Alfonso Lopez for Delegate Blog

Virginia lawmakers OK bill to replace the term ‘alien’ in state code

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 14:13:28 -0500

Virginia lawmakers OK bill to replace the term ‘alien’ in state code

BY: GRAHAM MOOMAW - FEBRUARY 28, 2022 1:54 PM The sun rises over the Virginia Capitol. (Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury

In a section of Virginia law dealing with minority-owned businesses, the wording specifies those businesses must be owned by a U.S. citizen or a “legal resident aliens.”

Another law says gun dealers cannot hire an “illegal alien” as a seller.

Those are just two of dozens of places the word “alien” appears in Virginia code to refer to both documented and undocumented immigrants. But the word won’t remain there for long.

In a nod to a growing consensus that the word alien is offensive, the Virginia General Assembly approved legislation to update the state code with more appropriate language.

For example, the bill replaces “legal resident aliens” with “lawfully admitted permanent residents.” Similarly, “illegal alien” is replaced with “illegally present in the United States.”

Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, the bill’s sponsor, noted that even federal immigration agencies have stopped using the word “due to its use as a slur.” Last year, the Biden administration ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to stop using the words “alien” and “assimilation” when referring to immigrants, according to the Washington Post. In a statement issued after the bill cleared the Republican-led House of Delegates earlier this month, Lopez said Virginia is poised to become the first state in the South to follow suit.

“As a nation with such a rich and proud immigrant history, it’s unacceptable for our laws to continue to use language that has become synonymous with xenophobia and racial bigotry,” Lopez said. “This bill sends an important message: that immigrants are welcome in Virginia.”

The bill won’t remove every reference in the Virginia code, Lopez said in legislative hearings, because some are tied to specific federal programs, such as the SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) program that allows state and local government to check the immigration status of anyone applying for a license or public benefit.

“We’ve exempted each of the areas where there might be a problematic policy issue,” Lopez said.

Some Republicans voted against the legislation but there were few speeches in opposition. The bill passed the House 78-19. On Monday, it passed the state Senate 22-18.

On the Senate floor, Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, said the bill was being offered because “apparently some people think the word alien has negative implications.”

“I don’t. But some people do,” Edwards said. “So we’re changing the name to make it clear.”

The bill now goes to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for final action.

Predatory towing targeted under new bill inspired by Advanced Towing case

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:55:00 -0500

Predatory towing targeted under new bill inspired by Advanced Towing case

Matt BlitzJanuary 24, 2022 at 3:30pm

A proposed bill, inspired by the former Virginia Attorney General’s lawsuit and case against Advanced Towing, would allow residents and localities better ability to protect themselves against bad acting towing companies.

“The Virginia code as it relates to towing is a mess. It’s all over the place,” says Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49), who introduced the bill last week (Jan. 18). “My hope is to improve the towing statute and get more relief for customers harmed by the towing industry.”

Basically, HB 1218 amends the law to allow individuals and localities to pursue alleged illegal towing practices under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. As the law currently stands, the violations are solely enforceable and civil penalties can only be sought by the AG’s office.

What’s more, the law currently allows for a maximum fine for each violation of only $150, which is how Advanced Towing ended up with only a $750 fine for five violations.

By moving portions of the code to be enforced under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, it would allow for fines to be at least $500 or $1,000 per violation.

Additionally, it makes the code enforceable across the entire Commonwealth as opposed to limiting enforcement to only tows that happen in Planning District 8, which covers Northern Virginia.

Lopez, who represents a large swath of South Arlington, says he hears from constituents “regularly” about alleged predatory towing practices taking place in Arlington and across the region.

“This clarifies [the code], makes it cleaner, much more readable,” says Lopez. “There would be meaningful civil penalties that are not limited to Northern Virginia. More importantly, there could finally be individual enforcement rather than solely enforcement through the AG’s office.”

This isn’t the first time in recent years that lawmakers have attempted to help residents when it comes to towing ordinances.

This is a similar situation to the bill that Lopez introduced last year and eventually became law that allows localities to have greater say over the granting of liquor licenses.

In October, then-Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring took Arlington-based Advanced Towing to trial over alleged “predatory,” illegal, and unsafe towing practices.

