Governor Bob McDonnell's Legislative Initiatives Move Forward
- 80% of Proposals Successful at Session Mid-Point
- "Jobs And Opportunity Agenda" Gaining Broad Bipartisan Backing; "The Opportunity to Learn" Education Agenda Comes Before General Assembly Next Week

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

February 20, 2010

Contact: Stacey Johnson
Phone: (804) 225-4260
E-mail: Stacey.Johnson@Governor.Virginia.Gov

RICHMOND- Governor Bob McDonnell's legislative initiatives have met with broad bipartisan support in the first half of the 2010 General Assembly Session. The Governor's agenda consists of 79 measures. At the end of the Crossover week, 58 of the 72 bills upon which action had been taken continued to move forward. The six bills that comprise McDonnell's "The Opportunity to Learn" education package will come before the General Assembly for the first time in the week ahead. The highlight of McDonnell's legislative package, his "Jobs and Opportunity Agenda", has enjoyed remarkable success, with 30 of the 34 measures passing as of Friday.

Speaking about the mid-point progress of his bills, the Governor noted, "I am pleased our innovative, common-sense proposals to create jobs, spur economic development, introduce positive options into our public school system and enhance public safety have met with such broad support from legislators of both parties. Our "Jobs and Opportunity Agenda" is being carried by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, and the non-partisan commitment to enacting policies that will help create new jobs for Virginia citizens can be seen in the swift progress being made by the bills. By taking proactive steps today to incentivize job creation and help entrepreneurs open and expand businesses we will position Virginia well for economic recovery in the years ahead. Creating new jobs for Virginians is the most pressing issue of our time, and I thank all the legislators, from both parties, who are working with us to make this happen."

McDonnell continued, "There is similar broad support for our efforts to bring greater protections to victims of domestic violence, get traffic moving quicker in the Commonwealth, and recognize and honor the contributions of our Virginia veterans. This coming week our education proposals, "The Opportunity to Learn" Agenda, will come before the General Assembly. Like the "Jobs and Opportunity" Agenda, the bills have bipartisan backing. When we provide more positive options to students and parents in our public schools, in every community, we make our public education system more competitive and innovative, to the great benefit of our Commonwealth."

A full listing of Governor McDonnell's Legislative Agenda can be found below.

Governor Bob McDonnell's 2010 Legislative Agenda at Crossover

"Jobs and Opportunity Agenda"
Job Creation/Economic Development
SB 472/HB 624 - Expands the Major Jobs Facilities tax credit
SB 623/HB 803 - Creates a Green Jobs tax credit
SB 257/HB 861 - Creates a motion picture film production tax credit
SB 474/HB 792 - Provides for temporary business licenses
SB 237/HB 588 - Dedicates a portion of the wine liter tax to wine promotion
SB 475/HB 380 - Strengthens the criteria for Governor's Opportunity Fund
SB 554/ HB 1244 - Allows waiver of local match on Governor's Opportunity Fund
SB 730/HB 1381-Establishes a major employment/investment project site planning grant fund
SB 428/HB 523 - Grants income tax exemption on capital gains related to investments in science based or bio-tech start-ups
SB 644/HB 677 - Establishes a biotech research performance grant program
HB 555 - Expands Enterprise Zones and reinvests surplus into real property grants
SB 481/HB 853 - Expands the Major Jobs Facilities tax credit in economically distressed areas
SB 658- Establishes HUB Zones to help small businesses in economically distressed areas
HB 928 - Creates the Universities Clean Energy Development and Economic Stimulus Foundation
SB 733- Creates the Virginia Small Business Investment Company Credit
SB 473/HB 604 - Adds the Lt. Gov and Commerce and Trade Secretary to Center for Rural Virginia Board of Trustees
HB 1372 - Changes the title of VEDP Executive Director to CEO
HB 756 - Requires 80% of revenue and royalties from offshore oil and natural gas production to go to transportation
HB 1050 - Doubles the long-term care tax credit

Military/Veterans
SB 455/HB 262 - Waives fees for veterans starting a small business
HJR 33- Advances a Constitutional Amendment for tax exemptions for veterans
HJ 53 - Memorializes Congress on status of Honor and Remember Flag
HJ 137 - Designation of Honor and Remember Flag as state emblem

Public Safety
HB 1198 - Expands list of offenses for sex offender registry and requires residency verification by State Police
SB 467/HB 931-Conforms Virginia's protective orders with those of neighboring states
SB 468/HB 930 - Extension of protective orders when a domestic violence victim is still under threat
SB 486/HB 1121-Strengthens the sharing of juvenile criminal information related to gang activity
HB 682 - Creates Gang Free Zones
HB 681 - Enables law enforcement to arrest for a Class 1 or 2 misdemeanor
SB 520/HB 934 - Expands death penalty to include murder of auxiliary police office
SB 531- Increases court fees on felons
HB 1393 - Allows for the waiver of counsel on certain offenses without jail time

Ethics/Good Government
HB 485 - Authorizes a financial audit of several large state agencies
SB 506 - Bans political contributions to Governor during large procurements
HB 524 - Expands lobbyist disclosure requirements

Transportation
SB 201/HB 42 - Authorizes a performance audit of VDOT
HB 665 - Requires Governor to put in 1% of projected growth revenues into transportation when growth is at least 3%
HB 970 - Increases from 67% to 75% the amount of GF surplus to the TTF
SB 537/HB 856 - Increases speed limit from 65 to 70 mph
HB 1158 - Establishes regional transportation accounts for new revenue generated

"The Opportunity to Learn" Agenda
Education
Six bills addressing charter schools, college lab schools and virtual schools were introduced on 2/11 and will be taken up after Crossover. For more information please see: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/News/viewRelease.cfm?id=41

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