I’ll give Virginia credit where credit is due; I like their legislative process. No full time legislators, no round the calendar sessions down in Richmond, and no ridiculously high number of delegates (yeah, I’m looking at YOU New Hampshire!).
Here’s how it works: The General Assembly convenes on the second Wednesday of January. In even number years it lasts for 60 days; in odd number years it lasts for 45 days. All laws passed (unless specifically given a later effective date) go into effect July 1. Delegates are paid $18,000 per year for this service.
That’s it. In and out. Single session. Pass things, don’t pass things, whatever. Go to Richmond, line up a 45-day agenda, plan your work, work you plan and get the hell out of Dodge. The end.
Not a bad system overall, I gotta say. So the legislature starts tomorrow and there are already over 1,001 bills submitted for consideration.
This list is simply ones that I’ve flagged to track through the process. There were MANY related to criminal prosecution, taxes, education and health care that really do seem important, but I don’t know a lot about those issues nor o I follow them closely so they aren’t on my list but would have probably garnered a spot on someone else’s. Also, many of these House bills have companion bills in the Senate, but I didn’t list those as well just to try to cover a broader range of topics. The Senate bills I did list are ones that have no companion in the House and are new proposals originating in the Upper Chamber.
Here’s the 30 bills I’m watching:
HB 1274 Electronic devices; search without a warrant prohibited.
Introduced by: Peter F. Farrell
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Search of electronic device without warrant prohibited. Provides that no officer of the law or any other person shall search any cellular telephone, tablet computer, portable computer, desktop computer, or other electronic device containing or designed to contain electronic data or digital information except by virtue of and under a warrant issued by a proper officer.
I’m for it. No fishing through cell phones or iPad of someone detained to find incriminating evidence without a warrant. A straight-forward common-sense curtailment of the Police State. Virginia has a pretty good record on individual rights so I’m actually optimistic this will pass.
HB 1282 Judges; limitation on election and appointment.
Introduced by: Lionell Spruill, Sr.
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Judges; limitation on election and appointment of judges. Restricts the General Assembly from electing a person to a judgeship if the person is an immediate family member (spouse, parent, child, brother, or sister) of a (i) member of the General Assembly or (ii) former member of the General Assembly for at least 24 months after such member has ceased to be a member of the General Assembly.
I’m for it. This is a result of Phillip Puckett’s
sudden inspiration to resign from the VA Senate, giving control to the GOP and thus blocking the Medicaid Expansion. Post-resignation we learned that Mr. Puckett was offered a plum job on the State Tobacco Commission and his daughter’s nomination for a judge seat , who had been waiting on, was guaranteed an approval. Well, media spotlight and public outrage wound up costing Mr. Puckett the Tobacco Commission gig and this law would prevent the “we’ll approve your daughter” part of the swindle. With the post-McDonnell crying his way into a jail cell emphasis on ethic reform, I think this gets the nod.
HB 1287 Forfeiture of property used in connection with commission of crimes; conviction required.
Introduced by: Mark L. Cole
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Forfeiture of property used in connection with the commission of crimes; conviction required. Requires that any action for the forfeiture of property used in connection with the commission of a crime be stayed until the person whose property is the subject of the forfeiture action has been convicted of the crime and has exhausted all appeals. .
I’m for it. I even wrote my local delegate and asked him to support it. If anyone has watched John Oliver, or the Daily Show, or read any of the many reports on civil forfeiture, then I assume you are with me. Another curtailment of the Police State. I’m honestly unsure about the chances of this passing.
HB 1290 Home food operations; certain exemptions for products.
Introduced by: Robert B. Bell
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Home-produced or farm-produced food products. Exempts food products and food made from milk processed or prepared in private homes or farms from Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services regulations, so long as (i) the sale is made directly to end consumers and (ii) the product is labeled with the producer's name and address, the product's ingredients, and a disclosure statement indicating the product is not for resale and is processed and prepared without state inspection. The bill also exempts private homes or farms that meet the same conditions from examinations conducted by the State Health Commissioner of establishments in which crustacea, finfish, and shellfish are handled. .