A month later, a decision was handed down that lent merit to some of the AG’s office claims against Advanced Towing but not all of them. The court denied a request for a permanent injunction while issuing a fine of $750.

Advanced Towing owner John O’Neill told ARLnow in December that the decision “vindicated” his company and called the AG’s case “blackmail” and a “witch hunt.”

However, the case still has at least one more hearing since the court didn’t rule on the payment of attorney’s fees with both sides believing they are owed additional money. That hearing is currently set for March 25.

But with a new attorney general now in charge, it’s possible that the case will not be pursued any further.

O’Neill claimed to ARLnow late last year that he had spoken with the newly elected AG Jason Miyares about the case, who allegedly told the towing company owner the case was “overbearing” and would not be sought.

O’Neill’s attorney Chap Petersen (a Virginia state senator, himself) told ARLnow in an email last week that he has no intention of conceding his attorney fees since he believes the case was over-charged by the AG.

But he doesn’t believe a new AG “changes the dynamics of our case, as Judge Newman had already ruled.”

ARLnow has reached out to AG Miyares’s office multiple times to see if there’s still intent to pursue the case, if an office representative will be at the March hearing, and to confirm O’Neill’s alleged conversation with Miyares, but have yet to hear back as of publication.

Lopez tells ARLnow he thought the trial was going to have a different outcome, but is holding out hope the current AG’s office continues the case.

“I hope Attorney General Miyares would care enough about addressing this issue and take an active role in empowering individuals to use the Virginia Consumer Protection Act,” he says.

Lopez expects his bill to be referred to committee soon and is hopeful it can get bipartisan support.

Del. Lopez files bills strengthening tenant protections after Serrano saga

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 15:00:00 -0500

Del. Lopez files bills strengthening tenant protections after Serrano saga

By Jo DeVoe

December 21, 2021 at 3:00pm

A half-dozen bills are set to hit the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates in January that were inspired by the poor conditions at the Serrano Apartments and other Virginia affordable housing properties.

After residents exposed poor living conditions at the Columbia Pike apartment complex, Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49) tells ARLnow he began drafting bills to strengthen tenant rights and improve living conditions in affordable housing properties across the Commonwealth.

“I believe no one should have to go through what the folks at the Serrano went through,” said Lopez, whose district includes the Serrano, owned by affordable housing developer AHC Inc., as well a dozen other properties owned by AHC and other local developers.

Since residents and advocates came forward in an ARLnow article published in May, AHC has committed to making changes under the eye of the Arlington County Board, undertaking repairs, installing new leadership, adding communication channels and establishing a claims process for damaged belongings.

Lopez is proposing the following bills to protect tenants with livability grievances against their landlords:

Include “bare minimum livable standards” in the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code
Extend the period of time eligible for rent reimbursement for condemned properties
Strengthen the prohibition against retaliatory evictions by landlords
Institute a “warranty of habitability” clause that tenants can enforce against landlords whose properties don’t meet living basic standards

These are also four changes that former ARLnow opinion columnist Nicole Merlene called for after the conditions at the Serrano garnered widespread attention.

“I’m appreciative that Del. Lopez has been working with local stakeholders to ensure that tenants living in aging buildings will have enhanced rights moving forward,” Merlene, who co-chairs Arlington’s Tenant-Landlord Commission, tells ARLnow.

Lopez has pre-filed these and two bills unrelated to the Serrano. After they’re drafted by attorneys with the Virginia Division of Legislative Services, he’ll introduce them to the House of Delegates during the upcoming two-month General Assembly session, which begins in mid-January.

The first bill would make it easier and cheaper for residents to substantiate in court that their dwelling is unlivable. With “bare minimum” livable standards only found in the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, tenants must hire professional experts to testify on their behalf, Lopez says.

“If these basic standards were in the code, a county inspector would be able to file an abatement order and write a letter of attestation for use in court,” he said.

Advocates say the current court process, with the lawyers and experts required, dissuades tenants from asserting themselves.

The second would entitle residents to three months of rent if their residence is condemned and they have to vacate, since Lopez says the conditions wouldn’t have worsened “overnight.” Currently, tenants are only entitled to one month’s rent and their security deposit.

