mother and I would have placed the teens in a private school. As for my children, My children are very different from each other. One child thrives in public school, and the other thrives in homeschooling. As a mother, withdrawing my son from public school was one of the most complex decisions. My biggest concern was the lack of education professionals available to implement IEP. Every other day there was a substitute teacher, and my child needed consistency. Today he is being homeschooled, and I can adjust the curriculum to the speed he needs to thrive. This bill needs to become law. EVERY child needs an education tailored to their success.
This Bill will benefit all children from lower income areas, it gives them the opportunity to strive and feel as if they are a part of something better than what they see daily. I'm totally in agreement.
This need to be passed
Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy. It is a great equalizer. It hasn’t been fully funded. Instead of diverting funds from our public schools to private entities we need to invest to support the system that educates 90 percent of Commonwealth’s children. Public schools not just provides education but also food, transportation, internet, child care, safety and security. Please say no to bill HB1508!
As the mother of three children with disabilities, I know first hand about how Virginia public school rape our children of a free and appropriate education. I used video recordings of the atrocities against my children to indict the City of Virginia Beach public schools in Virginia Beach and won the freedom of my children. I now advocate for all children to be free of the bondage called Virginia public schools that has historically failed children living in poverty, with disabilities or with melenated skin. This is why I subscribe to the business as usual theory. I know and believe that real change comes when we end the economical stronghold that Virginia's public schools has had for generations; diverting funds and fostering educational neglect. This is why I support HB1508. In fact, I don't think this bill goes far enough to help families pay for school choice. School choice empowers families with funding to meet the unique needs of every child; closing the educational gaps that currently exist in public schools today.
Universal public education is one of the great achievements of our nation. It astounds me that this bill, HB1508, proposes to divert from public education the money I pay in property taxes. I have not agreed to be taxed so that private schools can enrich their bottom line. I support public education and am willing to pay my fair share toward the education of our community's children in public schools. Why public? I vote to elect the school board. I can and have testified at school board meetings. I can see how my financial support is being used and voice objections when I disagree with school policy. I can and have read Standards of Learning and have commented on the revisions. And at a practical level, there are economies of scale when most children attend public school. Moreover, public education is a unifying force in our current divisive society. The SOLs include sorely needed civics education. They cover the STEM skills that have made our country a leader in technology. They include the literature that helps students develop empathy and care what happens to other people, even when they are different. If HB1508 were to pass, I would have no voice in the education of those students that used my taxes to leave public school. I would have no knowledge of what those students were or were not being taught. The people who pay the bills should have oversight of how government money is spent, not just the people who have a special interest in benefiting from this diversion of public school money. I oppose HB1508 and all schemes that take funding from public education to benefit private schools.
I strongly support this bill.
Please pass this bill. As citizens of the common wealth we need the ability to chose excellence for our children’s education. Creating competition always makes things better. This bill is a productive step in the right direction.
HB1508 - I currently have a 6th grader enrolled in private school. I took her out of public school 3 years ago due to the failing system. My wife an I have discussed putting her back in public schools due to the expense. We thought HB1508 would offer assistance and give us stability to keep her in private school. However, this bill excludes us from any benefit unless we place her back in public school for a semester and then put her back in the private school. I can’t image the emotional stress on a 12 year old of changing schools twice in the same year just to qualify for this assistance. That is, assuming the private school still has a spot for her; which is doubtful being most private schools already have a wait list. What a disaster for both the schools and students. This bill does nothing to help this parents who are already sacrificing and struggling to pay tuition. Please make an amendment to the bill to include those already attending private schools and make these benefits available to all children in Virginia.
Please oppose HB1508 that provides for public funds to go to parents to use for private school education for their children; thus reducing public funds for public schools. No fiscal impact information has been provided yet. That is needed before action or vote in this subcommittee. A Program Administrator is required at an undetermined salary -- probably a very high salary given the job description. VERY concerning is what "Education Service Providers" can do: Line 242: Education service providers shall be given MAXIMUM freedom to provide for the educational needs of a qualified student WITHOUT government control. Line 249: No education service provider shall be required to alter its creed, practices, admission policies, or curriculum to receive funds from a savings account pursuant to this article. Those statements are incredibly broad. Thus, there are no standards or limits on how our public dollars would be used. HB1508 would reduce funds available to our public schools, so please oppose the bill.
African American students in Virginia deserve a high quality education environment outside of the singular option the government offers. When you provide Black kids with a rich education of their parents' choice you reduce crime, teen pregnancy, generational poverty, and societal inequities, and we want to see the students in Virginia flourish not languish. Our students deserve to have education freedom. That's why we support HB1508. Black Minds Matter
What private school with quality services charges $6000 a year? Surely not one that provides meals, transportation and health care services. The bill is a boon for those who can already afford to pay the $13,000 to $21,000 yearly tuition at my area's local private school, for example.
Please support Bill #1396! So important for the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia!
Dear Legislator, While the Youngkin administration is addressing the recent devastating revelation that Virginia’s children have had dramatic loss of academic proficiency over the past five years, thousands and thousands of our children remain in public schools that are not providing a quality education. The learning loss continues as we try to figure out solutions. We need solutions and innovation now!! Forcing children to remain in failing public schools because they live in a certain zip code is a dereliction of our responsibility to our children. We can do better than this. My family and I ask that you support Education Success Accounts and the expansion of the Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit program during this upcoming General Assembly. 2023 is an election year and as you learned two years ago, parents are activated and motivated to see changes. We look forward to seeing you support our family by voting "yes" on Education Savings Accounts and Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credits.
We are in favor of School Choice many children are in failing schools or they have physical or emotional disabilities the school they are assigned to by where they live doesn't meet the childs needs. Children should be able to be in school environments that meet their needs and talents so they can strive to reach their potential. Parents should be allowed to use their tax dollars sent to the government for education to enroll their child in the school of their choice or home school their child proving the best education tailored for their child. As for the argument that is take revenue away from public schools I disagree with less children in Public schools they are still getting the majority of taxpayer revenue while the parent is only getting a portion. Public schools get funding from taxpayers that don't even have children, or their children are grown and no longer in Public school. Public schools would have less children per classroom giving each teacher more time to spend teaching each class, we would not have to build more schools and we could lower costs by cutting back on Administrative staff where the majority of money is spent. Staff that deal with children with disabilities would be less if those children went to schools more equipped to handle that child's needs elevating disruptions in the classroom. The bill is a win/win for all concerned, Please support the bill and pass it out of committee.
This bill allows a public-school student’s parent to use 1/3rd of the student’s per pupil expenditure (PPE) in the form of an Education Savings Account (ESA) to provide their student with a non-public-school education, in accordance with existing state law governing compulsory education. The other 2/3rd of the PPE remains with the public school system to offset impact on teacher salary, cover fixed cost of school operation, and leave approximately 12.5% of the PPE as savings. The savings can be reinvested by the state in the remaining public-school students. HB1508 is a win-win for all stakeholders! It: (1) allows parents to exercise their fundamental right under Virginia Code § 1-240.1 to “make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent's child;” (2) reduces student-to-teacher ratio in the classroom; (3) eliminates the impact of a public school student’s withdrawal on teacher pay and fixed cost of school operation; (4) increases PPE for those students who remain in public school; and (5) delays the need to build new classrooms. Last, the ESA is funded by state money only: no federal funds or local school district funds are used. Kris Allen Policy Director Middle Resolution Policy Network
I full support this bill.
I fully support this bill.
I'm a parent to K-12 children and I fully support HB 1508. Educational Savings Accounts are needed for alternate forms of K-12 education.
HB1550 - Child abuse or neglect; findings of local department of social services, appeal.
I support this bill. Teachers need far more protections from what has become a hyper-sexualized punish first, punish last system whereby one is guilty until proven innocent. When I was accused and subsequently found guilty absent "beyond a reasonable doubt" evidentiary standard, all appeals were effectively vacated. Appeal to the useless courts? Nope, courts are required to adhere to the trial court's view unless extraordinary circumstances are met (justice isn't one of them). A review before firing only allows the school to prove you were convicted of a felony, something a precocious 5th grader can do. We need to enact this, and far better safeguards for all those of us whose lives were destroyed on mere accusations and assumptions.
I write in support of House Bill Number 1550 to allow teachers with a founded Child Protective Services Complaint a trial de novo in Circuit Court after state appeals are exhausted. Founded CPS dispositions can occur when teachers defend themselves or defend students in the good faith performance of their teaching duties. Our Virginia Circuit Court due process protections for the wrongly and falsely accused would safeguard teachers' good faith performance of their duties at a time when teachers' safety and the safety of the students are physically threatened. James G. Hunter, III Attorney, Lynchburg
I am an attorney and have represented several individuals who are school personnel accused of abuse. An administrative hearing is very different than a trial. The review by a Circuit Court under the administrative process act is not a meaningful review and is only whether a reasonable fact-finder could have come to the conclusion of the administrative panel. School personnel who have a founded complaint lose their careers. They lose what they have spent years studying for, what they have dedicated their lives towards working for, what they define themselves as. The stakes are much higher for them than the general public. I don't foresee the additional protections of this bill being widely used or being burdensome on DSS or the Courts. While school personnel often have allegations of wrongdoing the majority of these reports are screened out or the initial determination will be unfounded. The small percent that have an initial determination of founded will then go to an informal hearing. These are conducted in a variety of manners around the state. Some allow you to questions witnesses, and present evidence, others do not. Some are conducted not by a neutral party but by the local director who may have been involved in making or approving the initial determination. However the process goes, many of the initial determinations do get reversed prior to going to the state level administrative appeal.
My name is Monica Mroz, and I am an attorney with Strelka Employment Law in Roanoke, Virginia. For the last 15 years, I have represented Virginia teachers in various administrative settings, including defending them against CPS complaints. Though CPS views itself as a non-penal agency, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact that an unwarranted CPS complaint can have on a teacher's livelihood. Complaints can be made anonymously and the threshold for screening in a complaint for investigation is extremely low. It is extraordinarily rare for a complaint to be screened out. Unlike the family setting, where CPS can choose to do a family assessment (a process designed to identify education opportunities and needed services) instead of an investigation, when the target of the complaint is an educator, there is only one track: investigation. Investigations have no end but a "finding." Findings are made by a preponderance of the evidence, only. The impact of a finding (after all appeals have been exhausted) against an educator results in licensure revocation (by operation of statute) and entry into a database for 3 to nearly 20 years, depending on the level of the finding. Presence in the database results in teachers being unable to work, or even volunteer to work, with children for the operative period. Initial findings are made by the investigator with a supervisor's approval. There are two intra-agency appeals--one to the Director of the local agency who is the decisionmaker, and one to a hearing officer. While the teacher can bring witnesses, there is no similar ability to compel witnesses, as one may do in court, and rules of evidence do not apply, which permits a great deal of unreliable evidence into the proceedings. As mandatory reporters, school systems have adopted a very cautious aspect, frequently exercising little critical judgment over whether a complaint actually constitutes abuse or neglect, and report as a matter of course. A teacher does have right to counsel, even in their initial interview with CPS during the investigation, but many school system administrations focus on "getting the process over with" once the report has been made, as during the investigation, the teacher is most often placed on administrative leave. The teacher is often pressured to participate in an interview with CPS, immediately, and frequently on school grounds with their administrator present. I have worked with many different local CPS agencies, and do believe the investigators do their best, but find that many are unprepared or overworked, and perhaps not cognizant of the far reaching effects of their investigations and conclusions. Ensuring a circuit court trial for teachers would provide a much needed extra layer of protection for our educators who devote their careers to caring for and securing our children. I have long thought this process, while no doubt conceived to protect children, has gone too far, and the unintended consequence has been to actually remove good and caring teachers from our schools. Thank you for allowing me to speak--please give our teachers this additional layer of process so that they may protect their livelihoods, and so that further miscarriages of justice may be prevented.
HB1566 - Public school teachers and other Standards of Quality-funded positions; compensation.
Teachers are our most precious resource! They deserve to be paid a competitive rate. They deserve WAY more than a competitive rate!
Please support HB 1566, Compensation of public school teachers and other Standards of Quality funded positions. Attracting well-qualified teachers and staff to work in public schools is of utmost importance in ensuring that graduates of Virginia schools are prepared to enter college and/or the workforce. It could make the difference between a future of productive , self-supporting citizens or citizens who require the support of social services. There is no better investment of the Commonwealth's financial resources than in the ability of students.of students to function successfully in our advanced society. Let's devote a large share of the wealth of our state to a well educated future population.
