This year, there were seven priority bills used to calculate Senate scores. This section provides a summary of the legislation, followed by a description of what happened behind the scenes and a vote count. A red X indicates a bill VALCV opposed, and a green check indicates a VALCV supported bill.
If you would like to research this legislation yourself, visit the Legislative Information System site and search the 2006 General Assembly Session.
SB 93 - Land Preservation Tax Credit. Patron: Senator John Watkins
Restricts tax credits to an aggregate limit of $600,000 or 50% of the fair market value in tax credit for each parcel donated.
This bill would have curtailed Virginia’s current successful land conservation tax credit program by placing restrictions on the allowable easements and capping the monetary values of the easements. The Senate floor vote for passage is included in the Scorecard. (23-Y 14-N 2-A)
SB 225 - Road Impact Fees. Patron: Senator Fred Quayle
Adds the City of Suffolk to those localities authorized to impose road impact fees.
SB 225 was narrowly reported from the Local Government committee (8-Y; 7-N) and went on to passage on the Senate floor. (28-Y; 12-N) It then went over to the House Counties, Cities, and Towns committee where it was “passed by indefinitely” or killed without a recorded vote. Apparently the Tidewater Builders’ Association was opposed to the legislation.
SB 262 - Virginia Energy Plan. Patron: Senator Frank Wagner
Establishes a state energy policy and directs the Division of Energy of the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy to prepare a ten-year plan to implement the Commonwealth’s energy policy by July 1, 2007.
This bill was revised 9 times this year before the final version that Governor Kaine offered was adopted. VALCV supported the Governor’s amendment that improved the bill by addressing offshore gas drilling, nuclear and wind facility siting, and energy tax deductions. This final vote during the reconvened session was problematic though because the House debate centered upon whether the Senate floor vote was procedurally correct. Because it appeared that the votes were affected by the Constitutionality debate, the votes selected for the Scorecard are the floor votes for passage. A vote to oppose the bill is a correct vote. (Senate: 31-Y 6-N; House 74-Y 21-N)
SB 651 - Air Emissions Controls - Governor's Amendment. Patron: Senator Phil Puckett
Establishes a phased schedule for electrical generating units to reduce their emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury and allows regulated facilities to cap and trade.
SB 651 was a coal industry bill introduced to override the regulations on mercury that the State Air Pollution Control Board had sent out for public comment. While the bill was eventually rolled into HB 1055 with some concessions, the bills largely achieved industry goals to permit interstate mercury trading. Governor Kaine amended the bill to improve it by strengthening trading requirements for the Mirant plant. The Scorecard includes the vote to support the Governor’s amendments in the reconvened session. (37-Y 3-NV)
HB 141 - Impact Fees for Transportation. Patron: Delegate Mark Cole
Adds Fauquier, Frederick, and Spotsylvania Counties to those localities authorized to impose impact fees for transportation.
This bill was far less controversial than the Suffolk bill. It appeared that the developers, local officials, and smart growth advocates all supported the bill. The Scorecard shows the Senate floor vote for passage. (31-Y 7-N 2-NV)
HB 665 - Billboard Vegetation Control. Patron: Delegate Leo Wardrup
Establishes a statewide standard for vegetation control around billboards. This bill is identical to SB 87.
This legislation arose from a situation in Virginia Beach in which a billboard owner applied to VDOT for a permit to cut down crepe myrtles in the median of Virginia Beach Boulevard. The permit was rejected because the roads are city-maintained and not within VDOT’s jurisdiction. The vote selected for the Scorecard was the Senate floor vote for passage. (26-Y 12-N 3-AB)
HB 1185 -
Water Protection Permits; Regulation of Agricultural Withdrawals. Patron: Delegate Steve Landes.
Prohibits the requirement of a Virginia Water Protection Permit for any water withdrawal from a privately owned agricultural water facility that is located outside the path of regularly flowing surface waters. Requirements shall only include annual reporting and minimal requirements necessary to maintain in stream flow for the protection of the beneficial uses as stated in the subsection.
House substitute legislation called for a nearly complete exemption from permitting requirements for all agricultural uses of water regardless of their impact upon other riparian landowners and beneficial public uses of water. Senator Hanger was able to get amendments passed on the Senate floor to reinstate protections of instream flows. That Senate floor vote is included in the Scorecard. (26-Y 14-N)
