City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 8, 2021
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Update on the 2021 Virginia General Assembly Session.
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ISSUE: Update on the 2021 General Assembly Session.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council receive staff's update on the 2021 General Assembly session.
DISCUSSION: The 2021 General Assembly Session began on Wednesday, January 13. Coming off a months-long special session, Republicans in the Senate and House of Delegates intended to keep the session to the 30-day constitutional limit on "short" legislative sessions. Typically, the legislature extends short sessions to 46 days, but any extension requires approval from two-thirds of both chambers.
However, with Democrats holding the majority in each body of the General Assembly as well as the Governor's office, the House and Senate majority leadership worked with the Governor's office to put a plan in place to extend session to the "traditional" 46-days. On Thursday, February 4, the Governor issued a proclamation extending the current legislative session. While the proclamation does not have an end date, there is an agreement between the administration and legislative leaders that the intent is to create a 46-day session. The special session will last from February 10 to February 27.
The General Assembly continues to meet virtually. The members of the Senate, along with some Senate staff, are convening in person at the Science Museum of Virginia, and are holding committee meetings and floor session from that location. Members of the House of Delegates are convening entirely virtually, with House members participating in subcommittee meetings, committee meetings, and floor session remotely from their location of choice. In both the Senate and the House, outside participants - including lobby...
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