Alert 1/25/08     Finishing the Quick Update – VVAW Bills

 

Here is the brief update on the remaining VVAW bills not covered in the previous alert.

 

7. tax credits

Our tax credit bills (HB 1267 patroned by Del. Robert Hull and HB1080 patroned by Del. Terrie Suit) are to be heard today by the House Finance Committee, Subcommittee 3.

 

The first alert sent out yesterday (1/24/08) covered these bills. We have been told since that alert went out that Del. Suit’s bill may not be heard today, but that is not confirmed at this writing.

 

You can follow Del. Hull’s bill (HB1267) by clicking here:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=081&typ=bil&val=hb1267

 

 

Del. Suit’s bill (HB1080) can be followed by clicking here:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=081&typ=bil&val=hb1080+

 

 

8. abuse fines

 

This bill was not pursued. More about this later.

 

 

9. Spay/Neuter Fund

 

This bill was not pursued. More about this later.

 

 

10. tethering

The tethering bill (HB217 patroned by Del. Kenneth Alexander) was stricken from the docket on 1/23/08 by a voice vote because of a lack of support from other groups.

 

For information on this bill, click here:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=081&typ=bil&val=hb217++

 

 

11. license fee cap bill

VVAW’s bill to increase the charge for pet licenses this session was set aside in favor of SB663 by Sen. Harry Blevins. Sen. Blevins’s bill allowed permissive increases in the cost of licenses.

 

However, the Blevins bill was not pushed very hard by the patron and experienced opposition, much of it from Sen. Hanger, which caused the language of the bill to be changed to the extent that license fee cap changes were removed from the bill.

 

The result is that we have no bill this session regarding increasing the cost for licenses.

 

 

12. definitions

This is HB673 patroned by Del. Kenneth Alexander.

 

This modified bill was heard on 1/22/08 with the only change requested being for constant access to fresh water in a container that could not be tipped over.

 

After considerable discussion, it was suggested that language be developed during the next week to be presented on Tuesday, 1/29/08, at 7:30 am.

 

To follow this bill, click here:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+sum+HB673

 

 

13. privatization

Del. Jim Scott is patroning this bill which will be in the form of a budget amendment. The amendment will seek to have certain functions of the State Veterinarian (companion animal record keeping and companion animal facility inspections) be privatized.

 

It is not known at this writing what schedule is envisioned to move this forward, nor where the language can be viewed on line. What follows is what we have as of this writing:

 

Chief Patron: Scott, J.M.         Item 93 #1h

 

Agriculture and Forestry

Department of Agriculture And         Language

Consumer Services

 

Language:

Page 79, after line 24, insert:

“No later than September 1, 2008, the Commissioner of the Department of

Agriculture and Consumer Services shall solicit proposals under the Public-Private

Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002 to outsource companion animal

records reporting and inspection of companion animal custodial facility venues. The

Department shall report to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House

Appropriations Committees by December 1, 2008, on the results of its solicitation

and the progress of efforts to outsource these activities.”

 

Explanation:

(This amendment directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

to pursue the privatization of companion animal records reporting and inspection of

custodial facilities.)

 

 

These are the VVAW bills for now. We will provide more detail later in a subsequent alert.

 

We will also identify some bills which we believe warrant support, also in an upcoming alert.

 

 

Lillian Clancy and Don Marro