The Virginia United Methodist Conference Legislative Network hosts the United Methodist Day at the General Assembly each winter. This year it will be on Thursday, February 1.
Every year, we choose 3-4 issues to advocate for. Below you will find a list of issues with bills appearing before the 2024 General Assembly that our partner organizations have been working on. As we work to choose from the very long list of possibilities, we want to hear what is important to you.
*Note: This poll is for those who have NOT registered for the event.
Interested in registering? Click
here. Once you have registered we will send you a different form.
Please take a few minutes to prayerfully review these issues before answering the questions below.
We will ask you to answer three types of questions:
- General Priority: We will ask you to rank the general categories these bills fall under by your priority. As specific bills shift and change over the GA session, this will help us to know the general intent of your focus.
- Specific Priority: Rank the top four bills listed below.
- Share Your Story: As you are comfortable, share any first-hand accounts of how any of the issues above have affected you or a member of your community
Bills appearing before the 2024 General Assembly
1a. AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Help faith communities turn their building into affordable housing
Allow congregations to build affordable housing “by right” without special zoning changes.
1b. AFFORDABLE HOUSING: More money for Affordable Housing
More money for building affordable housing, rental assistance, and home ownership opportunities.
1c. AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Keep people in their homes
Extend time for a tenant to pay rent late. Limit attorney fees added to evictions. Change how in-home medical care is financed so people can get care in their homes instead of being forced into a nursing home.
1d. AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Stop the spread of abusive junk fees
Require landlords to list all potential fees, prohibit landlords from charging fee for maintenance, prohibit abusive utility reconnection fees.
2a. CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Limiting the use of dogs in prisons.
Between 2017 and 2022, people incarcerated in Virginia were bitten by dogs 271 times. Some of these bites caused permanent damage. The next highest state had only 15 bites in the same period.
2b CRIMINAL JUSTICE: No cost communication.
Make phone calls to incarcerated people free.
2c. CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Oversight.
Use the money set aside in 2023 to set up an oversight office for Virginia’s prison system.
2d. CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Second Look.
Provide people who are incarcerated with long prison sentences an opportunity to get a second look at their sentence if they’ve served at least ten years and been active in education and reform opportunities.
2e. CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Automatic restoration of voting rights.
3. GUNS: Assault weapon ban.
Common sense gun reform, including ban on assault weapons.
4a. HEALTH EQUITY: Unconscious Bias Training for Healthcare Professionals
Require healthcare professionals who deal with pregnant women be trained in unconscious bias. The PUSH Coalition that VICPP helped organize is eager to continue working on this issue and has secured bi-partisan support.
4b. HEALTH EQUITY: Community Health Workers.
A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of the community. Join the 25 states that have created a sustainable pathway to fund CHWs.
4c. HEALTH EQUITY: Healthcare Coverage for Undocumented Children.
Cover healthcare for the 13,000 children who would be eligible for Medicaid except for their documentation status.
5a. POVERTY: Support vulnerable children
Expand free school meals, summer meals, health care coverage and create a stated child tax credit to raise children out of poverty.
5b. POVERTY: Improving access to justice
Allow appeals of bad government agency decisions to court. A study to ensure that we have fair and open rules about who is eligible for Medicaid and other life-sustaining benefits. Measures to make sure there is a fair court process before children are separated from their parents. Prevent changes to court custody and visitation procedures that could unintentionally favor abuser parents. A bill of rights for those facing court-ordered guardianship. Allow state class action lawsuits so that those deprived of their rights have an opportunity to get access to the courts.
Legislation to ensure a fair unemployment application and appeals process. Allowing survivors of criminal abuse to have some control over the protective order court process.
5c. POVERTY: Access to energy, water, and gas utility services in times of crisis
6a. ENVIRONMENT: Incorporating community health in local comprehensive planning
Virginia would allow localities, both cities and counties, to incorporate an increased focus on community health into their regular comprehensive planning processes and efforts.
6b. ENVIRONMENT: Increase access to affordable solar electricity for us in homes
6c. ENVIRONMENT: Protect water resources
Increase funding for water infrastructure.
6d. ENVIRONMENT: Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Especially in the energy and transportation sectors.
6e. ENVIRONMENT: Defend the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) & Virginia Environmental Justice Act
7a. WORKING FAMILY SUPPORT: Paid sick days.
A Paid Sick Day standard for all workers.
7b. WORKING FAMILY SUPPORT: Child Labor Protections.
Increase the penalties for child labor violations.
7c. WORKING FAMILY SUPPORT: Minimum Wage.
Raise the minimum wage to $15/hr.
7d. WORKING FAMILY SUPPORT: Childcare Subsidies
Advocating for more subsidies for childcare.
7e. WORKING FAMILY SUPPORT:: Wage Theft
Strengthen remedies to make it easier for workers to recover unpaid wages.
7f. WORKING FAMILY SUPPORT: Remove farmworker exemption.
Currently farmworkers are exempted from the state minimum wage, a clear legacy from slavery.
7g. WORKING FAMILY SUPPORT: In-home care family support.
Allow legally responsible individuals (parents of children under age 18 and spouses) to provide personal care/personal assistance services for reimbursement as was allowed during COVID.