Increase pay for Teachers
Teachers are some of the most important and influential people in our children's lives. Our children grow up to be the citizens of our state and country that will decide the success or failure of our democracy. A price tag cannot be put on this value. Teachers deserve our respect and a salary that recognizes this. How does Virginia expect to attract good business opportunities for its citizens if it does not have good schools? We need to put our money where we claim importance. We are hemorrhaging teachers at this time. Stop the bleeding and provide a salary that will keep our teachers.
Let low-income students show their capability. Cover the fees for AP and IB exams.
We ask a lot of our teachers. Let's be a state that attracts more of them.
Please pay teachers above the national average. These teachers are breaking their backs everyday to educate the next generation of America leaders. It is disgraceful that teachers do not get paid hardly enough to function in daily life and afford the basic necessities. Teachers have enough to deal with in and outside of the classroom and so many are leaving for various reasons that need to be addressed, but one reason in particular is how little they are being paid. If America wants to invest in its future, then invest in the very people who are preparing our next generations: teachers.
I am FOR HB1566, Raising the average teacher pay above the national average. As the study "Teacher Retention Policy Coherence: An Analysis of Policies and Practices Practices Across Federal, State, and Division Levels" (VCU 2022) states, "There are a number of reasons for this shortage, ranging from meager salaries to difficult working conditions." Efforts to train and retain teachers in an era of inflation can show appreciation for a hard job that starts befor and ends well after the school bell rings. Teachers also have to pay their own bills, but unlike other positions, teachers have to pay for classroom supplies out of pocket, or fundraise for necessities. I have recently met several parents who would not pay for their child's college expenses if they went into education because of the pay. Certainly Virginia, classified as one of the wealthiest states, can do better.
I support paying teachers at a competitive rate, above the national average. We need to attract the very best teachers in VA! Please vote Yes!
I don’t care that these bills are not listed here. This needs to be heard. For Bill 1707 and 2432. A bill that outs queer students to their families forcibly is one of the most dangerous, absurd bill propositions I’ve ever seen. This bill has no regard for the safety of queer children and instead prioritizes parents without any sort of understanding of what life is like for queer people and how often being outed leads to queer children being kicked out, abandoned, injured, and even killed by bigoted family members. It is disgusting to see my government propose a bill like this. A government which passes this bill cannot claim to care for its citizens- it only cares about furthering an anti-queer agenda and a bigoted belief system which is based on nothing. To force children into being outed by their school systems is incredibly disgusting and dangerous. If passed, I believe firmly that that teen mental health will decline and suicide rates will spike, kids will be forced onto the streets- either by their own families or running away, and life for queer youth will become exponentially harder than it already is. The government should be helping its young people, not prioritizing bigoted anti queer views for the older generations. This is disgusting, ineffective, and horrifying to see.
Stop attacking these families and their kids. Gender dysphoria is real, and these children need to be accepted and supported. Their classmates need to learn to accept and be kind to those who are not exactly like they are (so when they grow up, we don't continue to have to deal with the ignorance and cruelty we see here today). Everyone deserves to be who they want to be, this is America, right?
VPEP Supports this proposal Virginia Teachers should be appropriately compensated
1454 - are you serious? Anyone who remotely values having an educated society will oppose 1454. Good Lord. 2170 is also utterly ridiculous. I OPPOSE 2170, of course. This undermines students' ability to explore their extracurricular interests in the school setting. 1707 and 2432 - I OPPOSE these. These bills would threaten the safety of trans students. 1803 - I OPPOSE this. People need to trust educators to do their jobs, and not impose their beliefs on public schools. I SUPPORT 1497 and 1566. It is disgraceful how educators are treated in this country, and these bills would begin to rectify that. Thank you, Delegates Convirs-Fowler and Rasoul. I support 2388 and 2439. I SUPPORT 2177 as a foreign language teacher. I just wish more bills promoting foreign language education could be on the agenda.
As a mother to 5 children, some who are lgbtqia+ this is harmful to all of my children. My straight kids have more rights than my non straight children. How is this justifiable? At what point are all people created equal? Why am Ibfirced to have different survival conversations with each of my children because of laws like these? Why are my LGBTQIA+ kids worth less than my straight kids to my state government? At what point will you work to protect all of my children equally?
HB1396: Please don't funnel public school funds toward private schools. If people want to send their kids to private school, they can pay for it themselves. HB1397: My kids go to public schools. Vaccination requirements keep them and their fellow students safe. Vaccinations are not an individual choice; they're a matter of public health. HB1434: Let kids get called whatever name they want at school. It's neither a problem nor an urgent matter for the legislature. Picking on trans kids just for being trans seems like pretty vile bullying, especially on the part of supposedly responsible adults like the Legislature. HB2170: Kids shouldn't need their parents' permission to take part in a school program. Especially if having to get it might out them to parents who'd make their home lives needlessly miserable. HB1566: My kids have been blessed to have outstanding teachers. Paying teachers more is an excellent and worthy use of my tax dollars. HB2031: Sounds like a win-win for Virginia farmers and schools. An excellent idea.
Please support HB 1497 and HB 1566. I took early retirement from Chesterfield Schools at the end of the ’20-’21 school year. Since that time I have seen countless friends and colleagues leave the profession at increasing rates whether they are retirement age or not. They have become scapegoats for Conservative “Parents’ Rights” movements fomented by national “think tanks’ and campaigns to stir up voters of a certain political bent. Daily job requirements and administrative asks have multiplied to the point that classroom teachers find themselves spending inordinate amounts of time documenting instead of helping and instructing students. Post-pandemic student needs and a dearth of resources mean there are more behavioral needs and challenges than ever before. While all of this is going on, the House Education Sub-committee recently voted not to report a simple Bill that would have guaranteed the most harried educators of all, our elementary teachers, a 30 minute unencumbered lunch. Most notable of all, the first action of our new Governor was to declare war on public education with 2 Executive Orders, one that negated current CDC guidance regarding masking at the time and another which sought to root out “inherently divisive concepts” in Virginia curricula with McCarthy-esque zeal!! Teachers earn about ¼ less than people in comparable professions, which is making it hard to attract and keep teachers and other school staff. As a result schools are short staffed. To attract teachers back to the classroom teacher pay must be increased. That is why it is important to vote for HB 1497 and HB 1566.
"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book
Please support Bill #1396! So important for the children of the Commonwealth of Virginia!
HB1660 - Dairy Producer Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program Fund; created, extends sunset provision.
The Virginia Cattlemens Association supports HB 1660 and HB 1848. There 25,000 cattle producers across the Commonwealth and along with dairy contribute almost 700 million dollars a year to the economy. Both HB 1660 and HB 1848 are focused on efficient agricultural producers and provide support and help to keep family farms viable and sustainable.
It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice
HB1726 - Virginia-based nonprofit organizations; schools for adults to earn credentials, college credit, etc.
The Virginia Education Association opposes HB1726.
I hope that you will move to report the following bills as our students desperately need help. It is clear that the previous years' actions by other groups are not supporting kids to learn facts and think for themselves: becoming functional adults that contribute positively to our world. HB1555, HB1726, HB1887, HB1889, HB2277, HB2396 are all items that are before you that will be a catalyst for positive change. Thank you for your time,
The City of Roanoke is a partner in the NW HUB and is supportive of the effort to establish the Goodwill's Excel Center in Roanoke, an adult high school offering opportunities to earn in-demand credentials while earning a diploma.
"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book
HB1762 - Teacher Reengagement Program; established, report.
As a mother to 5 children, some who are lgbtqia+ this is harmful to all of my children. My straight kids have more rights than my non straight children. How is this justifiable? At what point are all people created equal? Why am Ibfirced to have different survival conversations with each of my children because of laws like these? Why are my LGBTQIA+ kids worth less than my straight kids to my state government? At what point will you work to protect all of my children equally?
Committee Members, I am reaching out to you regarding HB1762: Teacher Reengagement Program. Loudoun schools, like the other districts in Virginia, are struggling to staff classrooms and directly support our students. Delegate Reid’s bill works to make strides in this critical area. Bringing in, actually intentionally working to bring in and incentivize, school system retirees and other individuals who will support our students is a way to begin to solve the staffing crisis we have in Virginia. I urge you to examine the merits of this bill and move forward to support Virginia’s students and public schools. I welcome any questions you may have: 703.409.5825 Sincerely, Sandy
"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book
HB1768 - Child protective services; investigations, interview by child advocacy center, time limits.
HB 1764 I am opposed to HB 1764 as original submitted for the following reasons: 1. Proposed Section E requests practice agreements be eliminated. I disagree. A practice agreement is a job description between a physician assistant and the supervising physicians. I do not know many employed people do not have a job description. It is good that these agreements be reviewed and updated every two years to be sure everyone is on the same page regarding responsibilities. 2. Paragraph 54.1-2952 regarding proposed physician entering a patient care team is voluntary is fantasy unless “no compete and nondisclosure clauses” are removed from physician contracts removed. Hospitals will have major leverage over the physician otherwise. 3. Keep the ratio of physician supervision at no more than six physician assistant and nurse practitioners for all hospital physicians. In graduate medical education the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education does not allow a faculty member to supervise more than 4 residents/fellows at a time to ensure patient safety. In the hospital setting many of the supervising physicians (hospitalists) are recent resident graduates who are uncomfortable supervising more than four individuals at a time. Supervising six is stretching their comfort level regarding patient safety. Supervising more than six individuals is stressful and creates moral distress since patient safety is at risk,
HB1789 - Health insurance; credits for certain local officials and employees.
HB1820 - Virtual school programs; virtual administration of certain through-year growth assessments.
HB1423, HB1424, HB1514, HB1526, HB1554, HB1593*, HB1629, HB1700, HB1701, HB1713, HB1820, HB1821, HB1823, HB1824, and HB2124 because our students are having problems in public schools. More parents are removing their kids and sending them elsewhere. Previous attempts at helping only wasted tax dollars and we're not seeing anything but kids who don't know facts and can think critically. Time for a change. Lets move to report these bills and push our Virginia students to a better, more educated and equipped future! Please move to report these bills. Thank you.
"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book
NA
HB1827 - Autopsies; decedents in the custody of Department of Corrections.
Members of the Virginia House: I cannot fully express my absolutely heart-wrenching disappointment in the voting down of bills that are only meant to keep us safer here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Your lack of awareness around how we here in VA feel day in and day out living in the communities you were elected to support is appalling. Guns have no business on our streets. Especially those designed for war and senseless murder. Our children go to school every day and have to practice lockdown drills because mass murders have tripled in this country over the last five years, many taking place in schools where our babies go every day to learn -- not to fear for their lives. Say that to yourself out loud: MASS MURDERS HAVE TRIPLED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. In AMERICA. Does that sound American? Does that make you proud of this country? To me, it feels like a lie. How can that reality apply to the great United States of America? How bout that - UNITED States? That isn't even valid today is it -- we have never been so divided. As a mother, I have never felt such unrelenting nagging anxiety. Why are you so hell-bent on keeping guns on our streets? Have enough lives not been lost? Despite the incessant violence taking place and destroying lives and communities every single day, you do nothing - and point fingers at mental health. Do you know what doesn't help someone mentally ill? Access to guns. You know that this problem is not fixed with one solution. You know that if we invest in mental health, public schools, AND enact common sense gun laws, we would see a huge difference - paying attention to just one piece of this will never get anywhere. I, and every single person I know, is begging you to stand up and do what is right by the American people – ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines WHILE ALSO looking for ways to improve public schooling and mental health. Work together for once. Haven’t we had enough? Give us a fighting chance at peace and civility. How many more innocent lives must be stolen before elected officials yourself especially see the error of their ways? You are part of the problem if you are not working towards a solution that benefits EVERYONE, including law-abiding gun owners. PLEASE. I pray every night that those who are vehemently against passing measures that only stand to help have a change of heart and finally do what is right for the entire Virginia community so that fewer innocent lives are stolen thanks to shockingly - and dangerously - weak gun laws. ------ Maggie Van Arsdell (703) 485-6551 margaretmvanarsdell@gmail.com
HB1912 - Treasury Board; powers and duties.
HB1949 - Oyster-planting grounds; fees.
I demanding that you protect our water stop the mountain valley pipeline from being drilled it will endanger people living there I am begging to protect our waters and lands as so important for endangered species and people. Concerned Citizen Ji Montgomery
I support HB1949. We need more oysters to filter water and improve its quality to support all the other sea life.
It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice
HB1957 - Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction management and design-build contracting.
