In the effort for providing better government transparency, a bill to aid the Library of Virginia in processing “Governor’s Papers” passed unanimously in the House of Delegates.
Dixie Debacle: Virginia’s Governor Northam Fails To Resign Amid Racial Controversy
Ralph Northam, Virginia’s moonwalking, formerly-blackface governor, will not resign, but says he will “revisit” the decision if he is not “effective or efficient.”
Northam Gaslights America as Democrats Pledge To Bring Infanticide Bill Back in 2020
“Misinformation has been circulating on where Virginia Democrats stand on issues related to women’s reproductive health,” said Governor Ralph Northam (D) at a Thursday afternoon press conference. The situation began Tuesday morning after shocking video was released from a House subcommittee meeting detailing a Democratic lawmaker speaking about her late-term abortion bill.
H.B. 2491, introduced by Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Springfield), would repeal restrictions on third trimester abortions, allowing abortion doctors to self-certify the necessity of late-term procedures, eliminate informed consent requirements, repeal abortion clinic health and safety standards, permit late-term abortions to be performed in outpatient clinics, remove ultrasound requirements, and eliminate Virginia’s 24-hour waiting period.
In the days since the development, pro-life advocates from across the country have spoken out against the legislation, including President Donald Trump.
“I’m surprised that he did that, I’ve met him a number of times,” Trump said of the governor. The commander in chief also said that Delegate Tran’s remarks were “terrible,” after having seen the video.
At the press conference this afternoon, beside members of the Virginia Democratic leadership, Governor Northam said that he was there “to set the record straight.”
“There’s a fundamental difference between us and Republicans in what we believe on a woman’s right to choose. We believe legislators, most of whom are men, should not be making decisions about women’s choices for their reproductive health.”
Northam added that the Virginia GOP is trying to “score points any way they can.”
“Virginia Democrats know we are better than that,” he added.
Attorney General Mark Herring (D) spoke next. He started off by saying that “desperation can be ugly. And what we saw yesterday from Republicans was desperate and ugly.” He stated that claims from GOP lawmakers that Governor Northam supports infanticide “would be laughable if it wasn’t such a grotesque idea.”
During a Wednesday morning address on WTOP’s “Ask The Governor” segment, Northam commented on the situation surrounding the response to Delegate Tran’s bill by saying the widespread reaction was “blown out of proportion.”
Explaining it himself, he said the following:
“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”
Conservatives across the Commonwealth and the U.S. quickly condemned Northam’s rhetoric, charging that he “supports infanticide.”
During the press conference, when asked about what he said and if it had been taken out of context, he responded with, “I don’t have any regrets….I regret that those comments have been mischaracterized.”
Regardless, it spurred Republican lawmakers to give emotional speeches on the floor of the House the following day.
Speaker of the House Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) made a rare and powerful speech after he stepped of the dais.
“I will never stop fighting for the promise of life as long as I hold a gavel, as long as I can speak into this microphone, as long as I have the privilege of this floor. I promise to fight for the promise of life,” he said.
Delegate Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg) also gave a personal story.
“Mr. Speaker, I’m not going to let anyone take the life of my son, and I’m not going to vote to allow other people to take the lives of other people’s sons,” he proclaimed.
As Virginians continue to reel from this week’s developments, one comment from House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) rings very true.
“I think what my Democratic colleagues are most concerned about is what this moment actually revealed. It was a moment of unbridled honesty about their agenda, and their legislation, and what it actually does.”
Meanwhile, the RTD’s Graham Moomaw asked Democratic minority leader Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax) whether they had any intentions of bringing the infanticide bill back should they capture the majority in the November 2019 elections:
When asked if Democrats would pursue legislation similar to Tran’s if they take control of the House next year, Filler-Corn said that “there’s a lot of support for this type of legislation.”
Short answer? Yes they will… and if Governor Northam’s comments this afternoon are any indicator as to where Virginia Democrats intend campaign this year, it will be championing — not walking back — from this week’s exposition of how wrapped into the abortion industry the progressive left has become.
Party Leaders In House Spar Over Characterization Of Virginia’s Controversial Late-Term Abortion Bill
“I think what my Democratic colleagues are most concerned about is what this moment actually revealed. It was a moment of unbridled honesty about their agenda, and their legislation, and what it actually does,” said Republican House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert.
