Representative Rob Broxom
Hi! I’m Rob Broxom, this week’s Capitol Reporter.
The subcommittee has a full agenda. The subcommittee is where bills are fully heard in the House of Commons. Only the most common bills go directly to the full committee. At the subcommittee, testimony will be heard and a series of questions will be allowed. The bill’s supporters present the bill’s arguments, then the proponents testify, followed by the opponents. The agency’s head and governor’s administration are asking any questions the subcommittee may have about the proposal. Bills are amended by subcommittees and sometimes replaced by entirely new bills.
This process is difficult to follow online and can be difficult to follow in person. The public cannot see the new changes until the amendments or substitutions are approved by the committee. As Patron of the Bill, I will endeavor to circulate the changes to the members of the Commission prior to the meeting so that they will have the opportunity to read them. It may not be possible to give the committee an advance copy. This is true of many bills, and delegates may vote against a bill in a subcommittee only to prevent it from appearing in the uncontested column. This warns other delegates to take a closer look at the bill.
Once the bill reaches the entire committee, a brief description of the bill is read, followed by a vote on the bill. If a bill passes the subcommittee, it usually passes the House and awaits hearings in the Senate.
This week, I will focus on the bills that the governor and the current administration have asked me to introduce. I started with his five bills, but he had one withdrawn due to a conflict with federal law. Three are what I consider to be the undisputed “improve the functioning of government”.
The first is to allow local governments to use VRA bond pools to fund housing projects. This is another tool that helps local governments create more housing inventories. The second is the release of incentive payouts for Rocket Lab expansion.
The third is to ensure the state complies with FEMA and the Federal Flood Insurance Program.
However, the fourth is a little more controversial. Restricts foreign governments from purchasing Virginia farmland. The bill has six different alternatives, and the Department of Agriculture, Office of the Attorney General, and Office of the Governor are trading new versions. This is not yet documented, but should be actively discussed. I look forward to the discussion.
There are still four weeks left in this legislative session, but we will keep you updated on the legislation as it progresses through this legislative process. You can also track your billing progress. https://lis.virginia.gov.
We welcome you to visit our office here in Pocahontasville.
Please contact our office if you are coming to Richmond.
Set up an appointment at 804-698-1000. If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact my staff or me by calling the Richmond office or district office at 757-824-3456.You can also email me [email protected].
Until next week,
Rob