The third bill would protect tenants from being evicted six months after they bring problems to their property management or sue. Lopez said states with similar laws presume eviction is retaliatory if it happens within a six-month period.

“The reason that’s helpful is so that tenants aren’t scared to bring forward issues,” Merlene said.

She wrote earlier this year that during a May Tenant-Landlord Commission call, tenants told stories of alleged retaliatory actions by AHC’s property management team, which discouraged some from reporting problems.

“There was not retaliatory eviction, but in the immigrant community, where there’s fear that bringing forward problem could put their status or benefits into precarious situation, that may not have been obvious to them,” Merlene said.

Lastly, Lopez says a “warranty of habitability” clause would protect tenants who withhold rent when landlords are not fixing problems related to basic human needs, such as working heat and running water.

“The basic concept is to put a pressure on the landlord to fix a problem in a timely manner so that their tenants don’t withhold rent,” Merlene said.

AHC’s interim leader Susan Cunningham said in a statement to ARLnow that she welcomes Lopez’s efforts.

“Everything we do at AHC is intended to keep families and individuals securely housed,” she said. “We believe that tenants and landlords are partners, and we have been working diligently to continuously build engagement with residents through text messages, monthly meetings, and anonymous complaint reporting phone line, and onsite programs, in order to empower resident voices and make sure that their concerns are heard and addressed as quickly as possible.”

Lopez is also putting forward two bills inspired by anecdotes from other affordable housing complexes in Virginia. One would prevent eviction based on immigration status and the other would prevent landlords from exponentially increasing rent from one month to the next.

In the past, Lopez has helped to pass legislation that added other protections against retaliatory evictions, ensured tenants didn’t bear the brunt of pest mitigation costs, and led to the creation of the Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Candidate Profile: Alfonso Lopez For VA House Of Delegates

Tue, 18 May 2021 16:40:00 -0400

Candidate Profile: Alfonso Lopez For VA House Of Delegates

By Michael O'Connell, Patch Staff

May 18, 2021 8:48 am EDT | Updated May 25, 2021 1:45 pm EDT

ARLINGTON, VA — Del. Alfonso Lopez represents the 49th District in the House of Delegates, where he also serves as the majority whip. The 50-year-old Democrat lives in Arlington with his wife Sarah Zevin and their two sons.

In the June 8 primary, Arlington voters living in the 49th District will have a chance to decide whether incumbent Lopez or challenger Karishma Mehta will be the Democratic candidate on the ballot for the Nov. 2 general election. Early voting is already underway.

Patch asked each of the candidates running in the Democratic primary to fill out the following profile:

Candidate

Alfonso Lopez

Position sought

House of Delegates - 49th District (Incumbent)

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Sarah Zevin - Wife
Aaron Zevin-Lopez - Son
Gabriel Zevin-Lopez - Son

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My wife works at the U.S. Department of Education.

Education

B.A. Vassar College - 1992
J.D. Tulane University Law School - 1995

Occupation

Majority Whip & Member of the Virginia House of Delegates - 49th District (Current)
Senior Corporate and Federal Government Relations - Becker & Poliakoff, LLC (Current)
Assistant Administrator for Congressional and Legislative Affairs - U.S. Small Business Administration - during the Obama Administration
Director of Congressional, Federal, and Intergovernmental Affairs - Governor Tim Kaine’s Administration
Deputy Policy Director - Governor Tim Kaine’s Transition Team
Partner - Alcalde & Fay
Senior Advisor/Legislative Assistant - Democratic U.S. Senator
Associate Director for Policy - Physicians for Social Responsibility

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Member of the House of Delegates - representing the 49th District since 2012.

Campaign website

www.alfonsolopez.org

Why are you seeking elective office?

We have made incredible progress in our efforts to build a Virginia where we lift everyone up and leave no one behind. That being said, there is so much more that needs to be done in order to eventually achieve our goals.

I also love my community. The 49th District is arguably the most diverse in Virginia. There are over 100 languages spoken in the District and over 40 languages spoken at our local high school. We truly are the world in a zip code.
My family’s experience and the experiences of my father as an undocumented immigrant who came to the area at the age of 19 from Venezuela also gives me a unique sense of purpose and motivates me to fight for my community. I see my father in every DREAMer or DACA student striving to get an education and create a better life for themselves. I see my family in the struggles of folks in the community working tirelessly to provide for themselves and their children.

