SB 1243 would prohibit the use of location on menstrual data for individuals seeking reproductive healthcare and prohibit the extradition of Virginians for facilitating out-of-state abortions
Richmond, VA – Yesterday afternoon, the Senate of Virginia passed Senator Scott A. Surovell’s (D-Mt. Vernon) legislation SB 1243, which will stop location on menstrual data from being used to target individuals who visit reproductive health providers and prevent Virginians from being extradited for facilitating out-of-state abortions. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court of the United States overturning Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights advocates expressed concern that technology companies such as Google and Apple could be compelled to provide location history data collected from phones or other wearable devices to state governments for the purpose of prosecuting laws against abortion. At the federal level, a group of U.S. Senators called on Google to stop collecting such data last July. Surovell’s bill would codify that unless otherwise authorized by law, obtaining, disclosing, selling, or disseminating any such information is prohibited.
Surovell has been a strong advocate for reproductive healthcare freedom and data privacy. He introduced legislation to codify Roe v. Wade in Virginia when Democrats controlled the House of Delegates, Senate, and statewide offices. In 2020, he also carried legislation which would have allowed consumers to sue corporations for knowingly selling inaccurate data about the consumer. The bill also creates a private right of action to allow Virginia women to enforce violations of the act.
“Protecting the right to personal privacy around reproductive healthcare services is a no-brainer,” Surovell said. “This legislation will ensure that these services remain safe and private in Virginia. The private right of action is especially critical given that it is unlikely the Attorney General of Virginia would be willing to protect Virginia women’s reproductive health data through the existing Virginia Data Privacy Act. Thank you to my colleagues for sending this important legislation to the floor.”
Repro Rising Virginia Policy Director, Lexi White supported the bill in committee. “This important legislation protects patients and their loved ones in their efforts to seek critical care and safeguards patient data from getting into the wrong hands,” White said. “We are happy to see this bill move forward and hope to see this commonsense privacy measure become law.”
The next step for the legislation will be consideration in the House. If it is approved by the legislature and signed by the Governor, it will become law in July 2023.
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.
SB 886 Was Introduced With Support from SEIU and the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy
Richmond, VA – Today SB 886, legislation that will provide sick leave to all healthcare workers and grocery store employees, was approved by the Senate of Virginia by a vote of 22-18. The bill passed out of the Senate last year and could become law if it passes through the House and is signed by the governor this year. The legislation will expand on a prior policy that covered full-time employees but failed to cover part-time workers.
Protecting workers and providing adequate benefits has been an important priority for Surovell for several years. In 2020, Surovell led negotiations to raise the minimum wage and Surovell serves as the labor liaison for the Senate Democratic Caucus. “Virginians who work in frontline industries should know they can take the time they need to get better when they feel sick instead of being forced to work to pay their bills and contribute to disease spread,” Surovell said. “Economists tell us that Virginia still has not recovered from the pandemic-era labor shortage. I’m optimistic that this legislation will ensure that employers are better able to recruit professionals to fill many currently vacant roles.”
SEIU Virginia 512 president David Broder praised the legislation. “Essential workers — home care providers, nurses, janitors, and so many more — worked tirelessly to keep us all safe and healthy during the pandemic,” Broder said. “In return, they deserve paid leave, a living wage, and a voice on the job to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. This bill will ensure a safer, healthier, more prosperous Virginia for all people.”
Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy Executive Director Kim Bobo also supported the bill. “Providing paid sick leave is an economic necessity and a moral imperative,” Bobo said. “It’s important that we keep bringing this issue back every year to move the ball forward toward a better Virginia for all.”
The legislation will be considered in the House. If it is approved by the House and signed by the governor, it will become law in July 2023.
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.
SB 1066 and HB 1668 Would Promote Job Growth and Reinvigorate Historical Places
Richmond, VA – Senator Scott Surovell (D-Mt. Vernon) and Delegate Danny Marshall (R-Danville) introduced bipartisan legislation that will continue to facilitate Virginia’s highly successful Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit. The bills are SB1066 and HB1668. SB 1066 passed the Senate with bipartisan support by a vote 39-1, while HB 1668 was left in the House Finance Committee.
