The following is self explanatory. If we want some decent legislation passed, we are going to have to call some people.
Your Action Needed On Critical Bills
Bill of Rights Violations
HJ 558: The Rules Committee met this past Thursday but did not recommend any action on this bill which studies federal government compliance with the Bill of Rights in its treatment of Virginia citizens. No one made a motion to pass or kill HJ 558!
The bill would identify and recommend remedies for (i) any unauthorized acts of the federal government, (ii) actions that amount to noncompliance by the federal government with the terms of the United States Constitution in respect to Virginia citizens, and (iii) acts of Congress that are outside of the enumerated powers specified in Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights as they affect Virginia citizens and residents. The idea for this bill came from a US citizen who emigrated from Russia. With enough lobbying from the grass roots, it is possible the full Committee would consider passing the measure.
Alternative Virginia Monetary System if Federal Reserve Fails
HJ 557: The Rules Committee met this past Thursday but did not recommend any action on this study which was supported by Professors of Economics from George Mason University, and a 2004 Economics Nobel Prize winner.
The purpose of the bill is to study a possible alternative constitutional legal tender system or state currency system in the event of a breakdown of the Federal Reserve causing excessive inflation. Food and energy prices have risen significantly in the last 18 months. The U.S. Labor Department, masks inflation from consumers by removing energy and food price increases from the “official” Consumer Price Index. Fed Reserve Chairman Bernanke told a Congressional Committee recently that, “the federal government is on an unsustainable fiscal path.”
China is seeking to replace the US Dollar as the international trade currency. We are still running huge deficits even with Republicans in the House of Representatives.
The question is whether passengers on the Titanic needed to think about life boats. Prudence says yes. No one made a motion to pass or kill HJ 557!
Please ask Rules Committee members to vote in favor of HJ 557 and HJ 558:
Delegate Bill Howell delbhowell@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1028
Delegate Lacey Putney dellputney@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1019
Delegate Steve Landes delslandes@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1025
Delegate Kirk Cox delkcox@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1066
Delegate Terry Kilgore deltkilgore@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1001
Delegate Lee Ware dellware@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1065
Delegate Bill Janis delbjanis@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1056
Delegate Rob Bell delrbell@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1058
Delegate Bev Sherwood delbsherwood@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1029
Delegate Wat Abbitt delegatewabbitt@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1059
Delegate Johnny Joannou No E-mail 804-698-1079
Delegate Joe Johnson deljjohnston@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1004
Delegate Ward Armstrong delwarmstrong@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1010
Delegate Kenny Plum delkplum@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1036
Delegate Kenny Alexander delkalexander@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1089
Mandatory Virginia Urban Development Areas (UDA’s) Made Optional:
HB 1721 makes urban development areas (UDA’s) optional instead of mandatory. The bill passed the House Counties, Cities and Towns Sub-committee #2 by a vote of 7-4 on January 20th, but was stalled on January 21st by the full committee at the request of the Speaker. The bill will be heard in the full committee this Friday, February 4. If it passes it will go to the House Floor for a vote and if passed there will go over to the Senate on February 8th. The Home Builders Association, Southern Environmental Law Center, the Sierra Club, and the League of Conservation Voters oppose the bill because these urban development areas concentrate population in stacked dwellings on less land which brings higher profits for builders while ostensibly keeping other space open. However, If HB 1721 is defeated Virginia will continue to force UDA’s in EVERY locality including rural counties, whether or not local citizens agree.
If you can, please attend the Committee meeting in House Room D in Richmond on Friday, February 4, at 8:00 AM.
Some talking points in support of HB 1721:
1. Allows localities to choose whether the local market can bear more development in a soft market when foreclosure rates are high. (Goochland County had foreclosures up 25% in 2010)
2. Allows localities to decide if UDAs are appropriate for their community.
3. Allows local government, rather than the state, to manage growth.
4. Stops localities from being forced to replace low cost housing in communities targeted for smart growth with high priced housing that will drive the elderly on fixed incomes and low-income families out of their homes.
5. Stops localities from being forced to impose very restrictive energy and water regulations that will ration resources.
6. Protects the individual right to own and control the use of one’s own property in Virginia Counties, Cities & Towns
Please ask Counties, Cities & Towns Committee members to vote for HB 1721:
Chairman Riley Ingram delringram@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1062
Delegate Danny Marshall deldmarshall@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1014
Delegate Sal Iaquinto delsiaquinto@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1084
Del. Annie Crockett-Stark delacrockett-stark@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1006
Delegate Charles Poindexter delcpoindexter@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1009
Delegate Donald Merricks deldmerricks@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1016
Delegate Barry Knight delbknight@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1081
Delegate Will Morefield delwmorefield@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1003
Delegate James Edmunds deljedmunds@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1060
Delegate Chris Stolle delcstolle@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1083
Delegate James LeMunyon deljlemunyon@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1067
Delegate Tony Wilt deltwilt@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1026
Delegate Lionell Spruill dellspruill@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1077
Delegate Onzlee Ware deloware@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1011
Delegate Albert Pollard delapollard@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1099
Delegate Delores McQuinn deldmcquinn@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1070
Delegate Algie Howell delahowell@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1090
Delegate Scott Surovell delssurovell@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1044
Delegate Kaye Kory delkkory@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1038
Delegate Luke Torian delltorian@house.virginia.gov 804-698-1052
End the Practice of Adding Taxes & Fees and Removing Tax Deductions in Budget
HJ 496: I pre-filed this Constitutional Amendment on July 19, 2010 to end the practice of hiding fees and taxes in the budget. I spoke all around Virginia and my son designed a four-page glossy brochure to educate citizens. We printed, mailed and distributed nearly 10,000 brochures about the need for this Constitutional Amendment. Despite the tradition that when two virtually identical bills are introduced, the lower number bill passes, my bill was instead incorporated into Delegate Janis’ Bill, HJ 615 which was filed one day before session started. My bill was before the subcommittee the first week of session, but was passed over until Del. Janis was able to have his measure before the subcommittee.
While this was an abuse of process (Delegate Janis is the Subcommittee Chair) imitation is a form of flattery. I thank you all for helping move the substance of my bill forward, even if the bill number does not bear by name, as it will promote the common good for Virginia.
End Mandatory Federal “Green” Home Inspections
HB 1397 passed the House of Delegates thanks to your help! This bill sets up another challenge to the federal government’s overreach which could require inspections by the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct mandatory “green” energy audits and mandatory remodeling before selling your home. It is now in the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Sincerely,
Delegate Bob Marshall
R – 13th District of Virginia
www.delegatebob.com
