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2007 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Rules
Subcommittee Studies

Devolites Davis (Chairman), Houck, Whipple

Clerk: Susan Clarke Schaar
Staff: Cheryl Jackson, Brenda Edwards
Date of Meeting: January 24, 2007
Time and Place: 5:00 P.M. - 3rd Floor East Conference Room

S.B. 809 Abraham Lincoln, Commission on Bicentennial of; created, report.

Patron: Marsh

Virginia Commission on the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln.  Establishes the Virginia Commission on the Bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln to prepare for and lead the Commonwealth in the national commemoration of the 200th anniversary of his birth. The Commission consists of a total membership of 17 members, which includes 10 legislators, four nonlegislative citizen members, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Executive Director of the State Council of Higher Education, and the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System or their designees shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. The Commission, among other things, must develop, plan, and coordinate the implementation of statewide programs, events, and activities appropriate to the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Also, the Commission must work with state and local entities and diverse groups, including the federal Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, in planning and coordinating commemorative events.

The provisions of this bill expire on July 1, 2010.

S.B. 1386 Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission; analysis of state agency budget submissions.

Patron: Stolle

Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission; analysis of state agency budget submissions.  Provides for the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to analyze and evaluate estimates submitted by state agencies for the biennial budget to ascertain that sums requested are appropriated based on the missions, operations, practices, and duties of such agencies.

S.J.R. 308 Health insurance; joint subcommittee to study costs for state and local early retirees.

Patron: Miller

Study; health insurance costs of state and local early retirees; report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the health insurance costs of state and local early retirees.

S.J.R. 325 Electoral College votes; joint subcommittee to study method of allocating.

Patron: Miller

Study; Electoral College vote allocation method; report. Creates a joint subcommittee to (i) evaluate Virginia's method of allocating its votes in the Electoral College, (ii) review alternative methods and reforms that have been proposed to address concerns that the current method violates Equal Protection and the Voting Rights Act, (iii) examine the impact of proposed federal legislation, and (iv) consider both constitutional and statutory changes in the process.

S.J.R. 326 Consumption of goods and services; joint subcommittee to study viability of flat tax thereon.

Patron: Bell

Study; flat tax; report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the viability of a flat tax on the consumption of goods and services as an alternative tax system. During its two-year study, the joint subcommittee will (i) explore the revenue that could be generated from a flat tax on the consumption of goods and services, (ii) determine the amount of revenue that is currently generated from state and local general fund taxes, (iii) estimate the rate of a flat tax that would need to be imposed on the consumption of goods and services to generate approximately the same amount of revenue that is currently generated from state and local general fund taxes, (iv) study other issues relating to the adoption of a flat tax including the distribution of revenues, and (v) determine the viability of a flat tax on the consumption of goods and services as a replacement for current state and local general fund taxes.

S.J.R. 327 Prisoner Reentry to Society, Joint Subcommittee Studying Program for; continued.

Patron: Puller

Study; Continuing the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Commonwealth's Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society for the purpose of receiving the recommendations and report of the Virginia Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy. Continues the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Commonwealth's Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society for the purpose of receiving the recommendations and report of the Virginia Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) process its proposals for discussion to offer appropriate recommendations therefrom; (ii) monitor the work of the Virginia Prisoner Reentry Policy Academy and its pilot programs; (iii) receive the report and recommendations of the Academy regarding the results of the pilot programs; and (iv) synthesize the joint subcommittee's proposals and the Academy's recommendations and recommend such feasible and appropriate alternatives that may reasonably facilitate the successful reintegration of prisoners in their communities. The joint subcommittee is limited to two meetings during the 2007 Interim. The joint subcommittee must submit its executive summary and report to the Governor and the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.

This resolution is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Commonwealth's Program for Prisoner Reentry to Society.

S.J.R. 335 Net lottery profits; Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study distribution thereof.

Patron: Ruff

Study; lottery profits; report.  Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the distribution of net lottery profits, including the current distribution formula to determine if it can be improved.

S.J.R. 348 K-12 education, public; Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study cost thereof.

Patron: Miller

Study; costs of education versus incarceration; report.  Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the cost of a K-12 education compared to the cost of incarceration over 5, 10, 15, and 20 years.

S.J.R. 361 Waste minimization, reuse, and recycling; Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study.

