SB1303 (mandatory in-person school option) passed 1/28

[Anonymous]

It seems like SB1303, which mandates an in-person school option, passed in the Senate yesterday. Does anyone know how bills become laws in Virginia? I'm not sure this actually passed because it was an 8-7 vote, so I'm not sure if it was just some sort of preliminary vote or (hopefully) it can be presented to Northam for approval. Hoping someone knows the pathway to making it a law at this point.

[Anonymous]

The bill passed out of committee - not yet before the full VA Senate.

You can track the bill here: https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?211+vot+S04V0060+SB1303

If you want to see how the Education Committee members voted, it was:

YEAS--Newman, Petersen, Cosgrove, Lewis, Dunnavant, Suetterlein, Peake, Pillion--8.

NAYS--Lucas, Saslaw, Howell, Locke, Barker, Edwards, Hashmi--7.

Dick Saslaw has been representing my area (Falls Church) for many years - I am going to email him about this vote.

[Anonymous]

It looks like it has a scroll bar at the top showing progress and it's only in stage 1.

Introduced in Senate
Jan 12, 2021
Senate [presumably 1/28 but not update yet]
then
House
then
Governor

[Anonymous]

PP ok looks like it hasn't passed the senate yet then.

[Anonymous]

I've been following this one carefully. It JUST passed the Education Committee. It goes to full senate next week (week of 2/1). IF it passes senate, it goes to the house of delegates the week after that (2/8) I think?? Then IF it passes there, it goes to Northam.

So your NEXT step is to contact your state senator, and you can also start working on your delegate if you want. https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/

The vote in the education committee was 6 Republicans and 2 Democrats, so it is a slightly partisan bill at this point.

VEA is mounting a massive email campaign against this bill already, and Melanie Meren of the FCPS school board, at least, has spoken out angrily against it in her emails.

[Anonymous]

Hope it passes!

[Anonymous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgVKvqTItto

Sorry, couldn't help it.

[Anonymous]

I'm thankful for bright people like you!! I had no clue this even existed, but it sounds promising for those that want to return.

[Anonymous]

I posed on another thread. Next Tuesday, both Loudoun County and Fairfax County will vote on returning to school in March.

Soon this bill will be moot. And I don't want Richmond to get in the habit of micromanaging schools in Nova, if it isn't necessary.

[Anonymous]

If you want this one to pass, please contact your senator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posed on another thread. Next Tuesday, both Loudoun County and Fairfax County will vote on returning to school in March.

Soon this bill will be moot. And I don't want Richmond to get in the habit of micromanaging schools in Nova, if it isn't necessary.

From what I hear, FCPS doesn't actually have enough monitors to fully staff the return to school, so they still might need their hands forced.

[Anonymous]

If this is all true, can someone please repost this information in a new thread with a better title, calling people to action? And then lock this thread down? The title of this thread is not going to garner much attention. We need to mobilize and get this passed through the VA legislature!

Would most parents support this, regardless of political party? Regardless of school district?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posed on another thread. Next Tuesday, both Loudoun County and Fairfax County will vote on returning to school in March.

Soon this bill will be moot. And I don't want Richmond to get in the habit of micromanaging schools in Nova, if it isn't necessary.

These are unprecedented times. Someone needs to compel them to remain open in the fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this is all true, can someone please repost this information in a new thread with a better title, calling people to action? And then lock this thread down? The title of this thread is not going to garner much attention. We need to mobilize and get this passed through the VA legislature!

Would most parents support this, regardless of political party? Regardless of school district?

MOST school districts in Virginia are offering at least a hybrid option (which fits the bill): https://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/health_m.../reopen-status.shtml
41 are all remote, 9 are only partially hybrid. So 52 districts need to change. 15 are all in-person, 25 are all hybrid, and 41 are partially in-person (of those, maybe 1 or two actually aren't all grades and would need to add a few more in). That's 81 districts that already meet or almost meet the mandate.

Those who opposed this bill in committee were all Democrats (some Democrats crossed the aisle), and the VEA is advocating strongly against it.

[Anonymous]

They can pass anything they want and it can become law, but if more strains come that are more deadly and not covered by vaccines, good luck finding enough teachers willing to be in person. I think it's realistic to expect to go back, but we cannot predict all twists and turns. I am not a teacher, but I care about their well-being.