AGENDA DATE: 10/18/2023
TITLE:
Title
2024 Legislative Priorities and 2024 Legislative Positions and Policy Statements
ODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Consideration of 2024 Legislative Priorities and 2024 Legislative Positions and Policy Statements
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Rosenberg, Kilroy
PRESENTER (S): Steve Rosenberg; Emily Kilroy
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND: Each year, the Board of Supervisors considers and approves a set of legislative priorities to pursue in the upcoming General Assembly session. The Board then meets with the County's local delegation from the General Assembly to discuss these priorities and submits them to the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC), the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo), and the Virginia Municipal League (VML). The Board of Supervisors held work sessions on its 2024 Legislative Priorities and 2024 Legislative Positions and Policy Statements on June 21 and September 20, 2023. On October 18, 2023, the Board will have a third opportunity to discuss its Legislative Priorities and, if it is ready to do so, to establish those priorities and to adopt its Legislative Positions and Policy Statements.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Mission - To enhance the well-being and quality of life for all community members through the provision of the highest level of public service consistent with the prudent use of public funds.
DISCUSSION: During its work session on September 20, 2023, the Board of Supervisors reviewed the proposed legislative priorities, as well as proposed legislative positions and policy statements.
The Board provided direction to staff to move forward with the following three legislative priorities for 2024, in prioritized order:
• Provide state funding for Rivanna Futures project. Include $58 million in funding in the biennial state budget for this economic development project adjacent to the U.S. Army’s existing Rivanna Station installation.
• Grant the County taxing authority for school division capital projects. Amend Title 58.1, Subtitle I, Chapter 6 of the Code of Virginia to make Albemarle County eligible to levy an additional 1% retail sales tax for the purpose of funding school division capital projects.
• Expand the use of photo-speed monitoring devices. Amend Virginia Code §§ 46.2-882 and 46.2-882.1 to enable the use of photo speed monitoring devices on segments of secondary roads where speeding has been identified as a problem.
The consensus of the Board was to shift to the legislative positions and policy statements legislative priorities from 2023, concerning civil penalties, special exceptions for short-term rentals and all-virtual meetings. The Board further indicated its acceptance of updates to the legislative positions and policy statements to align with the Board’s Fiscal Year 2024-2028 Strategic Plan and to reflect support of initiatives of other localities, including the extension of Line of Duty benefits to private police departments and the implementation of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report on Community Service Boards.
The Board discussed the potential support of conclusions in a Virginia Department of Fire Programs’ report dated October 1, 2023. As the report was not available for review at prior work sessions, staff will provide further details at the October 18 work session for final Board direction concerning this subject. Suggested language is included in Attachment B, which can be deleted as needed.
Finally, one of the proposed policies and position statements in Attachment B concerns the extension of line of duty benefits to private police officers of private police departments recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia. This initiative is being advanced by Nelson County, to benefit officers of the Wintergreen Police Department. Nelson County has requested that Albemarle County provide a letter in support of such legislation. A draft letter is attached to this executive summary as Attachment C for the Board’s consideration.
BUDGET IMPACT: There are no specific, identifiable budget impacts.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board review its 2023 Legislative Priorities (Attachment A) and 2023 Legislative Positions and Policy Statements (Attachment B), and, if they are acceptable, adopt them by motion. Staff further recommends that the Board consider approval of the proposed support letter (Attachment C) concerning the extension of line of duty benefits to private police officers of private police departments.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Proposed Legislative Priorities
B - Proposed Legislative Positions and Policy Statements
C - Proposed Support Letter Concerning Extension of Line of Duty Benefits