The Geothermal Industry in Virginia strongly supports SB893 and thanks the committee chairman and the Patron Leader Surovell

Collective bargaining is simply another burdensome tax on the average citizen, I do not want to be compelled to fund a bureaucratic organization that won't necessarily have my best interest in mind with my own hard-earned wages. Virginia will see its prosperity plummet if we abolish our right to work status, this bill would both stifle our freedom and cause many business opportunities to look elsewhere as they are doing with many of the other states that have draconian collective bargaining.

The right to work and for one to voluntary participate in the work place is vital to maintaining individual liberties in Virginia." Mandatory union participation is overreaching and a top/down philosophy instead of a bottom up. Freedom gives one the right to choose. Pro-worker means pro-opportunity not forced participation.

The right to work and voluntary participation in the work place is a fundamental freedom that is vital to maintaining individual liberties in the Commomwealth. Requiring employees to join against their will is unconstitutional and a gross over reach of government.

Attached is a letter for the City of Chesapeake

TechNet's remarks on SB 919 are attached.

As the President of the Bren Pointe Homeowners Association representing my community dealing with the proposed Plaza 500 data center project that will include 466,000 sq. ft. data center building , 5-acre electrical substation, and transmission lines proposed less than 100 ft. from resident homes, these common sense bills would provide basic protections for residents (https://sites.google.com/view/savebrenmar/home). This data center proposal was specifically referenced in the JLARC report as being "too close" to residents. (pg. 79, https://jlarc.virginia.gov/pdfs/reports/Rpt598-2.pdf) This project is illustrative of the impacts that data center development, including transmission lines and substations, have on communities. The SCC is currently considering its review of the substation and transmission lines in this proposal, and while alternatives like undergrounding of transmission lines and relocating the substation to an existing substation location, those alternatives are being rejected because of cost to Dominion. If cost allocation was shifted to the data center customer it would make alternatives that significantly mitigate impacts to residents more viable. Your bill is really important for residents and for alternatives to be able to be considered that mitigate impacts. Thank you, Tyler Ray President, Bren Pointe HOA Board of Directors 6186 Veneto Terrace Alexandria, VA 22312

In Northern VA, we need protection from unconstrained data center growth, which is negatively impacting our environment and quality of life. This extreme level of development affects the affordability and reliability of electrical power, forcing local residents to pay for infrastructure costs that they are not causing and which provides them with no benefits. SB960 seeks to ensure protections. PLEASE support SB960.

I will make this short. Thanks to Loudoun and Pr William County governments, the Northern Virginia area is fast becoming the world's largest conglomeration of data centers and poses great environmental risks to the residents of those counties. In addition, all residents of Virginia should NOT be required to pay increased electricity rates to support the multi-million dollar companies that are building and leasing the data center facilities. You must protect the residential consumer.

SB960 is the bare minimum the General Assembly must do to protect ratepayers. Although the SCC may already have the power do this sort of review now, they have repeatedly chosen not to utilize it. Direction must be given from the General Assembly. Please pass SB960 without further amendments.

Virginia is running out of time to protect our communities from unconstrained data center growth, as identified in a recent JLARC study. The current path of reckless data center growth is challenging the affordability and reliability of electrical power. SB960 seeks to ensure protection of ratepayers who are footing the bill for infrastructure costs they are not causing. We do not have the luxury to wait yet another year to provide meaningful guardrails on the data center industry. The facts cannot be denied or dismissed any longer. This is not a partisan issue. Now is the time to act. Support SB960.

Please support SB1047, which requires utilities to implement a demand response program for large electrical power consumers. Such programs would reduce customers' energy consumption during emergency events and minimize air pollution from fossil fuel generators. Northern Virginia residents deserve consistent, strong air quality standards. We should not be forced to endure air pollution from fossil fuels generators for the benefit of data centers under any circumstances.

I will make this short. Thanks to Loudoun and Pr William County governments, the Northern Virginia area is fast becoming the world's largest conglomeration of data centers and poses great environmental risks to the residents of those counties. In addition, all residents of Virginia should NOT be required to pay increased electricity rates to support the multi-million dollar companies that are building and leasing the data center facilities. You must protect the residential consumer.

HHH is a community for the elderly. Please support this Bill. Thank you!

I urge your support of SB1047, which requires utilities to implement a demand response program for large electrical power consumers. Such programs would reduce customers' energy consumption during emergency events and minimize air pollution from fossil fuels generators. Northern Virginia residents remember a foolhardy and rejected 2023 DEQ proposal to waive air quality standards to permit data center more frequent use of diesel back-up generators. SB1047 proposes a better solution.

I am David E. Balducchi, retired from the U.S. Department of Labor, and an Advisory Board member of Social Action Linking Together (SALT). I strongly support Senator Ebbin’s bill, SB 1057, to increase the income disregard of wages paid during a week claimed in calculating unemployment benefits. All states disregard some earnings as an incentive to take part-time or short-term work. The purpose of the earnings disregard is to allow unemployed workers to pick up part-time work that supplements their cash shortfall due to lack of full-time work, without severely reducing their unemployment benefits. National policy experts have recommended that the earning limit placed on claimants should be set to give claimants a real incentive to work, which can lead to full-time work. In Virginia, the income disregard of $50 was last revised in 2005. At the time, the minimum hourly wage in Virginia was $5.15. Currently, the minimum hourly wage is Virginia is $12.41. The income disregard has not kept pace with hourly wage growth, and it should be doubled to stimulate active work searches. Thank you.