Dear General Laws Subcommittee #4 members- on behalf of the City of Falls Church Council, I submit the following comments to OPPOSE HB1957 as currently proposed. The City is committed to and in full support of the VPPA benefits for transparent and open competitive procurement but it also must be balanced with the benefit to the taxpayers funding for cost-effective and risk- mitigation projects. Specific successful City examples are noted below. Design Build and Construction Management at Risk are very valuable contracting instruments for a locality’s construction-procurement toolbox. Current law allows for their use for projects over $26 million and for complex projects below that amount. We strongly request that these thresholds are left as currently specified or that local governments be exempted. The decision of which construction method provides the best project outcome and benefit should be based on the individual project per the locality. If this legislation is not amended, as suggested above, then we recommend that it be referred to the Procurement Study Group for full balanced analysis of the issues, to prevent unintended negative consequences to taxpayers of the Commonwealth and/or achieve a middle ground alternative (i.e. time limit of 10-years then contract award is rebid). The City has recently used the construction management At Risk (CM) contract for two projects, the City Hall and Public Library Renovation and Expansion. Both were complex and under $15M so within existing financial thresholds. Also, as a small locality we have qualified construction project management staff but also limited quantity of staff. So, CM has proven to be a time efficient method to have an upfront competitive process for a consolidated construction management contract, inclusive of all subs, while also be cost effective for the citizens to maximize the scope affordability. We have also used design-build projects in the past. Since time is money, we believe these two construction procurement tools benefit both the private and public stakeholders and no state code change is warranted. If we can be of further assistance and/or clarify any of these comments please feel free to contact me. Thank you for your service to the Commonwealth. Cindy Cindy L. Mester, ICMA-CM Deputy City Manager Pension Plan Administrator/ Risk Manager 300 Park Avenue, Suite 203E Falls Church, VA 22046 phone: 703-248-5042 (TTY 711) cell: 571-641-5586 fax: 703-248-5146 email: cmester@fallschurchva.gov
The City of Roanoke is opposed the HB 1957 as it limits our ability to make the decision as to which construction method is best suited to an individual project.
Please OPPOSE!! The City of Portsmouth strongly opposes this bill. Based on past experience, it would have minimal impact on the City with respect to the design-build process and therefore, the construction services aspect in general. However, if this applies to all construction services, even those not associated with design-build projects, it would present a problem. Those services are typically provided by our on-call annual services consultants who have previously been procured through using an RFQ to perform a number of A/E services to include construction services as spelled out in the RFQ.”
HB1963 - Individuals with developmental disabilities; financial flexibility, report.
HB1963 - thank you for looking out on the behalf of disabled persons and helping them to function and be self sufficient. Please report this bill.
HB2033 - Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact; Va. to become a signatory to Compact.
On behalf of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, I write to support HB 2033, which adopts the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 223,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Over 4,800 ASHA members reside in Virginia. ASHA members often have difficulty obtaining multiple state licenses to practice due to administrative burdens. These burdens hinder their ability to provide quality services and restrict consumer access in underserved and rural communities. I am pleased to support HB 2033, which will address these issues by: • Increasing access to care for clients, patients, and/or students; and • facilitating continuity of care when clients, patients, and/or students relocate or travel to another state, specifically with members of the military and their spouses. ASHA recognizes there are questions regarding the fiscal note and would assert that this Compact is no different than any other compact that Virginia has joined, including nursing, physical therapy, EMS, psychology and occupational therapy. The Compact Commission will have the ability to levy and collect an annual assessment from each member state to cover the cost of operations. The amount will be formulated by the Commission and will be binding upon all member states. At the present time, the amount, if any, that will be imposed upon each state’s budget is unknown. If Virginia passes this legislation, they will be among the group of delegates that make that determination. Currently, the Nursing Compact and the Psychology Compact are the only compacts that levy an annual assessment. The Nursing Compact assesses $6,000 and the Psychology Compact assesses states on a sliding scale. The ASLP-IC Commission views these numbers as guardrails for what this Commission may implement. Virginia is also a member of a number of national compacts that assess the state an annual fee. The ASLP-IC member states have indicated that they will seek grants from the Health Resources & Services Administration, the Department of Defense, and other relevant funders to help avoid a state assessment. Additionally, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, and the American Academy of Audiology have committed to financial support. The Compact also allows states to charge a fee for the privilege to practice and its renewal to offset and any costs. These numbers don’t include the fiscal benefit that can be realized by the Commonwealth for the recruitment and retention of qualified providers. Passage of this bill would allow Virginia to enjoy the same benefits of the 23 other ASLP-IC member states, including the neighboring states of Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina. The United States Department of Defense State Liaison Office joins ASHA in supporting HB 2033. If you or your staff have any questions, please contact Susan Adams, ASHA’s director of state legislative and regulatory affairs, at sadams@asha.org.
My name is Christopher Arnold. I am the Mid-Atlantic Regional Liaison for the United States Department Defense-State Liaison Office. Joining the 23 states who have enacted the compact before you today over the last 24 months will improve access to care and allow military personnel and spouses to more easily maintain their certifications when relocating. Federal law requires the military departments to produce annual strategic basing scorecards considering factors such as membership in licensing compacts and the quality of healthcare near bases. Future basing decisions made with a consistent framework will ensure optimal conditions for service members and their families. Common misinformation about compacts is that they either lower or raise the standards for the occupation, when in fact, compact states have the option to issue both “compact license” and also a “State-only license”. As 45 states have joined hundreds of DOD's compacts, including five here in the great commonwealth of Virginia, academic research and real world experience have proven reservations initially expressed by some groups, such as lost revenue to the state board or public safety concerns, have not materialized. DoD pivoted in its approach toward licensure after 2017 to consider occupational license compacts our optimal end state. Compacts establish common understanding of competency and its measurement within the occupation, and provide seamless reciprocity for military spouses in an occupation. House bill 2033, the Audiology and Speech Language Pathology Interstate Compact addresses these issues affecting our service members and their families and facilitates interstate practice of audiology and speech language pathology with the goal of improving public access to services, while preserving the regulatory authority of states to protect public health and safety through the current system of state licensure. Portable employment opportunities support military spouse career development. The language of the compact allows an active duty servicemember, or their spouse, to designate a home state where the individual has a current license in good standing. This state then serves as the individual’s home state for as long as the servicemember is on active duty, while adhering to the laws, rules and scope of practice in Virginia. This is particularly important insofar as outside of the interstate compact, there is no state specific law Virginia can pass to help Old Dominion state residents who are stationed in other states and are involuntarily relocated to other states obtain a license. There are no fees to the service member or spouse other than for their home state license, and these are reimbursed by the military services pursuant to federal law. We appreciate the opportunity to support the policies supporting military spouses outlined in the House Bill 2033 and are especially grateful to Delegate Sewell for her leadership and sponsorship in carrying this initiative forward and thankful to the committee for your thoughtful consideration and all your prior support of our service members and their families. As always as liaison to the Mid-Atlantic region, I stand ready to answer whatever questions you may have.
I have been a Virginia licensed speech-language pathologist since 2004 when my husband was stationed in Quantico, Virginia. I have worked in Virginia schools, private practice, and out-patient rehab. When my husband was stationed outside Virginia, I maintained my Virginia license, but could not work out of the state unless I applied and paid for a different state license. In Florida, it took over 6 months for me to obtain a license. In North Carolina, I was only able to find work on a military station because I did not have a license in North Carolina. The time and cost of obtaining and maintaining licenses for every state that we moved was cost prohibitive and a barrier to work. Now that my husband has retired from active duty, we remain in Virginia for our children to graduate high school and attend one of Virginia’s many accredited state colleges. I hope to advocate for speech-language pathology and audiology services for Virginians. The https://aslpcompact.com/compact-map/ includes states that allow for a speech-language pathologist or audiologist to practice without obtaining and maintaining another state license. This is important because we have military spouses in Prince William County. We have a shortage of speech therapy service providers. Virginians with hearing loss need access to quality audiology services. With the interstate compact, expansion of services to residents in rural areas closer to West Virginia and North Carolina and Maryland have access to more service providers and options for telehealth. Audiologists and SLPs are trained to identify, assess, treat, and manage speech, language, feeding/swallowing, cognitive, hearing, and balance disorders. It is critical that the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact be successfully operationalized and expanded, that licensure and certification requirements be preserved, and that the ability to practice to the fullest extent of one’s education and training be supported. Please support the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact.
On behalf of military families and the Department of Defense, I am writing to provide comment regarding the policy changes proposed in Virginia House Bill 2033, the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC), which addresses licensing issues affecting our service members and their families. I would like to thank you for considering this issue in the 2023 legislative session. My name is Christopher Arnold. I am the Mid-Atlantic Regional Liaison for the United States Department of Defense-State Liaison Office, operating under the direction of Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Our mission is to be a resource to state policymakers as they work to address quality of life issues of military families. The ASLP-IC enhances opportunities of portable careers for military spouses by providing consistent rules which allow licensed members to work in other states through “privilege to practice policies”, or more easily transfer their license to a new state. Frequent moves and cumbersome licensing and certification requirements limit career options for military spouses. Enacting the ASLP-IC will serve to relieve one of the many stressors of a military move by allowing service members and military spouses to more easily maintain their profession when relocating. We appreciate the opportunity to support the policies outlined in the ASLP-IC introduced this session. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.
On behalf of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, I write to support HB 2033, which adopts the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 223,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Over 4,800 ASHA members reside in Virginia. ASHA members often have difficulty obtaining multiple state licenses to practice due to administrative burdens. These burdens hinder their ability to provide quality services and restrict consumer access in underserved and rural communities. I am pleased to support HB 2033, which will address these issues by: • Increasing access to care for clients, patients, and/or students; and • facilitating continuity of care when clients, patients, and/or students relocate or travel to another state, specifically with members of the military and their spouses. Passage of this bill would allow Virginia to enjoy the same benefits of the 23 other ASLP-IC member states, including the neighboring states of Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina. The United States Department of Defense State Liaison Office joins ASHA in supporting HB 2033. If you or your staff have any questions, please contact Susan Adams, ASHA’s director of state legislative and regulatory affairs, at sadams@asha.org.
HB 2276 Immunization; immunization of children against COVID-19 Informed consent is the basis of medical ethics. Parents should make decisions regarding the health and wellbeing of their children. COVID-19 vaccines do not prevent viral transmission so there is no justification for requiring these vaccines as a requirement for school attendance. This bill specifies that parents shall not be required to immunize their children against COVID-19 in the same manner current Virginia law allows them to determine whether to give them the Haemophilus Influenzae Type b vaccine. In 2020, when the legislature considered and passed HB 1090, which dealt with the manner in which future childhood vaccines would be considered, legislators and their experts confirmed the legislature’s support for keeping parents in charge of their child’s vaccination schedule. In 2021, the Virginia Department of Health proposed a regulation requiring the COVID-19 vaccine as a requirement for school attendance. More than 15,000 Virginians commented on the regulation, with overwhelming opposition (93%) to mandating the shot. Medical professionals around the world are in agreement that there is no scientific rationale for continuing any COVID-19 mandates in 2023 and beyond. HB 2280 Parental consent to surgical and medical treatment of certain minors This bill requires parents and guardians to consent to medical interventions concerning their children, including vaccination. It is important to amend current law to make it clear that parents are in control and make medical decisions for their children. Several cities have attempted to pass orders and laws that allow children as young as 11 years of age to consent to vaccination without parental knowledge! Please do not let this happen in Virginia. Please support this bill to send a clear message that in Virginia, parents are in control and they decide what medical interventions their children receive.
I support this bill.
I strongly support this bill.
I support this bill
I am writing in support of the compact for universal licensure for Audiology and Speech Pathology. As a Speech Pathologist for over 26 years, a military spouse, it has been challenging applying and receiving my license in a timely fashion; thus, impacting work and financial well being. Each state requires different administrative items making it time consuming and an administrative burden. Following Covid, the ability to offer telehealth across state lines for a short period of time due to the governors allowing this reciprocity, allowed patients to be seen more freely. One instance, a military family going back to their family due to spouse being deployed and the child being able to continue to be seen through telehealth and maintaining continuity of care. Imagine this to be an event always available if universal license was approved. I urge this compact to pass and for single license across state lines for speech pathologists and audiologists.
To Whom It May Concern: I am a speech-language pathologist in full support of this bill, as I currently hold both a separate VA license and MD license. I recently moved from VA to MD, and am currently residing in an area where I could easily provide services to patients in need in DC, MD, and VA. I have considered keeping both state licensures due to my location, however the additional cost without a compact licensure option is a greater financial burden on me and my practice. I would greatly benefit from the passing of this bill, and I think it would be a great step towards progress to a more universal compact licensure and regulations state by state. Thank you in advance for your consideration!
