Common Sense Bills Blocked by Dems
FROM THE OFFICE OF STATE SENATOR T. TRAVIS HACKWORTH
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It has been another busy week in Richmond, and I wanted to share a few
updates to keep you informed about what’s happening during this
Legislative Session. The Winter Storm kept many of our visitors from
traveling to Richmond. Some of our friends who made it were from
Carilion (right), Bristol City, and the SWVA Higher Center (left). I
also had the honor of recognizing Baseball Hall of Famer Billy Wagner
with a Center Aisle Presentation in the Senate Chamber.
GOOD BILLS BLOCKED BY DEMOCRATS
This week, Democrats stopped several common-sense bills that would
have helped small businesses, strengthened public safety, improved
election integrity, and lowered costs for Virginians.
*
SB 11 (SEN. DESTEPH): Repeals the styrofoam ban, saving small
businesses hundreds in inventory costs.
Bill link: [link removed] [1]
*
SB 12 (SEN. DESTEPH): Addresses marijuana odor in traffic stops,
giving law enforcement more tools in DUI/DWI cases.
Bill link: [link removed] [2]
*
SB 46 (SEN. CRAIG): Limits early voting to 15 days, saving taxpayers
and local registrars thousands in operating costs.
Bill link: [link removed] [3]
*
SB 78 (SEN. DIGGS): Increases mandatory minimums for certain repeat
firearm offenses to keep criminals off the streets.
Bill link: [link removed] [4]
*
SB 397 (SEN. DIGGS): Shifts courthouse construction costs to repeat
violent offenders instead of law-abiding taxpayers.
Bill link: [link removed] [5]
*
SB 544 (SEN. CIFERS): Requires photo identification at polling
locations.
Bill link: [link removed] [6]
*
SB 552 (SEN. STURTEVANT): Increases oversight of data center placement
and requires public hearings for zoning input.
Bill link: [link removed] [7]
*
SB 572 (SEN. REEVES): Creates a retail sales and use tax exemption for
contractors working on public improvement projects with the
Commonwealth.
Bill link: [link removed] [8]
*
SB 696 (SEN. JORDAN): Reduces the corporate income tax rate from 6% to
2.25% over three years.
Bill link: [link removed]
[9]
*
SB 799 (SEN. DURANT): Repeals the car (personal property) tax, saving
Virginians roughly $2 billion annually and the average working family
over $1,000 a year.
Bill link: [link removed] [10]
REDISTRICTING UPDATE
This week, Republicans secured a major court victory in _McDougle v.
Nardo,_ challenging Democrats’ attempt to push the redistricting
constitutional amendment (HJR 6007) through the 2024 Special Session.
The court ruled the General Assembly violated its own Special Session
rules and failed to satisfy constitutional and statutory requirements,
meaning everything tied to HJR 6007 in that Special Session is void ab
initio.
The court also found the required “intervening House election” has
not occurred because early voting for the 2025 election began before
HJR 6007 passed—so the next eligible election cannot be until
2027—and that Virginia’s public notice requirements in Va. Code §
30-13 were not followed, making any claimed “second vote” in 2026
ineffective.
THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER, AND THE DEMOCRATS HAVE FILED AN APPEAL IN
VIRGINIA’S COURT OF APPEALS. We will keep you updated on our fight
to stop this blatant partisan gerrymander.
WINTER STORM: RELIABILITY MATTERS
The winter storm over the weekend resulted in minimal loss of power
for Virginians. The lights stayed on because Virginia relied on
dependable energy sources like natural gas and nuclear.
Senator McDougle has introduced legislation to require the SCC to
direct public utilities to invest in the most reliable and affordable
generation options. Meanwhile, Democrats and the Governor continue
investing time and energy into solar and wind, and this weekend proved
how ineffective lower-generation options can be when Virginians need
power most.
Virginia Senate Republicans remain committed to saving Virginians
thousands on their power bills by repealing VCEA, rejecting the
regional gas tax initiative, and requiring our utilities to invest in
the most reliable and affordable resource scenario.
THURSDAY PRESS CONFERENCE: TAX HIKES AND SOFT-ON-CRIME POLICIES
On Thursday morning, the Caucus held a press conference where
Republican Leader McDougle and Caucus Chair Obenshain highlighted the
destructive taxes being pushed by Senate Democrats, along with
soft-on-crime policies that put more criminals back into our
neighborhoods.
DEMOCRATS’ PROPOSED TAX HIKES INCLUDE:
• New local sales tax in all Virginia counties and cities
• New income tax brackets
• Delivery tax (Amazon, Uber Eats, FedEx, UPS orders in Northern
Virginia)
• Rideshare tax (Uber/Lyft)
• Storage unit tax
• Gym membership tax
• Dog walking tax
• Dog grooming tax
• Counseling tax
• Kindle tax
• Vehicle repair tax
• Home repair tax
• Dry cleaning tax
In addition, House Democrats have introduced HB 863 to eliminate
mandatory minimums for a wide range of serious offenses, including
violent felonies and crimes involving firearms, drugs, and child
exploitation.
HERE IS A LIST OF SOME OF THE VIOLENT CRIMES THAT WOULD HAVE THEIR
MANDATORY MINIMUMS STRIPPED:
*
Rape
*
Forcible Sodomy
*
Violation of a Protective Order
*
Malicious bodily injury of a Law-Enforcement Officer or Fire Fighter
*
2nd Conviction of certain felony sexual assaults
*
Carnal Knowledge of a child between 13-15 years old.
*
Sexual Intercourse with one’s own child or grandchild
*
Manufacturing, selling, or distributing methamphetamine
*
2nd DUI conviction
*
Possession of a firearm by convicted felons
*
Possession, reproduction, or financing of child pornography
Bill link:
[link removed] [11]
I know it looks bleak right now. DON’T TUNE OUT - STAY ENGAGED AND
HOLD EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE LAWS THEY PASS. I
will keep fighting these reckless Democrat policies and keep you
informed as this battle continues.
Sincerely,
Senator Travis Hackworth
Virginia State Senator, District 5
[facebook social link] [12]
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1515 2nd Street
Richlands, VA 24641
USA
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