Virginia’s current HPV law does not require girls get the vaccine. Rather, it requires the Virginia Department of Health to send parents of sixth grade girls information about the vaccine so they and their daughters can make that choice for themselves. It also gives poor girls free access to the vaccine so they have the same access as girls whose families have health insurance. Science and medicine tells us that the HPV vaccine is a safe and effective and prevents cervical cancer. Therefore, to ensure families continue to get information about the vaccine and to ensure poor girls have access to the vaccine, I strongly opposed repealing the current law.  

Another bill heard in committee this week would block abortion funding for poor pregnant women whose babies have severe fetal deformities. We heard emotional testimony from mothers who very much wanted the babies they were carrying and who were devastated when they learned their babies could not live. The women who testified all had private health insurance that covered their procedures, but this legislation would force poor, uninsured women to carry to term babies who are too deformed to live. Aside from being morally unconscionable, it’s fiscally shortsighted, since the cost of providing care only goes up the farther along these doomed pregnancies progress. For those reasons, I fought against the bill in subcommittee and on the House floor.

A third bill would create a “conscience clause” allowing adoption and foster care agencies that receive state funds to discriminate in adoption and foster care placements as long as they have written policies outlining their religious or moral convictions. As a champion of religious freedom, I respect any private faith-based entity’s right to provide services in accordance with their religious tenets, even if their views are anathema to my own. However, when state funding, state-sponsored placements, and foster children (who, by definition, are under the state’s care) are involved, it’s a totally different matter. This legislation would allow a state-sponsored agency to, for example, refuse adoption to same-sex couples, refuse to place Protestant foster children with Catholic parents, or even refuse adoptions and foster care placements based on political affiliations. Worse still, language in the legislation would prevent the state from taking action against a foster parent who severely abused a child, so long as that abuse derives from a written statement of religious conviction or conscience, which actually happened in Richmond some years ago. This was another bill that I worked hard against. Unfortunately, the conservative Republican majority in the House had the votes to move all of these bills forward.

Lest people think liberals and conservatives in Richmond always lock horns, last week I hosted a joint news conference with the co-chairman of the Conservative Caucus, Del. Ben Cline (R-Rockbridge) about our joint effort to institutionalize transparency and accountability requirements on tax preferences. We both acknowledged that it’s rare for both ends of the political spectrum to find such common ground, but liberals and conservatives agree that Virginia needs more transparency and accountability for all of the tax preferences, loopholes, and giveaways that cause us to lose billions in revenue. According to a recent draft report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the General Assembly’s auditing arm, Virginia’s 187 tax preferences cost taxpayers $12.5 billion in lost revenue in 2008, the most recent year of available data. The report showed that only 20 of those tax preferences include reporting and evaluation of what they cost and whether they achieve their intended purpose, and 131 of the preferences receive no regular oversight at all. Our legislation would require a five-year sunset on all new tax preferences and would require the Department of Taxation to analyze and report information about the revenue impact of those tax preferences so legislators can properly scrutinize and evaluate whether they should remain on the books. Our effort seems to be gaining bipartisan traction, so I am hopeful it will move forward.

– David

“The Virginia Commission for the Arts has a proven track record in economic development, returning $7 in investment by private citizens, businesses, and local governments for every one dollar of state money invested,” said David.  ”In the 45th District, the Torpedo Factory Art Center, the Art League, MetroStage, Signature Theater, Del Ray Artisans, Mount Vernon Community Children’s Theater and numerous other arts organizations and programs supported by the Commission over the years have strengthened our economy and enhanced our community as a tourism destination, creating jobs and contributing to tax revenues that support core services like education, health care, and public safety.  I’m proud to continue supporting this important economic development tool.”  

Click the following linke for more information about the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Alexandria Commission for the Arts.

Richmond

“By ignoring the measurable public health costs of different forms of electricity generation, the state is placing its thumb on the scale in favor of old energy technologies, which generate cheaply but have enormous public health costs,” said Englin. “If we required the state to factor in measurable public health costs, it would create a more accurate cost comparison that would remove a substantial barrier for cleaner, greener energy sources, such as offshore wind and solar.” 

“Pollution from Virginia’s electric utilities lead to public health damages to residents in the Commonwealth who, as a result, suffer illness, sick days and premature death,” said Senator Donald McEachin. “All Virginians have the right to breathe clean air.”

According to a study by the Clean Air Task Force, fine particulate pollution from power plants in Virginia lead to 647 premature deaths, 477 hospitalizations, and 896 heart attacks a year. Children and the elderly are at increased risk as well as poor and minority groups who disproportionally live in areas down wind of power plants.

The State Corporation Commission (SCC), which regulates Virginia utilities, does not currently consider public health impacts when it reviews permit applications for building or modifying electricity generation plants. Nor do utilities include public health costs in their Integrated Resource Plans (IRP).

