The legislative process CITIZEN WATCHDOGS Tracking the General Assembly The tools you need to hold your state & local government accountable FOIA: government records

FOIA: government meetings by MEGAN RHYNE TODAY: 'S LEGISLATIVE PROCESS Perception v. Reality The General Assembly Website Senate & House Procedures Committees Motions Accountability COURSE PLAN VIRGINIA'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The oldest continuous law-making body in the New World, est. July 30, 1619 Part-time legislature 100-member House of Delegates 40-member Senate Jefferson's Manual 60-day session in even-numbered years Crossover 45-day sessions in odd-numbered years In the days of COVID-19 THE LEGISLATURE IS BLUE

2019 ELECTIONS

Democrats took SENATE HOUSE control of both chambers for the 21 55 first time since Democrats Democrats 1995 19 45 Republicans Republicans 3rd Speaker of the 1 1 House in 4 years Lt. Gov (D) open seat

Senate's back and Williamsburg area is divided forth control Delegate Amanda Batten (R) Senator (D) Delegate Mike Mullin (D) Senator Tommy Norment (R) WHAT WE IMAGINE high-minded & idealistic

THE REALITY rough & real Del. Jimmie Massie (R-Richmond)* CAST OF Speaker Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg)* Del. (R-Rustburg) CHARACTERS “” - Del. Buddy Fowler (R-Glen Allen) “Terry” - Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D)* IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE/REFERENCE “” - Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) “The Kilgore Gang” - Del. (R-Gate City) “Delegate Lopez” - Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington) “Delegate Simon” - Del. (D-Falls Church) “” - Lt. Governor (now Governor) Ralph Northam (D) “Paul” - Paul Nardo, Clerk of the House of Delegates “Miss Schaar” - Susan Schaar, Clerk of the Senate “Bill Stanley” - Sen. Bill Stanley (R-Moneta)

* No longer serving CALL TO ORDER

PRAYER & PLEDGE

MORNING HOUR communications from Senate/Governor recognitions requests points of personal privilege Floor BILLS ON 3RD READING final passage sessions: Uncontested BILLS ON 2ND READING & Regular debate HOUSE BILLS ON 1ST READING

CLERK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS Daily Floor Calendar CALL TO ORDER PRAYER & PLEDGE MORNING HOUR communications from Senate/Governor recognitions requests BILLS ON 3RD READING debate and final passage Floor Uncontested BILLS ON 2ND READING & Regular sessions: BILLS ON 1ST READING CLERK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS SENATE RETURN TO MORNING HOUR points of personal privilege Daily Floor Calendar Recognition by the Speaker/President THE "For what purpose does the delegate/senator rise?" FORMALITY Geographic recognition "The delegate/senator from James City County"

Debate runs through the leader "Will the delegate/senator yield for a question?"

Parliamentary inquiries

Call the pending question

Revotes "Having voted on the prevailing side by which we . . ." GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEBSITE https://virginiageneralassembly.gov LIVE & ARCHIVED VIDEO DAILY CALENDARS HOUSE SENATE

Agriculture, Chesapeake & Natural Resources Agriculture, Conservation & Natural Resources Appropriations Commerce & Labor Communications, Technology & Innovation Education & Health Counties, Cities & Towns Finance & Appropriations Courts of Justrice General Laws & Tecnology Education Judiciary Finance Local Government General Laws Privileges & Elections Health, Welfare & Institutions Rehabilitation & Elections Labor & Commerce Rules Privileges & Elections Transportation Public Safety Rules Transportation

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES HOUSE as many as 100 leadership training ground bills can be defeated may be only forum for public input subcommittees subcommittees SENATE used sparingly can only recommend action use of proxies less often the exclusive forum for public input THE SUB/COMMITTEE PROCESS

Chair calls Patron Committee Chair calls Patron gets Committee the bill explains the members ask for public the last word members number & bill the patron comment make the patron (sometimes questions (with or motions to with help) without time decide a bill's limits) fate Motion to report Advance the bill to its next level (subcommittee to committee or committee to chamber floor)

Motion to report & refer When a bill is better suited for another committee OR when the money committees have to review it MOTIONS

Motion to table or pass by indefinitely Both have the effect of killing the legislation, but a motion to table also stops any further debate bills can also die when: no motion is made a motion to report does not get a "second" Motion to incorporate/roll into/strike a motion to report results in a tie vote Usually done with at the patron's request or at least with his/her agreement they are "left" in committee ("pocket veto") ACCOUNTABILITY

2015 BILLS DEFEATED IN THE 2016 HOUSE ON AN

UNRECORDED VOTE 2017

Rate went down from a high of 95% in 2016 2018 to a low of 33% in 2018 after a rule change

requiring all motions to be recorded by 2019 name. 2020

Bills are still being defeated, though, by use 0% 25% 50% 75% 100% of the pocket veto.

source: Transparency Virginia ACCOUNTABILITY

2015 BILLS DEFEATED IN THE SENATE ON AN 2016

UNRECORDED VOTE 2017

Despite having a rule against unrecorded 2018 votes since before 2015, the Senate

percentage has crept up from 7% to 23% by 2019 use of pocket vetos and a Rules Committee mechanism to allow Senate-specific 2020

resolutions to be disposed of on voice votes. 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

source: Transparency Virginia NEXT WEEK: TRACKING LEGISLATION ON L.I.S. Locating & Reading Bills Following the Action Lobbying Following the Money & Elections COURSE PLAN