Roanoke Regional Chamber Legislative Update

ICYMI – Click here for a brief overview on how you can make a difference in the 2021 Legislative Session.

Session is in full swing now with committee meetings beginning at 7:00am on most days and lasting well into the evening. Successful bills are making their way from their committees of origin to the floors of the House and Senate for initial votes.

A proposal to impose a costly (and mandatory) paid family leave program advanced in the House this week. HB 2016, similar to the defeated SB 1330, would mandate employers to provide up to 12 weeks of paid family leave per employee per year. Most business advocacy groups are in strong opposition to this bill and have submitted written and spoken testimony against it, and now this bill will now be considered in the House Committee on Appropriations. Other similar bills are in the same posture and will be tracked closely by the public policy team.

Another bill of concern is HB 2015, which would mandate employers owning businesses in sectors deemed as “essential” pay their employees 1.5x their hourly rate or salary during public health emergencies. We voiced our concerns with a bill that sought to increase employers’ payroll costs by 50% when there is no guarantee of increased revenue/assistance to cover the payroll, and like HB 2016 this bill will be further discussed in the House Committee on Appropriations.

HB 2204, which would establish the “G3” program (“Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back”) continues to receive favorable outcomes in the House. This initiative to help solve job shortages in in-demand industries received a favorable vote in the House Education Committee 21-1 and will now be debated on the floor of the full House.

HB 1923, which expands a pilot program that allows our electric utilities to offer broadband capacity has passed the House 99-0 and will now be considered in the Senate. We were pleased to speak on behalf of the Senate version, SB 1334 in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee (where it passed 14-1). Thank you to Senator Edwards for carrying this important measure for our region.

Next week we hope to see a floor vote on SB 1334, at which point both broadband expansion bills will likely be re-heard by the opposite legislative body for final passage. We have reason to be optimistic about the success of these bills, but we will still be watching their movement closely. Also of note will be movement (or lack thereof) on legislation to mandate increased employee pay and paid medical leave.

By clicking on a bill number contained within our bill tracker, you will be taken directly to the web page where you will find all information on the legislation, including where it resides in the legislative process. Chamber action–where applicable–is indicated in italics under the bill title in the tracker.

We continue to keep an eye on legislation that works its way through the process, even for bills that may not be on this list. Please contact Terry if you wish to advocate for bills listed in our tracker or if you have any questions.

SESSION QUICK LINKS

Statewide

Regional