Saturday, 1/27/07
we need you on Monday, 1/29/07, at 9:30 am
The Senate Ag Committee will hear several of our bills.
NOTE: As of Saturday, 1/27/07, the committee hearing is scheduled to start at 9:30, not 10 am as was last announced.
SB930 - humane investigator bill
The humane investigator bill (SB930 patroned by Sen. Patsy Ticer) will be heard again. This bill re-instates the humane investigator bill which was emasculated for no good reason several years ago. Humane investigators are trained volunteers who supplement the efforts and provide additional hands (and hearts) to the stretched-thin ACOs. The humane investigators will report to the same person as does the ACO, so for instance, if the ACOs now report to the Sheriff, so will the humane investigators. Having humane investigators is optional to the jurisdiction, but it is difficult to imagine a situation where trained volunteers (at no or limited cost to the jurisdiction) should be turned down.
We live in Fauquier County and are blessed with 3 ACOs and 3 humane investigators, and still there is more work to do than can be accomplished. What's it like where you are?
Come and support this bill, and also let every member of the Senate Ag Committee (below) know you want this bill passed.
SB1345 - reporting of suspected dog fighting
This bill (SB1345 patroned by Sen. Benjamin Lambert) will be heard again, focusing on how to identify animals from such situations. This bill requires that public employees, pound/shelter employees and volunteers, and vets report suspected dog fighting.
Dog fighting - blood sport in general - goes beyond abuse in our eyes. This is big money, this is drugs, this is entertainment for the young, this is gang-related, and this is horrible. This is an opportunity to help curtail this kind of blood sport in Virginia.
Come and support this bill, and also let every member of the Senate Ag Committee (below) know you want this bill passed.
SB1190 - fighting of cocks and other animals
While not a VVAW bill, please come and/or write in support of this bill patroned by Sen. Roscoe Reynolds.
This bill's passage will also help curtail blood sport in Virginia.
Come and support this bill, and also let every member of the Senate Ag Committee (below) know you want this bill passed.
SJR375 - humane ed
This (SJR375 patroned by Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple) is a resolution designating the first full week in February each year as Humane Education Week in Virginia. It encourages the Virginia Department of Education to advise all schools to participate in the week.
This bill will be heard by the Senate Rules Committee on Monday, 1/29/07, at 2:30 in Senate Room A.
Please let every member of the Senate Rules Committee (below) know you support this bill and want it passed.
we ALSO need you on Wednesday, 1/31/07, at 8:30 am
HB2295 - rabies surcharge bill
On Wednesday, HB2295 (patroned by Del. Jennifer McClellan) will be again considered, but this time by the full House Ag Committee.
This bill will develop a stream of funding to support low cost/high volume spay/neuter clinics. As introduced, the funding was to come from a $3 surcharge on each rabies shot. There is some consideration currently underway to change this to a license fee surcharge, but we ask you to support the bill regardless of the language as this is the remaining opportunity we have to get any funding for s/n.
Come on Wednesday in support of this bill, and also let every member of the committee (below) know you want this bill passed.
NOTE: When his and other bills were heard last Thursday by the House Ag Subcommittee, the Chairman of the Subcommittee, Del. Bobby Orrock, railed against people who contacted his office about bills, saying such contacts got in the way of doing his work as the elected delegate for his district.
This is nonsense.
Del. Orrock heads a committee, and it is his job to hear from all who have a position on the bills his committee hears. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY DEL. ORROCK and contact him and all members of the House Ag Committee if you care about HB2295, or any other bill before this committee in which you have an interest.
And if you were offended by the committee's actions (private conversations, inattentive behavior, lack of a quorum) and by Del. Orrock's statement that he looked unfavorably on bills on which he had been extensively and intensively lobbied, SPEAK UP!!
The members of the full House Ag Committee are below. DO NOT hesitate to contact them. Exercise your right to speak out on this bill.
