By Hannah Hess | Virginia Statehouse News
RICHMOND — As Virginia lawmakers scrambled to pass more than 200 bills before Tuesday's crossover deadline, some protesting workers said elected officials are not doing enough to help the state's economy.
“Someone should track how many bills are going through that really affect our economy,” said Richmond architect Lawrence Williams, 50, who founded Lawrence Ellis Williams Consulting LLC, a construction firm.
But a review of legislation targeted by the state's business leaders shows that the General Assembly has cleared the way for a slew of economy-focused bills.
The state House and Senate must pass their respective bills by Tuesday night at midnight. After the deadline, they can only work on bills that have passed in the other chamber of the Legislature, known as the crossover deadline.
The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, which represents business interests statewide, this session targeted 31 bills they think would help bolster the state's economy.
The proposals target issues from energy and education to health care and taxes. All but two were passed by their respective houses by Monday evening.
But to protesting workers on the sidewalk outside the lawmakers' offices, the view looks different.
Williams said he is worried about the wide range of social policy issues when people need jobs. Lawmakers seem to be “doing things to make headlines,” he said, such as taking hard-line stances on issues such as gun control and abortion.
In addition to tax-credit legislation that passed Monday, the General Assembly debated ultrasounds before abortions, a bill that would define fertilized eggs as "people" in Virginia's Constitution, and a move asking Virginia police to determine citizenship status for people they arrest.
House Minority Leader David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, estimated delegates voted on 10 bills relating to tax credits for businesses — comprising about 5 percent of the day's agenda.
"That's just the nature of Virginia politics, I think," he said.
Williams, who is black, stood with fellow minority business owners in urging delegates to pass Senate Bill 651, which would award more state contracts to businesses owned by minorities and women.
He joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other protesters Monday in support of the bill.
The proposal, sponsored by Senate Democratic Caucus chairman Don McEachin, D-Henrico, passed the state Senate in early February. The measure would force the governor to take action if a statistical analysis of state contracts shows that women- and minority-owned businesses are facing discrimination.
Williams and other business owners want Gov. Bob McDonnell to provide more state contract jobs to companies owned by racial minorities and women.
“It’s a 50-50 issue — minorities and women pay 50 percent of taxes, so they should get 50 percent of the contracts,” Williams said.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the state’s population is 64.8 percent white, non-Hispanic. About half of Virginia’s population is female.
The protesters said they fear McEachin's bill will become buried in a House committee and overshadowed by abortion and gun-rights issues.
Virginia Democrats recently denounced Republicans for using their grip on government power to drill down on social issues.
"Republicans are so focused on divisive policies that they are hindering our efforts at progress, putting our kids' education at risk, and leaving them less prepared for the future," McEachin said. "In the last four weeks, Senate and House Republicans have introduced hundreds of bills that target the poor, women and immigrants, make it harder to vote, and discriminate against gays and lesbians. It's time for Republicans to put divisive ideology and raw partisanship aside."
Republicans refute the characterization.
"Contrary to the assertions of our colleagues in the minority, Republicans working here at the Capitol have developed, passed and now look forward to implementing legislation that addresses the issues Virginians care about — jobs, education, transportation and government reform," said House Republican Caucus chairman Tim Hugo, R-Fairfax.
"While our (Democratic) colleagues remain singularly focused on a small number of social issues, we are enacting the reforms necessary to move Virginia forward."
Construction worker Jerry Blow Sr., 53, of Richmond, said Monday that he wants lawmakers to stay focused on the economy. Monday was Blow’s second day advocating for passage of the contract discrimination measure from the sidewalk outside the General Assembly building.
“We’re asking all the delegates to vote for it," he said. “This bill is too important to die for women and minorities."
Lawmakers have not yet assigned S.B. 651 to a House committee. Read it here: http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?121+ful+SB651+pdf
Video: http://youtu.be/_438xCwjlS8
