The Washington Post - 07.03.2020

B4 eZ sU THE WASHINGTON POST.SATURDAy, MARCH 7 , 2020

are many. republican critics, most vocal in the House, say Democrats have been out of power so long that they’ve forgotten how to lead — something Democrats dispute. Senate minority Leader Thom- as K. Norment Jr. (r-James City) has criticized Senate committee chairs for advancing too many bills to the floor — sometimes with contradictory policy objec- tives. Legislators proposed 3,865 bills this year, up from 3,128 the year before. It’s not just the number of bills, but the seismic policy shifts they represent and the prolonged floor debates they trig- ger, said Sen. David W. marsden (D-fairfax). “Getting into the 21st century isn’t easy,” marsden said. Some lawmakers are talking about capping the number of measures any one delegate or senator can propose. Some have even suggested charging filing fees. “We’ve got to impose some discipline next year,” said Sen. Janet D. Howell (D-fairfax), chairwoman of the finance committee. “When you have to do — like I did in finance a couple days — 70 bills in one meeting, you wonder, are you making mis- takes?” T he long days and nights have taken a toll. Sen. mark J. Peake (r-Lynchburg) said he hasn’t been so sleep-deprived since he was a new dad — of quadruplets. “I’m tired,” he confessed. Coffee doesn’t do the trick these days for Del. Kathy J. Byron (r-Bedford). She now resorts to energy drinks, though she says she’s s ure they’re not good for her. Legislators have looked for other ways to make the 10- and 12-hour floor sessions less physi- cally taxing. Sen. Adam P. Ebbin (D-Alexandria) dresses less for- mally — in khakis and Allbirds instead of suit pants and dress shoes — w hen he sees a marathon session looming. “We’ve had late nights before, but I don’t feel like we’ve had as many close together,” Ebbin said. “It’s just too much.” [email protected] [email protected]

to get about 100 bills off the floor,
and negotiators were trying to
hash out their differences on
another 130 bills already in con-
ference. Some of those are major
pieces of legislation, including
two gun-control bills that are
priorities for Northam — one to
require universal background
checks and the other to limit
handgun purchases to one per
month.
Negotiators were also trying to
reach deals on bills that would
boost the minimum wage, allow
localities to remove Confederate
monuments, give undocumented
immigrants a way to legally drive,
legalize casino gambling and de-
criminalize marijuana, among
other measures.
Also in conference is the bud-
get bill, where lawmakers are
hung up on whether to freeze
tuition at the state’s colleges and
universities.

legIslature from B1

Legislature

rushes as

deadline

looms

BY GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER

richmond — The Virginia Gen-
eral Assembly has passed land-
mark legislation mandating a
shift to renewable energy amid
questions about the cost to rate-
payers of expensive wind and
solar projects.
The Virginia Clean Economy
Act requires the state’s biggest
utilities to deliver electricity
from 100 percent renewable
sources by 2045, sets a timeline
for closing old fossil-fuel plants
and mandates gains in energy
efficiency.
Its passage was hailed by sev-
eral environmental groups and
energy technology companies
that had collaborated with Dem-
ocratic lawmakers on the legisla-
tion since last year.
“This is a true turning point in
the c limate fight here i n Virginia,
as we take our place among the
top states in the nation working
to cut emissions and move away

from dirty fossil fuels,” michael To wn, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, said in a statement. Democrats won majorities in both chambers of the legislature last year after campaigns that called for environmental protec- tion and challenges to the state’s biggest utility, Dominion Energy. While a more environmentally ambitious Green New Deal failed in this year’s legislative session, Democratic leaders said the Clean Economy Act delivered on their promises. They also said the legislation will jump-start the wind and solar industries in Virginia, creating new jobs and boosting the economy. “It’s a terrific day for Virginia,” said Del. richard C. “rip” Sulli- van Jr. (D-fairfax), who sponsored the House version of the bill. The legislation now goes to Gov. ralph Northam (D), who is expected to sign it.