HB2100 - Del. Orrock's bill
Watch for the possibility of Del. Orrock's own bill (HB2100) being resurrected on Wednesday, 1/31/07, even though it failed in Del. Orrock's own subcommittee last Thursday.
Last week, when Del. Orrock pursued his own bill (HB2100), he turned the gavel over to Del. Sherwood so he could advocate for his bill, and let the Chair (Sherwood) conduct the hearing with a show of impartiality. Del. Orrock did the right thing in handing the gavel over. Perhaps he should also have done so on other bills on which he took a personal position, often invoking his personal experience and practices with his dog Hershey as if this standard drove out all others. (This was "discussion" before the committee "discussion period" began, and before testimony was even taken from the public in some cases.)
HB2100 is a bill to defeat. It proposes to raise the fees for dog or cat licenses to a cap of $20 only if 75% of the current dogs and cats are licensed in a given jurisdiction.
Again, this bill should not surface again, but if it does, it will be no big surprise and should be defeated.
Don spoke against this bill last week, indicating that getting 75% compliance on licensing was something that has never been achieved anywhere in the world, and that there was no reason to think it could be achieved in Virginia what with the very limited personnel to enforce the law as it exist. What jurisdiction will take the time and man hours to increase licensure as much as 10-fold with no meaningful penalties and a present cap of only $10?
Let members of the House Ag Committee know you do not want this bill resurrected, and if it is, you want the committee to defeat it. AGAIN, DO NOT be intimated by Del. Orrock's outrageous behavior and words last Thursday. It is your right and indeed your duty as a citizen to contact members of the committee or any other legislator in the General Assembly.
We will see you on both Monday, 1/29/07, and Wednesday,
1/31/07!!
Lillian Clancy and Don Marro
Senate Ag Committee:
Chair:
Charles R
Hawkins
Email:
district19@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (434) 432-9672
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7519
Harry B. Blevins
Email: district14@sov.state.va.us
District office email: hbblevins@senblevins.hrcoxmail.com
District Office Phone: (757) 546-2435
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7514
John H. Chichester
Email: district28@sov.state.va.us
District office email: vasenate28@aol.com
District Office
Phone: (540) 373-5600
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7528
Ken Cuccinelli, II
Email: district37@sov.state.va.us
District office email: EveMarie@cuccinelli.com
(email is for Legislative
Assistant Eve Barner)
District Office Phone: (703) 766-0635
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7537
R. Creigh Deeds
Email: district25@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (434)
296-5491
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-7525
Emmett W. Hanger, Jr.
Email:
district24@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540) 885-6898
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7524
Mamie E. Locke
Email: district02@sov.state.va.us
District office email: lockesenate03@msn.com
District Office
Phone: (757) 825-5880
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7502
Ryan T. McDougle
Email: district04@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (804)
730-1026
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-7504
Mark D. Obenshain
Email: district26@sov.state.va.us
District office email: mark@markobenshain.com
District Office Phone: (540) 437-1451
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7526
Phillip P. Puckett
Email: district38@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (276) 979-8181
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7538
Wm. Roscoe
Reynolds
Email: district20@sov.state.va.us
District office email: roscoe@digdat.com
District Office Phone: (276) 638-2315
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7520
Frank M. Ruff, Jr.
Email: district15@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (434) 372-0551
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-7515
Patricia S. Ticer
Email: district30@sov.state.va.us
District office email: patsy@tidalwave.net
District Office Phone: (703)
549-5770
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-7530
John Watkins
Email: district10@sov.state.va.us
District office email: jnwatkins@aol.com
District Office Phone: (804)
379-2063
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-7510
Mary Margaret Whipple
Email:
district31@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (703) 538-4097
Richmond
Office Phone: (804) 698-7531
Senate Rules Committee:
Chair:
Norment, Thomas K., Jr.
Email: district03@sov.state.va.us
DistrictOffice Phone: (757) 259-7810
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7503
Chichester, John H.