I believe my extensive public policy and legislative transaction experience at the highest levels of State and Federal government makes me uniquely qualified to serve (and deliver for) the people of the 49th District. Indeed, my experience in both the Clinton and Obama Administrations, as well as my service as the head of Congressional and Federal Affairs for the Commonwealth of Virginia during the administration of then-Governor Tim Kaine provide me with special insights into how to be an effective legislator for my community. In addition, with a decade of seniority – and as the Majority Whip and a member of the Senior Leadership Team in the House – I am well positioned to fight effectively for my community and the issues important to us.

The single most pressing issue facing our district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

As the House Majority Whip and representative of the Commonwealth’s most diverse district it is almost impossible for me to pick just one issue.
What I will say, is that the three issues I prioritized this session are affordable housing, criminal justice reform, and equity for immigrant and new American communities.

I created and passed the Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund back in 2013, and during the COVID-19 pandemic it served as a backstop to prevent evictions and provide rental/mortgage relief for families suffering from housing instability. I’m proud to say that the program has been so effective that we have had fewer evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic than we did in 2019.

While this is a great progress, I don’t plan on stopping until there are no evictions in the Commonwealth and we have housing for all Virginians. Along those lines, I intend to ensure we seize this moment to increase investment in the Trust Fund and pursue options for new, innovative rental policies in Virginia.

The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor last year served as strong reminders of just how far we have to go in this country in terms of racial justice. It was an honor to work with the Governor, as well as my colleagues in the House and Senate this session, to pass legislation abolishing the death penalty, legalizing cannabis for adults, expunge records, repeal Virginia’s constitutional ban on same sex marriage, and more.

These steps are the first of many in a fight to bring racial and social justice to our Commonwealth. We must also do much more — including addressing qualified immunity and pay parity for public defenders.

As the son of an immigrant, and the General Assembly’s first elected Democratic Latino, equity for immigrant and New American communities is central to everything I do. I passed the Virginia “De-ICE” bill to help put an end to targeted harassment from law enforcement officers in the Commonwealth that was endangering our immigrant populations. I also passed legislation granting in-state tuition and financial aid to DREAMers and undocumented students because Virginia had not provided equal educational opportunities to our immigrant population for far too long. Now we must go further - and make some of the recently passed programs mandatory (and not simply optional) for localities.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My time advocating for progressive policies goes back over 30 years, from working in the Clinton White House on environmental policy to founding the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia and creating the Virginia Environment & Renewable Energy Caucus (both organizations that are going strong today).

Since being elected in 2011, my work advocating for progressive policies has turned into real life tangible results for people throughout the 49th District and the Commonwealth at large.

Throughout my time as a Delegate I have introduced, Chief Co-Patroned, or Co-Patroned over 150 bills in the General Assembly that have been signed into law. Some of the most notable include creating the Affordable Housing Trust Fund which has provided housing for thousands of families, helping close the “Charleston Gun Sales Loophole”, passing the Virginia Clean Economy Act which moved Virginia from being one of the worst states on addressing climate change to one of the best, repealing Virginia’s ban on project labor agreements, passing legislation allowing the Attorney General’s office to finally investigate State and local police departments that exhibit a “pattern or practice” of violating constitutional rights, securing $800 to address wastewater pollution and clean up the Chesapeake Bay, and creating the first ever LGBTQ+ State Advisory Board in the South.

My progressivism does not stop at my rhetoric, it carries into the results I deliver to improve the lives of the people I represent and all across the Commonwealth.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

Our Democratic majority worked alongside the Northam administration to deliver PPP loans to support small businesses, provided paid leave, supported local school systems, protected the credit of tenants impacted by COVID-19, dramatically increased support for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, expanded emergency Medicaid coverage, and more.