Robert G. Hull, a resident Alexandria who lives next door to the GenOn coal-fired power plant, joined the legislators to share his story.

“The pollution from the coal plant next to my apartment was making me sick,” said Robert Hall. “I am glad Senator McEachin and Delegate Englin are standing up for the public health of Virginians like me.”

Click here for additional Virginia specific information from the Clean Air Task force.

“Whenever the most conservative and the most liberal members of the General Assembly see eye-to-eye on an issue, it’s worth sitting up and taking notice,” said Englin. “Liberals and conservatives agree that Virginia needs more transparency and accountability for all of the tax preferences, loopholes, and giveaways that cause us to lose billions in revenue.”  

“As the chair of the House Conservative Caucus and one of the founders of the House Progressive Caucus, we rarely see eye-to-eye on issues,” said Cline. “But when it comes to tax fairness, simplification of the tax code and making sure that taxpayers’ money is used wisely here in Richmond, I think we’ve found a bill that we could both agree on and, hopefully, by reviewing all of our tax preferences, we’ll be able to achieve that goal for the taxpayers.”

According to a recent draft report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the General Assembly’s auditing arm, Virginia’s 187 tax preferences cost taxpayers $12.5 billion in lost revenue in 2008, the most recent year of available data. The report showed that only 20 of those tax preferences include reporting and evaluation of what they cost and whether they achieve their intended purpose, and 131 of the preferences receive no regular oversight at all.

Legislation proposed by Englin and Cline would require a five-year sunset on all new tax preferences and would requirement the Department of Taxation to analyze and report information about the revenue impact of those tax preferences so legislators can properly scrutinize and evaluate whether they should remain on the books.

“I’m deeply concerned about Gov. McDonnell’s proposal to cut hundreds of millions of dollars from public education, including money that is used to account for the higher cost of living in Northern Virginia,” said David. “Public education is the foundation of our society, and giving our teachers and schools the resources to serve our children well must remain a top priority.”

“David and Sheera have built a successful business that continues to grow and contributes to the vibrant food and beverage culture of our community,” said Englin.  “This is the kind of small, family-owned business that makes the 45th District such a special place to live.”

GRAPE + BEAN, created and owned by long-time Alexandria residents David Gwathmey and Sheera Rosenfeld, opened their first location in 2008 in in the heart of Old Town, Alexandria.  

GRAPE + BEAN Old Town is a retail wine shop, a coffee spot, and a wine bar serving wines by the glass and a food menu for dinner and lunch.  It offers a warm, intimate, and comfortable environment in a circa 1850 building with exposed beams, and original brick and wood floors.  The staff are extremely friendly and knowledgeable and welcome the chance to turn customers onto great new products and offer recommendations and suggestions. GRAPE + BEAN also regularly offers a wide variety of Wine Tasting Events and Classes that are interactive, fun, and great learning opportunities.

GRAPE + BEAN was heavily influenced by David and Sheera’s global travels, years living in San Francisco, and their desire to create a place that is welcoming and comfortable, and one that offers excellent service and high quality products.  The goal of GRAPE + BEAN is for customers to experience new things, come together, learn, and most importantly enjoy themselves.

GRAPE + BEAN will soon open its second location, GRAPE + BEAN Rosemont at 2 East Walnut Street in Alexandria’s Rosemont neighborhood.

GRAPE + BEAN Rosemont will be a neighborhood market providing the local community with a welcoming and high quality place for customers of all ages to patronize.  They plan to provide a range of offerings from coffees and teas, to a great selection of wines, beers, and other specialty beverages, plus a variety of foods including fresh breads, locally farmed eggs, local dairy products including milk and cheeses, specialty ice cream and other treats.  Many of the foods and beverages offered will be either organic or sustainably grown and of high quality.

My top priorities this session include working to expand access to quality early childhood education, and my two bills on that subject won unanimous support from the Students and Early Education Subcommittee last week. House Bill 143 would allow school divisions to enter into public-private partnerships that leverage private investments in pre-k to lower special education costs, reinvesting those savings to further expand pre-k and further lower special-ed costs. House Bill 144 would ensure money the General Assembly has allocated to pre-k is used for that purpose by distributing “leftover” funds from the Virginia Preschool Initiative as grants to localities to expand pre-k access. Each year, some of the money the General Assembly allocates to the Virginia Preschool Initiative is left on the table because poorer localities cannot afford the matching funds necessary to draw down their share. This legislation would ensure they still have access to some portion of those resources.

