The General Assembly begins its “short” 46-day session today. As of this morning—before the session officially started at noon—over 900 pieces of legislation had been introduced. Legislation of interest to Virginia’s Community Colleges is identified, monitored, and tracked carefully and is located on the VaHigherEd site on the legislative tracking page. This list is refreshed daily, and is a good place for keeping up with legislation of importance to the VCCS.

VCCS Priorities

Priorities for Virginia’s Community Colleges include:

• preserving the Governor’s recommended funding for our core operating needs,
• endorsing the Governor’s budget proposal of an additional $3 million to bolster customized training and workforce development,
• amending the transfer grant law to help more families and students, and
• seeking $2.5 million in funding for pre-planning money for ten capital projects at community colleges around the state, projects which when completed will enhance STEM education and promote affordable college access.  

A downloadable list of priorities is available. These priorities are supported by work this fall of the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education, Reform, Innovation and Investment and the Governor’s Economic Development and Jobs Creation Commission.

What will dominate the Session in 2011?

Three other issues will likely dominate the 2011 General Assembly session:  the Governor’s proposal to privatize the current alcoholic beverage operation and distribution system, reform of the Virginia Retirement System requiring employees to begin paying a portion of their retirement costs, and redistricting.

The latest version of ABC plan includes having the state retain control of the wholesale operation and privatizing the retail portion, with 1,000 new licenses to be auctioned off in tiers to retailers. The apportionment of the licenses would be based on population; all current ABC stores would close, and their employees would be eligible for severance pay under the Workforce Transition Act. This plan is estimated to generate $200 to $400 million, which would be earmarked for transportation. 

Considerable time and attention will also be devoted to the issue of who pays for employees hired before July 1, 2010 who are covered by the Virginia Retirement System. A study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission estimated that state and K-12 teacher plans are currently underfunded by $17.6 billion. Moreover, it is documented that Virginia is one of only a handful of states which pay the entire employer and employee share of retirement costs.  The Governor’s budget unveiled in December included a recommendation that employees covered under VRS begin to pay 5% of their retirement costs. Although the Governor’s budget also recommended a 3% salary increase for these employees, the net effect is a 2% contribution to VRS that employees are not currently paying.

The General Assembly will also pursue legislation to begin the process of redistricting. Governor McDonnell established his Independent Advisory Commission on Redistricting this week. Legislation will be filed to set the process in motion and to establish a special session of the General Assembly later this spring and summer to finalize plans, which will then be filed with the Department of Justice. Final approval of the new districts will not be likely until the 2012 General Assembly session.

posted by Ellen Davenport