Legislative Advocacy 102

“From Election to Legislating: Where you come in.”

Virginia Transit Association Lisa Guthrie Danny Plaugher Recap Legislative Advocacy 101 What is an advocate? Definition: A person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. Why Becoming an Advocate Matters? • Your overall goal is to build relationships so that decision-makers and community leaders will understand and appreciate the importance of transit; • Activating community leaders to serve as transit advocates means that you amplify and expand the call for action without you as the sole voice speaking in your own self interest; Where your funding comes from? Ads, etc.

Other funding 3% Customers President Congress FTA FRA RTAP Federal Funds Fare Revenue 21% 25%

Governor City/Town Council General Assembly Board of Supervisors CTB Regional Bodies - TPOs DRPT

State Funds 20% Local Funds 31% Steps to Success for Legislative Advocacy

• Build YOUR team

• Do your research

• Data, data, data!

• Educate your team

• Prepare your ask, Secure a response

• Follow up! November Elections: What Happened Why this matters!

41% of Virginia’s Legislators are beginning their 1st or 2nd term! New General Assembly Leadership

State Senate House of Delegates Leader/Speaker Sen. Dick Saslaw (D) Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D) Minority Leader Sen. Tommy Norment (R) Del. Todd Gilbert (R) Transportation Committee Chair Sen. David Marsden (D) Del. Delores McQuinn (D) Finance Committee Chair Del. Vivian Watts (D) Sen. Janet Howell (D) Appropriations Committee Chair Del. Luke Torian (D) 2020 Legislative Session Calendar

• Legislative Prefiling: November 18, 2019 to January 8, 2020 • Session Convenes: January 8, 2020 • “Cross-over” to other chamber: February 12, 2020 • Session Ends: “Sine Die” - March 8, 2020 • Governor Submits Final Changes/Vetoes: April 7, 2020 • Veto Session: April 23, 2020 Stages, responsibilities, and lobbyist influence

• Drafting: Division of Legislative Services (confidential) • Securing co-patrons and introduction: Legislator (a.k.a. Patron/sponsor) • Referring to Committee: House Speaker or Senate Clerk • Consideration by committee: Committee Chairman • Presenting legislation to committee: Patron • Proposing committee amendments, action on bill: Committee Members • Drafting committee amendments: Division of Legislative Services Committee consideration

• Some committees have subcommittees • Senate Finance and House Appropriations each have eight: Transportation is one of the subcommittees • There are also Senate and a House Transportation Committees

• Possible Outcomes: • Report • Fail to report • Pass by indefinitely • Report with amendments • Line amendments • Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute • Re-refer to another committee After passing the First Committee

• 3 readings; • Bloc votes often occur when bill has received a unanimous vote in committee (uncontested calendar); • Supermajorities are required for certain bills; • Bills can be amended on the floor; • Engrossment = Has passed one chamber.

• Same thing all over again! Committees, 3 readings, etc. • Conference committee (If the House/Senate versions differ) • Enrollment = Has passed both houses • When signed by the Governor, legislation becomes a Chapter of the Acts of Assembly Governor’s Budget Bill

• Public transportation programs increase from $886 million in biennial budget to $1.345 billion (52% increase). • $320 million is the transition of WMATA funds from a VDOT account to a DRPT account; • $100 million is the transition of federal matching funds moving from bonds to dedicated revenue; • Remainder is general increase for transit (anticipated to grow annually); • In FY 2021, just a $16 million increase for transit and $6 million for WMATA. • Includes gas tax increase which a portion goes to the MTF • Also includes $1 million annually for our “transit passes for working families” program.

Chamber Patron(s) Bill Number

House of Delegates Del. Torian HB 30 Sen(s). Norment, Hanger, State Senate SB 30 Howell VTA Initiatives Transit Benefits for Working Families • Amend Budget Item 346 to add line ‘R.’ stating: Out of this appropriation, $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year from the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant shall be provided for competitive grants for public transportation (as defined in Virginia code § 33.2-100) and public transportation demand management service fare passes designed to assist the movement of low-income individuals out of poverty through programs designed to assist TANF recipients and those with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level in obtaining and retaining competitive employment with the prospect of a career path and wage growth and other supporter services designed to break the cycle of poverty and permanently move individuals out of poverty.

• Purpose: To provide working individuals and job trainees with free transit passes to assist in their effort to secure and maintaining competitive employment with a prospect of a career path and wage growth by taking advantage of Virginia’s public transportation network. It also helps our businesses retrain employees who need transportation assistance.

Chamber Patron(s) Bill Number

House of Delegates

State Senate Business Deduction for Transit Passes

• Amend the § 58.1-402 to add the following language “For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, the amount for “Public Transportation Commuter Expenses” shall be deductible as a business expense for companies that provide their employees with public transportation and qualified transportation demand management/ridesharing (as defined in Virginia code § 33.2-100) fare assistance up to $265 monthly per qualifying employee (returning to the level set before the enactment of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017).

• Purpose: The previous business deduction for employers who provide their employees with transit or ridesharing fare benefits was eliminated with the passage of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This simply returns the deduction to Virginia’s businesses, and helps keep our state attractive to current and future businesses (Maryland, Washington State, Minnesota, California, New York, Massachusetts, Hawaii, North Carolina, Illinois, and New Jersey are all doing something similar).

Chamber Patron(s) Bill Number

House of Delegates Del. Vivian Watts

State Senate Sen. George Barker Other items that we’re following:

Chamber Patron(s) Bill Number/Item Description

Portion of taxation from marijuana sales House of Delegates Del. Carter HB 87 would be directed to transit

Peer-to-Peer Car sharing service

Creation of a Richmond Regional Richmond Regional Authority transportation authority

Hampton Roads Regional Amending the Hampton Roads Regional transportation authority to allow for Authority (revisit) funding to go to transit Allows for an increased portion of DRPT Administration Increase transit revenue to support additional staff positions Key Advocate Resources

State resources: • Who’s my legislator: whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/ • About the General Assembly: https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/ • Legislative Information Services: lis.virginia.gov/

VTA and outside resources: • Virginia Public Access Project: www.vpap.org/ • VTA Transit Profiles: vatransit.com/transitimpacts • VTA Transit Action Network: VATransit.com/Action VTA Legislative Advocacy Day Monday, January 27th Day’s Schedule: • 9:30 am – Morning briefing at the VA Association of Counties Offices (1207 E. Main Street, RVA Suite 300); • 10:30-11:30 am – Meetings with legislators at Pocahontas building; • 11:30-12:30 pm – Capital Gallery for morning hour; • 12:30-2:00 pm – Lunch on your own; • 3:30 pm – Pulse BRT tour from Main Street Station; • 5:30-7:30 pm – Transportation Choices Legislative Reception at Main Street Station. Things to do: • Contact your legislators’ offices to make appointments; • RSVP to Jamie ([email protected]) by January 17th if you plan to attend the evening reception – Open to VTA members; • KEEP UPDATED: Check out our VTA members page for updated legislative information. Comments or questions?