Third Trimester Abortion Bill Would Allow Terminations Until Birth in Virginia
Virginia could soon be joining New York in repealing restrictions on abortion, including terminations up until the moment of birth, under the provisions of a bill backed by Governor Ralph Northam and a substantial number of Democratic lawmakers.
The Repeal Act, introduced as HB2491 by Delegate Kathy Tran (D-Springfield), would repeal restrictions on third trimester abortions, allow abortion doctors to self-certify the necessity of late term procedures, eliminate informed consent requirements, repeal abortion clinic health and safety standards, permit late term abortions to be performed in outpatient clinics, remove ultrasound requirements, and eliminate Virginia’s 24 hour waiting period.
Tran’s Repeal Act received its first subcommittee hearing on Monday, in which the legislation’s sponsor confirmed that the bill would apply to controversial late term procedures, similar to the legislation signed recently by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.
Under questioning from a House subcommittee, Tran said third trimester abortions would face substantially fewer restrictions.
“How late in the third trimester could a physician perform an abortion if he indicated it would impair the mental health of the woman,” asked subcommittee chairman Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah).
“Through the third trimester,” responded Tran. “The third trimester goes all the way up to forty weeks.”
Tran also clarified that abortion procedures would be allowed up until the end of a woman’s pregnancy.
“I don’t think we have a limit in the bill,” added Tran.
In response to a question from Gilbert, Tran also suggested that partial birth abortions would be subject to the bill’s repeal of existing restrictions on the procedure.
“Where it’s obvious that a woman is about to give birth, that she has physical signs that she is about to give birth, would that still be a point at which she could request an abortion if she was so certified?” Gilbert asked.
“She’s dilating,” he continued. “I’m asking if your bill allows that.”
Tran responded that it would.
“My bill would allow that, yes,” she affirmed.
Upon further questioning, Tran explicitly addressed the hypothetical case of aborting a healthy infant, one week before the mother’s due date, on grounds of mental health.
“I certainly could have said a week from her due date and that would have been the same answer, correct?” continued Gilbert.
“That it’s allowed in the bill? Yes,” responded Tran.
Also at issue was the bill’s proposal to change the standard under which third trimester abortions may be performed in Virginia.
Under current law, third trimester abortions require the certification of two independent doctors, who each must verify that the continuation of the pregnancy would “substantially and irremediably impair the mental or physical health of the woman.”
Tran’s bill would substantially relax that standard, removing the words “substantially and irremediably,” allowing the doctor performing the abortion to self-certify the procedure which he or she will perform, without a second opinion, even in cases where a healthy infant could be delivered without risk of physical harm to the woman.
Upon questioning from the committee, Tran confirmed that was the intent of her bill.
“You do acknowledge that you substantially change the standard, by removing a couple words here, correct?” asked Gilbert. “Line eighty, you are changing the standard under which the judgement call is made.”
“Yes, I’m aware,” responded Tran. “I’m changing the standard, yes.”
As the hearing continued, committee members asked the bill’s sponsor to clarify which mental health conditions could be used to justify abortions until the moment of birth.
Tran was unable to provide a response.
“What type of mental health conditions would you anticipate would be utilized by physicians under these circumstances to determine that a child that is otherwise viable is worthy of an abortion?” asked Gilbert, as the questioning continued.
Hesitating, Tran declined to cite a condition, saying she was not a physician, but did clarify that no special mental health training would be required for doctors making such certifications.
The mental health issue was highlighted as a potential loophole allowing late term abortion on demand by Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation, a Virginia group which advocates for socially conservative policy positions.
“The most egregious part of this bill is that it would vastly widen the narrow rationale where our law allows a third trimester abortion, by no longer requiring that a woman’s physical or mental health be ‘substantially and irremediably impaired’ by the concurrence of three doctors.”
“This bill creates abortion, virtually on demand, up until the point of birth.”
The committee also inquired which conditions might require that a third trimester abortion be performed upon an otherwise healthy and deliverable infant in order to protect the physical health of the mother.
“Is there any commonly accepted medical decision to terminate the pregnancy in the late term, rather than deliver the child, if the mother’s health or life is actually in danger?” asked Gilbert.