We rose to the challenge as legislators, but many lessons were learned from this pandemic. From housing instability to broadband access to child hunger, above all we learned that our social safety net is incredibly fragile. Much of the work we did to provide relief and support during the pandemic should be implemented permanently. Among other things, our eviction prevention programs should be strengthened and improved. We must work to provide Medicaid for All because no family should have to choose between putting food on the table or paying medical bills. We need to provide for universal child care programs. We also need to guarantee meals for children whether they are able to attend school in-person or not. Indeed, the stories during the early days of the pandemic of children going hungry because they were not able to access free and reduced lunch programs in school was heartbreaking.

Latinos make up 9.4 percent of Virginia’s population, but (at various times) accounted for 31 percent of the COVID-19 cases. One thing that I would have definitely done differently is ensured that there were adequate public translation services for medical and emergency information earlier during the course of the pandemic.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My record clearly shows that the environment/renewable energy, education, and the needs of small business have always been important issues to me.

I have 100 percent lifetime ratings from the Virginia League of Conservation Voters and the Virginia Education Association because of the work I’ve done in these issues. I am also the Chair of the VIrginia Small Business Commission.
Finally, providing COVID-19 relief to our Commonwealth is something that will continue to remain at the top of our agenda until we are long past this global pandemic.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Judge me by my legislative accomplishments and the organizations that have recognized that record of achievement over the years.

For instance, I was the 2012 Rookie of the Year of the Virginia Education Association and I’ve had a 100 percent rating — and been endorsed by Virginia’s teachers — ever since.

I’ve had a perfect score over my tenure with the Virginia AFL-CIO, Equality Virginia, and NARAL Pro-choice Virginia.

The Sierra Club has presented me with their Energy Freedom award and their 2020 Legislative Leader award.

And I’ve received the highest A+ rating from the Virginia League of Conservation Voters over the last decade – something only one other legislator has achieved over that time – and the organization has consistently named me a Virginia Legislative Hero.

I’ve been named the Virginia Interfaith Center’s Legislator of the Year.

I’m also very proud to have been named the 2021 Virginia Legislator of the Year by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

These awards are given for not only voting the right way, but for enacting landmark legislation that moves Virginia forward after years – and in some cases decades — of inaction.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My parents used to love to say the following to me: “Actions speak louder than words. Be reliable. Always think about others. Be respectful. Keep your word. Follow through. And, above all, always strive to be kind.”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I support and have always fought for Medicaid for All, I am a Green New Deal champion, and I support universal child care and Pre-K.

I’m also proud to be endorsed for re-election by many elected officials, including:

U.S. Senators Tim Kaine & Mark Warner
Congressman Don Beyer
Governor Ralph Northam
Terry McAuliffe
Former School Board Chair Emma Violand Sanchez
Former Arlington Board Member Walter Tejada
Speaker Eileen Filler Corn
Majority Leader Charnielle Herring
Caucus Chair Rip Sullivan
Many Delegates - such as Patrick Hope, Dolores McQuinn, Marcus Simon, Hala Ayala, Suhas Subramanyam, and Kathy Tran
Delegate & Bernie for President Virginia Co-Chair Elizabeth Guzman
Many State Senators - such as Adam Ebbin, Barbara Favola, Scott Surovell, and Jeremy McPike
Fairfax County Board Chair Jeff McKay
Former Fairfax Board Chair Sharon Bulova
County Board Members including Katie Cristol, Takis Karontonis & Matt De Faranti
Arlington School Board Members including Cristina Diaz Torres, Reid Goldstein & David Priddy
Community Leaders like Whytni Karnoodle and Zakiya Worthey
I’m also very proud to be endorsed for re-election by numerous prominent and mainstream Virginia organizations, including:
Virginia Education Association
The Arlington Firefighters and Paramedics
The Virginia Chapter of the National Organization of Women
Environmental Groups like the Sierra Club, Clean Virginia, and the League of Conservation Voters
And every Labor Union that has endorsed in this primary — including IBEW, UNITE HERE, LIUNA, the Building Trades, SEIU 32BJ, and the EAS Carpenters.

They understand — as I do — that politics is about getting things done and improving people's lives.

Time to take bold action in support of DREAMers

Wed, 05 May 2021 16:55:00 -0400

Time to take bold action in support of DREAMers

by EILEEN FILLER-CORN, Speaker, Virginia House of Delegates, and JOUSSELL LOPEZ, For the Sun Gazette

May 5, 2021 Updated May 5, 2021

[Sun Gazette Newspapers provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.]