I support this bill.
I have been a Virginia licensed speech-language pathologist since 2004 when my husband was stationed in Quantico, Virginia. I have worked in Virginia schools, private practice, and out-patient rehab. When my husband was stationed outside Virginia, I maintained my Virginia license, but could not work out of the state unless I applied and paid for a different state license. In Florida, it took over 6 months for me to obtain a license. In North Carolina, I was only able to find work on a military station because I did not have a license in North Carolina. The time and cost of obtaining and maintaining licenses for every state that we moved was cost prohibitive and a barrier to work. Now that my husband has retired from active duty, we remain in Virginia for our children to graduate high school and attend one of Virginia’s many accredited state colleges. I hope to advocate for speech-language pathology and audiology services for Virginians. The https://aslpcompact.com/compact-map/ includes 15 states that allow for a speech-language pathologist or audiologist to practice without obtaining and maintaining another state license. This is important because we have military spouses in Prince William County. We have a shortage of speech therapy service providers. Virginians with hearing loss need access to quality audiology services. With the interstate compact, expansion of services to residents in rural areas closer to West Virginia and North Carolina and Maryland have access to more service providers and options for telehealth. Audiologists and SLPs are trained to identify, assess, treat, and manage speech, language, feeding/swallowing, cognitive, hearing, and balance disorders. It is critical that the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact be successfully operationalized and expanded, that licensure and certification requirements be preserved, and that the ability to practice to the fullest extent of one’s education and training be supported. Please consider supporting the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments in support of this bill to support the people I love and the profession I adore. I work with children who do not communicate with verbal language. I work with patients who will need care for their entire lives. My patients deserve access to care throughout their lifetime. This bill would ensure access to more providers and get Virginia on board with the surrounding states.
I support this bill.
I support this bill
As a SLP that is licensed in VA, please consider allowing SLPs that are licensed in other states to be allotted a reciprocal license in our state. I work in the public school in VA and it has been so hard for us to obtain staff due to licensing issues and an overall SLP shortage and it’s taking a toll on all of the current SLPs in the state. Not having to worry about applying for an additional license would soften the burden for many SLPs and open up more potential people to work in our state and help with the shortage. Kids are really in need of our services following the pandemic and this would make it one less thing for SLPs to have to obtain. Thank you for your consideration. Please reach out should you have additional questions or concerns.
I support this bill as an SLP in Manassas City
As a military spouse the interstate compact would change the way I am able to function as a working member of society and how I am able to help provide for my family. I have had to apply for licenses in 4 different states and have been not able to work for several months after each post due to waiting for new licensure. Each time, I am also required to pay a large sum of money for licensure that will likely only be used for a short time. Please consider passing this bill to allow spouses more freedom in the workplace.
Attached please find the opinion of the United States Department of Defense in written testimony supporting the policies reflected in House Bill 2033, the Audiology and Speech Language Pathology Interstate Compact. Congress has required the Department to enter into a cooperative agreement with the Council of State Governments to develop licensing compacts and alleviate the barriers military families face to interstate mobility.
On behalf of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, I write to support HB 2033, which adopts the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 223,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Over 4,800 ASHA members reside in Virginia.1 ASHA members often have difficulty obtaining multiple state licenses to practice due to administrative burdens. These burdens hinder their ability to provide quality services and restrict consumer access in underserved and rural communities. I am pleased to support HB 2033, which will address these issues by: • Increasing access to care for clients, patients, and/or students; and • facilitating continuity of care when clients, patients, and/or students relocate or travel to another state, specifically with members of the military and their spouses. Passage of this bill would allow Virginia to enjoy the same benefits of the 23 other ASLP-IC member states, including the neighboring states of Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina. The United States Department of Defense State Liaison Office joins ASHA in supporting HB 2033.
On behalf of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, I write to support HB 2033, which adopts the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 223,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Over 4,800 ASHA members reside in Virginia. ASHA members often have difficulty obtaining multiple state licenses to practice due to administrative burdens. These burdens hinder their ability to provide quality services and restrict consumer access in underserved and rural communities. I am pleased to support HB 2033, which will address these issues by: • Increasing access to care for clients, patients, and/or students; and • facilitating continuity of care when clients, patients, and/or students relocate or travel to another state, specifically with members of the military and their spouses. Passage of this bill would allow Virginia to enjoy the same benefits of the 23 other ASLP-IC member states, including the neighboring states of Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina. The United States Department of Defense State Liaison Office joins ASHA in supporting HB 2033.
HB2099 - Livable home; increases allowable tax credit.
NVAN Testimony in Support of HB 2099 January 23, 2023 Good morning – my name is Bob Eiffert and I am testifying on behalf of the Northern Virginia Aging Network (NVAN) in support of Del. Bulova’s HB 2099 to increase the funding for the Livable Homes Tax Credit from $1 million per year to $2 million per year. According to the U.S. Census, more than 950,000 Virginians currently have one or more disabilities. Additionally, more than 25 percent of Virginians will be over the age of 60 by the year 2025. For these individuals, accessible and integrated housing will continue to be one of their highest needs. The Livable Homes Tax Credit is a worthwhile tax incentive for accessible home modifications that keep older adults and people with disabilities in their own homes, making the Commonwealth a more inclusive community for people of all ages and abilities and enabling them to thrive. The Livable Homes Tax Credit program has been a major success since its inception. Applications for tax credits have far exceeded the $1 million allocated for the program since 2012, demonstrating a pattern of demand for increased funding. NVAN urges the General Assembly to double the funds for the program to encourage more accessibility in private homes. NVAN is comprised of the Commissions on Aging, area agencies on aging, service providers and advocacy organizations for older adults from Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William. Thank you for your consideration.
HB2157 - Interjurisdictional compacts; criminal history record checks.
HB2158 - DMAS; Department shall evaluate its ability to comply with certain federal regulations.
HB 2276 Immunization; immunization of children against COVID-19 Informed consent is the basis of medical ethics. Parents should make decisions regarding the health and wellbeing of their children. COVID-19 vaccines do not prevent viral transmission so there is no justification for requiring these vaccines as a requirement for school attendance. This bill specifies that parents shall not be required to immunize their children against COVID-19 in the same manner current Virginia law allows them to determine whether to give them the Haemophilus Influenzae Type b vaccine. In 2020, when the legislature considered and passed HB 1090, which dealt with the manner in which future childhood vaccines would be considered, legislators and their experts confirmed the legislature’s support for keeping parents in charge of their child’s vaccination schedule. In 2021, the Virginia Department of Health proposed a regulation requiring the COVID-19 vaccine as a requirement for school attendance. More than 15,000 Virginians commented on the regulation, with overwhelming opposition (93%) to mandating the shot. Medical professionals around the world are in agreement that there is no scientific rationale for continuing any COVID-19 mandates in 2023 and beyond. HB 2280 Parental consent to surgical and medical treatment of certain minors This bill requires parents and guardians to consent to medical interventions concerning their children, including vaccination. It is important to amend current law to make it clear that parents are in control and make medical decisions for their children. Several cities have attempted to pass orders and laws that allow children as young as 11 years of age to consent to vaccination without parental knowledge! Please do not let this happen in Virginia. Please support this bill to send a clear message that in Virginia, parents are in control and they decide what medical interventions their children receive.
HB2192 - Catawba Hospital; substance abuse treatment and recovery services.
As a resident that lives in close proximity to the Catawba Hospital, I and several other neighbors have concerns. There are currently two ways into Catawba Hospital. One being from Keffer Road, which I consider the back entrance and the main entrance from Catawba Creek Road. We are not opposing the renovations, however we do feel some safety measures need to be added. 1. A fence needs to be placed around the full facility. Since we moved into the area in 2016, there have been 2 escapes. We often do not receive the emergency phone calls in a timely manner (it is several hours later) and they come from an 804 area code, not a 540. I don't answer phone calls out of the area. The residents need to be notified by every means possible, such as text also. 2. Keffer Road is a narrow, curvy residential neighborhood Road that is 25 mph. Most employees, delivery drivers, government employees use Keffer Road to access the hospital. I propose that this entrance to the hospital be closed and all business at the hospital needs to be done through the main entrance on Catawba Creek Road. The hospital staff treat Keffer Road like it's an interstate, exceeding way above the 25 mph limit. At one time many residents have placed signs on their property to remind them to "Drive like your kids live here". The employees are not allowed to smoke on hospital property for their breaks. So they will leave the property for their smoke break. One of the neighbors recently had an employee back into her driveway and sit there for his smoke break. Please review my concerns. Again, I support the need for mental health, but there are some safety protocols that need to be put in place too for the surrounding neighbors. Once the hospital gets renovated and expanded, it means more employees and staff will be using Keffer Road, which means more traffic, if the traffic is not diverted to the main entrance. This is going to be a drastic change to our community and we just want to make sure our voice is heard too and protect the reason why we chose this area to live.
HB 2192- Good Afternoon, My name is Jon Dance and I am a person in recovery. I am writing in support of HB 2192 as a member of the Recovery Communities in Virginia a resident of Montgomery County. The need for more support services such as Cawtaba Hospital is a must in our area for those suffering from Substance Use and/ or Mental Health Disorders. Speaking from experience of the benefits of treatment and receiving the necessary support and resources I am 5 years into my own Recovery and 2.5 years substance free. Because of the support and resources of a treatment facility such as the proposed Catawba Hospital Bill, I was able to return to Virginia Tech to obtain my bachelor's degree in Human Development and graduate in May of 2023 and also dual enrolled in a Masters of Public Health Program graduating May of 2024. My hopes are to continue to provide support and advocate for those still suffering. I have worked with adults and students who are in recovery or curious about recovery as a R-CPRS and being involved with the Virginia Tech Recovery Community, Hokies for SUD Recovery, and also helped with starting the Recovery Organization for Community College Students in Southwest Virginia. Please consider this mine and many others in SWVA's support for this bill.
The Roanoke Regional Chamber strongly supports passage and funding of HB 2192. The renovation of Catawba Hospital as a state of the art substance abuse and mental health treatment facility is sorely needed to address the outcomes of the opioid crisis and the prevalence of mental/behavioral health disorders. Its location in a region where substance abuse and mental health disorders are on the rise makes it an ideal place to treat these conditions. We thank the committee for it’s consideration and ask for support of this vital project.
See attached letter of support from United Way of the National Capital Area.
In her book, Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America’s Overdose Crisis, Roanoke writer Beth Macy, cites that “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than a million Americans have died from drug overdose since 1996, the largest factor by far in decreasing life expectancy for Americans.” Since publication of her groundbreaking book, Dopesick, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, overdose deaths have increased by more than 50%, and noting that “addiction has become the No. 1 destroyer of families in our time, with almost a third of Americans reporting it as a serious cause of family strife, and drug overdoses claiming the lives of more than 100,000 Americans in a year. In the Roanoke Valley and parts of Southwest Virginia, we have seen overdose deaths in the range of four times the number of deaths by gun violence. In 2019, as a response to this growing epidemic, over two hundred community partners joined efforts to create the Roanoke Valley Collective Response and have developed a Blueprint for Action which includes essential grassroots and government led responses toward a comprehensive continuum of care to address addiction and create sustainable recovery models including recovery care, health care and housing. According to a report submitted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Data from the State indicates that between 35% and 55% of all patients at the State’s hospitals analyzed in the report prepared for the Commonwealth, suffered both from substance use disorder and a mental health illness. The report further recognized the immediate need for approximately 100-150 acute behavioral health beds, 80-120 residential substance use disorder treatment beds and 16 detox beds in the surrounding Catawba Hospital area. We are grateful to Delegate Sam Rasoul for introducing the re-imagining of the Catawba Campus to address these essential recovery needs in our region and as a model for the State, and to the Governor and General Assembly for championing the connection between substance abuse disorder, mental health support, and increased access to recovery services in a health care setting. These actions are bold and combined with local grassroots efforts in a continuum of care from effective harm reduction, addition and recovery education, recovery housing, and restored health and wholeness, we will see a comprehensive reduction and slowing of this epidemic. I wholeheartedly support this HB2192 and its full funding in the state’s budget. Vice-Mayor Joe Cobb
The report submitted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee and the House Appropriations Committee in December and January, vividly demonstrates the need for a transformation of the Catawba Hospital Campus into a best-in-class expanded facility. As noted in the report, more than 100,000 people in the United States died from drug overdoses in 2021, 2,656 of those were Virginians and sadly, the Roanoke region is one of the hardest hit areas of Virginia. Our local coordinated response to the Opioid epidemic, the Roanoke Valley Collective Response recently completed a white paper – “Building on Hope”, analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on the opioid addiction crisis in the Roanoke region. The report notes significant increases in overdoses, instances of depression or anxiety and fatigue experienced by the region’s caregivers. Data from the State indicates that between 35% and 55% of all patients at the State’s hospitals analyzed in the report prepared for the Commonwealth, suffered both from substance use disorder and a mental health illness. The report further recognized the immediate need for approximately 100-150 acute behavioral health beds, 80-120 residential substance use disorder treatment beds and 16 detox beds in the surrounding Catawba Hospital area. A bold and meaningful response to this crisis needed. The Governor and General Assembly have taken the first vital step by commissioning the referenced study and report. Delegate Rasoul has taken the next critical step in requesting funding to fulfill the recommendations of the report. Our region, through its Collective Response has been on the ground providing resources, services and help for those in need. And many of our region’s elected and appointed officials are here today to voice their support for additional actions. HB2192 has the ability to take this bold and meaningful response and turn into actual action – much needed action, and for that reason as Mayor of the City of Roanoke, I am in full support of the Bill and request your support of the same. - Mayor Sherman P. Lea, Sr.