I’m for it. I know this seems minor, but I follow Food and Energy issues very closely so this one is more of a personal interest. I strongly support cottage food laws and Virginia has a long history of not being accommodating to this homesteading industry. While the
Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund is great at supporting people through regulation harassment, we need more reform to these laws. No doubt this applies to YOUR state as well. Please support these efforts. I actually think this will pass with little controversy.
HB 1310 Taxes on electronic cigarettes and other vapor products.
Introduced by: K. Rob Krupicka
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Taxes on electronic cigarettes and other vapor products. Creates a state tax on electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic cigarillos, and similar products and devices (vapor products) and authorizes cities and towns and certain counties to impose a tax on vapor products. The state tax would be imposed at a rate $0.40 per milliliter of nicotine liquid solution or other material containing nicotine that is depleted as the vapor product is used. All revenues from the state tax on vapor products would be deposited into the Virginia Health Care Fund, into which all revenues from the state tax on cigarettes are currently deposited.
Counties, cities, and towns that are currently authorized to tax cigarettes would be authorized to also tax vapor products at rates determined by the local governing bodies. The bill requires a local governing body imposing the tax to base the tax upon the per milliliter content of nicotine liquid solution or other material containing nicotine that is depleted as the vapor product is used. The bill authorizes Arlington and Fairfax Counties to impose a vapor products tax, but at a rate that does not exceed the state tax on vapor products created under the bill. Under current law, Arlington and Fairfax Counties may impose a tax on cigarettes at a rate that does not exceed the state cigarette tax.
Any local government imposing a vapor products tax would be required to use the revenues from the tax solely for making grant payments to or funding in support of center-based pre-kindergarten programs or preschool programs designed for child development and kindergarten preparation.
The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2016.
I’m actually for this. I know many here may not be, but this is a new emerging (and growing) industry that is nothing but a stand in for the cigarette industry. Cigarettes are taxed, so should these alternative nicotine delivery devices. Virginia may be torn here. Richmond HATES new taxes with a relentless intensity but at the same time it ALWAYS protects the tobacco industry. I actually think this passes.
HB 1362 Elections; run-off elections.
Introduced by: L. Scott Lingamfelter
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Elections; run-off elections. Provides that no candidate shall be deemed to have been elected at a general election to any statewide office or the United States Senate unless such candidate receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for that office. The bill requires that when no candidate for an office receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast at the general election for that office, a run-off election between the candidates receiving the highest and next-highest number of votes for that office shall be held. However, no run-off election shall be held if the total number of write-in votes cast for an office and the total number of votes cast for the candidate receiving the highest number of votes for an office together equal more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for that office. The bill requires run-off elections to be held on the fourth Tuesday following the date of the certification of the results of the general election or, if a recount is conducted after the general election, on the fourth Tuesday following the date of the certification of the results of the recount, unless the fourth Tuesday falls on a legal holiday, in which the case the run-off election will be held on the sixth Tuesday. The bill provides that all other elections, including a general election of electors for the President and Vice-President of the United States, the person having the highest number of votes for an office shall be deemed to have been elected to such office and shall receive the certificate of election. Under current law, except in the case of a recount, the person having the most votes cast at any election shall be deemed to have been elected to that office.
I am for this. I don’t like the idea of people winning office with a plurality. I know we’ve used that strategy in the past and we just saw the likes of Landrieu and others succumb to the top-two run off scenario, but 50%+1 makes common sense to me. The issue may be the potential cost. I suspect this is too big of a change for Virginia and gets some deserved debate but fails.
HB 1375 Voter identification; expiration date not considered.
Introduced by: Joseph C. Lindsey
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Elections; voter identification; expiration date not considered. Provides that the expiration date on a form of identification offered for voting identification purposes shall not be considered when determining the validity of that form of identification.
I am for this. We have a voter ID law in place, but this will be a decent sanity check for the hyper-vigilant voter fraud brigade. If you can show a legitimate state ID that
happen to be a few months out of date you should still be able to vote. It has your name and photo on it, it was validated by the government. Who cares if it requires a renewal in order to allow you to drive, you are just there to VOTE! No prediction on this one, but I’m curious to see where it goes.