As a member of the Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee, I have been working to promote jobs and economic development through sustainable and locally-grown agriculture, which also ensures our community has access to ecologically conscious, farm-fresh products. Last year, I was the chief sponsor of the Virginia Cider Act, which has helped launch a renaissance in Virginia’s burgeoning hard cider industry. Since the bill became law last July, production of traditional Virginia hard cider – the very kind Thomas Jefferson served at his dinner table – has expanded, and several new cideries are in varying stages of development. This year, I am working to support efforts to market this historic Virginia product by designating the full week before Thanksgiving each year as Virginia Cider Week. On Friday, my Virginia Cider Week legislation passed the House unanimously.

Friday also saw my resolution designating February 28 as Spay Day in Virginia pass the House. The Humane Society asked me to carry this legislation as part of a national effort to shine a spotlight on spaying and neutering as proven methods of saving the lives of companion animals, feral cats, and street dogs who might otherwise be put down in shelters or killed on the street. The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria admits more than 3,500 animals through its doors every year, highlighting the need for strategies to reduce overpopulation. Four million cats and dogs – about one every eight seconds – are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. By designating Spay Day in Virginia, we will focus attention on spaying and neutering as steps individuals can take to address this problem.

Two other resolutions I am carrying have yet to be heard but are creating quite a stir. One would allow Virginia to implement its medical marijuana law, which has been on the books since 1979. For nearly 33 years, Virginia law has allowed medical marijuana for the treatment of cancer or glaucoma. However, to actually implement this policy and allow doctors to prescribe marijuana, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency would need to move marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II drug, making it a highly controlled substance that can be prescribed. At the request of Veterans for Medical Marijuana, my legislation would have Virginia’s governor join the governors of Rhode Island and Washington in petitioning the DEA to change how marijuana is designated so we can implement Virginia’s long-standing law. I believe that doctors and science, and not politicians, should determine medically appropriate treatments for their patients.

My other marijuana legislation is even more provocative. Selling hard liquor through ABC stores brings in as much as $140 million per year for education, health care, public safety, and other core services. Given that we need more revenue, and tax increases are a non-starter for the Republican majority in the General Assembly, I have proposed that we find out how much revenue we might bring in if we legalized marijuana and sold it in ABC stores. A number of constituents have suggested this to me over the years, but I want to be very clear that this legislation would not actually legalize marijuana. It would simply conduct a study to determine how much revenue potential is out there so we can have an informed and intelligent public policy discussion. While this idea is not without controversy, the response from constituents has been overwhelmingly positive. Moreover, forcing the conversation highlights the dire need for new revenue options in light of Governor McDonnell’s proposed cuts to education and health care services for the poor.

Things move quickly here in Richmond, so I hope you will visit www.DavidEnglin.org or follow me on Twitter at @dlenglin to stay up to date about these and other issues.

– David

Richmond

Delegate David Englin (D-Alexandria), co-founder of the Progressive Caucus, said, “Americans do not give up their Constitutional rights merely because they are poor, yet these bills would allow the government to perform the most invasive search possible with no probable cause. This flies in the face of the Constitution.”

Delegate Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), co-Chairman of the Progressive Caucus, said, “Republicans continue to overreach and impose their social agenda on Virginians. We are targeting people just because they are poor and for no other reason.”

Delegate Joe Morrissey (D-Henrico) said, “It is unconscionable that the majority party would introduce legislation to test all poor people seeking benefits without the slightest evidence that a poor citizen is using drugs. Studies show that 98 percent of recipients are drug free. It is more than ironic that the Republican Party which argues for less government intrusion into our lives would endorse a bill that allows the government to draw your blood without any indicia of drug use or other illegal activity.”

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House Joint Resolution 139: Many people don’t realize that, for more than 30 years, Virginia law has allowed medical marijuana for the treatment of cancer or glaucoma. (Don’t believe me? Look it up.) However, to actually implement this policy and allow doctors to prescribe marijuana, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency would need to move marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II drug, making it a highly controlled substance that can be prescribed. The governors of Rhode Island and Washington have petitioned the DEA to do just that Over the summer, Veterans for Medical Marijuana asked me if I would sponsor legislation requesting that Governor McDonnell do the same. I believe that doctors and science, and not politicians, should determine medically appropriate treatments for their patients, so I agreed to carry this legislation.

House Joint Resolution 140: A surprising number of constituents over the years have asked me why, rather than raising taxes, Virginia doesn’t just legalize marijuana, regulate it, and sell it in our ABC stores. Selling hard liquor through ABC stores brings in about $140 million per year for education, health care, public safety, and other core services. Marijuana might do the same. Given that we need more revenue and tax increases are a non-starter for the Republican majority in the General Assembly, I thought that now would be a good time to try to find out how much revenue this might bring in. However, I want to be very clear that this legislation would not legalize marijuana. It would simply conduct a study to determine how much revenue potential is out there so we can have an informed and intelligent public policy conversation in the future.

So there you have it. As always, contact me at vog.ainigriv.esuohnull@nilgnEDleD with any questions or feedback.

– David