I am writing to express the City of Roanoke’s support of HB2192, with the goal of transforming Catawba Hospital into a state-of-the-art facility addressing the full spectrum of substance use disorder treatment, recovery services, and behavioral health services necessary to meet the growing need in our region. As you are aware, in 2021 through funding support by the City, the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission became the home of a staffed, formalized Roanoke Valley Collective Response, under the leadership of an Advisory Committee representing organizations that had led the Collective since its inception. The City of Roanoke was a supporter of last year’s bill to study the potential expansion of Catawba Hospital to meet both your vision and the critical needs of the region. Just recently, the Roanoke Valley Collective Response completed Building on Hope, a white paper that analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on the opioid addiction crisis in the Roanoke Valley. The report notes an overall increase of 30% in overdose rates nationwide, a 9% increase in adults reporting in adults reporting issues with depression or anxiety in 2021 over 2018 as identified in Carilion Clinic’s Community Health Survey, and a sharp increase in compassion fatigue experienced by the region’s caregivers and public safety staff, just to list a few of the many impacts. Broadly, the City and the Collective Response recognize that every aspect of this crisis, from prevention to treatment to workforce reentry, has become more critical and in need of more and better services to help those in our City and region, struggling with substance use disorder. A reinvigorated and well-resourced Catawba Hospital would be a vital tool in meeting this need. As Mayor of the City of Roanoke, I stand ready to support this effort to further the development of Catawba Hospital. I appreciate your leadership on this effort. Should you need anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me. Bob Cowell City Manager Roanoke Virginia
Thank you members of this committee, for taking the time to hear this bill. My name is Brittany James, and I am a student at Virginia Tech. I am currently the lead organizer of Hokies for SUD recovery at Virginia Tech, and I am asking you to support HB2192. This bill prioritizes the needs of Southwest Virginians. The repurposing of Catawba Hospital into a state-of-the-art SUD recovery facility would bring treatment, resources, and long-term care to a centralized location, and would be easily accessible for many individuals. I have heard many stories from the members of the Virginia Tech Recovery Community, and I want to emphasize this bill's importance to Southwestern Virginia. This bill would greatly benefit a number of constituents, particularly those in recovery from Substance Use Disorder. This bill would also improve the existing mental healthcare systems already in place at Catawba Hospital, giving those in recovery a safe environment as well as potential long-tern care. Once again, I want to speak on behalf of thousands of constituents across Southwestern Virginia who could benefit from HB2192 and ask for your support for HB2192.
On behalf of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, I am writing to express support of HB2192. Transforming Catawba Hospital into a state-of-the-art facility addressing the full spectrum of substance abuse disorder treatment, recovery services, and behavioral health services is necessary to meet the growing need in our region. A recent report by the Roanoke Valley Collective Response documented an overall increase of 30% in overdose rates nationwide. The many consequences of substance abuse and the associated costs in lost productivity and economic output, and the social and health-related costs to individuals, families, communities, the Commonwealth, and our nation are devastating in every measure. HB2192 offers a realistic opportunity to begin to mitigate and prevent these losses to our economy and society -- an opportunity that may not be available is less favorable budgetary times. Botetourt County encourages your strong support of HB2192 and stands as a willing partner to help address this critical need across our Commonwealth. Thank you.
REGARDING HB2192 | Rasoul | Catawba Hospital, substance abuse treatment and recovery services January 25, 2023 Delegate Sam Rasoul Virginia House of Delegates, 11th District P.O. Box 13842 Roanoke, Virginia 24037 Dear Delegate Rasoul, On behalf of the Board of Directors of United Way of Roanoke Valley, I am writing to express our support for HB2192, with the goal of transforming Catawba Hospital into a state-of-the-art facility addressing the full spectrum of substance use disorder treatment, recovery services, and behavioral health services necessary to meet the growing need in our region. Just recently, the Roanoke Valley Collective Response completed Building on Hope, a white paper that analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on the opioid addiction crisis in the Roanoke Valley. The report notes an overall increase of 30% in overdose rates nationwide, a 9% increase in adults reporting in adults reporting issues with depression or anxiety in 2021 over 2018 as identified in Carilion Clinic’s Community Health Survey, and a sharp increase in compassion fatigue experienced by the region’s caregivers and public safety staff, just to list a few of the many impacts. Addiction, substance abuse disorders, and mental illness are often among the most significant barriers to housing and employment – which are key to attaining financial stability. A reinvigorated and well-resourced Catawba Hospital would be a vital tool in meeting the growing need for mental health services, and facilitate access to others. Our United Way’s vision to elevate 10,000 families to self-sufficiency seeks to impact residents in the geographic area contiguous to Catawba Hospital, and would undoubtedly be a resource for many that we serve. Our United Way is fully supportive of HB2192. We are happy to participate in the next steps in the process to the extent we are able, and are eager to see the results of this important and timely work. Thank you for your leadership in this area of need. Sincerely, Abby V. Hamilton President and CEO
My name is Martha Hooker, Chairman of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. As the representative for the Catawba District I know that our community is very proud of the work the Catawba Hospital provides in this region. With the acreage provided on the Catawba Hospital campus, I believe the additional footprint added for substance abuse disorder and rehab would work well with its current mission. The need for this type of care is great in our area and we desire all our citizens to be able to return to being productive in the community and having healthy family experiences. I believe the addition to the Catawba Hospital will help meet this need. Moreover, the regional support extends to area members of the House as co -patrons of HB 2192. We ask the committee to pass this bill and thank you for the support.
My name is Phil North, Chair of the Roanoke Valley Allegheny Regional Commission and member of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. Before the pandemic the rate of overdoses in our area was 21.5 per 100K population. As a result of the pandemic the rates of overdose have increased to 30.7 per 100K or 43%. The need in our area is great for a continuum of care to address substance abuse disorder and Catawba Hospital location will meet this need. Moreover, the regional support extends to area members of the House as co -patrons of HB 2192. We ask the committee to pass this bill and thank you for the support.
I think the plan to convert the Catawba Hospital to an additional tip. Recovery center and maintaining mental health services is an excellent idea. I think Catawba would be well suited to treat people with addiction during the acute phase and will need a well thought out transition plan for those same patients when they move from acute rehabilitation (6-8 weeks) to the sober living and intensive outpatient care when they will need access to transportation and jobs. The remote location of Catawba hospital lo It’s accessibility to jobs and transition to normal environment.
HB2195 - Workforce development; consolidation of policies and programs, etc.
The Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance supports HB 2195, Workforce Development Consolidation. For as long as anyone can remember, we have struggled to effectively and adequately address challenges in workforce development. We are now in the tightest labor market in recent memory. Employers across the Lynchburg region continue to express the challenges they are facing in hiring skilled labor, or finding jobseekers that are interested in careers that require skilled labor. While this might seem reactionary to some, these issues have existed for may years. It is long overdue and now is the time to make these changes in how we effectively meet the challenges the Commonwealth faces in developing our workforce. We ask that this committee support these efforts by voting in favor of this legislation. Thank you to the committee for its consideration.
The Roanoke Regional Chamber supports efforts to consolidate workforce development programs so that they are easier to track and more responsive to the growing needs of the business community.
For many of my 24 years in our manufacturing business, I've used some of the state services for job training grants, retraining, apprenticeships and any other programs that applied to capital projects that we have had. Over those years I dealt with a variety of contacts, a variety of acronyms and honestly I never had any idea who to call for which program. Even though some of the grants were useful, it was never easy and the confusion about what program applied to what project isn't something a layperson can figure out. Each department likely has their own budget and works hard to make sure workforce is something they talk about, but none of them can be experts or maximally effective like this. Ask anyone trying to hire in the past 5-7 years and they'll tell you it isn't working. We're not producing the needed workforce at any level. Whatever dollars we are spending are at best helping us break even. A consolidated focus with a dedicated team that does nothing but workforce work is the right way forward. I understand each department wants to contribute but the outcome for the businesses, future employees and the commonwealth are what matters. HB2195 heads in the right direction and I fully support this legislation.
Ashland, Virginia January 25, 2023 To: Energy and Commerce Committee Members Topic: HB 2195 Members of the Commerce and Energy Committee: Greetings and Happy Lunar New Year 2023. Thank you for your leadership and service in helping to bring solutions to so many in our communities. Workforce Development (WD) issues remain one of the toughest challenges for most U.S states, not just for our Commonwealth. Yet is the one of the core systems to help a locality, region, state, or nation to stay competitive as the economy relies on it. Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce (VACC- Created in 2004), has a core statewide business membership which is made up mostly by micro businesses from the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) communities . Our members provide critical services to all of us in more than 60 industry sectors. VACC represents more than Virginia-based 1,500 businesses and employees, we fully support HB 2195 legislation. When a state has a poorly run WD system, job seekers and career explorers, employers, and those seeking workforce solutions must navigate a mane of dozens of agencies to find one solution to their hiring and training needs, they lose valuable productivity times. Employers end up finding workers through the private sector, and job seekers look elsewhere for WD solutions instead of relying on their government system. Let alone how a poor system generates high UI claim backlogs , other waste issues, and customers complaints. Meanwhile, Virginia does not have enough skilled workers to help industry solve increasing modern business issues due to rapid technological changes. The state loses valuable federal training dollars if we do not meet set federal goals. Talented workforce ends up moving away to other states. Virginia deserves a world-class workforce development (WD) system. It is time for the Commonwealth to have an effective workforce development reform that will help us to stay competitive with our next-door neighbors, and the world. It is time for the Commonwealth to be bold and introduce organization to our WD system. This takes bold leadership, system knowledge, a willingness and the courage to make difficult changes, and the ability to lead a diverse network of service providers and inspiring them to collaborate to find a common solution to benefit all workers and employers across many localities. Yes, workforce development design and delivery can be (and is) a challenge for system designers, but HB 2195/SB1470 is a critical great beginning step in the right direction as it would increase our workforce participation, enhance individual customer service outcomes through needed streamlining and oversight, using end-user perspectives and evaluation to shape outcomes, and incorporating scientific data analysis to its proposed WD reform, as a first step. I ask you to please vote for HB 2195! Respectfully, My L. Tran Ms. My Lan Tran, CED, CIT, CVET Executive Director, Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce Administrator, Virginia Asian Foundation E: mylantran@aabac.org * T: 804 502 8081 * Visit our new website: www.aabac.org
HB2207 - Information Technology Access Act; numerous organizational changes to Act.
This bill would provide governmental entities in Virginia needed guidance in order to comply with other existing federal and Virginia laws that generally require accessibility. The ITAA has not been substantively amended since its passage in 1999, and is long overdue for an update. In particular, it does not require accessibility for all persons with disabilities, only those that are blind or visually impaired, despite that fact that accessibility requirements under other federal and Virginia law are not limited in this way. In addition, the reporting mechanism to the Secretary of Administration in the current law is ineffective, especially for a parent of a child with a disability who is seeking information about inaccessible technology that may affect their child. This bill maintains important exceptions from accessibility, while making it clear that covered entities need to consider compliance with other applicable federal and state laws when exempting something from the requirement to be accessible due to excessive cost.