Joussell Lopez shares a lived experience with millions of immigrants in the U.S. who have found roadblocks instead of green lights.

His story illustrates the importance of providing immigrants with a clearer path to citizenship, access to higher education, and the ability to achieve the American Dream.

“Estudia para que tengas una mejor vida que nosotros.” Joussell first heard these words from his father as a 13-year-old boy on the border between Mexico and Texas after having been released by U.S. Border Patrol. He was on a quest to reunite with his parents, who already were in the U.S. after fleeing civil war and poverty in Nicaragua.

Joussell became the first person in his family to receive a high-school diploma, but when he enrolled at Northern Virginia Community College, he almost had to quit several times because he had to pay out-of-state tuition – a cruel and almost overwhelming burden faced by many DREAMer students like Joussell, who, in many cases, know no other home and were brought to the U.S. through no fault of their own.

To this day, he thinks about what his father said to him that day when he first stepped foot on U.S. soil. The translation is, “Study so you can have a better life than ours.” It is this axiom that informs his every step, in a country where despite working numerous jobs and long hours, paying taxes and receiving public education for more than a decade, he still cannot call himself a U.S. citizen, and is treated unfairly based on decisions made in his childhood that were out of his control.

When Joussell reached out to the office of Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington-Fairfax) to advocate on behalf of the Virginia Dream Act, the Equity in Financial Aid Actand the entire Virginia Dreamers Agenda, Del. Lopez says he saw a familiar face (although they are not related).

Alfonso often says that the parallels between Joussell’s story and his father’s are striking. Del. Lopez’s father came to the U.S. from Venezuela with nothing but $260 in his pocket and the dream of better life. He worked as a busboy and waiter. He learned English. He graduated from Northern Virginia Community College when his son was 5 years old and then took one class a semester every year until he graduated from George Mason University, one month before Del. Lopez graduated from high school.

Delegate Lopez has stated, “My father’s determination and hard work inspired me to choose a path of public service and use this platform to advocate for immigrants and equitable access to higher education for undocumented students who were brought to the U.S. by their parents. These amazing children are the future of our nation. They are valedictorians and class presidents. They should not be denied an opportunity for an education because of decisions made by their parents or the strictures of a broken federal immigration system.”

Although Joussell’s and Alfonso’s father’s stories are generations apart, they are not unique. Undocumented immigrants and mixed-status families across the country have had to delay or forgo a college education because of antiquated immigration laws. Many of these individuals pay taxes, work multiple jobs and benefit from American public education, but they are not afforded the same access to a college degree.

Now, the Virginia has become one of 18 states that provides hardworking immigrants with this path to the American Dream: no longer will some students have to carry the weight of balancing multiple jobs to pay for out-of-state tuition, and no longer will they be denied financial-aid eligibility.

With the passage of the “American Dream and Promise Act” in the U.S. House of Representatives, it is imperative that the U.S. Senate also acts to provide DREAMer students with a pathway to citizenship. The gift of liberty and the promise of a good education are the tenets of a country built by immigration.

More importantly, states do not need to wait for Congress to finally pass a comprehensive immigration reform package. Instead, it is imperative that other states pass sensible legislation like Delegate Lopez’s Virginia Dream Act and the Equity in Financial Aid Act (both now enacted into law).

Such reforms provide immigrants with the tools to build a better life, and it lets states and localities continue to invest in a modern workforce of economic mobility and innovation, one that ensures the American Dream remains a reality.

Virginia creates first LGBTQ+ advisory board to 'link' government and community

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 17:25:00 -0400

Virginia creates first LGBTQ+ advisory board to 'link' government and community

By Alexandra Kelley | April 30, 2021

Story at a glance

On Monday, Gov. Ralph Northam signed legislation creating an LGBTQ+ Advisory Board.
Consisting of 21 nonlegislative members, the board will focus on policy that affects the LGBTQ+ community.
This comes as multiple restrictive LGBTQ+ bills have been passed and introduced in other state legislatures across the country.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) signed a new bill into law on Monday that creates Virginia’s first LGBTQ+ Advisory Board meant to better inform the state legislature on how policy decisions will affect the state’s LGBTQ+ community.