Patron: Ticer

Study; waste minimization; report.  Requests the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study waste minimization, reuse, and recycling. JLARC will evaluate the success of programs in Virginia and other states, and recommend a plan to achieve long-term waste minimization.

S.J.R. 363 Incarcerated persons; joint sub. to study accessibility of education programs & higher educ. oppor.

Patron: Quayle

Study; increasing the accessibility of education programs and higher education opportunities to incarcerated persons; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study increasing the accessibility of education programs and higher education opportunities to incarcerated persons.  In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) evaluate the existing education program for prisoners in Virginia, including the advantages and benefits of the program for prisoners, their families, and the community, and its effect on recidivism; (ii) identify program needs, including ways to accommodate more inmates, and recommend solutions; (iii) review prisoner education programs in other states; (iv) consider financial aid alternatives to assist inmates in accessing college, and ways to fund college education programs for prisoners in the Commonwealth; (v) examine the relationship between poor educational opportunities, delinquency, unidentified learning disabilities, and crime; (vi) determine the number of inmates with learning disabilities, and the average reading level of inmates in state and local adult and juvenile correctional institutions; and (vii) consider such other related matters as the joint subcommittee may deem necessary and appropriate to satisfy the objectives of this study.

The joint subcommittee shall submit its executive summary to the 2008 and 2009 Sessions of the General Assembly, and submit its final report to the 2009 Session of the General Assembly.

S.J.R. 364 School boards; JLARC to study implications of granting fiscal autonomy to those elected.

Patron: Blevins

Study; fiscal autonomy for elected school boards; report.  Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study implications of granting fiscal autonomy to elected school boards in the Commonwealth. In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall (i) examine state constitutional and statutory issues regarding school board supervisory authority, (ii) study the respective roles of local school boards and the relevant local governing body in delivering and funding public education, (iii) examine fiscal authority models in other states; and (iv) consider such other issues as it deems appropriate.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission must submit an executive summary of its findings and recommendations to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.

S.J.R. 365 Innovative housing policies and programs; Housing Commission to study granting authority to local.

Patron: Whipple

Study; Virginia Housing Commission; feasibility of granting additional authority to local government to develop innovative housing policies and programs; report.  Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study the feasibility of increasing the statutory options and tools that are available to localities to develop more innovative housing policies.

S.J.R. 366 Affordable housing; Housing Commission to study state incentives for targeted develoopment, etc.

Patron: Whipple

Study; Virginia Housing Commission; state incentives for targeted affordable housing development and regional planning initiatives; report.  Directs the Virginia Housing Commission to study state incentives for (i) developments that locate affordable housing near identified employment centers, high-density districts, and transit areas including acknowledgement of the impact of commuting on affordable housing, and (ii) local jurisdictions that participate in regional planning efforts for projected job growth impact analysis that includes all income ranges and housing types.

S.J.R. 372 Health insurance; joint subcommittee to study feasibility of state-wide experience pool for educator

Patron: Norment

Study; health insurance experience pool for educators; Report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of a state-wide health insurance experience pool for educators. The joint subcommittee must submit its findings and recommendations to the 2008 Session of the General Assembly.

S.J.R. 378 Teen driver training programs; joint subcommittee to study revision of curriculum therefor.

Patron: O'Brien

Study; revision of teen driver training program curricula.  Establishes a 10-member joint subcommittee to study revision of the curriculum for teen driver training programs.

S.J.R. 380 Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; joint subcommittee to study enhanced development of cargo, etc.

Patron: Rerras

Study; Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; report. Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the enhanced development of cargo, space exploration, and space tourism at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. In conducting its study, the joint subcommittee shall (i) identify any federal or state regulatory impediments, including taxation, to the development of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport; (ii) identify threats to the spaceport%92s viability, such as encroachment, zoning, mineral exploration and exploitation, and noncompatible uses of the spaceport; (iii) identify potential economic development opportunities and marketing strategies to attract launch companies to Virginia; (iv) identify potential state legal barriers to human spaceflight, including liability and assumption of risk issues; (v) identify specific areas where the Commonwealth needs to invest in infrastructure and marketing in order to enable the achievement of the spaceport's full potential; and (vi) develop a long-term strategic plan to make the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport the premiere commercial hub for space travel in the United States.