“The governor i s thrilled to see transformative clean energy legislation pass the General Assem- bly,” Northam spokeswoman Ale- na Yarmosky said. Dominion also worked to shape the legislation, and a company spokesman praised it friday as “a clear path forward for Virginia’s energy future.” Some lawmakers complained that the legislation preserves the utility’s monopoly on renewable energy and ensures that it will continue to make money at the expense of ratepayers. “The utility has an obligation to its shareholders. We have an obligation to the ratepayers,” Sen. richard H. Stuart (r-King George) said Thursday in debating a separate bill that had been aimed at giving the state more authority to regulate Dominion’s rates. That bill, which would let the State Corporation Commission determine how the utility writes

down the cost of closing old generating plants, passed the Senate in a rare case of a measure succeeding after being opposed by Dominion. It has also passed the House and is headed to Northam’s desk. In debating the comprehen- sive energy bill, though, lawmakers from both parties questioned why it doesn’t contain more protections for consumers as Dominion takes on huge new solar and offshore wind projects. The company is building a major wind farm off the coast of Virgin- ia Beach. Del. Sam rasoul (D-roanoke) almost derailed the package on Thursday by proposing amendments aimed at reining in Do- minion’s ability to pass costs on to ratepayers. “Let’s make sure that it’s not automatically a super-high price,” rasoul said, instead of rushing ahead with something “we can jam down people’s

throats.” His amendments, tapping i nto a concern shared by many republicans, initially passed. But the Democratic majority called them up for a second vote and killed them. Sullivan said his legislation does contain protections for consumers. He cited provisions that mandate efficiency improve- ments to reduce energy usage, which should keep bills down, and said the bill gives the State Corporation Commission a chance to review projects along the way. Sen. Jennifer L. mcClellan (D- richmond), who sponsored the Senate version, said the urgency of climate change dictates that “we couldn’t afford to wait” to take action. “If we see that con- sumer protections in there now aren’t sufficient,” she said, “we can fix that” in future legislative sessions. [email protected]

VIrgInIA

Assembly passes act requiring clean energy by 2045 despite cost concerns

BY GREGORY S. SCHNEIDER

richmond — The Virginia
House of Delegates narrowly ap-
proved a proposed constitutional
amendment aimed at creating a
bipartisan commission to draw
political maps, resolving an issue
that divided the Democratic ma-
jority as time was running out on
this year’s session.
friday’s contentious 54-to-46
vote came over the objections of
several members of the Black
Caucus who favored an alternate
route for redistricting that they
said would better protect the
interests of minorities. The de-
bate, which has raged behind the
scenes for the past several weeks,
aired deep divisions among Dem-
ocrats.
Supporting the amendment
amounted to “the devaluation of
the black voices in this chamber,”
Del. Lashrecse D. Aird (D-Peters-
burg), who is African American,
warned on Thursday.
“our 400-year history is re-
plete with our voices being si-
lenced,” Del. Jeffrey m. Bourne

(D-richmond) said friday, refer- ring to the 1619 landing of the first Africans in bondage in the English colonies. one pregnant lawmaker — Del. Kelly K. Convirs-fowler (D- Virginia Beach) — returned from home bed rest to help support the effort to kill the measure. But the vote fell short, with nine Demo- crats joining all republicans in supporting the proposed amendment. Del. Schuyler T. VanValken- burg (D-Henrico) defended the measure, which he had sponsored and which he admitted was “not perfect.” As a high school civics teacher, he said, he had taken care “to make sure I am doing the right thing.... I do think it’s a good product. I do think it moves us forward.” As the legislative session nears its end, scheduled for Saturday, republican lawmakers had turned up the pressure on Demo- crats to act on an issue most had trumpeted during last year’s e lec- tion campaigns. They accused Democrats of faltering in their commitment to nonpartisan redistricting now that they have control of the legislature. Gov. ralph Northam (D) also weighed in, suggesting he might call a special session of the Gener- al Assembly if the House stale- mate continued.