HB 1410 Motor fuels; reduces tax rate on gasoline and gasohol.
Introduced by: Robert G. Marshall
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Motor fuels tax rate. Reduces the motor fuels tax on gasoline and gasohol from 5.1% to 3.5% of the statewide average wholesale price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline. The rate increased from 3.5% to 5.1% on January 1, 2015, as required by Chapter 766 of the Acts of Assembly of 2013, because Congress did not pass a law permitting the Commonwealth to require out-of-state sellers to collect and remit sales and use tax.
I’m against this. With gas sales plummeting
why reduce the gas tax NOW? This got introduced some time ago, and prices have been plummeting since. Driving back from Nashville over the holidays, I stopped in Southwest Virginia and bought gas for $1.99/gallon. Plus, we have a large budget shortfall this year so I think this will fail as no one wants to have to take MORE money from other programs to make a cheap product even cheaper.
HB 1521 Body-worn camera system; use by law enforcement.
Introduced by: Joseph C. Lindsey
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Use of body-worn camera system by law enforcement. Provides that any sheriff who is the chief law-enforcement officer of his locality and employs 100 or more deputies, any police force that employs 100 or more officers, and the Superintendent of State Police shall, no later than January 1, 2018, implement and operate a body-worn camera system, which is defined in the bill as an electronic system for creating, generating, sending, receiving, storing, displaying, and processing audiovisual recordings, including cameras or other devices capable of creating such recordings, that may be worn about the person of a law-enforcement officer. Such a system must comply with the model policy or guideline that will be established by the Department of Criminal Justice Services.
I am ALL FOR THIS. Body cameras for police, simple as that. I give this almost ZERO chance of passing, but we’ll see. If it’s close this might get picked by the national media and some of the fence sitters may have to find their spines.
HB 1524 Ultrasound prior to abortion.
Introduced by: Jeion A. Ward
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Ultrasound prior to abortion. Removes the requirement that a woman undergo a fetal transabdominal ultrasound prior to an abortion.
I’m for it but wow: Pro-choice legislation in Virginia; will wonders never cease. From the State that thought trans
vaginal ultrasounds we’re A-OK I doubt they’ve since found the shame and common decency to do away with the transabdominal variety. We’re turning blue but not
this blue (yet).
HB 1572 Open-space land; acquisition.
Introduced by: Brenda L. Pogge
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Acquisition of open-space land. Provides that a locality shall not acquire an interest in property for the purpose of preservation or provision of open-space land that exceeds five years' duration. Any extension shall only be approved in conjunction with a comprehensive plan review.
I’m for it. Virginia, specifically
Northern Virginia, has a major sprawl issue and land acquisition is one way the local counties use to check this. Loudoun County for example has THOUSANDS of acres protected under 20-year conservancies and trusts. This bill is a way to try and undermine this. I actually think this fails; Virginia tends to leave these kinds of issues to the local governments.
HB 1579 Vehicle registrations; expiration and renewal on or after July 1, 2015.
Introduced by: Mark L. Cole
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Vehicle registrations. Provides that vehicle registrations issued on and after July 1, 2015, will be permanent, unless vehicle ownership or the address where the vehicle is principally garaged changes.
I could not be MORE for this. Anyone else that lives in this State knows what a complete and epic clusterfuck Virginia Motor Vehicle registation/licensing/taxing/stickering/etc is. (and yes "stickering" is a thing here, don't get me started...) This would end part of the insanity. Registrations become permanent unless you move or sell the car. No more hassle, no more fees. I doubt this passes, but holy hell it would help.
HB 1590 Cigarettes and other tobacco products; increases state tax rate.
Introduced by: K. Rob Krupicka
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
State tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products; tax rate. Increases the state (i) cigarette tax rate from $0.30 per pack to $2.00 per pack,(ii) the cigarette excise tax on roll-your-own tobacco from 10 percent of the manufacturer's sales price to 60 percent, and tax rate on certain other tobacco products by the same percentage. The additional revenue attributable to the increase in taxes is dedicated to public education.
I’m for this. I’ve always supported taxing cigarettes. As stated before it will be curious to see Virginia’s budget short-fall issues run up against their knee-jerk desire to gut taxes and protect tobacco companies. I think this will actually fail.
