An excerpt from a David Suetterlein email I got yesterday:


Dear Friends,

This Thursday at 12:01 AM is an important reminder of what is at stake in these campaigns - as most of the 556 bills that were passed by the 2021 General Assembly go into effect on July 1.

At the stroke of midnight it will be legal to smoke marijuana, but illegal to release a balloon. It will be illegal for concealed carry permit holders to carry a gun near the Capitol, but there will no longer be a presumption against bail for those charged with violating existing gun laws. Your taxes will be going up again and now abortion coverage will be provided through taxpayer supported exchanges.

Below are summaries of several of the changes to the law that will go into effect on July 1. Clicking on the bill link will take you to the Legislative Information System for the bill where you can find the full legislative text, fiscal impact estimates, summaries of the legislation, and every recorded vote that was taken on that bill, and links to companion legislation.

For information about any of these new laws or other legislation, please call me at 540.302.8486 or reply to this email.

If you support my efforts to get Virginia back on the right path, please consider making a contribution before the Wednesday deadline. Every contribution is appreciated and helps us share our message.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve our Commonwealth in the Virginia Senate.

Sincerely,

David Suetterlein

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New Virginia Laws effective July 1


Gas Tax increasing again
SB 890 Saslaw Senate 24-15 House 49-44 - I voted No
The statewide fuel tax will increase another 5 cents, following last year's fuel tax increase. The fuel tax will then increase when the Consumer Price Index increases, but it will remain constant in years CPI goes down.

Abortion coverage provided through state exchanges
HB1896 Hudson House 55-45 Senate 22-17 - I voted No
Taxpayer-supported state health exchanges may now offer abortion coverage.

The PIPP: Ratepayers subsidizing other ratepayers
HB 2330 Kory House 51-47 Senate 20-19 - I voted No
State agencies are to develop the Percentage of Income Payment Program so lower income ratepayers may receive a subsidy on their electric bills that will be paid by other rate payers. This program comes after the McAuliffe and Northam administrations have signed a series of laws raising costs for ratepayers while increasing electric monopoly profits.

Removing presumption against bail for violent offenders
SB 1266 Deeds Senate 21-18 House 52-45 - I voted No
Removes the rebuttable presumption against bail for people charged with firearm charges that require a mandatory minimum sentence upon conviction, charged with a crime punishable with a life sentence, charged with felony sexual assaults, charged with soliciting a child under 15 years old, charged with street gang participation, charged with violating a protective order, charged with strangulating a family member, charged with human trafficking, or that were previously convicted of two violent felonies or as "drug king pins."

Criminalizing carrying a gun in Capitol Square and other government buildings
SB 1381 Ebbin Senate 21-19 House 52-46 - I voted No
Makes it a class 1 misdemeanor (punishable with up to 1 year in jail and/or $2,500 fine) to possess a gun in Capitol Square or government owned or rented buildings.

Establishing a process for sealing criminal records
HB 2113 C. Herring House 60-40 Senate 23-17 - I voted Yes
Creating a legal process for various criminal records to be sealed provided there isn't a reoffense. Traffic infractions, misdemeanors, felony larceny, and convictions granted a simple pardon are eligible for petition to be sealed after 10 years. Underage alcohol possession, petit larceny, and other misdemeanors will be automatically sealed after 10 years. Non-criminal traffic infractions would be sealed after 11 years. Assault, manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and other crimes are NOT eligible to be sealed.

In-person school option required for 2021-2022 school year
SB 1303 Dunnavant Senate 36-3 House 88-9 - I voted Yes

Remote learning during emergencies
SB 1132 Suetterlein Senate 39-0 House 84-16 - I voted Yes
School divisions can use remote learning options during emergencies like severe weather or a water main break. It is limited to a maximum of 10 such days per year.

Quicker removal of highway collisions
SB 1160 Suetterlein Senate 33-6 House 98-0 - I voted Yes
Tow trucks will have reduced liability when removing wrecked vehicles.

Pipeline construction inspections
SB 1265 Deeds Senate 38-0 House 61-39 - I voted Yes
Authorizes the Department of Environmental Quality to conduct inspections of land disturbing activity related to natural gas pipelines of 24 inches diameter or greater.

Marijuana Legalization
SB 1406 Ebbin Senate 20-20 (Lt. Governor voted Yes) House 53-44-2 - I voted No

Change lanes for bicycles and bicyclists can ride two abreast
HB 2262 Hurst House 69-30 Senate 21-18 - I voted No
Drivers must changes lanes for bicyclists if there is not 3 feet available between the bicyclist and car. Bicyclists may now ride two abreast. The new law also provides for a study of allowing bicyclists to use Stop signs as Yield signs.

Public Universities prohibited from asking about applicants' criminal records
HB 1930 Aird House 55-42 Senate 21-18 - I voted No
Public universities (except VMI) and law schools are prohibited from asking applicants about their criminal records before admission.

College tuition assistance for illegal immigrants
SB 1387 Boysko Senate 21-18 House 58-42 - I voted No
Starting with the 2022-2023 school year, illegal immigrants will be eligible for taxpayer-provided tuition assistance programs. Certain illegal immigrants were also made eligible for in-state tuition last year.