House Democratic leaders who favored scrapping the amendment spent much of Thursday afternoon and friday morning pressuring a handful of colleagues to abandon it. They pointed out that the proposed amendment does not explicitly prohibit gerrymandering. Del. marcus B. Simon (D-fairfax), the party’s parliamentary whiz, offered a substitute proposal that would create a redistricting commission composed entirely of citizens with no legislative members. Simon said it was intended “to signal to the public what we are trying to accomplish... a truly nonpartisan process.” But the gesture wasn’t enough. It would have taken at least two years to go into effect, missing next year’s redistricting, and failed on a vote of 54 to 46. The original proposed constitutional amendment was first approved last year when republicans controlled the legislature, and had to be reenacted this year before the referendum could go to the voters in the fall. most Democrats supported it the first time around, though members of the Black Caucus objected from the beginning. The proposal, which has already passed the Senate and does not need Northam’s signature,

would set up a bipartisan commission of legislators and citizens to handle the politically charged task of drawing legislative maps. Virginia is set for redistricting next year based on the results of this year’s census. In t he past, the General Assem- bly drew the maps, letting the party in control tailor legislative and congressional districts to preserve their power. But the most recent effort — in 2011, when republicans controlled the House and Democrats ran the Senate — faced charges of racial gerrymandering, and the U.S. Su- preme Court ordered two separate do-overs. If voters approve the new system, the bipartisan commission would submit a map to the Gen- eral Assembly for an up-or-down vote, with no changes permitted. A failure to come up with a map would send the issue over to the Virginia Supreme Court. members of the Black Caucus objected to the court’s role, say- ing most justices are conserva- tives appointed during a long period of republican domination in the legislature. They also objected to the lack of language in the amendment specifically pro- tecting the interests of minorities. “We must be vigilant and ad- here to an extraordinarily high

standard when proceeding with permanently changing the Con- stitution,” House Speaker Eileen filler-Corn (D-fairfax) said in a statement after friday’s vote. “In my opinion, this Amendment fails to meet that standard.” An alternative, sponsored by Del. marcia S. “Cia” Price (D- Newport News) would have set up the same kind of commission but included language from the federal Voting rights Act and a different system for resolving stalemates. That route would have been under statute, instead of through the constitution, because there is no time to start another amendment process before next year’s redistricting. The House approved Price’s bill but had put off acting on the amendment, unable to resolve disagreements within the Demo- cratic caucus. Speaking during debate on Thursday, Price slammed colleagues who she said had come to her with whispers to say they opposed the amendment but were afraid to act because they’d look like they were wavering on their commitment to end gerrymandering. Blaming “threats” and “flat- out lies,” Price asked: “Who are we if we bend to that and not to fairness and justice?” [email protected]

VIrgInIA

Despite infighting, House passes anti-gerrymandering measure

Some delegates say measure won’t protect minorities enough

it.” Gov. L arry Hogan and republican lawmakers have criticized Democrats for pushing the plan without a funding source and blasted the overhaul effort as too expensive and lacking in accountability. “ This is a massive spending plan that is about to be foisted on the state of maryland,” said Del. Haven N. Shoemaker Jr. (r-Car- roll), who questioned whether more money would lead to better outcomes. The governor helped orches- trate opposition that torpedoed a proposal to raise $2.9 billion for the changes by imposing the state sales tax on professional services. The education bill is four years in the making but was fast- tracked in recent weeks. Luedtke said Democrats hope to present the plan and its funding source to Hogan by march 25, which would give the legislature time to over- ride any gubernatorial vetoes before the General Assembly adjourns April 6. Luedtke added he was hopeful that Hogan would not veto the policy prescriptions but noted that the House advanced the bill on friday with a veto-proof majority.

