As with many aspects of our life, the 2021 General Assembly Session did not resemble prior sessions. The 100 member House of Delegates held their session remotely, with only Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn being present in the House chamber. The Senate of Virginia conducted their session in-person but did so at the Science Museum of Virginia which provided the opportunity for greater social distancing compared to the Senate chamber. The public was able to participate in sub-committee and committee meetings virtually, in both the House and Senate.
There were several items considered during the Session which impact members of the Mount Vernon Lee Chamber of Commerce and the community we represent.
- Governor Northam has signed SB 1146 and HB 1935 which conforms Virginia’s tax code to federal tax provisions from the taxable year 2020. Because of the bill’s emergency clause, conformity goes into effect immediately and is retroactive. Businesses can exclude the full forgiven loan amount as well as deduct up to $100,000 of business expenses related to the PPP or Rebuild Virginia Loan.
- The budget bill includes significant funding for institutions in the Mount Vernon-Lee area including; $5 million for funding of the National Museum of the Army, located on Fort Belvoir; and $2 million for the preservation of George Washington’s River Farm
- Senator Scott Surovell introduced SB 1385 which builds upon legislation passed 2 years ago and is aimed at the undergrounding of electric and communication facilities along Route 1 in Fairfax County, this bill was signed by Governor Northam last week, this bill is another tool toward the Chamber’s long held position of undergrounding infrastructure in conjunction with the transportation improvements to Route 1,
There were bills introduced which would have eliminated Virginia’s Right-to-Work law, placed mandates on small businesses, and several other measures that would have had a negative impact on businesses. Fortunately, these bills did not pass.
The Chamber will be hosting our annual General Assembly Report on May 20th with the General Assembly delegation from Mount Vernon Lee. This provides members an opportunity to hear directly from our legislators and learn about the legislation they supported during the session.
If you are interested in learning more about the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber’s advocacy efforts, please consider joining the Chamber’s Legislative Committee. The Legislative Committee meets the first Wednesday of the month from 8:00am-9:00am, and typically includes an elected or appointed official from state or local government. To learn more please contact Kevin McNulty, Chair of the Legislative Committee.
