Much to tackle in 46 days

The 2019 General Assembly session has officially gaveled in! This year will be a short session (46 days) where we tackle important issues such as tax cuts, improving school safety, protecting agriculture, reducing healthcare costs, and continuing to ease the regulatory burdens on everyday Virginians. We have a lot to tackle and just over 6 weeks to complete our work

With the start of the 2019 legislative session, I want to share with you a few bills that I will be patroning and supporting this session.

➤ HB 1886 — This year I have reintroduced an interstate compact with DC and Maryland to prohibit taxpayer money from paying for a new Washington Redskins stadium. Your tax money should not be subsidizing billionaire owners and their vanity projects.

➤ HB 2237 — Transparency in economic development is a must. This bill requires the government to be more transparent to the public when using your tax money to incentivize companies with economic development handouts.

➤ HB 2273 — This bill increases the civil penalty for passing a stopped school bus from $250 to $300. The bill creates an increased penalty of $600 for any driver who passes a stopped school bus while holding or manually manipulating a handheld personal communications device.

➤ HB 1939 — This bill requires that regulatory boards return excess revenues to individuals that they regulate and reduce licensing fees for those individuals. This year I will continue to work with my colleagues on reducing the regulatory burden and eliminating unnecessary licenses and reducing fees.

These are just a few of the bills that I will be patroning this legislative session. I encourage you to keep in touch with me and my office over the coming weeks. I value the feedback you provide on a continual basis as it helps me do a better job of representing you. You can email me at DelMWebert@ house.virginia.gov or call me at 804-698-1018.

Michael J. Webert is Delegate for the 18th District of Virginia, including Rappahannock County