Democratic Delegates and Senators to Hold Public Safety Press Conference

Democratic Delegates and Senators to Hold Public Safety Press Conference

RICHMOND, VA — As Congress and state legislatures around the country consider new safety measures in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy, Democratic members of the House and Senate will hold a press conference about steps to enhance public safety on Thursday, January 17th at 11:00 AM in the House Briefing Room.

Senators Donald McEachin, Mark Herring, and Ralph Northam and Delegates David Toscano, Delores McQuinn, and Alfonso Lopez will present legislation to improve mental health services, prohibit military-grade weapons, institute universal background checks, and provide local school districts the flexibility needed to implement sound school security policies. Lori Haas, the mother of a survivor of the Virginia Tech massacre, will speak from her perspective as a family member of someone who survived gun violence.

WHO: Democratic Members of the Virginia Senate and House
WHAT: Public Safety Press Conference
WHERE: House Briefing Room
WHEN: TODAY, Thursday, January 17th at 11:00 AM

McEachin and Ebbin to Introduce Bill Protecting LGBT State Employees

McEachin and Ebbin to Introduce Bill Protecting LGBT State Employees

State senators joined by over 45 co-patrons and community leaders supporting SB 701

RICHMOND, VA — Today, Senator Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) and Senator Donald McEachin (D-Henrico) will join co-patrons from the House and Senate to announce support for Senate Bill 701. Equality Virginia and community leaders in support of protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender state employees from discrimination will also be available for comment.

WHO: Senator Donald McEachin, Senator Adam Ebbin, and members of Equality Virginia.
WHAT: SB 701 Press Conference
WHERE: House Briefing Room
WHEN: TODAY, Thursday, January 17th at 9:30 AM

Background

There are currently no employment protections for LGBT state employees in Virginia. Currently there are no workplace protections at the state or federal level for sexual orientation or gender identity and expression. Consistent polling shows that 90% of Virginians believe that LGBT people should have the right to work for the government without discrimination.

Most businesses already extend these protections to their employees, leaving the state government at a competitive disadvantage. In Virginia, most top private employers already extend these protections leaving state government at a competitive disadvantage. Eighty percent of Virginia’s top 25 largest private employers have policies including at least sexual orientation which helps in recruiting and retaining top talent.

Bill Description

“Nondiscrimination in state employment. Prohibits discrimination in state employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or status as a special disabled veteran or other veteran covered by the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended. The bill defines “sexual orientation” as a person’s actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality, or gender identity or expression.”

Delegate Hope: "Expand Medicaid Eligibility for Virginians"

Delegate Patrick Hope Introduces Legislation to Expand

Medicaid Eligibility to More Virginians

Nearly 400,000 Virginians will gain access to health insurance through Expansion

Richmond, VA - Yesterday, Delegate Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) introduced HR 129, to expand Medicaid coverage to several hundred thousand of Virginia’s poorest citizens as envisioned under the Affordable Care Act.  The resolution seeks broad state flexibility to reform Virginia’s Medicaid program, making it sustainable and redesigning the system to make it more efficient, improve quality, and lower costs. 

In a House floor speech asking for support of the resolution Delegate Hope said, “Extending Medicaid without adequate safeguards and sustainable reforms would be a huge mistake.  And reforming Medicaid without extending it would be a costly error.  We must do both.”

Delegate Hope also said, “And if you're worried about the costs of extension, nothing compares to the costs of doing nothing. But let’s do this in a responsible manner.  Let's not squander this opportunity to do what we all want to do: cover more Virginians, make needed reforms to ensure the sustainability of the program, improve our economy, and lower costs.”

Delegate Hope pressed House Republican Leadership to bring the resolution to the floor for a vote saying, “What better message can we send to the Obama Administration to ask for broad state flexibility to take more control over our Medicaid program.  Please give every member of this body the chance vote overwhelmingly to send this bipartisan message to Washington.”

Patrick A. Hope is a Member of the Virginia General Assembly as the Delegate from the 47th District representing part of Arlington County.  He serves on the Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee and House Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee.

Help us Protect Women's Health and Privacy

Tomorrow at 8:30am the Senate Education and Health Committee meets to vote on two bills introduced by Democratic Senators that would overturn Virginia's forced ultrasound bill.  Virginia Republicans last year passed a bill mandating an abdominal ultrasound before an abortion even if the woman did not want one or her doctor did not think it was medically necessary.  

Now is your chance to let the Republicans know what you think and help us protect women's health and privacy.  Call the offices of the Republicans on the Education and Health committee or come to the open committee hearing tomorrow morning at the General Assembly Building (right next to the state capitol in Richmond).

Click here to go to varepublicanoverreach.com for more information on how to act now.

Senate Democrats also have bills overturning Gov. McDonnell's abortion clinic regs that could force some clinics to close. A bill to protect Virginia women's right to contraception will also be heard. 

Last year Virginia Republicans went too far.  This year let's show 'em they need to stop moving Virginia backwards.

Donald McEachinVA Senate Democratic Caucus Chair

Virginia Lawmakers propose gun safety legislation

VIRGINIA LAWMAKERS PROPOSE GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION

Virginia Senator Adam Ebbin and Delegate Patrick Hope purchased handgun and 30-round magazine without undergoing background check

RICHMOND, VA—Virginia State Senator Adam P. Ebbin (D-Alexandria) and Delegate Patrick A. Hope (D-Arlington) have introduced a package of gun safety legislation to require universal background checks on prospective firearms purchasers (SB 1232 / HB 2025), close the gun show loophole, and tighten restrictions on the sale of weapons to the mentally ill (SB 1109 / HB 2221).

SB 1109 and HB 2221 would make it a Class 6 felony to sell firearms to persons found mentally incapacitated or who have been involuntarily admitted.  

Ebbin also introduced legislation to require the reporting of lost or stolen firearms (SB 965) and to outlaw firearms in legislative buildings (SB1012).

"We easily purchased a handgun at a Virginia gun show, without undergoing a background check. Sadly, nearly 40% of all gun sales are conducted without a background check. In the interest of community safety, it's not too much to ask for responsible gun purchasers to undergo a background check to screen for criminal history or history of serious mental illness," the two wrote in a joint statement.

The lawmakers discussed their visit to a gun show in a January 15^thnews conference at the Virginia Capitol. Hope showed the High Standard Sentinel Revolver he bought for $175; because he purchased the gun from a private dealer, he did not have to undergo a background check to screen for a criminal record. "Today, a felon with a violent past can walk into a gun show or go on the Internet and buy any gun with no questions asked,” Hope said. “A law we could pass today, requiring universal background checks for all gun sales, would have an almost immediate impact on gun safety.  No responsible gun owner is afraid of a background check."

Displaying a 30-round ammunition magazine he purchased for $20, Ebbin said, "Buying a 30-round magazine should not be as easy as buying a candy bar.” He noted that a 30-round magazine was used in the recent Newtown, Connecticut tragedy that left 26 dead.

Citing the need to pass SB 965, Ebbin said, “When a gun is stolen, a deadly weapon is in criminal hands—a combination we all want to avoid. Reporting lost or stolen guns can help police avert a tragedy.”

Hope and Ebbin called on Virginians to contact their legislators in support of the gun safety legislation.