Virginia Tea Party Legislative Update

From Patricia Evans:

"Tea Party Federation CoLA - SUPPORT / OPPOSE update - Feb 9, 2014

Dear Delegates and Senators

 

cc All Federation members,

 

Many thanks to all elected officials who support our legislative efforts. When voting according to your principles, we know that you often put yourselves in the direct line of fire from the establishment. Please know how much we appreciate and support you.

 

 

Crossover support/oppose legislation update: 

See below for the lists of the top support / oppose bills that CoLA  is following very closely. The notes will help you understand our position in some important categories. It is impossible to address each individual bill separately and give you a compact document. I hope you find this helpful.

 

 

NOTES:

 

[There are position changes and additions to these lists. We are still reviewing substitutes and amended bills. There will be another update soon]

 

Healthcare: The Federation is 100% opposed to the implementation of any aspect of the ACA in Virginia. Every part of Obamacare is despised by the majority of Americans including Virginians; it is fiscally unsound; and a failure by every measure. We will watch very closely and keep a record of those who support the current attempt to implement a state exchange disguised as a free market solution called 'Marketplace Virginia'. [modeled after the failing Arkansas plan] We will know who supports this fiscally unsustainable attempt to expand Medicaid that will NOT improve healthcare outcomes in spite of all the rhetoric. We support a free market, doctor / patient-centered solution to healthcare.

[watch the floor debates live on the GA website  

http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/ ]

 

Energy: The Federation strongly opposes the many tax credits / incentives that are still moving through the GA. Especially those that promote uneconomical renewable energy projects and establish trading credits for the cap and trade system. Green house gases are roughly 4% carbon. Of that 4%, only about 4% can be attributed to man's endeavor. It is beyond arrogant to promote the idea, and expect us to believe, that Earth's temperature can be influenced by reducing a small portion of this 4% of the 4% carbon content of our atmosphere. The EPA has done a wonderful job of cleaning up our water and air and it is our position that the pendulum has swung too far. Environmental regulation is now destroying our economy and usurping property rights. It is time to start reducing regulation and let the 'free market' work its magic!  [The government has already paid for the R & D]

 

Protection of privacy: Most legislation that would have protected the dissemination of personal information from government or commercial use, and required a warrant to search devices and track individuals has been killed in committee. There are still a few bills alive. We trust that our elected representatives want to protect their own privacy and personal information and will act accordingly; thus protecting our rights at the same time. We support all efforts to empower citizens in the fight against any government over reach which diminishes Virginians' constitutional rights.

 

Education: We support state-led, market-based education reform and oppose nationalization of the United States’ public education system. We believe that the best educational system is locally-controlled, student-centered, and involves parents and teachers as partners. We support  legislation that will:

• Stop the unlawful usurpation by the Federal government of the state’s role in the definition of public school curriculum 
• Prevent the centralized collection and use of individual student and parent data by the Federal government that could be used for purposes other than educational
• Protect both individual and family educational rights and privacy
• Promote free market-based educational reform that makes our schools and students better critical thinkers and more globally competitive.

 

Tax credits; grants; incentives; taxpayer guarantees, new taxes and fees: The Tea Party Federation opposes any new programs, program extensions, tax credits, new taxes, fees and any taxpayer guarantees for private sector projects. Let the free market work. We call for a complete outside audit of Virginia government.

Too often billions are magically found through a partial audit of some branch of government.[and then immediately spent]. Taxpayers want to see the elimination of waste fraud and abuse before any new taxes are levied, and also know - who are the beneficiaries of billions of dollars per year in tax incentives/credits? Virginia taxpayers also want a comprehensive plan to reduce Virginia's dependence on federal government subsidies which account for 38% of the VA budget.

 

Transportation: We oppose any legislation that further expands government size or power. Including, but not limited to, more layers of costly bureaucracy in Virginia's transportation system. The Commonwealth already has well established 'transportation districts' and 'authorities' legally constituted and perfectly capable of determining and implementing transportation plans for each planning district.

 

 SUPPORT :

  ...HB 17 Cellular telephone, etc.; warrant requirement i...
  ...HB 197 Virginia history and United States Const...
  ...HB 198 Student discipline; expulsion due to fir...
  ...HB 258 Higher educational institutions; restrictions o...
  ...HB 286 State Inspector General; appointment by General...
  ...HB 357 Concealed handgun permit applicant; access to i...
  ...HB 364 Civics Education, Commission on; reestablished.
  ...HB 449 Student information; release to federal governm...
  ...HB 492 Notaries; if not accredited to represent person...
  ...HB 706 General Assembly member; legislative standing t...
  ...HB 754 Student discipline; modifying long-term suspens...
  ...HB 790 General Services, Department of; inventory of a...
  ...HB 1043 Health benefit exchanges; regulation of navigat...
  ...HB 1053 State Inspector General, Office of; powers and ...
  ...HB 1084 Permits and approvals, certain; damages for unc...
  ...HB 1147 Health insurance; offering plans.
  ...HB 1173 Stormwater management programs; optional for so...
  ...HB 1176 Health insurance; notice of increase in premium...
  ...HB 1200 Elections; qualifications of candidates, reside...
  ...HB 1256 Detention and removal of citizen from State; SP...
  ...HJ 40 Medicaid-funded transportation; Joint Legislati...
  ...HJ 147 Affordable Care Act, federal; Bureau of Insuran...
  ...SB 194 Eminent domain; date of valuation, inverse cond...
  ...SB 239 Student mental health policies; violence preven...
  ...SB 423 Stormwater management program; regulations, sin...
  ...SB 446 General Assembly; reports accompanying general ...
  ...SB 503 Notaries; legal advice on immigration, etc.,non...
  ...SB 542 Health benefit exchanges; regulation of navigat...
  ...SB 578 Permits and approvals, certain; unconstitutiona...
  ...SB 603 Oyster grounds; condemnation.

 

OPPOSE:

...HB 597 Richmond Metropolitan Authority; renamed, compo...
  ...HB 975 Hybrid electric motor vehicles; repeals annual ...
  ...HB 1025 Biofuels Production Incentive Grant Program; re...
  ...HB 1116 Banister River; Scenic River designation. ( Patron Les Adams )
  ...HB 1239 Real and personal property taxes; exemption for...
  ...HB 1249 Prescription Monitoring Program; registration w...
  ...HB 1253 Hampton Roads Transportation Accountability Com...
  ...HB 1267 Va.Beach arena; if Va. Beach issues bonds for a...
  ...SB 45 Virginia Health Benefit Exchange; established a...
  ...SB 48 Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management ...
  ...SB 127 Hybrid electric motor vehicles; repeals annual ...
  ...SB 250 Employment applications; inquiries regarding cr...
  ...SB 257 Tye River; designation as component of Virginia...
  ...SB 294 Prescription Monitoring Program; requirements o...
  ...SB 418 Solar equipment; certified pollution control eq...
  ...SB 431 Voluntary Remediation Program; removes cap on r...
  ...SB 510 Firearms; possession following conviction of ce...
  ...SB 513 Hampton Roads Transportation Authority; created...
  ...SB 551 Cranesnest River; designates as component of Vi...
  ...SB 571 Va.Beach arena; if Va. Beach issues bonds for a...
  ...SB 604 Immigrant Assistance, Office of; created.
  ...SB 653 Renewable energy property; tax credits for plac...


--
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."  - Thomas Jefferson "

Personally I don't have a problem with repealing the $64 annual tax on hybrid vehicles (this is, after all, over and above the tax on gas, of which they still use a lot).