The 2020 Special Session, focused on resolving budget issues stemming from Covid and addressing police and criminal justice reform, has ended just in time for the holidays. But as in the movie Groundhog Day, now we prepare to do it all over again. Virginia’s 2021 legislative session opens on Jan 13 and will prove no less challenging than the special session. At this moment, details are still fluid, but here is what we know.
Regional, State and National
PEC joins with partner organizations to promote thriving communities and healthy natural resources in the Shenandoah Valley, the central Piedmont, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground corridor and Northern Virginia counties.
Take Action: Help Save Metro and Other Public Transit!
Congress needs to pass a stimulus package with $32 billion in emergency operations funds for transit agencies across the country. Send a quick email to your Representative and Senators using this campaign set up by our colleagues at The Coalition for Smarter Growth.
Webinar: Keeping Land in the Family
Learn more about the new Heirs’ Property Act in Virginia and what it means for families who share ownership of land or have inherited land without a will.
Support Conservation Funding and Programs
Thank legislators for supporting VLCF funding and remind them of the importance of all of our state conservation programs in 2021.
General Assembly Special Session Update
Beginning on Aug 18, the Virginia General Assembly entered a special session to focus on budget impacts related to the pandemic and calls for criminal justice and policing reforms as local and national unrest continued following the death of George Floyd. At the time of this writing, session is ongoing and many questions remain on the shape of the final budget and some of the legislative initiatives. Legislators intend to wrap up their work before the end of September.
Turning a page on involuntary land loss
In 2020, Virginia proudly became the 16th state to pass the Uniform Partition of Heirs’ Property Act.
Take Action: Ask Your Delegate to Oppose SB 5106
PEC is asking that you contact your Delegate and request that they oppose Senate Bill 5106. This legislation would extend the sunset date for various local land use approvals (plats, rezonings, special use permits and exceptions, etc.) that were valid as of July 1, 2020 for another 2 years (until at least July 1, 2022).
Special Call to Action for a Special Session
Covid-19 has driven home the vital connection between environmental protection and public health. Virginia’s budget should prioritize parks, trails and open spaces, restore water quality and strengthen our local food systems.
Solarize Piedmont Back for a 2020 Campaign
Interested in going solar? We’re excited to announce that Solarize Piedmont, our joint campaign with the Local Energy Alliance Program, is back through the end of the summer. If you’ve been curious about getting a solar system for your home, farm or business, but haven’t priced it out, now is a good time to sign up for a free quote!
Pushing for Transparency
Obviously, a lot has changed since March, when you last received a copy of the Piedmont View. Soon after, shut-down orders went into place and, like me, you might have felt like you were trapped in a bad episode of The Twilight Zone. Suddenly, any trip outside of the house came with a risk analysis. Adjustments like teleworking, or worse, changes in employment status, disrupted normal routines. Things we may have taken for granted, like access to schools and daycare, visits with elderly relatives and yes, even toilet paper, were off the table. Clearly, these have not been normal times. But that wasn’t always evident looking at local government agendas.