City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 7, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: SARAH G. TAYLOR, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Update on the 2023 Virginia General Assembly Session.
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ISSUE: Update on the 2023 General Assembly Session.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council approve the legislative positions included in Attachment 1 (Recommended Positions on Bills of Impact to the City), as recommended by Council’s Legislative Subcommittee (Mayor Wilson and Councilmember McPike) at their January 27 meeting.
BACKGROUND: The 2023 General Assembly Session began on Wednesday, January 11. The 2023 Session is a “short” 45-day Session and will adjourn sine die on Saturday, February 25. Other dates of note for the 2023 Session include:
• Wednesday, February 15 is the last day to act on Budget Bills and revenue bills of other house and appoint conferees; and
• Monday, February 20 is the last day for committee action on remaining bills.
Sarah Graham Taylor, the City’s Legislative Director, will continue to represent the City at the General Assembly during the 2023 General Assembly Session.
Recommended positions on 368 bills have already been completed by staff, approved by the Legislative Subcommittee, and are included in the attached documents for your approval.
Legislative Package - The City’s 2023 Legislative Package (Attachment 2) has the proposals organized into two sections - Legislative Principles and Legislative Priorities.
The section of Legislative Principles is structured around City Council Priorities and creates a clear nexus between the City’s goals and the legislative and funding measures necessary for us to achieve these goals. In general, the Legislative Principles are broadly crafted and focus on comprehensive legislative strategies rather than specific legislative tactics.
A number of pieces of legislation that align with and support the City’s Legislative Principles have been filed, including bills related to voter access, energy efficiency, marriage equality, common sense gun legislation, recycling, mitigation of inland flooding, eviction prevention, and the preservation and expansion of affordable housing.
The City’s Legislative Priorities are, generally, specific revenue and legislative proposals that the City has identified as the issues of greatest impact to the City. These are the issues the City intends to continue expending significant political capital on and the issues that we intend to ask our General Assembly delegation to engage in on behalf of the City.
DISCUSSION: Legislation this session that aligns with and supports the City’s Legislative Priorities includes legislation to:
• Provide the City with authority to establish a locally administered health department (SB 1344);
• Provide localities with authority to enforce the life/health/safety provisions of the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (HB 1650);
• Extending the “pay or quit” period for tenants facing eviction from 5 to 14 days (HB 1830);
• Changing the word “handicapped” in code to reflect person first language, including “persons with disabilities” (HB 1450, SB 798);
• Removing the surety bond requirement for members of the Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission (SB 942, HB 2371);
• Expanding the membership of the current Joint Subcommittee on Recurrent Flooding to include members from urban and rural localities that experience riverine and stormwater flooding as well as additional subject matter experts (HJ 516, SJ 243);
• Allow law enforcement agencies to hire individuals who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence who have resided in the United States for no less than 60 months and who are both eligible for and have applied for United States citizenship (HB 1994);
• Make the Unlawful Detainer Form more accessible and navigable to pro se litigants, with a focus on plain language/plain English materials and translation opportunities (HB 1996); and
• Establishes a refundable income tax credit for taxable years 2023 through 2027 for individuals who purchase one or more firearm safety devices (HB 2387).
On Sunday, February 5, the Senate Finance Committee and House Appropriations Committees released their amendments to the Governor’s recommended State budget, HB 1400 and SB 800. Differences between the Senate and House budgets will be worked out through the budget conference committee process.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Recommended Positions on Bills of Impact to the City Discussed at the January 27, 2023, Legislative Subcommittee Meeting.
2. City of Alexandria 2023 Legislative Package
STAFF:
Sarah Taylor, Assistant City Manager, Legislative Director
Alexis Quinn, Management Analyst, Legislative Aide