First introduced into the Commonwealth as a House Bill (HB 2130), the legislation will was sponsored by Delegate Alfonso Lopez (D) and had the support of more than a dozen fellow legislators.

Board members will advise the governor “regarding the development of economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the Commonwealth and the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia.”

The board would be composed of 21 nonlegislative citizen members, with at least 15 identifying as members of the LGBTQ+ community. They will be appointed by state leaders, namely the governor, state secretaries of commerce and trade, education, health and human resources, and public safety and homeland security, along with other state agencies.

The members of the board will serve various terms. Five members will serve a term of one year, with another five serving for a two-year term. Five additional members will serve for a term of three years, with the remaining six members will serve under a four-year term.

Some of the issues the board will review are how economic, social and legal policy initiatives will specifically affect the LGBTQ+ community of Virginia.

“Today, I signed legislation creating a new advisory board that will ensure the LGBTQ+ community has a permanent voice in Virginia's executive branch—no matter who is governor,” Northam wrote on Twitter on Monday.

Preemptive costs of operating the board are estimated to be around $25,000.

Lopez noted that Virginia is the first state in the South to create an LGBTQ+ Advisory Board.

“When I was first getting involved in Virginia politics, same-sex couples could not marry and any resident could be denied employment or housing on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation,” he told NBC News reporters in an email. “Not only have we successfully overturned decades of discriminatory policies, but now this bill will mandate that Virginia’s LGBTQ+ residents have a seat at the table for all state government issues.”

Other advisory boards created by the state include the Virginia African American Advisory Board, Asian Advisory Board, Complete Count Commission, Council on Women, and the Latino Advisory Board.

Published on Apr 30, 2021

Del. Lopez endorsed by educators' group

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:45:00 -0400

Del. Lopez endorsed by educators' group

SUN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS

Apr 30, 2021 Updated Apr 30, 2021

The Virginia Education Association (VEA) has endorsed the re-election bid of Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington-Fairfax), who is facing a challenge in the June 8 Democratic primary.

“Since being the recipient of the ‘Rookie of the Year’ award in 2012, Del. Lopez has had a lifetime ‘A’ rating with the Virginia Education Association,” said VEA president James Fedderman. “Alfonso has always been a fearless advocate for our public schools, staff and teachers.”

“From helping secure historic teacher pay raises, to reducing class sizes and to broadening pre-kindergarten participation, his excellent record in support of our issues speaks for itself,” Fedderman said.

Lopez’s mother was a lifelong teacher and guidance counselor in the Arlington school system, influencing him to pursue a career in public service.

“With my mother’s background, this endorsement means a great deal to me. I have always said that if I don’t receive an ‘A rating’ from the VEA after [a legislative] session, then I haven’t done my job.”

Lopez was first elected in 2011, and is being challenged in the primary by Karishma Mehta. The winner moves on to the Nov. 2 general election.

The 49th District includes portions of Arlington around the Columbia Pike corridor, as well as adjacent areas of Fairfax County, and is a reliably Democratic stronghold.

Virginia governor signs bill establishing statewide LGBTQ advisory board

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 16:55:00 -0400

Virginia governor signs bill establishing statewide LGBTQ advisory board

April 29, 2021, 11:50 AM EDT

By Jake Lubbehusen

Virginia will soon be the first state in the South with an LGBTQ advisory board.

Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, signed legislation Monday that will establish a 26-person group to advise him on issues “regarding the economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the Commonwealth and the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia.”

The board, which is expected to be in place July 1, will be composed of 21 people appointed by the governor who are not employed by the state — including at least 15 who identify as LGBTQ — and five members of the governor’s Cabinet, or their designees.

In a tweet shared Monday evening, Northam said the advisory board, which will remain in place even after his term is over, “will ensure the LGBTQ+ community has a permanent voice in Virginia's executive branch — no matter who is governor.” He then shared a link where Virginians could apply for a seat on the board.

The creation of this advisory board is the latest in a string of pro-LGBTQ measures the state has enacted in the past year. Last April, Northam signed the Virginia Values Act initiating LGBTQ anti-discrimination protections. Last month, Virginia became the 12th state in the U.S. — and the first in the South — to ban the use of the so-called gay and trans panic defense. And just this month, he signed a bill modernizing the state’s HIV exposure laws and making it legal for those living with HIV to donate blood, tissue or organs.

Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, who sponsored the advisory board bill, reflected on how far the state has come in terms of LGBTQ rights since he first joined the Virginia House of Delegates nearly a decade ago.

“When I was first getting involved in Virginia politics, same-sex couples could not marry and any resident could be denied employment or housing on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation,” he told NBC News in an email. “Not only have we successfully overturned decades of discriminatory policies, but now this bill will mandate that Virginia’s LGBTQ+ residents have a seat at the table for all state government issues.”

Kevin Saucedo-Broach, Lopez’s chief of staff, who identifies as LGBTQ, shared his excitement about the bill’s passage on Twitter.

“Momentous and emotional day in Richmond: Virginia’s getting the South’s FIRST statewide LGBTQ+ Advisory Board,” he tweeted. “Really proud of all the work @Lopez4VA did to author, introduce, and pass this bill ensuring that LGBTQ+ Virginians like me have a seat at the table of state gov’t!”

The LGBTQ advisory panel will join the governor’s five other advisory boards: the African American Advisory Board, the Asian Advisory Board, the Complete Count Commission, the Council on Women and the Latino Advisory Board.

While citywide LGBTQ commissions and advisory boards exist across the U.S., formal statewide executive panels are less common, according to Elliot Imse, a spokesperson for the LGBTQ Victory Institute.

New York created a less formal statewide LGBTQ Stakeholders Committee in 2016 that meets to address issues affecting LGBTQ New Yorkers, according to Statewide Director of LGBTQ Affairs Matthew McMorrow, who runs the committee. McMorrow said that he selects members “based on their areas of expertise and diversity of experiences and locations throughout the state.” The group was launched by Alphonso David, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's former counsel, who is now president of the Human Rights Campaign, he noted.

In 2018, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf signed an executive order forming the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, which, according to the governor’s office, was “the only one in the nation” at the time.

Lopez picks up endorsement of Sierra Club

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 17:45:00 -0400

Lopez picks up endorsement of Sierra Club

SUN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS

Apr 23, 2021 Updated Apr 23, 2021

The Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club has endorsed the re-election bid of Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington-Alexandria), who is being challenged by Karishma Mehta in the June 8 Democratic primary.

Lopez “is a fierce advocate for environmental justice and climate change in the General Assembly and beyond,” said Connor Kish, legislative and political director for the organization, pointing to a host of legislative initiatives the incumbent has either patroned or helped shepherd to victory in Richmond.

Since winning office in 2011, Lopez “has continued to make environment and renewable-energy issues a top priority,” the organization said in its endorsement, issued on Earth Day.

Del. Lopez honored by Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:30:00 -0400

Del. Lopez honored by Chesapeake Bay Foundation

SUN GAZETTE NEWSPAPERS

Apr 21, 2021

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia executive director Peggy Sanner congratulates Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington-Fairfax) on earning the organization’s “Virginia Legislator of the Year” award in front of the Virginia Capitol on April 19.

Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington-Fairfax) has been presented with the “Virginia Legislator of the Year” award by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

“Del. Lopez has long been a Virginia leader on the environment. He’s not afraid to take on challenging issues that will accelerate progress toward cleaner water and a healthier environment,” said Chesapeake Bay Foundation Virginia executive director Peggy Sanner.

“Among many achievements in recent years, he sponsored successful legislation in the 2021 legislative session that will bring about significant and certain reductions in the pollution discharged to waterways from more than 30 wastewater treatment plants,” Sanner said.

The legislation – HB 2129 – will lead to major upgrades at sewage treatment plants that will keep an additional 1.8 million pounds of nitrogen pollution out of Virginia waterways every year.

Also during the 2021 session, Del. Lopez was integral to the success of carbon-sequestration legislation, the organization said.

“I’ve worked closely with the experts at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation over the years and we’ve made great strides in our efforts to protect the Bay and Virginia’s rivers and streams,” Lopez said. “Without the advocacy and support of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, we would not have made the significant progress we have on our pollution reduction and Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals over the past two years.”