The education changes would cost nearly $4 billion a year by fiscal 2030, an amount that would require local and state contributions but would largely fall to the state to cover. Before the vote, Del. Alonzo T. Washington (D-Prince George’s) defended the major investment. “We’re not throwing money at a problem,” he said. “We are making sure that students have the resources that they need to perform at a high level.” Earlier friday, House minority Leader Nicholaus r. Kipke (r- Anne Arundel), who spoke in support of an amendment that would put the program on “auto- pilot” after three years if students did not meet certain achievement levels, said the state should take a cautious approach. “If this plan is not working, we need to know,” he said. Del. Ben Barnes (D-Prince George’s) said the bill included an accountability provision that calls for an oversight board to ensure that districts are spending the money appropriately. Kipke’s amendment failed 41 to 93 , largely along partisan lines. It was one of nearly 20 amendments, mostly offered by republicans, during the lengthy debate. Del. Jay Walker (D-Prince George’s), the only Democrat to offer floor amendments, asked his colleagues to make a financial literacy course a graduation re- quirement and to require school districts to provide 90 minutes of physical education a week to elementary school students. Both are bills he has pushed for several years, and each was rejected. The General Assembly passed legislation in 2016 to create a panel, commonly known as the Kirwan Commission, to study how to transform maryland’s schools into a world-class system that could compete with those in China and Switzerland. Last year, policymakers issued a report that painted a grim portrait of the state’s public education system, arguing that, by not providing its students and teachers with proper resources, the state is failing them. Legislative leaders have said that without s weeping reforms, the state will not be able to compete globally. They also have argued that it is a moral impera- tive for schools t o close persistent achievement gaps that especially affect students of color and the poor. House Appropriations Chair- woman maggie mcIntosh (D-Bal- timore City), who served on the education panel, said it would “morally indefensible” n ot to pass the legislation. [email protected]

erin Cox contributed to this report.

educatIoN from B1

Democrats

hope to

avoid veto

from Hogan

The bill “addresses the

problems we’ve known

about in our schools for

decades. We finally

have the political will to

do something about it.” House M ajority Leader Eric g. Luedtke (D-Montgomery)

on Saturday. So the General As- sembly will either have to break its rule or go into overtime. A mad dash to get ordinary bills over the finish line is not unusual in Virginia, whose part- time legislature holds some of the shortest legislative sessions in the country — 60 days in even years, 46 days in odd. Deadlines have been busted or dodged before. “Philpott used to just stop the clock,” recalled former senator John Watkins (r-Powhatan), re- ferring to A.L. Philpott, who was speaker of the House from 1980 until his death in 1991. But the rush seems especially intense this year, which has been marked by marathon floor sessions. Twice since January, one or both chambers gaveled in at n oon and out around 1 a.m. Weary legislators were bracing for a potential all-nighter on Sat- urday — and perhaps beyond as they wrap up their work. The reasons for the late nights

the legislature came within seconds of missing a crucial deadline to get every bill with a fiscal impact out of a chamber. After the Senate passed an extension, Senate majority Lead- er richard L. Saslaw (D-fairfax) — who at 80 is still a jogger — trotted down the marble hallway to communicate that to the House, so the lower chamber could follow suit. A few senators broke into the theme from “Char- iots of fire” as he dashed. “With ten seconds to go before the expiration of piles of important bills, the Senate gathered around a laptop to watch the House vote on a 3-hour extension, hoping they would make the vote in time,” Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (r-fauquier) tweeted that night. The General Assembly swore off last-minute budgeting a few years ago, adopting a rule to require that a spending bill be finalized 48 hours before a vote. The deadline was Thursday if the legislature adjourns as scheduled

Passing a budget is regarded as the legislature’s most important task, but it is a massive bill that typically comes together late. The predictable end-of-session crush was elevated last week as

sTeVe HelBer/assOCIaTed Press House speaker e ileen Filler-corn (d-Fairfax), left, talks with Majority leader charniele l. Herring (d-alexandria) during a break in the legislative session at the Virginia capitol on Friday.

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The Washington Post - 07.03.2020

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