Weekly Update: Liberals Killing Good Bills, Passing Pointless Ones!
This week (Week 5) kicked off the second half of the 2021 General Assembly session, which includes tacking on a 16-day Special Session called by the Governor to complete work on bills and to make amendments to the two-year state budget. In the final few weeks of session, we’ll be focused on some remaining bills that will have serious implications for individual and religious liberty and the sanctity of life.
While we are thankful that bills to expand abortion on demand, legalize physician assisted siucide, and repeal Virginia’s hallmark school choice program for low-income families were not introduced this year, we are disappointed that some really good bills failed that would have provided much needed assistance to families and small businesses, strengthened parental rights, and limited executive powers. Here are a few examples:
Prohibit the Dept. of Health from Communicating with children about sex, sexuality, human reproduction, without parents’ knowledge - SB 1235 (R-Peake).
Create an education voucher to be used at another public or a private school in the event that in-person instruction is not available - HB 1742 (R-Webert).
Permit the local school board to use federal CARES Act funds to reimburse parents for tutoring services or other related education costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic - HB 2090 (R-Cox).
Provide a voucher for parents with children who have an individualized education plan (IEP) to use at a private school of their choice, equal to the amount appropriated for public schools - HB 2225 (R-Davis).
Affirm in statute the fundamental right to be free from medical mandates from the government, private employers, health care entities, or providers of public accommodations. - HB 2335 (R-Walker).
Protect individual freedom by prohibiting the state from forcing Virginians to get a COVID-19 vaccine despite sincere religious objections - HB 2268 (R-Cole), SB 1116 and SB 1117 (R-Peake).
Re-establish Separation of Powers and place time limits on Executive rules and orders - SB 1378 (R-Newman), SB 1131 (R-Suetterlein), HB 2087 (R-Cox), HB 2149 (R-Adams)
Require as part of Virginia’s Family Life Education curriculum that public school students be presented a video recording of a live ultrasound of an unborn baby - HB 2244 (R-LaRock). Click HERE to read more.
As disappointing as it was to see these bills defeated, we can’t take our eyes off the remaining bills - both good and bad - that will have an impact on families. Below are some of the major bills we’re still tracking this session:
Good bills
In-Person Learning Option - SB 1303 (R-Dunnavant) requires every public school district to give parents the option for their child to attend school in-person, like some localities are offering. Passed the Senate 26-13 and referred to the House Education Committee.
Ensuring Pastor Visitation - SB 1356 (R-Kiggans) requires the Boards of Health and Social Services to include in its regulations a requirement that each hospital, nursing home, certified nursing facility, hospice, and assisted living facility allow patients or residents to receive visits from a rabbi, priest, minister, or clergyman upon request during a declared public health emergency. Passed the Senate 39-0 and referred to the House Health, Welfare, and Institutions committee.
Bad bills that died...for now
“Nanny State” Bill - HB 1864 (D-Price) would treat anyone who hires just one person, even if it’s part-time (a few hours a week), as an in-home nanny, babysitter, or tutor for their child, as an “employer” and open them up to civil lawsuits for “discrimination” under the Human Rights Act by the Attorney General and/or disgruntled applicants or former employees. (Click HERE to read more.) The bill failed in the Senate General Laws committee on a 7-7 tie vote, but it could be resurrected this week. Stay tuned.
Still fighting these dangerous bills
Repeal Religious Conscience Protections for Foster Care / Adoption Agencies - HB 1932 (D-Levine) would repeal conscience protections for faith-based child placement agencies that allows them to work with prospective foster and adoptive parents who share the same beliefs. A substitute version was approved by a Senate committee that would leave certain protections in place but would specifically repeal the provision that protects faith-based agencies’ ability to contract with the state to provide services, and it would further require the faith-based agencies whose policies precluded them from approving certain applicants (e.g. some only place children with a mom and a dad, thereby precluding same-sex couples) to refer those individuals to a list of other private agencies and to send their information to the Department of Social Services. It still preserves the provision of the law that allows them to maintain their license with the state - without violating their deeply held beliefs about marriage - and presumably to continue providing their valuable services without any state funds. Substitute version passed the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services with a substitute 8-7. The bill will be voted on by the full Senate this week.