From 1997-1999, Senator Surovell served on the Arlington County Historic Affairs and Landmarks Review Board where he was able to see first-hand the benefits of the historic tax credit and the impact it had on preserving residential and commercial properties. He also owns a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places in New York and his neighborhood in Mount Vernon is listed on the Virginia Register of Historic Places (neither of which would benefit from this legislation).
“Continuation of our HRTC program will pay dividends to the Commonwealth for decades to come in the form of new jobs, income and property taxes, cultural heritage and tourism, business incubation, seismic safety, and the reuse of existing infrastructure and maintain our sense of place and important buildings,” Surovell said. “Historic rehabilitation incentives have been proven effective in 35 other states as a targeted means to attract private investment and capture more federal tax credit dollars. This is particularly important in smaller towns or our historic city centers in need of meaningful economic development support.”
“I look forward to seeing the economic development opportunities across Virginia that come out of this program,” Marshall said. “Preserving historic properties and enhancing tourism opportunities is one important piece of growing our economy in Southside Virginia and I am excited to champion this legislation.”
Preservation Virginia CEO Elizabeth Kostelny praised the legislation. “Communities across the Commonwealth are seeking ways to recover from the past few years of uncertainty,” Kostelny said. “Removing barriers and encouraging the use of the HRTC program can play a major role in creating jobs and reinvigorating under-utilized and derelict structures.”
There is no cap on the number of projects or taxpayers allowed, but each taxpayer is limited to claiming no more than $5 million per year. This restriction disincentivizes investment in historic Virginia buildings and creates unnecessary challenges for larger renovation projects such as the Homestead and the Dan River Building which are providing millions of dollars of benefits to rural Virginia communities in need.
Virginia’s HRTC program helped to fund over 2,500 historic rehabilitation projects. Local governments praise the HRTC for leveraging private sector investment for public benefit.
HRTC’s generate the following significant benefits for the Commonwealth:
Renovating historic properties saves Virginia’s historic buildings and make historic communities into vibrant neighborhoods and destinations.
Studies show that the HRTC program creates jobs and generates tax revenue by bringing in private investment of $4.73 for every $1 of tax credit issued.
One third of a historic restoration project’s cost is recouped by taxpayers during the construction phase and the rest of the investment is fully recouped within 10 years. After 20 years, the average tax credit project nets $5.35 for every $1 spent.1
The HRTC generates economic activity in small towns across Virginia and enables job creation- including 31,000 jobs over a 17-year period from 1997 – 2013 through not the rehabilitation of buildings but also the surrounding retail and service jobs which occupy many of the area buildings upon completion.2
The National Trust for Historic Preservation reports that historic rehabilitation costs are on average 60% labor and 40% materials while materials are a larger portion of new construction (40% v. 60%).3
Construction sector jobs created by the HRTC have a significant multiplier effect across industries by increasing service jobs, transportation jobs, and retail trade jobs.
Some studies show that 78% of HRTC projects would not proceed without the tax credit investment due to difficulty securing bank financing and thinner margins due to additional costs for historic renovations including code compliance and seismic retrofitting.
Developers and businesses are able to invest in restoring a historic structure in their community that would otherwise be considered a risky business decision.
Fifty-one percent of HRTC projects are in low and moderate income census tracts and 75% are in economically distressed areas according to National Park Service research.4
In the City of Bristol, Virginia’s HRTC program has generated $29 million of investment on the Virginia side of the border while the Tennessee side (which does not have an HTC) has seen only $2.2 million of rehabilitation expenditures. The $21 million renovation of the Sessions Hotel in Bristol is an example of this program’s benefits.
The 36th Senate District is replete with properties on the National and State Register of Historic Places including the recently listed 450-home Hollin Hills Community, the Tauxemont Community, River Farm, and George Washington’s daughter’s home – “Woodlawn” – which was the first property to receive the nation’s highest historic legal designation possible as a National Historic Landmark.
The next step for the legislation will be consideration of SB 1066 in the House. If it is approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, it will become law in July 2023.