Tran did not cite any examples before turning the microphone over to a lobbyist from NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, who was also unable to cite a case with specificity, responding only that she believed such an example happened in Ireland.
Chairman Gilbert was less than impressed with the lack of medical answers.
“Well we’re talking about a lot of physician stuff here and nobody appears to know the answer, and the doctors aren’t here, so it would have been helpful, maybe, to have those questions answered,” Gilbert said in closing.
Following the hearing, the subcommittee voted on party lines to recommend that the bill be laid on the table, though that decision is not binding on the full committee.
While the bill is not expected to pass this year, it represents a policy vision embraced by top Democrats, including Governor Ralph Northam, Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax, Attorney General Mark Herring, and a host of lawmakers, should Democrats succeed in winning legislative majorities in this fall’s elections.
Democrats have said this bill would be a priority if they should take the majority.
Currently, Republicans control the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia by razor-thin margins of 51-49 and 21-19, respectively.
“So when can’t change peoples minds, we need to change seats,” said Governor Northam, speaking to the upcoming November elections at a press conference earlier in January.
Watch highlights from the committee hearing below, in longer form than the summary above.
As Voter ID Repeal Considered, One Lawmaker Wants Stricter Photo ID Requirements for Pawn Shops
Photo ID requirements became a topic of debate during Tuesday’s floor session of the Virginia House of Delegates, with Republican Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) sparring with his Democratic colleague Mike Mullin (D-Newport News) over identification requirements related to voting and pawnbrokers.
Earlier this year, Mullin introduced HB1774, a bill requiring Virginians to show valid and unexpired government ID when offering goods to a pawnshop. Mullin said his bill would help cut down on illegal transactions at pawnshops.
“HB1774 is a bill to clarify that unexpired government-issued IDs are required for pawning goods,” said Mullin on the floor, speaking to the bill. “Current law only states that the ID must be government issued.”
“HB1773 [sic] came as a direct recommendation from the city of Newport News to allow for more effective enforcement of the identification requirement to pawn goods, to ensure more accurate record keeping, and to deter attempts to fence stolen goods,” he continued.
During his 2017 campaign, Mullin opposed a voter ID requirement, even though polls show it is backed by a strong majority of voters, with some surveys pegging support as high as four in five, according to Gallup.
“No, restricting access to the polls on Election Day is a form of voter suppression,” Mullin told the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily.
Earlier this year, Governor Ralph Northam made the repeal of Virginia’s voter ID requirement a priority during his annual State of the Commonwealth address. Democratic lawmakers answered his call, with Delegate Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church) introducing HB2565 to implement the governor’s policy proposal. Similar legislation was offered by Senator Mamie Locke (D-Hampton) as SB1447 in the upper chamber.
The proposed legislation would completely repeal Virginia’s photo ID requirement for voting, despite public support.
When presenting his bill on the floor, Mullin faced pushback from House Republican Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah), who used the discussion on pawnbroker ID requirements to ask his Democratic colleagues about their support for repealing the voter ID law.
“I would ask the gentleman if he likewise believes that the general principle of verification of identity before pawning goods is a good thing,” Gilbert inquired of Mullin.
Appearing visibly nervous, perhaps suspecting a voter ID debate lay ahead, Mullin asked Gilbert to restate the question, before ultimately agreeing with his premise.
“I would ask the delegate if he has inquired of the governor if the governor, likewise, believes in that principle, given his recent edicts or commentary on his desires, with respect to showing government ID to perform certain necessary functions in our society,” Gilbert added. “I would ask the delegate if he believes the right to pawn goods is an essential function of our democracy.”
“Everybody, all the time, has to show an identification to do all kinds of things, and that is perfectly acceptable thing to do, even when you’re pawning your watch,” Gilbert continued. “The one time that we find that is never appropriate, from our friends on the other side of the aisle, to have to show an ID, is when you do something so essential and fundamental to our democratic process as cast a vote.”
“One can see where there are all kinds of reasons we would want to prevent someone from pretending to be someone else in order to pawn goods, I would hope that we would all agree, although we obviously do not, given the governor’s recent desire to repeal the voter ID law, I would hope we all agree that pretending to be someone else when you’re voting is likewise we should try to deter.”
