| RICHMOND, Va. – Leaders from the Virginia House Democratic Caucus today released the following statements on Speaker of the House William Howell’s announcement that House committee meetings will tentatively be live-streamed and archived during the 2018 session:
“While we applaud this step, we need to go much further,” said House Democratic Leader David J. Toscano. “Members of the House cannot be held fully accountable until there is streaming at all levels of the legislative process. Scheduled committee meetings are certainly a good place to start, but we need transparency in our unscheduled committee meetings and subcommittee meetings as well. Countless pieces of Democratic legislation, including LGBT protection measures and redistricting reform efforts, have been killed in unrecorded voice votes during subcommittee meetings while House Republicans have faced no consequences for their actions.”
“During the 2017 session alone, House Republicans have killed bills that would raise minimum wage, establish paid family leave, and help borrowers refinance student loan debt, all through unrecorded voice votes during subcommittee meetings,” said Caucus Chair Charniele Herring. “I commend Speaker Howell and the rest of the House Republicans’ decision to join the 41 other states that broadcast at least some audio or video from legislative committee meetings, but I also call upon them to continue to take further steps toward unbridled transparency in the Virginia House of Delegates.” |
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