I write asking you to support HB 2207. This bill updates a consequential piece of state code addressing access to information and communication technology for persons with disabilities that has not been updated since 1999. The updates ensure that our state code aligns with Federal legislation, identifies Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as the guiding standard for access to technologies, brings K-12 schools under the same directive as higher ed and state agencies allowing for greater collaboration opportunities, and asks each entity to assign a Digital Accessibility Coordinator. Should we have another emergency response such as we had with the pandemic, knowing who to contact with digital accessibility guidance will be extremely beneficial for all. Updating the code will allow all Virginians to participate more fully in employment, education, and services offered by the Commonwealth. Members of the Communications, Technology and Innovation committee website Thanks for anything you can do to help move this bill forward. -Christa
o HB 2207 will broaden the definition of people with disabilities to include all disabilities, not just those that are blind or visually impaired which is now the case under current state code. o HB 2207 will bring K-12 schools under the same directive (re: ICT accessibility) as higher education and state agencies thus allowing for more collaborative solutions throughout the Commonwealth. o HB 2207 asks each state entity to identify a Digital Accessibility Coordinator providing a contact for the dissemination of digital accessibility guidance and tools across the state. o HB 2207 identifies Section 508 as the digital accessibility standard thereby providing guidance when developing online job applications, academic online materials, and the development of digital tools for use by all Virginians. o HB 2207 will improve access to information and communications technology for all Virginians, including those with disabilities. This will not only lead to better educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities, but also increase opportunities for gainful employment.
HB 2207 is an easy bill to vote for - provides access and resources to all Virginians, regardless of disabilities. Digital platforms and technology have become crucial to navigate all things big and small and all Virginians should have equal access to these resources.
o HB 2207 will broaden the definition of people with disabilities to include all disabilities, not just those that are blind or visually impaired which is now the case under current state code. o HB 2207 will bring K-12 schools under the same directive (re: ICT accessibility) as higher education and state agencies thus allowing for more collaborative solutions throughout the Commonwealth. o HB 2207 asks each state entity to identify a Digital Accessibility Coordinator providing a contact for the dissemination of digital accessibility guidance and tools across the state. o HB 2207 identifies Section 508 as the digital accessibility standard thereby providing guidance when developing online job applications, academic online materials, and the development of digital tools for use by all Virginians. o HB 2207 will improve access to information and communications technology for all Virginians, including those with disabilities. This will not only lead to better educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities, but also increase opportunities for gainful employment.
As a deaf faculty member at the University of Virginia who benefits from captioning, I wholeheartedly support this bill. Disabled people can do so much if we give them the access and tools to succeed!
I ask that you please move House Bill 2207 forward, as it will improve access to information and communications technology for all Virginians, including those with disabilities. This will not only lead to better educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities, but also increase opportunities for gainful employment.
Please vote in support of House Bill 2207 introduced by Delegate Kathy Tran. Not only would HB 2207 update the current code to include all disabilities (currently it focuses only on the blind and visually impaired) it would provide cohesive direction to educators and providers from K-12 through higher education as well as state agencies. This would allow organizations and institutions across the Commonwealth of Virginia to leverage relevant resources and collaborate more effectively to more equitably serve our citizens. As an employee at an institution of higher education who is dedicated to advocating for increased access, I urge you to support this bill. Although I've observed great strides in the area of digital accessibility at our institution, much work lies ahead and this remains an under-resourced area of accessibility throughout the Commonwealth. Furthermore, as a parent of a K-12 student with multiple learning disabilities, I know how challenging it is for students and families to access and advocate for much-needed resources to ensure an equitable educational experience. With more equitable access, students can then focus on their learning. Our Commonwealth's future will be much brighter when it is inclusive of all learners who are then well-educated and prepared to innovate and problem-solve. Thank you for considering support of HB 2207.
I write asking you to support HB 2207. This bill updates a consequential piece of state code addressing access to information and communication technology for persons with disabilities that has not been updated since 1999. The updates ensure that our state code aligns with Federal legislation, identifies Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as the guiding standard for access to technologies, brings K-12 schools under the same directive as higher ed and state agencies allowing for greater collaboration opportunities, and asks each entity to assign a Digital Accessibility Coordinator. Should we have another emergency response such as we had with the pandemic, knowing who to contact with digital accessibility guidance will be extremely beneficial for all. Updating the code will allow all Virginians to participate more fully in employment, education, and services offered by the Commonwealth.
VCASE supports HB2207 for requiring expanded digital accessibility standards for Virginians with disabilities aligned with federal guidelines. It is critical that persons with a variety of disabilities have access to online digital resources as teaching, learning, therapies, counseling, commerce, civic engagement, and other state services have extensive use by citizens. ALL Virginians , including those who may have a wide array of disabilities, should be able to access Virginia online resources. Thank you.
I write asking you to support HB 2207. This bill updates a consequential piece of state code addressing access to information and communication technology for persons with disabilities that has not been updated since 1999. The updates ensure that our state code aligns with Federal legislation, identifies Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as the guiding standard for access to technologies, brings K-12 schools under the same directive as higher ed and state agencies allowing for greater collaboration opportunities, and asks each entity to assign a Digital Accessibility Coordinator. Should we have another emergency response such as we had with the pandemic, knowing who to contact with digital accessibility guidance will be extremely beneficial for all.
Dear Committee - I write asking you to support HB 2207. As a disability services practitioner, I strongly support the bill, which will increase accessibility for people with all types of disabilities. This bill updates a consequential piece of state code addressing access to information and communication technology for persons with disabilities that has not been updated since 1999. The updates ensure that our state code aligns with Federal legislation, identifies Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as the guiding standard for access to technologies, brings K-12 schools under the same directive as higher ed and state agencies allowing for greater collaboration opportunities, and asks each entity to assign a Digital Accessibility Coordinator. Should we have another emergency response such as we had with the pandemic, knowing who to contact with digital accessibility guidance will be extremely beneficial for all. This is a vitally important bill. I urge the committee to vote in favor of passage. Sincerely, Christina Wulf
Since 2016, 14 public school systems, 3 colleges and universities, 3 counties (Arlington, Loudoun, Fairfax), 1 town (Warrenton), and 1 public library have signed either consent decrees or resolution agreements for failure to ensure equivalent access to information and communications technology (ICT), resulting in significant costs to achieve compliance. HB2207 seeks to address this issue by modernizing the Code of Virginia’s Information Technology Access Act, which has not been updated since 1999. It does this in four specific ways: 1. First, it updates how we define disability and information and communications technology (ICT), as well as the entities covered by this act. The existing legislation only defines disability in the context of “blind” or “visually-impaired” individuals, which is inconsistent with the Code of Virginia’s Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Title 51.5-40.1), the Virginia Human Rights Act (Title 2.2-3900), and, on a federal level, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Likewise, the definition of “information technology” in the existing legislation is inconsistent with the scope of ICT as defined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additionally, “covered entity” in the existing legislation only references state agencies, public institutions of higher education, and political subdivisions of the Commonwealth. This does not cover public school divisions, which also fall under Title II of the ADA. More Virginians with disabilities are seeking educational and employment opportunities and there is greater variation in the types of disabilities that must be accommodated. 2. Second, it seeks to integrate accessibility reviews into the ICT purchasing processes of covered entities by asking vendors to provide Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACR), which tell us how well their product aligns with Section 508 standards. Where conformance falls short, we would also like the vendor to provide us with a timeline for when their product could meet conformance. Right now, the responsibility for determining that information, the risk of a lawsuit, and the associated costs are borne by each covered entity. 3. Third, HB 2207 introduces equally effective alternative access plans (EEAAP), which is consistent with the language the OCR already includes in some of their more recent consent decrees and resolution agreements. The spirit of this section of the bill is also consistent with Section 508’s Best Meets Exception which acknowledges the “non-availability of conforming ICT” in some sectors and the need to provide an “alternative means” when this is the case. In practice, some covered entities are already doing this. 4. Finally, HB 2207 calls for each covered entity to identify a digital accessibility coordinator who would oversee these efforts. The need to dedicate staffing and have in place a transparent “grievance procedure” for ICT accessibility efforts is consistent with existing precedent. In most instances, an acceptable “grievance procedure” is to simply publish the name and contact information of the individual overseeing these matters so that everyone knows who to contact. These updates will bring the ITAA into alignment with existing state and federal laws, reduce costs and risks, foster transparency, and improve ICT access for all Virginians. Thank you for considering these comments!
The City of Fredericksburg is supportive of digital accessibility, which is the overall goal of HB 2207. However, some of the specific requirements of HB 2207 may be difficult to implement. For example, the challenge that pops out immediately is the mandate to designate an employee to serve as the “digital accessibility coordinator.” In the case of the City of Fredericksburg, we are really challenged to recruit, hire, and retain IT staff as it is. There is a very competitive market for these skilled individuals. To ask an individual to “be responsible for ensuring the covered entity complies with [ADA and Virginia Disabilities Rights Act] is a very big lift. We think that HB 2207 might benefit from some time for localities to study, comment, generate fiscal impact, etc.
I write asking you to support HB 2207. This bill updates a consequential piece of state code addressing access to information and communication technology for persons with disabilities that has not been updated since 1999. The updates ensure that our state code aligns with Federal legislation, identifies Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act as the guiding standard for access to technologies, brings K-12 schools under the same directive as higher ed and state agencies allowing for greater collaboration opportunities, and asks each entity to assign a Digital Accessibility Coordinator. Should we have another emergency response such as we had with the pandemic, knowing who to contact with digital accessibility guidance will be extremely beneficial for all. Updating the code will allow all Virginians to participate more fully in employment, education, and services offered by the Commonwealth.
I am writing in favor of House Bill 2207, which provides updates to the Code of Virginia's Information Technology Access Act. HB 2207 will broaden the definitions of people with disabilities. It will include K-12 schools in the ICT accessibility directive, which will greatly benefit K-12 students with disabilities. The addition of a Digital Accessibility Coordinator for each state entity will expand the accessibility guidance and tools available throughout the Commonwealth. HB 2207 will increase the availability of information and communications technology for all Virginians, including those with disabilities. The benefit of HB 2207 would be that people with disabilities could have better educational outcomes and more opportunities for gainful employment.
I am writing to ask that you modernize and update current state law which requires all digital tools and assets purchased and provided by state entities to be fully accessible for those individuals with disabilities. HB 2207 will broaden the definition of people with disabilities to include all disabilities, not just those that are blind or visually impaired. It will also specify Section 508 of the of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as the standard guidance for developing and procuring IT technology. As a webmaster and certified web accessibility specialist, I fully support this bill!
I write in strong support of this bill on both a personal and professional level. The Information Technology Act is over 20 years old, and woefully outdated. It is time for our state law to catch up to federal digital accessibility standards (such as Sec. 508) - of which most of the IHEs, K-12 systems, and state agencies should already be in compliance. This update is sorely needed, and will have a significant impact on improving access, inclusion, and quality of life for Virginians with disabilities. As the mother of a K-12 student with a vision impairment, working towards equal access for his education (such as accessible course materials in large print, navigating learning management systems, etc.) is obviously a personal mission that is very near and dear to my heart. As a professional in disability support services in higher education, I also walk this walk every day to support my students. This bill would significantly improve my son's educational experience to create systems for accessible technology as well as oversight to ensure that the schools are doing what they need to do to include him (and those like him) in the full educational experience. At my University, it will be to ensure that we (as an institution) are doing everything we can in our procurement processes and procedures to do the same for the thousands of students who attend. In short, I strongly urge you to support this bill. Thanks so much for your time.
I fully support HB2207 because it modernizes today's digital accessibility standards for Virginians with disabilities. Specifically: o HB 2207 will broaden the definition of people with disabilities to include all disabilities, not just those that are blind or visually impaired which is now the case under current state code. o HB 2207 will bring K-12 schools under the same directive (re: ICT accessibility) as higher education and state agencies thus allowing for more collaborative solutions throughout the Commonwealth. o HB 2207 asks each state entity to identify a Digital Accessibility Coordinator providing a contact for the dissemination of digital accessibility guidance and tools across the state. o HB 2207 identifies Section 508 as the digital accessibility standard thereby providing guidance when developing online job applications, academic online materials, and the development of digital tools for use by all Virginians. o HB 2207 will improve access to information and communications technology for all Virginians, including those with disabilities. This will not only lead to better educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities, but also increase opportunities for gainful employment.
As a professional working in the IT accessibility field, I see firsthand how inaccessible technologies impact students and professionals with disabilities. Many products used in K-12, higher education, and the workforce present significant barriers to access. With inaccessible technology, students and professionals can be at a significant disadvantage impacting their performance, productivity, and enjoyment of their work. It can be challenging to get software and web development companies to devote time and resources to making their products accessible, even if they know it is the right thing to do. HB 2207 aligns accessibility requirements and processes across K 12 education, higher education, and state agencies. This will allow us to leverage resources and systematically ensure software developers have accessibility built into their development timeline. This, In turn, helps to ensure that all Virginians have access to the tools needed to be successful in their pursuit of education and employment. Please support HB2207. Thank you.