1“Preserving the Past, Bulding the Future: Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits at Work in Virginia,” Virginia Department of Historic Resources, October 2, 2018, https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/news/preserving-the-past-bulding-the-future-historic-rehabilitation-tax-credits-at-work-in-virginia/
2“Rehabilitation Tax Credits Frequently Asked Questions,” Virginia Department of Historic Resources, December 11, 2020, https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/tax-credits/rehabilitation-tax-credits-frequently-asked-questions/
3“State Historic Tax Credits: Maximizing Preservation, Community Revitalization, and Economic Impact,” The National Trust for Historic Preservation, November 2018, https://forum.savingplaces.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=ee094e94-4dc7-db43-ae3b-9eaae3e7f179&forceDialog=0
4“Annual Report on the Economic Impact of the Federal Historic Tax Credits for Fiscal Year 2020,” National Park Service, November 2021, https://www.nps.gov/tps/tax-incentives/taxdocs/economic-impact-2020.pdf
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.
SB 1067 will strengthen Virginia’s Red Flag Law and protect Virginians from preventable firearm violence
Richmond, VA – Today, the Senate of Virginia voted 23-16 with bipartisan support in favor of SB 1067. Senator Scott Surovell (D-Mt. Vernon) introduced this legislation to clarify the various factors that a judge or magistrate must consider to issue an emergency substantial risk order or a substantial risk order under Virginia’s Red Flag Law. This law establishes due process to prevent an individual showing signs of substantial risk to themselves or others from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm. The next step for the legislation will be referral to the House for approval. If it is approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, it will become law in July 2023.
SB 1067 clarifies that a judge or magistrate must consider relevant evidence or recent acts of violence, force, or threat when determining probable cause. This includes an act of violence that resulted in injury, a threat or act of force that resulted in injury, and a violation or arrest for violation of a protective order, among other common-sense factors to prohibit the possession of a firearm. Surovell has been a strong advocate for Virginia’s Red Flag Law and ensuring the public safety of Virginians. Surovell was a chief co-patron of the initial bill to create the Red Flag Law and last year he, along with Senate Democrats, voted down a bill to repeal it.
“We had two mass shootings within 8 days of each other last year and a six year-old shoot a teacher this year and the time for action is now, ” Surovell said. “Gun violence is an epidemic, and we owe it to past and future victims and their families to work together to solve it. Our bills that we passed today will make a difference and now it is up to the House to pass this legislation and save lives.”
Gun control advocates have praised the legislation. “SB 1067, if passed into law, will strengthen Virginia’s Extreme Risk Law,” Kris Brown, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said. “This bill includes common sense policy additions that will ensure that individuals most at risk of dangerous behavior can’t access deadly weapons. We applaud the passing of this bill in the Senate of Virginia with bipartisan support and urge the Virginia legislature to pass this bill to protect the Commonwealth from preventable violence.”
The next step for this bill is to be sent to the House for approval. If it is approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, it will become law in July 2023.
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.
SB 835 would remove statutory definition of homosexuality as “sexual conduct” for purposes of books sold, loaned, or displayed to juveniles
Richmond, VA – Today the Senate approved bipartisan legislation (SB835), which Senator Scott Surovell (D-Mt. Vernon) introduced, by a vote of 25-12. The legislation will remove same sex relationships from the state’s definition of obscene sexual content for purposes of sales, rent or loans of content to juveniles. “Written depictions of homosexual couples eating dinner or going to a movie is not ‘sexual conduct’ that should be treated like Penthouse Magazine,” Surovell said. “Removing homosexuality from the definition updates the criminal statute to be in line with a modern understanding of sexual behavior and eliminates historic stigma.”
Making Virginia a more welcoming place for all people is important to Surovell. In 2020, he carried legislation to allow non-binary Virginians to use an X for their gender on DMV documents such as drivers licenses. “Virginians should always feel safe living as their true selves,” Surovell said. “I thank my colleagues in the Senate for their bipartisan support of this bill. The language in today’s Code is likely unconstitutional and unenforceable especially after the Obergefell decision. Healthy homosexual relationships have been depicted in written, audio and visual media for decades and keeping language in the Code of Virginia that makes such content a misdemeanor are anachronisms.”