Legalized Marijuana - SB 1406 (D-Ebbin) and HB 2312 (D-Herring) would legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The evidence from various studies and the experiences of other states clearly show that doing so will lead to more addiction, mental illness, suicide, traffic deaths, and much more. The two massive bills contain significant policy differences, which means they will likely end up going to a conference committee to resolve any differences before final votes. (Click HERE to learn more about the dangers of legalized marijuana.). And Click here to listen to Del. Leftwich's testimony on the bill. HB 2312 was reported 8-6 from Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services and 13-3 by Senate Finance; SB 1406 was passed 15-6 by House General Laws.
(The Other) “Nanny State” Bill - SB 1310 (D-McClellan) is similar to HB 1864 (see above), except SB 1310 goes even further by authorizing the Health Department “to enter without delay” the home/premises “to inspect, investigate, and take samples,” and it creates numerous requirements for families hiring a “domestic worker.” Passed the Senate 21-18 and referred to House Commerce and Labor.
Repealing and Replacing Natural Marriage - HJ 582 (D-Sickles) and SJ 270 (D-Ebbin) seek to amend the Virginia Constitution to remove language affirming natural marriage and replace it with language that would recognize all marriage licenses “regardless of sex or gender of the parties to the marriage.” These would enshrine in the state constitution the right to “marriage” between individuals of the same sex even if the 2015 Obergefell opinion is eventually overturned by the newly comprised Supreme Court. HJ 582 Passed Senate Privileges and Elections and SJ 270 Passed House Privileges and Elections 14-8. Both should be voted on in the full House and Senate this week.
Health Exchange Coverage of Abortion - SB 1276 (D-McClellan) and HB 1896 (D-Hudson) would allow coverage of abortion on demand in health insurance plans in Virginia's Obamacare health exchange. Taxes pay for managing the exchange and for subsidizing health plans in many cases. SB 1276 was reported 13-9 by Senate Commerce and Labor. No action yet on HB 1896.
“Workplace Harassment” based on SOGI - HB 2155 (D-Watts) would punish virtually all private employer/ees for dissenting over the LGBTQ ideology. It would make any “direct or indirect” and “verbal or nonverbal” conduct on the basis of “sexual orientation,” or “gender identity”, etc. “workplace harassment” - even when the alleged act occurs outside the workplace. (SB 1360 died in the Senate). HB 2155 Passed the House 54-44 and was referred to Senate General Laws and Technology.
Conscience Protections for Genetic Counseling - SB 1178 (D-Ebbin) seeks to eliminate the religious conscience protections for genetic counselors who assist a patient in understanding certain genetic tests and any inheritable diseases, which could be used to choose an abortion or the destruction of a human embryo.(Click HERE to read more.) Passed 6-0 in a House Health, Welfare & Institutions subcommittee.
Suicide Decriminalization - HB 1951 (D-Simon) repeals the common-law crime of suicide, which will remove legal obstacles that could open the door to physician-assisted suicide. Passed the House 66-34 and referred to Senate Judiciary.
Expanding Who Can Become a Parent - SB 1321 (D-Boysko) would amend current law to allow “a person with a legitimate interest” to file a petition to the circuit court for adoption of a child. This bill could potentially allow a live-in boyfriend or same-sex partner to be able to petition the court for adoption. Passed the Senate 24-13 and referred to House Health, Welfare and Institutions.
Prioritize Aging Services on SOGI - SB 1366 (D-Barker) and HB 1805 (D-Adams) would require the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services to prioritize aging services to older persons based upon their “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” SB 1366 Passed the Senate 23-16 and referred to House Health, Welfare and Institutions; HB 1805 passed Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services 11-1-1.
Cultural Competency Training - SB 1196 (D-Locke) and HB 1904 (D-Jenkins) would require anyone seeking a teacher licensure to be trained in the vague and undefined notion of “cultural competency.” SB 1196 Passed the Senate 22-16; HB 1904 passed the House 59-41.
There’s only a few weeks left of session, but we’ll continue to monitor the remaining bills, as well as the budget process, and provide you with any updates. We will never stop defending biblical values in the public square.