Please see attached.

Chair Maldonado and Members of the Subcommittee, The Innovative Lending Platform Association (ILPA) appreciates the opportunity to submit testimony opposing Senate Bill 1252, which extends Virginia’s current 12 percent annual interest rate caps on loans and lines of credit. ILPA is the leading trade organization for online lenders and service companies serving small businesses. Our members provide various innovative, digital commercial financing products. They proudly supply thousands of Virginia businesses with working capital to invest, purchase inventory, hire additional staff for the busy season, expand operations, or repair damaged or outdated equipment. Using innovative underwriting and advanced technology, our members assess credit risk and deliver financing in as little as 24 hours. While we applaud the bill sponsors' intent to protect Virginia consumers from predatory lending practices, the consequences of rate caps are far more serious to Virginia borrowers because rate caps limit access to capital. Economists across the board, from the World Bank to senior economic advisors to Federal Reserve Banks, understand that price controls are not without serious consequences for consumers. Rate caps limit access to capital because they make it difficult, if not impossible, for lenders to provide capital to those who need it most. A study from the Aspen Institute shows that a $5,000, 18-month loan would have to carry a 40 percent interest rate to cover the origination cost fully. That is simply the cost of providing a borrower with capital, saying nothing about covering the costs of loan defaults, collections, and the myriad other costs that lenders must endure. This is currently evidenced right here in Virginia. The bill’s proponents claim that it is necessary because out-of-state lenders are circumventing the law and harming consumers. But there are two major faults with this. First, Virginia banks are exempt from Virginia’s usury laws. Right now, Virginia Credit Union is offering small personal loans for 28 percent. Second, in today’s digital world, any would-be borrower can find hundreds of offers from hundreds of lenders in seconds. Consumers only pay more than 12% for loans from out-of-state non-bank lenders because banks won’t lend to them because they don’t have the correct credit score or Virginia-based non-bank lenders can’t afford to lend to them under Virginia’s usury law. ILPA appreciates the sponsors' intent to help consumers pay less for loans. Everyone is deeply concerned about rising prices across the board. However, expanding Virginia’s lending price cap is not the answer. It will just shut off Virginia borrowers from one of the last segments that actually serve them.

Chair Maldonado and Members of the Subcommittee, Please see attached The Innovative Lending Platform Association's (ILPA) letter opposing Senate Bill 1252. ILPA appreciates the opportunity to submit testimony.

A summary of our concerns are below: New Partnerships & Innovation: ETA supports an inclusive financial system that provides high quality, secure, and affordable financial services for the broadest possible set of consumers and small businesses, which result from partnerships between banks and third-party service providers. ETA supports legislative efforts that encourage and promote new and leading-edge collaboration models. Such models strengthen the ability for banks and financial institutions to provide innovative financial services to consumers at scale by fostering innovation, encouraging healthy competition, ensuring affordability, and maintaining overall stability. Third party service providers offer streamlined payments systems, improvements to user interfaces, and assistance with customer acquisition. Additionally, banks and third parties collaborate on best practices in fraud detection and prevention. Passing legislation to examine businesses working across these areas could disrupt the payments industry’s ongoing efforts to provide opportunities for all consumers and small businesses to access and benefit from inclusive financial products and services. Impact to Virginia Consumers: Imposing stricter interest rate caps, such as 12%, will limit access to credit for consumers in the state. Additionally, it will discourage financial institutions from creating new products tailored to meet the needs of underserved communities. It is important for Virginia policymakers to carefully consider the potential consequences of this legislation to ensure there is a balance between consumer protection and maintaining access to credit. SB 1252 would result in Virginians having far less choice in what products they can select and could lead to a lack of access to credit within the state. Impact to Small Businesses: Limiting credit options not only affects Virginia consumers but also has significant ramifications for small business owners across the state. Many of these entrepreneurs rely on individual access to credit to fulfill their funding needs, particularly when traditional financing avenues are inaccessible or inadequate. Small business owners frequently encounter challenges in securing necessary capital to sustain and expand their operations. Passing SB 1252 would risk further exacerbating these difficulties, hindering entrepreneurs' ability to access vital resources for growth and development. It is important to recognize that small and short-term loans play a pivotal role in providing small business owners and entrepreneurs with the capital they need to thrive. Whether it is purchasing inventory, covering operational expenses, or funding expansion initiatives, these financing options are essential for the success and sustainability of small businesses. Furthermore, the economic impact of small businesses cannot be overstated. They serve as engines of growth, driving innovation, creating jobs, and fostering economic activity within Virginia communities. By limiting access to credit, the state of Virginia would risk stifling the potential of these businesses to contribute positively to the state's economy. Passing SB 1252 would only serve to curtail the positive impact that Virginia entrepreneurs and small business owners could have on the state’s economy. Instead of constraining credit options, we should be exploring ways to support and empower small businesses, enabling them to thrive and succeed.