The Virginia criminal code prohibits selling or renting media which includes sexual conduct to minors and defines sexual conduct to include “actual or explicitly simulated acts of . . . homosexuality.” The legislation, which is also carried by Del. Karrie Delaney (D-Fairfax) in the House of Delegates, will delete the word “homosexuality.” Experts believe that children who see representations in media of people who look like them and have similar experiences can help develop a sense of identity and self-worth.1
The next step for the legislation will be referral to the House for approval. If it is approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, it will become law in July 2023.
1Action for Children. “Representation Matters: Are LGBTQ+ young people seeing themselves represented in the media?”
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.
SB821 will ensure a document trail and notification system for sex offense charges and convictions for all school systems and expands the list of sex crimes requiring notification
Richmond, VA – Today, the Senate of Virginia unanimously approved SB821. Senator Scott Surovell (D-Mt. Vernon) introduced this legislation to keep schools informed when one of their employees is arrested or convicted of certain felony offenses including sex offenses or facilitation of prostitution.
Earlier this year, Fairfax County Public Schools discovered that a school counselor had continued employment for two years following an arrest for solicitation of prostitution from a minor after he was arrested for the same violation two years later. At this time, it is still unclear where the breakdown in legally required notification occurred, but it also appears the individual failed to provide accurate employment information after his first arrest. Surovell’s bill would ensure notification, an employment verification, and a paper trail to verify that notification had taken place by both law enforcement and the court.
Protecting children from employees with certain felony records has been a priority for the General Assembly and Surovell specifically for several years. In 2021, Surovell worked with Delegate Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria) to modernize Virginia’s criminal conviction record keeping and reporting system. Surovell and Herring’s 2021 legislation, SB1339/HB1283, came at the recommendation of the Virginia Crime Commission and it will provide fully automated notification of criminal record changes to public and private employers who request criminal background checks. That system is powered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Next Generation Identification Record of Arrest and Prosecution Back service (also known as RAP Back). The Virginia State Police is slated to begin utilizing that service upon deployment of their new criminal recordkeeping system on July 1, 2025.
As a transition to the RAP Back system, Surovell’s bill, SB821, will require that each school division superintendent provide updated contact information to the Department of Education for the purposes of receiving reports when a division employee is arrested for certain offenses and requires notification to occur through specifically designated means. The bill requires notification by both law enforcement and the Clerk of Court, and requires that the arresting agency verify a defendant’s employment information from the Virginia Employment Commission to determine whether the arrestee requires such a report to be filed in case the defendant does not provide accurate employment information. A report will also be filed anytime someone with a Board of Education license is convicted of certain felonies.
“Pending the deployment of RAP Back, this legislation is intended to resolve a problem where a clerical error can put children in danger,” Surovell said. “I think we all wish legislation like this was not necessary, but we need to be sure that proper notification gets to the right person when certain convictions are handed down and when arrests are made. I thank my colleagues in the Senate for their unanimous support and for taking this important step towards further protecting our students.”
The next step for the legislation will be referral to the House and to a House Committee. If it is approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, it will become law in July 2023.
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.
SB 1461 will provide over 2,000 annual full scholarships to Pell-Eligible students attending Virginia state-supported universities with smaller endowments
Richmond, VA – Today Senator Scott Surovell (D-Mt. Vernon) introduced SB1461, which will create the Virginia College Opportunity Foundation and fund it with the $1.3 Billion surplus in the Virginia 529 Plan to fund over 2,000 annual full-scholarships for Virginia college students who are eligible for Pell Grants attending Virginia state-supported universities with smaller endowments.
Surovell attended Virginia public education from kindergarten through law school and supports public education as the key to fulfillment. “Using this surplus funding to level the playing field makes perfect sense,” Surovell said. “This legislation will help these historically disadvantaged students and institutions.”
For 100 years, access to state-supported higher education in Virginia was limited to white men and this is reflected in the endowments of Virginia’s oldest universities. Even today, tuition support and state appropriations are disproportionately invested in universities that have the largest endowment-supported financial aid and a history of male-only admissions, with colleges focused on male-dominated professions.
