Transportation

Teleworking Tax Credit: Provides income tax credit to businesses who allow their employees to work from home. (HB 2437)

Creates the Commonwealth Transportation Investment Fund: This legislation will take some existing transportation related revenues and dedicate them to transportation through bonding, allowing the Commonwealth to leverage our ability to spent billions on transportation projects immediately. (HB 2440)

Increasing hours of operation of HOV lanes: Extends High-occupancy vehicle lanes (HOV) hours in Northern Virginia. (HB 2441)

Dynamic usage of HOV lanes: Requires VDOT to dynamically change the direction and times of operation for Northern Virginia HOV lanes, based upon congestion and usage. (HB 2444)

Statewide Noise Abatement Policy: Requires each locality in Virginia to establish a noise-abatement policy for new developments within their jurisdiction. (HB 2449)

Transportation Trust Fund: A Constitutional Amendment locking up the transportation trust fund, preventing those funds from being used for non-transportation related purposes. (HJ 558)

Joint Committee to study Urban Partnership Agreement: This legislation would create a joint study committee to look at entering into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation to implement a congestion pricing demonstration in Northern Virginia. (HJ 691)

Growth/Development

Impact Fees: Would require developers to pay local government for the financial impacts of their new developments on schools, roads, and other public infrastructure. (HB 2679)

Prohibit Political Contributions from Developers: A bill to ban political contributions from developers to local elected officials. This bill will take the politics out of our development decisions and add more common sense. (HB 3012)

Publication of Land-Use Decisions: Requires that if a local government approves a rezoning for a development where the transportation infrastructure is not adequate, and no plans are funded to make that infrastructure adequate, the local government must publish in local papers their decision to approve the development, irrespective of the consequences. (HB 3060)

Linking land-use and transportation decisions: Urges local governments to create urban transportation service districts. Since localities already make land-use decisions, this legislation would now empower them to make local road decisions. The bill would also give these localities impact fee authority, and affirm their ability to reject rezoning requests if transportation infrastructure is not in place. (to be filed)

Budget/Taxes

The Keep Our Promise Act of 2007: Restores the program to completely phase out the car tax and eliminates all caps on that relief. (HB 1615)

General Assembly Budget Office: Establishes a legislative budget office as a check to the executive budget office. (HB 1619)

Reinstate Senior Tax Deduction: Reinstates the $6,000 and $12,000 senior tax deduction for taxpayers aged 62 and older. (HB 2439)

Real Estate Property Tax Cap: Legislation that imposes a one percent plus inflation limit on the increase in property/home value assessments, and a one percent limit on increase in the property tax rate annually until the property is sold or significantly improved upon. (HJ 559)

Spending Limits: A constitutional amendment limiting the growth of state spending. This will keep out-of-control state spending in check. (HJ 684)

Health Care

Tax Credit for Small Businesses that provide health insurance: Legislation allowing businesses of 50 employees or less to be eligible for tax credit if they provide health insurance to their employees. (HB 1616)

Small Business

Elimination of "True-Object" Test: Eliminates unfair tax structure that puts Virginia businesses at a disadvantage to businesses in other states. (HB 1620)

Repeal of BPOL Tax: Repeals the tax established to pay for Virginia's efforts in the War of 1812. This is an unfair tax that requires even unprofitable businesses to pay. (HB 2443)

Education

Require 65% of each education dollar be spent in the classroom: Require school districts to spend at least 65 cents of every K-12 education dollar in the classroom. This would result in an influx of education resources into the classroom, without a tax increase. (HB 1617)

Community College Transfer Grant program: Establishes this program that will provide a fund for community college students receiving their associate's degree who have strong academic performance to transfer to a Virginia 4-year institution at the same tuition rates they paid at the community college they graduated from. (HB 2436)

A textbooks for every student: This legislation requires that public school students be supplied with textbooks and other materials for use at home. (HB 2556)

Immigration

State Police to be permitted to enforce immigration laws: This legislation would ask the Governor to enter into an agreement with the federal government to permit State Police to enforce federal immigration laws, should the officer chose to do so. (HB 1618)

Waiting period for marriage licenses: Surrounding states have waiting periods on marriage, but Virginia doesn't. For illegal immigrants looking to enter into sham marriages for their green cards, Virginia is a prime target. (HB 2445)

Security and Immigration Compliance Act: This legislation would do a number of things to increase Virginia's homeland security, and to provide disincentives to illegal aliens to come or remain in Virginia, as well as punishing businesses who hire illegal aliens. (HB 2448)

Military

In-State Tuition for Military Personnel Stationed in Virginia and Dependants: Corrects problem of military personnel who reside in the Commonwealth, but their duty station is outside Virginia, it would entitle all active-duty military personnel stationed in Virginia, and their dependants, in-state tuition at Virginia higher education institutions. (HB 2438)

Property Tax Exemption for 100% Disabled Vets: This bill will bring Virginia in line with other states that give 100% disabled veterans personal property tax and real estate tax exemptions. (HJ 717)

Other

Housing Assistance: Gives local government the ability to establish workforce housing programs. (HB 2446)

Security freezes on credit reports: Permits citizens to put a freeze on their credit should they feel that they are or will be the victim of identity fraud. (HB 2681)

Budget Amendments

• Additional state funds to widen Route 1 in eastern Prince William County.
  

• State funds for various transportation improvements around eastern Prince William County.
  

• Increased funding for Belmont Bay Science Center, Marine Corps Heritage Center and eastern Prince William heritage and historical sites.
  

• Expanded Commuter Parking at Horner Road facility.