Earlier today, the Arlington County Board adopted – on a unanimous vote – its 2020 legislative proposals. There’s a lot of great stuff in here, and unlike in previous General Assembly sessions, there’s actually a chance for a lot of this stuff to be enacted into law. One item not in here is any specific mention of the “Dillon Rule.” However, there are several instances in which the county asks for more authority, such as “Enact local option authority to develop incentives or regulations to decrease or otherwise regulate the distribution, sale or offer of disposable plastic bags” and “Permit local governments to prohibit the possession of firearms on property owned or leased by the locality.” I’d also love to see localities have more authority to do things like *greater* environmental protection…
County Board Finalizes 2020 General Assembly Legislative Proposals
“The Board heard from many residents about their priorities for the 2020 General Assembly,” Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey said. “We took those recommendations into consideration while crafting a package that we think is reasonable and achievable in the upcoming General Assembly session.”
The Board voted unanimously to approve the legislative package. To read the staff report and the complete package of priorities and proposals for the 2020 General Assembly, visit the County website. Scroll to Item No. 43 on the agenda for the Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019 Regular County Board Meeting.
Arlington’s proposals include requests that the General Assembly:
- Renew without a sunset clause the .25 percent transient occupancy tax on hotel rooms that funds travel and tourism promotion in Arlington.
- Maintain sufficient, sustainable and dedicated funding sources for WMATA’s long-term needs, ensure the state meets its funding commitment to WMATA’s capital program, and ensure that year-over-year growth in state WMATA capital and operating assistance allocations tracks WMATA’s needs and are within the allowable growth dictated by the General Assembly.
- Adopt a resolution ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution proposed by Congress in 1972.
- Enact several gun safety measures including Red Flag or Extreme Risk Protection Order Laws; universal background checks for all gun buyers; one-gun a month law limiting handgun purchases to one gun a month; ban the sale of bump stocks, assault weapons and armor-piercing ammunition; permit local governments to prohibit the possession of firearms on property owned or leased by the locality.
- Several initiatives related to energy efficiency, climate response and resiliency, environmental preservation, and local authority to develop incentives or regulations to decrease distribution, sale or offer of disposable plastic bags. Priorities include environmental preservation, including giving local government greater flexibility in the reforestation, conservation, preservation and management of urban forests, including incentives to developers to maximize tree preservation and planting to offset tree removal. The County also supports giving localities authority to develop incentives or regulations to decrease or otherwise regulate the distribution, sale or offer of disposable plastic bags.
To read the full list of legislative proposals, visit the County website. Scroll to Item No. 43 on the agenda for the Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019 Regular County Board Meeting.
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