I would like to submit my SUPPORT for HB2207. I work in higher education in a department which includes our student disability services, so this bill not only could positively impact our department, but also so many students across the Commonwealth. I support HB 2207 for many reasons. First, it will broaden the definition of people with disabilities to include all disabilities, which we now have a broader understanding about vs when the current state code was written (and only includes those that are blind or visually impaired). It will include K-12 schools under the same directive as higher education and state agencies which will promote more cohesive and consistent interventions, education, and understanding of students and families throughout the Commonwealth. It identifies Section 508 as the digital accessibility standard for developing online job applications, academic online materials, and digital tools for use by all Virginians. In addition, it will improve access to information and communications technology for all Virginians, including those with disabilities - the pandemic has only highlighted the need for this to occur. This will not only lead to better educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities, but also increase opportunities for gainful employment. Thank you!
o HB 2207 will broaden the definition of people with disabilities to include all disabilities, not just those that are blind or visually impaired which is now the case under current state code. o HB 2207 will bring K-12 schools under the same directive (re: ICT accessibility) as higher education and state agencies thus allowing for more collaborative solutions throughout the Commonwealth. o HB 2207 asks each state entity to identify a Digital Accessibility Coordinator providing a contact for the dissemination of digital accessibility guidance and tools across the state. o HB 2207 identifies Section 508 as the digital accessibility standard thereby providing guidance when developing online job applications, academic online materials, and the development of digital tools for use by all Virginians. o HB 2207 will improve access to information and communications technology for all Virginians, including those with disabilities. This will not only lead to better educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities, but also increase opportunities for gainful employment.
HB 2207 will improve access to information and communications technology for all Virginians, including those with disabilities. This will not only lead to better educational outcomes for individuals with disabilities, but also increase opportunities for gainful employment.
Listed as something that will be affected that will impact my role as an Instructional Designer: HB 2207 identifies Section 508 as the digital accessibility standard thereby providing guidance when developing online job applications, academic online materials, and the development of digital tools for use by all Virginians.
I am writing to ask you to vote in support of House Bill 2207, introduced by Del. Kathy Tran. HB 2207 would update current state code (Title 2.2, Chapter 35) to broaden the definition of people with disabilities to include all disabilities, not just those that are blind or visually impaired. It would also bring K-12 schools under the same directive as higher education and state agencies thus allowing for more collaborative solutions throughout the Commonwealth. Not only is it the right thing to do to ensure equal access for all Virginians, but the updates and modernization of current code would create a mechanism for oversight of procurement practices to ensure fiscal responsibility for the state. HB 2207 will broaden the definition of people with disabilities to include all disabilities, not just those that are blind or visually impaired which is now the case under current state code; bring K-12 schools under the same directive as higher education and state agencies thus allowing for more collaborative solutions throughout the Commonwealth; asks each state entity to identify a Digital Accessibility Coordinator providing a contact for the dissemination of digital accessibility guidance and tools across the state; and, identifies Section 508 as the digital accessibility standard thereby providing guidance when developing online job applications, academic online materials, and the development of digital tools for use by all Virginians when interacting with state entities.
HB2224 - Newborn screening program; VDH & DGS, et al., to evaluate current funding model.
I am writing as a certified nurse midwife who provides birth services in Richmond outside of the hospital. My clients that choose home birth and birth center birth deserve unfettered access to this vital screening without the high cost of the testing. This is a government required test, and yet the burden of its cost falls squarely on either the patient themselves or on the provider. These costs add up in even the large practice setting of a hospital. The cost to a small scale midwifery business can easily make or break the bottom line. Practices like mine in Richmond are dwindling. It is so hard to keep doors open in these tiny practices with the many costs and barriers to practice that currently exist. Removing this barrier of the cost of newborn screening would have a positive impact on small business growth in Virginia as well as increasing patient access to their desired form of high quality, personalized care.
I would like to offer my support in favor of House Bill 2224 which seeks to remove the fee for newborn metabolic screening. The newborn metabolic screen is required by law and is an important early step in newborn care the helps to identify serious but rare health conditions at birth. The test can be cost prohibitive for families that do not have adequate health coverage or for those who give birth in a birth center or at home and then need to present to a lab facility or hospital to have the test performed. It would be a great step forward in newborn and pediatric care if the newborn screening test was performed at no cost to parents, guardians, hospitals or health care providers.
My name is Nichole Wardlaw and I am a Certified Nurse Midwife speaking in favor of HB 2224 which will remove the cost associated with the metabolic screening test for newborns. As an American Midwifery Certification Board midwife with 17 years of experience and trained at the Medical University of SC I have chosen to work in communities of color where my presence as a black midwife has been more effective. I also chose to leave the hospital system in 2020 to do home or community birth so that parents who have low risk can have a choice in where they would like to give birth. It is in this setting where parents are forced to decide if they can afford to get the metabolic screening done. The cost is $137 and all insurance companies do not cover the cost. This leaves my colleagues and me to either absorb the cost or pass the cost on to the parents. It is unfair to have a state-mandated test that is beneficial in screening for disabilities not be available for every child born here. It is cost prohibitive and every child may not be afforded the test. If we want to reduce disparities, we should offer these types of screening tests for free. In conclusion, I thank you for your time and leave you with this quote “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Barack Obama
Good Morning! I am Leslie Payne, a community-based midwife serving the central region of Virginia. I would very much like you to support HB 2224. As you know, the metabolic screening of newborns in Virginia saves lives and is critically important to the children and families of the Commonwealth. I serve families in 4 different Amish communities. This screening is particularly important in their communities where the gene pool is small and these disorders show up more often than they do in my "English" (as the Amish call the rest of us) families. Over the years I have seen several children who are now living normal lives because their condition was discovered through the Newborn Screening Program and they are being successfully treated from the beginning of life. These families have very little money. In order to make sure their babies are screened, I often need to foot the bill myself (upwards of $150 for the screening card and equipment to perform the screen). Since about 75 percent of my clientele is Amish, this costs a good bit every year. I feel compelled to do this because the screening is so important for these families and the impact of an untreated child is significant, financially, medically, and emotionally. But it is a financial burden for me. Thank you for considering this bill which would benefit so many of the families I and other midwives serve. Sincerely, Leslie M. Payne, CPM Lynchburg, VA
Charging for the newborn screening cards that are required by law puts an undue financial burden on providers. Many independent providers are not in network with health insurance, and even when they are, insurance will either not cover the tests, or they reimburse far less than the cost of the test. We lose money on every single one.
Additional costs for state mandated testing of the newborn can be a financial burden to families giving birth out of the hospital or with no insurance coverage. These families may choose not to consent to Newborn Metabolic Screening due to the costs of the testing. If the state of VA is mandated testing, that financial burden should not lay upon the parents. It should be the state’s responsibility to provide for and cover testing costs. I support HB 2224 so that my clients can have accessible and affordable Newborn Metabolic Screening.
Please support state funding of HB 2224! The cost of newborn screening is a legitimate and prudent use of taxpayer funds. Every single newly born VA citizen should have access to this important screening tool regardless of location of birth and ability to pay. Testing for and identifying the disorders and diseases screened for at birth will save the state funds in the long run. Thank you!
*Please support HB 2224 so that newborn screening tests shall be performed at no cost to parents, guardians, hospitals or health care providers. The $138 fee for the state-mandated newborn metabolic screening is an unnecessary barrier to this important screening test for newborns. This is especially a barrier for licensed midwives in Virginia who serve families with Medicaid, as Medicaid only reimburses these providers 75 % of the actual fee. This means that it is actually costing licensed midwives $34.50 each time they provide this important screening test for newborns; and they are not receiving any compensation for the time/skill it takes to provide this critical service. As a Certified Nurse Midwife, I rarely get reimbursed from private insurance companies for this state-mandated service.
I am a CPM community midwife who is licensed in Maryland and Virginia and also practices in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. I have seen firsthand the impact of the fee for screening drive families’ decisionmaking surrounding the fee. The vast majority of my MD, WV and PA clients opt to have the newborn screening done as there is no financial burden on their part; the clients more frequently decline the newborn screening for financial concerns when given the option in Virginia even when risk/benefit and informed choice is given. Families birthing out of hospital are already bearing the greater responsibility of cash-pay or low out of network coverage for their safe out of hospital birth choice. Let them continue to make safe evidence based choices without further financial burden involved.
HB2258 - Alcoholic beverage control; beer distribution.
As a very small farm brewery we fully support this bill. Our small scale does not make large distribution companies feasible financially or logistically. However we would greatly appreciate the opportunity to provide our products to other small businesses such as local bottle shops and restaurants as another way to reach customers. A vote for this bill supports getting more Virginia made products to market and allows product offerings beyond the large players in the beer industry. This bill encourages small business and provides a state tax generating platform to do so. As a farm winery as well, it only seems right to afford a similar wholesale privilege to both agricultural based alcoholic beverge types. Thank you for your consideration and please vote yes for HB 2258! Cheers!
To the honorable house committee, Thank you for your work on HB 2258. Stable Craft Brewing is one of many examples in our Commonwealth that have been held back from creating more jobs, adding more to our local economy and having a fair path forward to reach our potential as a craft beverage producer. We also have a spouse that is indeed our distributor, I can attest that distribution is very difficult and believe there is a need for distributors, but we need a fair opportunity over the model that exists now allowing a Virginia product to be held back by the current laws that Travis Hill noted by allowing wine to be distributed with VDACS and not beer. A competitive wholesale distributor doesn't need the hammering effect of the current laws. While I'm pleased these steps are being taken I remain concerned that the wholesalers association can bargain our liberties by stating a spouse can no longer be a distributor. I am aware and grateful for the grandfather clause on this matter in lieu of my concerns. Virginia will see a new dawn, a boom in Virginia born products finally reaching Virginia customers should this bill become law. It will also settle many frustrations of wholesale distributors once more breweries experience what it is really like to compete for sales at the retail level, an awakening if you will to the tribulations of logistic management. But let's be real, wholesalers sell products for the highest bidder with incentives from national and international brands to ensure they reach Virginia customers. It's been my experience that my brand was collected into a portfolio of beers with a major distributor only to control those incentives from other brands by selling our brands after certain goals were accumulated. It's hard to grow when the Beer Franchise Act no longer serves all Virginians. The Beer wholesale association is well funded and it's easy to understand how voting is swayed when time is taken to review VPAP.org. In closing, thank you for supporting Virginia Craft Breweries and allowing all Virginians to have an equal chance for success. Sincerely, Craig Nargi
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to HB 2258-Robinson today. I am David St Clair, owner of Swover Creek Farms Brewery in Shenandoah County. I was the first brewery in operation in Shenandoah County and one of the very early Farm Breweries (Limited Brewery) in the state nine years ago. My wife and I run a family farm operation which includes homemade, farm sourced food and beer products. This is a Virginia Century Farm. We offer both wholesome food and beer but also a pleasant area for our tourist and local resident friends to enjoy country life. I presently have to sell all my beer out of my establishment due to my inability to distribute to retail customers. I worked with our Guild last year to help develop a model emulating the successful Virginia Wine Distribution Company, VWDC, that would allow breweries to add an additional retail avenue. A couple quick points about this opportunity. For me, it would mean I can now participate in local events such as the county fair, travel association events, chamber of commerce events. I presently have had to decline requests to represent the our local community because I do not have an agreement with a beer wholesaler. Understand, it makes little sense for a wholesaler to come out to my facility, pick up a keg and deliver it to a one time event. Just to have to go back and retrieve it again. Obviously, the costs associated with this activity would make my product very price uncompetitive. By utilizing a mechanism similar to the VWDC model, I will be able to sell and deliver my one keg to these opportunities as well as get my name and product in places like Bryce Resort and neighboring retailers so travelers and tourists can experience my product or take a memento home with them to remember their experience in the Shenandoah Valley. Additionally, for the mid-sized breweries this bill will allow them to test market their products, while limiting overall start up costs and if deemed successful, will spring them into expansion and subsequent arrangements with conventional distribution. I ask that you approve this bill and pass it along. The benefits of this bill will allow further growth of our farming enterprises and craft brewing industries. Thank you.