S.J.R. 381 Abortions; Joint Commission on Health Care to study reasons women obtain.

Patron: Puckett

Study; reasons women obtain abortions; report.  Directs the Joint Commission on Health Care to study reasons women obtain abortions.

S.J.R. 382 Supreme Court of Virginia; JLARC to study efficiency of summons form published thereby.

Patron: Obenshain

Study; efficiency of summons form; report.  Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study whether the current version of the summons form published by the Supreme Court of Virginia could be amended in such a way as to be more efficient. Currently, a separate summons form must be filled out for each crime even if a single accused is charged with multiple crimes.

S.J.R. 385 Fuel-efficient vehicles and transportation funding; joint subcommittee to study.

Patron: Wagner

Study; fuel efficiency and transportation funding; report.  Creates a 12-member joint subcommittee to study long-term funding solutions for transportation that do not depend on the motor vehicle fuels tax. The development of alternative fuels and fuel-efficient vehicles has many benefits for the Commonwealth, but will inversely affect the revenue generated by the motor vehicles fuels tax due to decreased consumption. The joint subcommittee would also be directed to study ways to encourage and promote the use of alternative-fuels and fuel-efficient vehicles.

S.J.R. 390 Health care providers; joint subcommittee to study feasibility of offering liability protection.

Patron: Newman

Study; health care provider liability; report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of offering liability protections to health care providers rendering aid during a state or local emergency. The joint subcommittee shall examine the estimated benefits to the citizens of the Commonwealth of enhanced liability protections for health care providers during emergencies as well as determine how many other states provide these kinds of liability protections.

S.J.R. 393 Real property tax classifications and homestead exemption program; joint subcommittee to study.

Patron: Norment

Study; real property tax.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of multiple real property tax classifications; specifically, separate tax treatment for residential, agricultural, and commercial real property and a homestead exemption program.  Created for two years, the eight-member joint subcommittee will examine: (i) the practices of other states that allow different tax rates for different classes of real property or provide a homestead exemption program for an owner-occupied principal residence; (ii) whether separate tax rate classes or a homestead exemption program would improve the real property tax and its equity; (iii) the advantages and disadvantages of these options; and (iv) whether Virginia should implement either or both of these programs.

S.J.R. 395 Substance abuse; JLARC to study impact of issue related thereto on state & local fiscal expenditure.

Patron: Hanger

Study; Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission; substance abuse issues that impact state and local fiscal expenditures; report.  Directs JLARC to study the impact of issues related to substance abuse on state and local fiscal expenditures in order to address ongoing social, family, health, law enforcement, and educational problems caused by substance abuse that require prevention and treatment.

S.J.R. 401 Open-space & Farmlands; Joint Sub. Studying Funding Sources for Purchase of Development Rights.

Patron: Hanger

Study; continues the joint subcommittee studying long-term funding for the purchase of development rights to preserve open-space and farmlands; report.  Continues for an additional year the joint subcommittee studying long-term funding sources for the purchase of development rights to preserve open-space land and farmlands.

S.J.R. 402 Children with disabilities; JLARC to study financial impact of mandating services under Act.

Patron: Hanger

Study; financial impact of mandating services under the Comprehensive Services Act for all children with disabilities or in need of foster care services in Virginia; report.  Directs JLARC to study the fiscal impact of mandating services under the CSA for all children with disabilities or in need of foster care services in Virginia and to report thereon.

S.J.R. 404 Eminent domain; JLARC to conduct comprehensive study of use thereof by governmental entities.

Patron: Norment

Study; eminent domain; report. Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study which state entities are using the power of eminent domain, why they are using it, how often they use it, the average duration of a condemnation, the average differential in value between condemnor and condemee, and the indirect costs of eminent domain in the Commonwealth.

S.J.R. 418 Judicial circuits; joint Senate & House Committees for Courts of Justice to study redistricting.

Patron: McDougle

Study; redistricting the judicial circuits; report.  Establishes a joint committee of the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice and the House Committee for Courts of Justice to study redistricting the judicial circuits.

S.J.R. 419 Gang prevention activities; joint subcommittee to study availability and efficacy thereof.

Patron: Miller

Study; gang prevention activities and funding; report.  Establishes a joint subcommittee to study the availability and efficacy of gang prevention activities with particular attention paid to the potential availability of funding for these activities.