HB 1622 Electric utilities; net energy metering.
Introduced by: Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Electric utilities; net energy metering. Increases the maximum generating capacity of an electrical generating facility owned or operated by an electric utility's residential customer that may be eligible for participation in the utility's net energy metering program from 20 kilowatts to 40 kilowatts. The measure also increases the maximum generating capacity of such a facility owned or operated by a nonresidential customer that may be eligible for participation in such a program from 500 kilowatts to one megawatt. This change to the definition of an "eligible customer-generator" also affects the definition of a "qualified energy project" as used in the Virginia Small Business Financing Act.
I am strongly for this. Net metering in Virginia, w00t! That said, Dominion Power Company is the largest single political contributor in the Commonwealth and has been for many consecutive years. I’m guessing this goes down in flames.
HB 1629 Credit unions; automated teller machines.
Introduced by: Kathy J. Byron
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Credit unions; automated teller machines. Excludes any automated teller machine, cash-dispensing machine, or similar electronic or computer terminal from the definition of a credit union's service facility. By excluding such items from the scope of what constitutes a service facility, the measure removes the requirement that their locations be approved by the State Corporation Commission.
I’m for this. Very minor piece of legislation that makes business easier for Credit Unions, which I universally and proudly support. I bet this passes with little fanfare.
HB 1634 Farm winery; licensees allowed to manufacture wine containing 21% or less of alcohol by volume.
Introduced by: David L. Bulova
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Alcoholic beverage control; alcohol by volume. Allows farm winery licensees to manufacture wine containing 21 percent or less of alcohol by volume. Under current law, farm winery licensees may manufacture wine containing 18 percent or less of alcohol by volume.
I’m for this for many reasons. First, I’m a pretty heavy drinker and like any promotion of local alcohol industry. Second, this specifically would start allowing our BOOMING wine industry to get into fortified wines which would be cool and help them profit. Third because allowing profitable farm/rural land to be used in this kind of successful enterprise disincentivizes people from cashing out and selling it to a developer. I expect this to pass.
HB 1636 Net energy metering; program for community subscriber organizations.
Introduced by: J. Randall Minchew
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Electric utilities; net energy metering; community subscriber organizations. Directs the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation a program that affords community subscribers and community subscriber organizations the opportunity to participate in net energy metering. A community subscriber is a retail customer of an electric utility who owns a subscription in a community generation facility and receives on-bill credits for each kilowatt hour of energy produced by their portion of the community generation facility. The subscriber's premises is required to be located in the service territory of the utility in which the community generation facility is located and in the county in which the community generation facility is located or a neighboring county. A community generation facility is an electrical generating facility that uses as its total source of fuel renewable energy and has a capacity of not more than two megawatts. The measure also increases the maximum generating capacity of an electrical generating facility owned or operated by an electric utility's nonresidential customer, or a customer that operates a generation facility as part of an agricultural operation, that may be eligible for participation in the utility's net energy metering program from 500 kilowatts to two megawatts.
I’m for this AGAIN. Not just net-metering, but COMMUNITY net metering. This is cutting edge stuff happening out West or in places like Vermont. I would LOVE to see that here in Old Virginia but again: Dominion Power Company will issue their marching orders and this will fail. I mean, what good is owning a bunch of politicians if you never
use them, amirite?
HB 1645 Alcoholic beverage control; expands bed and breakfast licenses.
Introduced by: Brenda L. Pogge
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Alcoholic beverage control; bed and breakfast licenses. Expands the privileges of a bed and breakfast license by authorizing the licensee to permit the consumption of lawfully acquired alcoholic beverages (i) in bedrooms or private guest rooms by persons to whom overnight lodging is being provided or (ii) in outside areas of the bed and breakfast establishment, provided such areas are under the control of the licensee.
I’m for this. Again, minor issue but also a pro-alcohol measure that will help B&B’s, another key industry in helping keep our rural countryside rural.
HB 1654 Minimum wage; increases from its current federally mandated level to $8.00 per hour.