To the Honorable Members of this committee, Thank you for your work on HB 2258. Stable Craft Brewing is one of many examples in our Commonwealth that have been held back from creating more jobs, adding more to our local economy and having a fair path forward to reach our potential as a craft beverage producer. We also have a spouse that is indeed our distributor, I can attest that distribution is very difficult and believe there is a need for distributors, but we need a fair opportunity over the model that exists now allowing a Virginia product to be held back by the current laws that Travis Hill noted by allowing wine to be distributed with VDACS and not beer. A competitive wholesale distributor doesn't need the hammering effect of the current laws. While I'm pleased these steps are being taken I remain concerned that the wholesalers association can bargain our liberties by stating a spouse can no longer be a distributor. I am aware and grateful for the grandfather clause on this matter in lieu of my concerns as my spouse owns AgriBev distribution. Virginia will see a new dawn, a boom in Virginia born products finally reaching Virginia customers should this bill become law. It will also settle many frustrations of wholesale distributors once more breweries experience what it is really like to compete for sales at the retail level, an awakening if you will to the tribulations of logistic management. But let's be real, wholesalers sell products for the highest bidder with incentives from national and international brands to ensure they reach Virginia customers. It's been my experience that my brand was collected into a portfolio of beers with a major distributor only to control those incentives from other brands by selling our brands after certain goals were accumulated. It's hard to grow when the Beer Franchise Act no longer serves all Virginians. The Beer wholesale association is well funded and it's easy to understand how voting is swayed when time is taken to review VPAP.org. In closing, thank you for supporting Virginia Craft Breweries and allowing all Virginians to have an equal chance for success. Sincerely, Craig Nargi -- CRAIG NARGI | Founder 2022 International Brewski Competition Best Beer, Best Cider,Platinum,Gold, Silver awards 2022 Virginia Craft Brewers award multiple silver medals 2021 Brewery of the Year Virginia Restaurant Travel Lodging Association 2022 Green Brewery of the Year Virginia Tourism Corporation Member of Virginia Free INDEPENDENT SUSTAINABLY CRAFTED BEER | CIDER | SODA | CULINARY | EVENTS | SUITES Stable Craft Brewing at Hermitage Hill Farm & Stables
HB2258-Robinson Good afternoon, I am the owner and brewer of Chubby Squirrel Brewing Company, a neighborhood brewpub that offers a place of community with neighbors and friends, education to local patrons, and fellowship. We have worked hard to hone our craft in making premium malt beverages, but because we are a small business and do not produce thousands of barrels of beer annually, we are effectively shut out of the marketplace as we are deemed too small by most distributors to work with and have an effective relationship with. Moreover, especially in these difficult times, every penny counts for a small business, and in the current system, it is very unprofitable for a small business to sell their beer through conventional distribution. As many states have adopted similar laws in recent years - or are working towards them - I strongly urge for the passage of HR2258 to allow small businesses to compete in the market place and remove a barrier to entry. This will allow for small breweries to hire more staff, use more quality Virginia malts and grains, provide restaurants with high quality Virginia-made products and overall promote economic growth in the Commonwealth. Moreover, removing barriers to entry is known to grow diversity in industries, which is a known concern by the Brewers Association of America. Allowing breweries to operate on an even footing as other beverages made in the state is good business for existing proprietors, under-represented communities, Virginia farmers, consumers, workers, and the general Virginia economy. Thank you.
HB2272 - Norfolk State University & Va. State University; reduced rate tuition charges for certain students.
HB 1387-NO HB1399 NO HB 1800 - NO HB 2272- yes
HB1916 - this fixes problems when boards don't act HB2272 - this will help African Americans (and possibly other minorities too) that should they need to go on to other educational institutions to finish training/education, they don't have a huge debt already from undergrad and therefore be less financially burdened when they become employed in their field. HB2425 - Good idea.
"I support HB 1396 as introduced, and it deserves a vote." Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the School Choice fight! Quick Links: Join the Rapid Response Team of Virginia for Educational Freedom School Choice petition to legislators Donate to Virginia for Educational Freedom For Our Children, Natassia Grover Director Virginia for Educational Freedom PS- It is vital that you sign our Petition for School Choice today. The thing politicians fear most is large numbers of angry voters, and your signature on the petition will be added to the thousands that have already signed. This Petition will be delivered to the House Educational Committee, and they will be told they must support full and complete School Choice. So click here to sign! Copyright © 2023 Acton Advocacy Group, All rights reserved. Fighting to restore freedom in education in the Commonwealth Our mailing address is: Acton Advocacy Group 11895 Folly Lane Lovettsville, VA 20180 Add us to your address book
HB2275 - Energy planning & electric utility oversight; membership for Com. on Electricity Utility Regulation.
I will be available to answer questions on HB2275
HB2315 - Intellectual/Developmental Disability services; DMAS to study, dissemination of information.
HB2345 - Smartchart Network Program; renames Emergency Department Care Coordination Program, report.
HB2386 - Virginia Power Innovation Fund and Program; created.
My name is April Wade, and I am the executive director of the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium. The fund supports the establishment of the -Virginia innovative nuclear hub, which will be a pathway to promote innovation and collaboration for workforce development and research. Virginia is a leader in the nuclear industry. This fund continues that tradition and will allow the Commonwealth to remain at the forefront of nuclear innovation.
The Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance supports HB 2386 at its intent to further research and development of innovative energy technologies. The Lynchburg region is home to Framatome and BWXT, global leaders in nuclear energy industry who are on the cutting edge of advanced nuclear energy technology. In a world that is challenged to meet the growing energy demands of modern society, the importance to fund research that leads to innovative and low-cost ways of delivering energy to billions of people cannot be understated. We ask that this committee support these efforts by voting in favor of this legislation. Thank you to the committee for its consideration.
The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) is the national trade association representing the nuclear energy industry. Our members include the owners and operators of the U.S. nuclear fleet, a global supply chain, academic institutions training the nuclear workforce, national labs researching nuclear technology and others. Several of our members have businesses in Virginia. NEI is excited for policies enabling Virginia to continue to explore advanced nuclear technology. NEI urges you to support HB 2386 and make Virginia a national leader in nuclear energy.
Good afternoon and thank you for allowing me to speak in support for House Bill 2386. My name is Braden Croy and I serve as program director at the Dominion Energy Innovation Center, a non-profit public private partnership founded in 2009 by the Virginia Bio-tech Research Park Authority, Dominion Energy, Hanover County, and the Town of Ashland to support the hich-tech entrepreneurs and small business owners driving the innovations needed to achieve a net-zero carbon economy. Virginia continues to be a leader in the energy sector and the advancement of HB 2386 will once again prove why an all-of-the-above approach to our energy mix is critically important to providing clean, reliable, and always on energy. For over a decade, the DEIC has been working with entrepreneurs at all stages of the startup journey to help them ideate and launch their innovative technology solutions. We've supported Virginia entrepreneurs with startup workshops, industry conferences, non-dilutive grants, and expert mentorship. With a recent grant from the US Department of Energy we are designing entirely new programming focused specifically on supporting Virginia's advanced energy entrepreneurs with a series of Statewide innovation challenges seeking to identify, fund, and ultimately commercialize cutting edge nuclear and hydrogen Intellectual Property. Energy projects are hard, and particularly expensive because the margin for error is so small, we want our operating room lights on and factories to run when we flip the switch, which is why public investment is vital. The DEIC fully supports the establishment of the Virginia Power Innovation Fund and Program because it builds a critical pathway for energy entrepreneurs to de-risk early technology development and pursue pilot projects that are able to take advantage of the many federal incentives contained in the Inflation Reduction Act, thus amplifying the State's investment many times over. As the energy transition marches forward, Virginia has an opportunity to lead the Mid-Atlantic, and ultimately the world, by resourcing the Governor's visionary plan to expand our nuclear fleet, advance hydrogen as a clean fuel, and prioritize the reliability of our grid. The growth of Virginia's advanced energy sector will touch every corner of the state and fully showcase the entrepreneurial spirit that makes Virginia a top place for business. The DEIC is ready to serve as a community partner on both the Virginia Innovative Nuclear Hub and Virginia Power Innovation Fund; providing space, coaching, and funding to our future energy leaders.
HB1388 - Virginia National Guard Passport; established, free entry and parking for state parks.
We must protect Virginia waters and protect the community from harm we are danger
On behalf of the nearly 10,000 Soldiers and Airmen of the Virginia National Guard, I ask that you support of this bill. This year we are celebrating the one of the busiest years in recent memory. Over two thousand seven hundred Soldiers and Airmen deployed this past year. A total troop count surpassing the height of the Surge in Afghanistan in 2009. Your National Guard was deployed in the Balkans, the Horn of Africa, and throughout the Middle East. Our brave warriors don’t just represent a pair of “Boots on the Ground,” their absence from their families, their careers, and communities are felt by all Virginians. These are not just Soldiers and Airmen. They are our schoolteachers, lawyers, mechanics, truck drivers, police officers, civil servants, and students. They represent the very best of Virginia and have boldly answered our Nation’s call. Without the support of our General Assembly and public servants in the administration, and without the benefits richly deserved and generously afforded to them, we couldn’t do the things this world has demanded of them.
Please I strongly suggest we pass these bills for the betterment of the state and the environment and all community members.
Pls stop all animal experiments and cruelty. Someone has to speak and step up for those who cannot. Pls stop all cruelty Thanks
On behalf of the 10,000 Soldiers, Airmen, and Families of the Virginia National Guard, I ask that you support this bill and report out of committee. Thank you!
GOOD Morning, Chair R. Lee Ware & members of the Committee: By way of introduction, I am Jay L. Marts, 28yr veteran of the VaARNG & US Army, retired Colonel, and honored to speak to this committee today on behalf my brothers & sisters in arms on HB1388. I had the pleasure of visiting the GA last week for several days as a member of the VDVS-JLC and visited Del. Ware’s office to highlight & support several Veterans legislative initiatives. I wanted to tell you that AA Marty Moore & Counsel David Bovenizer were quite courteous and attentive during my visit. I also want to thank my local legislator, Del. Bill Wiley, one of the many Patrons of this, for assisting to move this important initiative thru the GA. Our current members of the National Guard, those local Citizen-Soldiers, serve the Commonwealth and local communities without hesitation when called upon. It is time we provide them additional benefits to show our appreciation. This will help us retain current members and help to recruit new members of the Virginia National Guard. I ask you to move HB1388 out of this committee, thru the floor & ultimately place it on the Governor’s desk for signature. Thank You again for the opportunity to address this committee. Jay L. Marts VDVS-JLC (Alt) AMVETS, Dept. of Virginia (540) 550-3339 MartsJL@GMail.com
It's our responsibility to protect the ones that have no voice
Declawing can be so painful for cats, and it should be illegal. Cats can see and make sense of the world with their claws. Their claws also help them to defend themselves.
Please support House Bill No. 1388! This bill establishes a Virginia National Guard Passport which removes entrance and parking fees to Virginia's State Parks for actively serving members of the Virginia Army and Air National Guard. The National Guard is unique in the it is the only United States military entity with a dual mission and can serve in state or federal status. National Guard servicemembers currently fulfil operational responsibilities as the primary combat reserve of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. However, because the National Guard is inherently a part-time force, policies should be enacted to ensure robust physical and mental readiness of National Guard Soldiers and Airmen. Servicemembers are required to maintain physical readiness requirements outside of the normal scope of their civilian employment. Many of which require access to venues that allow for varied physical training and exercise. Servicemembers typically only spend time with their units during monthly or annual training events and are geographically dispersed throughout Virginia which limit their access to government furnished equipment and exercise venues. These conditions create a significant gap in the effectiveness of many individual physical training and resiliency programs. Additionally, research has shown that having access to parks, trails and natural areas reduce stress, anxiety and social isolation which tend to be unavoidable in military service. Overall, physical fitness and resiliency continues to be incredibly important across the military and providing access to state parks directly supports the Virginia National Guard’s readiness and deployability. Again, please support House Bill No. 1388.
I am writing in support of HB1388. I would also propose that this bill's language be clarified to cover members of the Virginia Defense Force (VDF) in addition to the Virginia National Guard. The VDF is one of Virginia's military components under the Dept. of Military Affairs. VDF members perform military duties and must maintain height / weight standards. Additionally, a large proportion of VDF members are former US military. Thus, VDF members would benefit both physically and mentally from the health benefits provided by free access to Virginia state parks. Finally, unlike the Virginia National Guard, the VDF is an all-volunteer organization and members are not normally given paid compensation, access to physical training facilities, or health insurance benefits. Free access to state parks would provide a valuable resource for VDF members to improve their physical and mental health. These comments are my views as a private citizen and not in any way on behalf of the VDF or in any official capacity. Thank you.