“I just wanted to join the chorus of support for having to show identification,” Gilbert added in closing.
House Republican leaders have vowed to defend Virginia’s voter ID law against Governor Northam’s attempts to repeal it.
Republican leaders have indicated the governor’s repeal proposal will not pass this session, though that could change if Republicans lose seats in the General Assembly this November. Currently, Republicans control the House of Delegates and Senate, holding majorities of 51-48 and 21-19, respectively.
House Republicans Unveil Legislation From Select Committee On School Safety
The legislation based on the 24 priority recommendations from the Select Committee on School Safety are set to be voted on this week in the Virginia House of Delegates
House Education Committee Passes School Safety Bills Set Forth By First Select Committee In 155 Years
The House Education Committee took up a few bills Wednesday stemming from the findings provided by the Select Committee on School Safety. The first select committee formed in the Virginia state legislature in 155 years was created after the February 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
After the November authorization of the 24-point priority recommendation plan to increase security in schools, Speaker of the House of Delegates Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), who leads the committee, said the “final product would be comprehensive and consensus-driven.”
Addressing the committee, Speaker Cox said the work done by the select committee was “groundbreaking.”
Referencing comments made by the Virginia General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), Cox added, “good news for Virginia…in so many different areas, Virginia was a leader…in the top five of states on school safety.”
The plan from the bipartisan select committee includes realigning the role of school counselors, statewide mental health and suicide prevention efforts, increasing funding for school resource officers, and bolstering school security grants, according to the Select Committee on School Safety’s “Priority Recommendations” report.
Even though dozens of school safety-minded bills have been forwarded, just a few were taken up Wednesday morning.
House Bill 1733, patroned by House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah), would require a school division to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a local law enforcement agency that sets forth the powers and duties of the school resource officers (SROs). The legislation was passed unanimously by the 22 members on the committee.
House Bill 1725, introduced Delegate Barry Knight (R-Chesapeake), dictates that each school board must cooperate with local building officials and a local fire marshal to develop a procurement plan to ensure that all security enhancements to public school buildings are in compliance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code and Statewide Fire Prevention Code. The bill passed with a unanimous vote.
House Bill 1732, sponsored by Delegate Israel O’Quinn (R-Bristol), would set forth annual safety training in public elementary and secondary schools. Principals would be required to develop and deliver – to each student and employee – training on safety procedures in the event of an emergency situation on school property. The bill passed with a unanimous vote.
House Bill 1738, introduced by Majority Whip Nick Rush (R-Floyd), would require a licensed architect or professional engineer to approve all plans and specifications for new or remodeled public school building construction. Moreover, the designee must be trained and experienced in crime prevention through environmental design. The bill passed with a unanimous vote.
House Bill 1729, introduced by House Education Committee Chairman Steven Landes (R-Augusta), would require school counselors across the state to spend at least 80 percent of their time counseling students. The bill passed with a unanimous vote.
House Bill 1752, patroned by Delegate Paul Krizek (D-Alexandria), would create a school holiday on the first Tuesday of November, which is Election Day. The legislation would alleviate the chance that schools are full of students, staff, and teachers when elections are held in case of an emergency on school grounds. The bill passed with an 18-3 vote.
Delegate Landes also proposed House Bill 1615, which would change the date of June primary elections from the second Tuesday of the month to the third Tuesday so schools will not be in session. That bill, however, was not taken up Wednesday.
Delegate Rush’s House Bill 1739 specifies that security equipment in schools includes software and mobile applications, which is eligible for grants through the Public School Security Equipment Grant Act of 2013, but was not voted on.
GOP’s Todd Gilbert Proposes Tougher Penalties for Human Traffickers, Child Predators
Child predators and human traffickers could soon find themselves facing harsher, mandatory minimum sentences — including the potential for a life sentence — under the terms of legislation filed by Del. Todd Gilbert, a former prosecutor who worked violent crime and major cases for years.
Democratic Leader Filler-Corn Wrongly Claims Gov. Northam’s Budget Isn’t Built on Higher Taxes
Less than one week into Virginia’s 2019 legislative session, tax policy issues are quickly becoming the top issue of debate, with Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly charting starkly different courses.