Introduced by: Kenneth R. Plum
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage from its current federally mandated level of $7.25 per hour to $8.00 per hour effective July 1, 2015, to $9.00 per hour effective July 1, 2016, and to $10.00 per hour effective July 1, 2017, unless a higher minimum wage is required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
I am for this, of course. There are actually a few of these introduced and one even calls for a straight bump to $15.15. I put this one in here because if any of them actually get a vote it will be this one. I don’t think the Assembly will approve this. I think if we get a minimum wage hike it will need to come from the ballot box directly.
HB 1705 Gas severance tax.
Introduced by: James W. Morefield
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Gas severance tax. Extends the sunset date from December 31, 2015, to January 1, 2018, for the local gas severance tax that is dedicated to (i) the local Coal and Gas Road Improvement Fund, (ii) the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Fund, and (iii) water, sewer, and natural gas systems and lines.
I’m against this! Booo! Naked subsidy to Virginia’s dying coal industry. I give this about a 70% chance of passing but BOOOO! This should be allowed to DIE.
HB 1778 Clean-Fuel Vehicle and Advanced Cellulosic Biofuels Job Creation Tax Credit; sunset.
Introduced by: Kaye Kory
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Clean-Fuel Vehicle and Advanced Cellulosic Biofuels Job Creation Tax Credit; sunset. Extends the Clean-Fuel Vehicle and Advanced Cellulosic Biofuels Job Creation Tax Credit for five years, through taxable year 2019.
I’m for this. Now THIS is the kind of subsidy that should be extended. I actually think it will, too!
HJ 497 U.S. Constitution; application for a convention of the states.
Introduced by: L. Scott Lingamfelter
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
U.S. Constitution; application for a convention of the states. Makes application to Congress to call a convention of the states to propose amendments to the United States Constitution to restrain the abuse of power by the federal government.
I’m against this. So yeah… this actually got proposed by some tea bagging knuckledragger. Just put this in here to show that Virginia might be in the “Blue” Column for a lot of things, but we still have a lot of
this floating around the Commonwealth.
SB 686 Marijuana; decriminalization of simple marijuana possession, penalty.
Introduced by: Adam P. Ebbin
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Marijuana; decriminalization of simple marijuana possession. Decriminalizes marijuana possession and changes the current $500 criminal fine for simple marijuana possession to a maximum $100 civil penalty payable to the Literary Fund and eliminates the 30-day jail sentence. The bill reduces the criminal penalties for distribution and possession with intent to distribute etc. of marijuana. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that a person who grows no more than six marijuana plants grows marijuana for personal use and not for distribution and provides that the suspended sentence/substance abuse screening provisions apply only to criminal violations or to civil violations by a minor. Marijuana is removed from a statute making it a Class 1 misdemeanor to distribute or display advertisements, etc., for instruments used for marijuana and from the common nuisance statute. The distribution of paraphernalia statute will apply only to an adult who distributes to a minor at least three years his junior. The bill also limits forfeiture of property from sale or distribution of marijuana to quantities of more than one pound; currently there is no minimum amount. The penalty for possession of marijuana by a prisoner is reduced from a Class 5 felony to a Class 6 felony.
I’m for it! Whoa… marijuana legalization in Ol’ Virginny? Not a snowball’s chance in hell this comes anywhere near passing, but I’m glad to see it!
SB 705 Virginia Lottery; sale of lottery tickets over Internet.
Introduced by: Barbara A. Favola
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Virginia Lottery; sale of lottery tickets over Internet. Repeals the prohibition against the sale of lottery tickets over the Internet.
I’m torn. I mean, generally I view the Lottery as a voluntary tax (on people that are bad at math) and if people want to do it, I appreciate them offsetting some of my tax burden. But after watching John Oliver’s coverage of State Lotteries now I’m actually thinking this needs to be reined in a bit. I don’t have a prediction, but I’m curious to see how this fares.
SB 741 Coalfield employment enhancement; extends expiration date of tax credit.
Introduced by: Charles W. Carrico, Sr.
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Coalfield employment enhancement tax credit; expiration. Extends the expiration date of the credit from January 1, 2017, to January 1, 2022.