Email:district28@sov.state.va.us
vasenate28@aol.com
District Office Phone: (540) 373-5600
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7528
Colgan,
Charles J.
Email:district29@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (703) 368-0300
Richmond
Office Phone: (804) 698-7529
Devolites Davis, Jeannemarie
Email:district34@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (703) 938-7972
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7534
Hanger, Emmett W., Jr.
Email:district24@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540) 885-6898
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7524
Hawkins, Charles R.
Email:district19@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (434) 432-9672
Richmond
Office
Phone: (804) 698-7519
Houck, R. Edward
district17@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540) 786-2782
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7517
Martin, Stephen H.
Email:district11@sov.state.va.us
martindistrict@comcast.net
District Office Phone: (804) 674-0242
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7511
Potts, H. Russell, Jr.
Email:district27@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540) 665-2092
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7527
Quayle, Frederick M.
Email:district13@sov.state.va.us
fquayle@cox.net
District Office Phone: (757) 483-9173
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7513
Saslaw, Richard L.
Email:district35@sov.state.va.us
vasenate35@aol.com
District Office Phone: (703) 978-0200
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7535
Stolle, Kenneth W.
Email:district08@sov.state.va.us
vasenate08@kenstolle.com
District Office
Phone: (757) 486-5700
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7508
Stosch, Walter A.
Email:district12@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (804) 527-7780
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7512
Wampler, William C., Jr
Email:.district40@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (276) 669-7515
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7540
Whipple, Mary Margaret
Email:district31@sov.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (703) 538-4097
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7531
Williams, Martin E.
Email:district01@sov.state.va.us
mary@martywilliams.org
District Office Phone:
(757) 599-8683
Richmond Office
Phone: (804) 698-7501
House Ag Committee:
Chairman:
M. Kirkland (Kirk) Cox
Email: DelKCox@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (804)
526-5135
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1066
Vice Chair:
R. Lee Ware, Jr.
Email: DelLWare@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone:
(804) 598-6696
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-1065
Members:
David L. Bulova
Email: DelDBulova@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (703)
310-6752
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1037
Kathy J. Byron
Email: DelKByron@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (434) 582-1592
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-1022
Benjamin L. Cline
Email: DelBCline@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (434)
946-9908
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1024
Albert C. Eisenberg
Email: DelAEisenberg@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (703)
228-7909
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1047
Lynwood W. Lewis, Jr.
Email: DelLLewis@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone:
(757) 787-1094
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-1000
Matthew J. Lohr
Email: DelMLohr@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540)
437-1450
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1026
Daniel W. Marshall, III
Email: DelDMarshall@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (434)
797-5861
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1014
A. Donald McEachin
Email: DelDMcEachin@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (804) 288-3381
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-1074
Harvey B. Morgan
Email: DelHMorgan@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (804)
693-4750
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1098
Robert (Bobby) Orrock, Sr.
Email: DelBOrrock@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540) 891-1322
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1054
Kenneth R. Plum
Email: DelKPlum@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (703)
758-9733
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1036
David E. Poisson
Email: DelDPoisson@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone:
(703) 421-6899
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-1032
Christopher B. Saxman
Email: DelCSaxman@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540)
886-8284
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1020
Edward T. Scott
Email: DelEScott@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540)
825-6400
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1030
Beverly J. Sherwood
Email: DelBSherwood@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540)
667-8947
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1029
Stephen C. Shannon
Email: DelSShannon@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (703)
281-5200
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1035
James M. Shuler
Email: DelJShuler@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (540)
953-1103
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1012
Robert J. Wittman
Email: DelRWittman@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (804)
493-0508
Richmond Office Phone: (804) 698-1099
Thomas C. Wright, Jr.
Email: DelTWright@house.state.va.us
District Office Phone: (434) 696-3061
Richmond Office Phone: (804)
698-1061