Earlier today, Republicans announced a unified front behind tax relief legislation offered by Delegate Tim Hugo (R-Clifton), aimed at blocking a hidden $1.2 billion tax hike championed by Democratic Governor Ralph Northam, which the governor used as the basis for a $2.2 billion spending increase contained within his budget.
“Our first and foremost effort is to say no to a hidden tax increase that’s found in the governor’s budget,” said Hugo, speaking on the House floor, following the GOP’s earlier announcement. “Let’s give the money back to the people who are paying the taxes.”
Minutes later, Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax) took to the House floor, denying that the governor’s budget was built on higher taxes, during a speech touting Democratic priorities, including higher spending and gun control.
“We also heard some incorrect information from the delegate from Fairfax, stating that Governor Northam’s proposal was a tax increase,” said Filler-Corn.
“There is no tax increase in the governor’s budget plan,” she continued.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial board disagreed with that assessment.
In an editorial entitled, “Gov. Northam’s tax plan wallops the middle class,” written last year after Northam released his plan, the Times-Dispatch said:
“Virginia Democrats, led by Gov. Ralph Northam, are preparing to do what Democrats were born to do: raise taxes and spend other people’s money. The opportunity arises thanks to the simplification reforms in last year’s federal tax-cut legislation. This makes the current opportunity to tax and spend especially appealing because state Democrats can use the changing and complex relationship between state and federal tax codes as a cover to ding middle-class Virginians.”
“The Democrats’ media allies are already doing their part by claiming that the state income tax increase the governor and fellow Democrats support will mainly affect ‘the wealthy.’ That’s accurate only if your definition of wealthy extends to, say, a married couple of twenty-something public schoolteachers who just bought their first house. Assuming a net income of about $80,000 for our two young educators, a back-of-the-envelope calculation of their state income tax liability suggests it would balloon by at least $700 under the Northam plan.”
In her speech, Filler-Corn touted several spending priorities paid for by the $1.2 billion in additional revenue referenced by the Times-Dispatch, but said it wasn’t a “tax increase” on the 600,000 Virginians who would pay higher taxes under the governor’s plan, choosing instead to blame President Trump for the refusal of Virginia Democrats to conform the state’s tax code.
In contrast to the unified Republican opposition, Filler-Corn’s Democratic caucus is already showing signs of internal division over the governor’s plan.
In an op-ed published in by the Times-Dispatch, Delegate Dawn Adams (D-Richmond) agreed with the Republican-led effort to allow taxpayers the opportunity to choose between taking the state’s standard deduction and itemizing, regardless of how they file their taxes.
“As a short-term solution, I have drafted legislation that first allows filers to choose whether they want to itemize irrespective of what they do at the federal level,” wrote Adams. “Knowing the backstory gives individuals power to decide how they want to spend their money.”
Adams stopped short, however, of backing the GOP’s proposal to increase Virginia’s standard deduction from $3000 to $4000 for individuals, and from $6000 to $8000 for married couples, a move which would primarily benefit lower and middle income taxpayers.
“‘Doubling Virginia’s standard deduction’ is a bad idea,” she said, in closing.
Another Democratic lawmaker, Delegate Lee Carter (D-Manassas), suggested the governor’s tax increases might be less than he would like, suggesting disagreement within the Democratic caucus.
“So you know I’m looking for ways to get that 5 percent raise entirely on state dollars so localities aren’t feeling that pinch,” said Carter, who self-identifies as “socialist”, during a January 8th interview on the Kojo Nnamdi show.
“But there are some folks, some of my colleagues, who are maybe more skeptical of the idea of the 5 percent raise entirely.”
In contrast to the mixed messages coming from House Democrats, their Republican counterparts are unified against the proposal.
“To be very clear, the governor’s proposal to increase taxes on hard-working Virginians is dead on arrival,” remarked GOP Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah), during proceedings on the House floor on Monday.
“We are not going to participate in that,” he said. “We are not going to discuss that. That is a non-starter for this caucus, and we are not going to go along with it, and I just wanted to lay down that marker.”
At the direction of Republican House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), Virginia’s House of Delegates will consider Hugo’s bill as a high-priority item early in the session, which is scheduled to last through mid-February.
Cox said addressing the tax issue early was vital to hearing budget amendments, which could not be done until the General Assembly’s money committees had a revenue baseline to work with.