Totally Against. No! Booo! No more coal subsidies. Let the damn thing die. This is a MAJOR giveaway to the coal companies in Southwest Virginia. McAuliffe is actually trying to
reduce this and other subsidies as pieces of his budget plan to close our short-fall. There is NO NEED to extend this for another five damned years! Alas, this will probably actually pass. BOOOO! HISS!
SB 756 Traffic light signal photo-monitoring systems; referenda.
Introduced by: Richard H. Black
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Referenda for traffic light signal photo-monitoring systems. Provides that localities who wish to enact an ordinance providing for the use of traffic light signal photo-monitoring systems must first have voter approval by a referendum. The bill also provides that those localities that have already enacted such ordinances must also provide for a referendum and must repeal their ordinance if not approved by the voters.
I’m actually for this. I hate those stupid cameras and having lived in Maryland and DC, I got to watch first-hand how they are NOT, at all, used as a safety device or a behaviour deterrent. They are a predatory money grab at revenue that the local government doesn’t have the balls to actually ask for via a tax hike. They are a privatized for-profit kick-back scheme papered over with a fear-mongering claim about helping to prevent your beautiful children from getting T-Boned in a fatal car crash at a busy intersection. Fuck that. Put this in the hands of the PEOPLE and you’ll see that this kind of “free money” bonanza never gets approved
anywhere. I give this 50/50 odds but I bet it gets scuttled in committee.
SB 786 Electoral college; revises process for allocation of electoral votes.
Introduced by: Charles W. Carrico, Sr.
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Electoral college; allocation of electoral votes. Revises the process by which the Commonwealth's electoral votes are allocated among the slates of presidential electors from a winner-take-all basis to a proportional allocation basis. The two electoral votes to which Virginia is entitled by virtue of its representation in the United States Senate shall be allocated to the slate of presidential electors that receives the highest number of votes cast statewide. The total number of electoral votes to which Virginia is entitled by virtue of its representation in the United States House of Representatives shall be allocated among the slates of presidential electors according to the proportional share each slate receives of the total number of votes cast statewide for President as follows: The total number of votes cast for each slate of presidential electors shall be divided by the total number of votes cast for all slates of electors and the resulting proportion shall be multiplied by the number of electoral votes to which Virginia is entitled to determine the number of electoral votes for each slate, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Against, as we all are. Here is the ALEC–approved, GOP-endorsed bid to turn our electoral college total into a proportionate system now that the Democrats have won the State twice. Fuck them. Nice try, but this will fail.
SB 886 Plastic bags; tax imposed in Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
Introduced by: J. Chapman Petersen
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Plastic bag tax in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Imposes a five-cent bag tax on plastic bags provided to customers by certain retailers in localities located wholly within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and directs revenues to be used to support the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan. The bill also allows every retailer that collects the tax is allowed to retain one-cent of the five-cent tax.
I’m for it. I had no idea anyone in Virginia was even considering this. It worked well in DC, and parts of Maryland. The Bay needs some serious help and these taxes have a proven track record of reducing plastic usage. There is NO WAY the state approves this though, this will fail. Some local counties should try to pass something though.
SJ 215 Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Governor's term of office.
Introduced by: Adam P. Ebbin
SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:
Constitutional amendment (first resolution); Governor's term of office. Permits a Governor first elected in 2017 and thereafter to succeed himself in office. The amendment allows two four-year terms (either in succession or not in succession) but prohibits election to a third term. Service for more than two years of a partial term counts as service for one term.
I’m actually for this one. I didn’t know this was on the agenda either, but I do think it’s strange that we have a one-term limit for Governor. Does any other state do this? Creates a lot of constant turnover. I’m not vigorously clamoring for this to pass, but if it does, I’d support it. But with a strong GOP majority in the House and the Dem’s major advantage in state-wide races, I doubt this comes close to passing.
That's it. ...we'll see what else gets introduced at the 11th hour and then tune in to watch it all get marked up, watered down, poison-pilled, backroom dealed, horse-traded, arm-twisted and amended.
I'll write another one in 45 days to soft through and see how much of this actually made it into the sausage of passed legislation and count up a quick score sheet on my overall predictive ability.