Friday, February 15, 2013
Virginia will remain among the 21 states that do not give home-schoolers access to play public school sports.
- GOVERNMENT
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Friday, February 15
By Paige Baxter, Capital News Service. A Senate committee Thursday shot down the “Tebow bill” aimed at allowing home-schoolers to participate in public schools’ sports and other extracurricular activities. The Senate Education and Health Committee defeated House Bill 1442 on a 7-8 vote, taking the matter off the table for this legislative session. All of the Republicans on the committee voted in favor of HB 1442, except Sen. Harry Blevins (R-Chesapeake), who joined the seven Democratic committee members —including Reston-area Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston) in opposing the bill. Do you think the bill should have made it to the Senate floor? Speak out here. The legislation is nicknamed for NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, who as a home-schooler in …
Friday, January 25, 2013
Howell was a sponsor of bill that would demand background checks at gun shows.
A Virginia Senate bill co-sponsored by Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston) that would close the "gun-show loophole" allowing people to purchase firearms at gun shows without a background check died in committee Wednesday. The committee voted 8-7 to stop SB 1001 from going forward. Lawmakers were unable to work out a compromise, even after Sen. William Stanley (R-Franklin County) said last week he would work with Sens. Henry Marsh (D-Richmond), and Don McEachin (D-Henrico), to reach a deal. Stanley has since told colleagues on the Senate Courts of Justice Committee that he is close to crafting a measure, but doesn't feel the details can be worked out this session, the Newport News Daily Press reported. Stanely said he will alter the bill and …
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Here's how to reach your local senators and delegates during the 2013 Virginia General Assembly.
The Virginia General Assembly convened at noon today for its 2013 session. In odd-numbered years, the General Assembly meets for 30 days, with the option to extend the session for a maximum of another 30 days. The General Assembly consists of the House of Delegates with 100 members and the Senate with 40 members. The 140 elected representatives are from an equal number of constituent districts across the commonwealth. Herndon's representatives are: Virginia Senate 2013 Senator Mark Herring Member Since 2006 - Democrat District 33, including the Town of Herndon Email: senator@markherring.org Alternate Email: District33@senate.virginia.gov Phone during session: 804-698-7533 Phone not in session: 703-729-3300 Senator Janet Howell Member …
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Reston's legislators hosting annual pre-session forum on Thursday.
It is nearly time for the Virginia's 2013 General Assembly to begin, and Reston-area legislators want to know what is on your mind. Del. Ken Plum and Sen. Janet Howell will hold their annual pre-session public meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods. Come with your questions and comments for Plum and Howell. The legislative session begins on Jan. 9. Plum is the co-sponsor of pre-filed house legislation that prohibits discrimination of any state employee for race, gender, medical conditions and sexual orientation. Howell is the chief sponsor of senate bills that loosen restrictions for absentee voting could factor in child support calculations. She is also a co-sponsor of the senate bill barring …
Monday, April 16, 2012
Where is the money for Silver Line Phase 2?
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, April 16, 2012
Since I last wrote about the budget several days ago, we have reached agreement with the House over the General Fund part of the budget. As a Senate negotiator, I am proud of the many improvements we made over the introduced budget. After years of cutbacks, we will have more funding for Northern Virginia's public schools and Virginia's colleges and universities. Mental health services for adolescents are being increased. Medicaid services our elderly, sick, and disabled neighbors will be improved. For the first time in five years, our state employees will have a pay raise. See here for a summary of the proposed budget. So why am I voting against the budget I worked so hard to improve? Because no funding is included for Phase 2 of Rail to …
Monday, January 30, 2012
County leaders announce donations, group vows to seek more, at meeting in Reston.
- LOCAL CONNECTIONS
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Monday, January 30, 2012
Faith community members and local leaders met at St. John Neumann Church in Reston on Sunday in support of expanding dental care for low-income adults in the area. More than 350 members of faith communities and civic organizations in the Reston-Herndon gathered under the banner of V.O.I.C.E. (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement). Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova and Virginia Sen. Janet Howell (D-Reston), along with other elected leaders, voiced their support for the V.O.I.C.E. effort to put a full-time dentist dedicated to serving Fairfax residents at the Sterling location of the Northern VA Dental Clinic. V.O.I.C.E. leaders have already raised $140,000 of the $200,000 needed to cover the cost …
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Gov. Bob McDonnell joins Republican state Senate candidate at Arlington fundraiser.
Gov. Bob McDonnell joined fellow Republican and state Senate candidate Patrick Forrest at an Arlington fundraiser Wednesday and said winning seats in Northern Virginia was key to turning the entire General Assembly over to the GOP. Forrest, a former Homeland Security official, is seeking to oust incumbent Democratic state Sen. Janet Howell in the left-leaning 32nd Senate District. “We’ve been making traction on her,” Forrest said. “And I know we’ve been making traction, because she’s been freaking out. She’s started to engage in some pretty unsavory, underhanded, old school political tactics. And we’re just not going to let her do it.” Forrest’s campaign manager, Buck Cram, said it more plainly. Cram accused Howell of spearheading a …
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Forrest starts petition on toll increases, while Howell calls for action for Gov. McDonnell
With one debate under their belts, the Patrick Forrest-Janet Howell race is in full swing with a clear focus heading into the last two months before Election Day: the Dulles Toll Road. Before last week's debate, 32nd Senate District challenger Forrest (R) had been raising awareness on a study from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority that predicted fees on the Dulles Toll Road could exceed $17 roundtrip within the next five years, and $17 each way by 2040. He also has been pointing his finger at Sen. Janet Howell (D) for being "silent" on the issue, which he asserted in a Letter to the Editor to the Fairfax County Times and at last week's debate hosted by the Arlington County Civic Federation. But Howell said she has seen the …
Friday, January 7, 2011
Citizens gather at RCC to make sure their voice is heard in Richmond.
Privatizing liquor stores, spending on education, fixing the roads, immigration—these were among some of the issues Reston residents brought up to local lawmakers Thursday at the Reston Community Center. Del. Ken Plum and Sen. Janet Howell will head to the 46-day legislative session in Richmond next week. Thursday, they heard from about a dozen residents, who spoke to the legislators about what was important to them. Additional topics included gun control, nonpartisan redistricting, health care and programs for disabled adults. An overarching theme: concern about the direction the commonwealth is heading under Republican Gov. Robert McDonnell and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. "I am concerned about the current attorney general," said one…
Locally Involved
4:11 pm on Monday, March 25, 2013
Again, DoJo, you are wrong. Though it does get tedious proving so, I appreciate the exercise in history. According the Monticello.org - and probably the definitive source of all things Jefferson, since, uh, that's what they do. Your reference of government tyranny is directly rebuked: That sentence does not appear in the Virginia Constitution drafts or text as adopted, nor in any other Jefferson … more ›