Localities can fine citizens for clutter
HB 1778 Ward House 52-43 Senate 21-18 - I voted No
Localities are authorized now to pass ordinances that remove legally defined "clutter" from a property owner's yard and then charge them for the removal.

Prohibiting the release of balloons
HB 2159 Guy House 59-40-1 Senate 22-17 - I voted No
It will be illegal for people over 16 year to release a balloon. The penalty is $25.

Minimum fine for littering raised to $500
HB 1801 Edmunds House 65-32 Senate 23-14 - I voted No

Expanding the Court of Appeals
SB 1261 Edwards Senate 20-17 House 54-42 - I voted No
The Court of Appeals increases from 11 to 17 judges and widens the right of appeal.

Sale of off-premises mixed drink alcohol sales extended through June 2022
SB 1299 John Bell Senate 38-1 House 90-8 - I voted Yes

All municipal elections required to be held in November
SB 1157 Spruill Senate 19-19 (Lt. Governor voted Yes) House 50-44 - I voted No
Previously cities and towns had the opportunity to choose to hold their local elections in May or November. This law cancels hundreds of local charters so that many town council elections will be held simultaneously with the presidential election.

Restoring pastoral care
SB 1356 Kiggans Senate 40-0 House 100-0 - I voted Yes
The Board of Health is required to come up with regulations that ensure clergy are still able to visit with patients during public health crises.

Awesome! I was starting to worry that gas prices were going to start dropping...

What the fuck is this shit? God damn politicians are fucking stupid.

Prohibiting the release of balloonsHB 2159 Guy House 59-40-1 Senate 22-17 - I voted No
It will be illegal for people over 16 year to release a balloon. The penalty is $25.

Bananas

I was thinking about last week.  I wonder if any property owners will refuse to renew leases with the state due to that one.  Would be kinda funny if the state government lost most of their facilities across the rural counties.

I would love to see that happen but, i don't think it will. There is a lot of money at play when talking about leasing to governments and I don't see a landlord passing on that money for a 2A statement.

Time for an entire reset of state government.

F#$CK BLACKFACE

How are they going to manage that against 30K people?

Don't beat me up, 'cause I know this is mainly a
pro-gun, 2A forum.  But what did the bicycle bill accomplish?

Did it make it easier for (d-bag) urbanites to ride dangerously two-abreast on winding
two-lane country back roads (like in Fauquier), even though there are plenty
of taxpayer funded bike trails that don't pit cyclists against rural drivers?

Full disclosure:  I don't mind cyclists, but I hate urban pack cyclists riding
two-abreast (or more) on dangerous rural roads.

I sat through a few board meetings in Arlington where the biking advocates presented.  Their basic argument was there were too many pedestrians walking on the bike trails, and people should be driving less anyways.  

Also, there was a severe disconnect between the amount of miles the activists claimed to ride, and their body shapes and types.  I'm sure it's possible to ride 120+ miles a week, and are STILL be a lard ass, but you really have to work on it.

Going to be Maryland soon.

Keep in mind you can release millions of biodegradable balloons though. If I am reading the bill right.

I wonder what prompted such a bill to be drafted in the first place? I am thinking of some sort of local tradition but can't find one.

Probably in response to a problem some other jurisdiction was having.

It’s probably aimed at the gender reveal fad that’s grown. One of the stupid ways of doing that is releasing a bunch of colored balloons.

Just like gun laws, why the hell do we need multiple laws for the same fucking thing?  Drives me nuts when they double/triple/etc down on the same damn thing with different wording.   Releasing balloons is littering.  Littering laws have been on the books forever...

I mean it's kind of silly how the law works but eventually a judge or lawyer will take it as a literal intent as oppose to the outcome of the event. Was your intent to litter? Probably not so the law does not apply and you're free to go despite the fact you created a huge clean up, killed numerous wildlife animals, and cluttered someone's yard.

The same could be said about pretty much any law in the book. There are loopholes and even loopholes in specific laws.

Now a specific law in the book that says you can't release X amount of balloons over Y amount of time, well that's an entirely different take and one that a judge has to agree upon. They have to say yes you violated this specific law, and perhaps they could add on top of that a littering charge that doubles it up.

There have been some pretty big cases recently that got off solely on technicalities. Look at Cosby. He got off despite the fact he is guilty. The judge even said the reversal of his verdict was not due to him being innocent but rather just a technicality that the DA had a contract for him to settle his civil suits before they brought on the criminal charges. He got off purely on a technicality and even more so they probably can't go to court again due to double jeopardy.

PIPP?!  Does this mean my electric bill is going to go up?

TL;DR appears to be yes...

The 2020 version exempted the co-ops, I think, but not sure this version does.  Section and some text from the Virginia Code:

§ 56-585.6. Universal service fee; Percentage of Income Payment Program and Fund.

A. The Commission shall, after notice and opportunity for hearing, initiate a proceeding to establish the rates, terms, and conditions of a non-bypassable universal service fee to fund the Percentage of Income Payment Program (PIPP). Such universal service fee shall be allocated to retail electric customers of a Phase I and Phase II Utility on the basis of the amount of kilowatt-hours used and be established at such level to adequately address the PIPP's objectives

That's exactly what it accomplished, and we've been seeing it here in Loudoun for the last month.  It is so dangerous on some of these twisty roads with poor visibility, and made all the more dangerous by people who recklessly pass them.