Senator Creigh Deeds

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You are here: Home / Archives for Equal Rights Amendment

Session Update — January 17, 2020

January 17, 2020 by Creigh Deeds

The first full work week of the 2020 General Assembly, the week beginning January 13, has fulfilled its promise of being hectic, frustrating and productive.

The 2020 Session has of course seen new majorities. In the Senate, where Democrats and Republicans have traded the majority several times over the past 12 years, work proceeds. Redistricting and demographic change meant that this Democratic majority is significantly different than past ones. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Virginia General Assembly 2020 Tagged With: Equal Rights Amendment, mental health policy, Senate procedures, state parks, Voting Rights

2020 Session is Underway

January 8, 2020 by Creigh Deeds

Ray Wylie Hubbard is a Texas troubadour, who I guess is an acquired taste. In the 1970s he wrote “Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother.” Later he wrote “Snake Farm” and co-wrote “Drunken Poet’s Dream.” He is worth the price of admission if you ever get the chance to go to a live show. A line from one of his more recent songs is “and the days that I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, well, I have really good days.”

This is good advice for the Democratic voters who elected majorities to both houses of the General Assembly in 2019.

With a majority in both houses, we have incredible opportunities to do good things. I expect us to fulfill reasonable expectations. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Virginia General Assembly 2020 Tagged With: Dillon Rule, Equal Rights Amendment

Almost to Crossover

February 1, 2019 by Creigh Deeds

The 2019 Session has almost reached crossover, the point at which the Senate and House can only consider legislation introduced in the other chamber. While the date falls just past the midpoint of each session, it is considered halftime. The big issues remain unresolved.

Hundreds of bills have been discussed and have met their fates. For example, the ERA does not appear that it will pass although there was talk of resurrecting the legislation in the House. Many of the Governor’s gun safety proposals were rejected in both the House and the Senate. While many more conversations remain on the transportation bills, many of the big issues seem unresolved. The budget remains in the state of flux. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Virginia General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Equal Rights Amendment, gun safety, health care costs, K-12 funding, mental health policy, state parks, Virginia budget, Virginia transportation funding, Virginia transportation policy

You Win Some, You Lose Some

January 18, 2019 by Creigh Deeds

The first full week of the General Assembly is now under our belts. A few significant bills have reached the floor, but most are awaiting action in committee. The committees are running full bore. Visitors from around the Commonwealth fill the halls trying to meet their legislators and talk about issues of concern to them, but often legislators are running from commitment to commitment. The constitutional limit on the session does not allow for breaks.

Under Virginia’s Constitution, the General Assembly meets for 60 days in even-numbered years and 30 days in odd years. The sessions can be extended by a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly; traditionally the short session is extended to 46 days. The daily count includes weekends, holidays, snow days and every day until we adjourn. In Virginia, odd years are election years, which can drive the introduction of more bills. While we do not typically work on weekends, we do not stop for holidays or bad weather. This can present real challenges during these winter months. Some legislators may have difficulty getting back to Richmond from their districts, or even getting to the Capitol from within the city limits.

The legislature could address this in a number of ways. We could work on weekends, which is not unprecedented. Back in the ’90s, House of Delegates committees met frequently on weekends. Occasionally we held floor sessions on Sundays. This approach would cause some people discomfort but would not require constitutional change, unlike other alternatives. We could simply write into the Constitution that the weekends do not count, which would extend the session out a few weeks. Or we could just extend the session to 60 days every year. Every odd year, we try to cram 60 days’ worth of work into 46 days.

This past week saw the Senate pass legislation on a 26-14 vote to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The bill now moves to the House of Delegates for consideration. All along, I felt this bill would pass the Senate if it came to floor. The real test will be in the House of Delegates. The primary effort will be to get it out of committee, as I expect it has the support of a majority of delegates. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Virginia General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Equal Rights Amendment, gun safety, mental health policy, Senate procedures, state parks, Virginia transportation policy

2019 Session is Underway

January 11, 2019 by Creigh Deeds

The 2019 Session of the General Assembly is underway. This is a short session, set to adjourn on the 23rd of February. The Session began with a committee meeting and a speech from the Governor. 

Usually it takes several days of preliminary work before the real action begins. This year, however, on the first day of session, the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections met to consider certain constitutional amendments. Most constitutional amendments simply aim to put a matter on the ballot to let the people decide. Typically I have had no problem putting things on the ballot so the people could have their voices heard. The one notable exception to the rule this year was the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The ERA legislation does not require a ballot initiative rather it only requires ratification by the Virginia General Assembly to make the ERA part of the U.S. Constitution. 

[Read more…]
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Filed Under: Virginia General Assembly 2019 Tagged With: Equal Rights Amendment, opioid crisis, Virginia budget, Virginia transportation funding, Virginia transportation policy

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2021 Virginia General Assembly

2021 Session Preview

December 30, 2020 By Creigh Deeds

As 2020 is draws to a close, I cannot help but reflect on the unusual nature of this year as we prepare for the 2021 Session. From a legislative perspective, the regular session lasted 65 days, and we convened again in August for a 84-day special session. Of course, the General Assembly did not meet […]

Important Upcoming Dates

December 30, 2020 By Creigh Deeds

  • Budget hearings on January 6
  • January 13 is the first day of the 2021 Session
  • January 15 is the Senate budget amendment deadline
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2020 Virginia General Assembly

The Special Session Continues

September 14, 2020

We knew back in April that we would need to return to Richmond for a special session to address budgetary issues. The pandemic dramatically reduced the amount of revenue flowing into Virginia’s tax coffers. We experienced a $2.7 billion budget shortfall and have seen nearly every aspect of state government impacted by the pandemic. Budgetary matters, for the most part have yet to be considered. The first few weeks of this special session has been consumed by other issues, such as the eviction crisis and utility bills, and by criminal justice reform. [Read More…]

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More Newsletters from the 2020 Session of the Virginia General Assembly

Virginia General Assembly 2019

Major Accomplishments in Richmond This Week!

The General Assembly returned to Richmond on April 3 for our 2019 reconvened session to consider gubernatorial vetoes and amendments. The governor has 30 days from the adjournment of the regular session to sign, veto, or offer amendments to legislation. The authority of Virginia’s governor to amend legislation is atypical compared to the president and many other governors. This power provides an opportunity to impact policy in a significant way. [Read More…]

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