State annual per-student appropriations to Virginia’s original women’s schools — James Madison, Longwood, Mary Washington and Radford universities — averages 22% less than UVA, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, VCU and VMI. At the extremes, taxpayers give 62% more money per student to UVA than to George Mason University — an extra $3,460 per student. Before 2020, the combined endowments plus “strategic reserve funds” of UVA, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, VCU and VMI were around $15 billion. The combined endowments of Virginia’s remaining 10 four-year universities were around 5% of that, roughly $800 million. Virginia’s five legacy universities have endowments and reserves of about $146,000 per student, while 10 non-legacy universities have about $6,600 per student when competing for and supporting the top academic and teaching talent.
Until 2019, the Virginia529 College Savings Program allowed parents to prepay tuition as much as 18 years before students attend college and to lock in then-existing tuition rates. The Virginia529 Plan also earns management fees and is one of the largest 529 programs in America. As of June 30, 2020, it had a $1.1 billion surplus.
Surovell’s legislation would sequester the surplus into a state endowment fund managed by the Virginia Retirement System and run by a board made up of graduates of Virginia’s 10 non-legacy universities. Advocates argue that $1 billion dollars could generate $55 million per year in income, which could fund at least 2,200 scholarships of $25,000 for students to attend one of Virginia’s 10 non-legacy institutions and commit to remain in Virginia for their careers for a period of time after graduation to help repay the investment in their education.
The next step for the legislation will be an Education and Health committee hearing later this month. If it is approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, it will become law in July 2023.
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Senator Scott A. Surovell represents parts of Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford Counties since 2015. Prior to his time in the Senate, Surovell served six years in the House of Delegates. Surovell lives in Mt. Vernon with his wife and four children. He practices law and has dedicated his legislative career to fighting for Northern Virginia’s fair share, protecting consumers, and preserving our environment for future generations.
SB 745 would have ensured automatic resentencing hearings for current felony marijuana convicts
Richmond, Virginia – Yesterday, the Virginia House of Delegates Appropriations Committee voted to kill Senator Scott Surovell’s bill to grant resentencing hearings for individuals incarcerated for marijuana distribution and parole hearings for individuals serving sentences enhanced by prior marijuana-related convictions on a party-line vote. The bill, SB 745, was the last marijuana-related bill of the legislative session awaiting committee action.
“Yesterday, the House appropriations committee decided to kill a bill with bipartisan support which would have ensured the punishment fit the crime for past felony marijuana convictions. The attitude of the majority of Virginians towards marijuana use has changed dramatically since many of these individuals were originally sentenced, and to refuse to acknowledge the draconian nature of these sentences is an injustice” Surovell said.
Gracie Burger, State Policy Director for The Last Prisoner Project and an early partner on the bill, said the following:
“SB 745 by Sens. Surovell and Lucas provided an urgently-needed solution to the problem of cannabis prisoners left behind bars since the Commonwealth legalized adult-use marijuana last year. Public interest has shifted on the criminalization of cannabis and we must provide a pathway for that shifted position to be reflected in the punishments our state continues to uphold. Virginians sentenced under outdated laws deserve the opportunity to have their sentence reconsidered, as a matter of both fairness and fiscal responsibility, and SB 745 would have provided that opportunity. Continuing incarceration for these individuals is a waste of limited public safety resources that should be prioritized elsewhere”.
Senator Louise Lucas served as the bill’s Chief Co-Patron. The legislation also received support from Justice Forward Virginia and the ACLU of Virginia.
SB 565 will Reduce Greenhouse Emissions in Virginia
Richmond, Virginia – Today, The Senate of Virginia passed Senator Scott Surovell’s Bill to allow for captured methane emissions to be used as energy. SB 565, which passed on a bipartisan vote of 35-5, will allow for these emissions, which otherwise would inflict environmental harm, to be used as a renewable energy source in Virginia.
“Because of the Senate’s vote today, we are one step closer to making Virginia a national leader in cleaning up greenhouse gas pollution” Surovell said. “This bill will incentivize companies responsible for methane emissions in Virginia to capture fugitive methane and use it as a renewable energy source. I am thankful to my colleagues in the Senate for providing such overwhelming and bipartisan support for this bill, and look forward to continuing to work toward preserving our environment for future generations”.
The bill follows President Biden’s commitment at the United Nations’ COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow to The Global Methane Pledge, which aims to limit methane emissions by 30% compared with 2020 levels by 2030. Methane is 85 times more potent at capturing solar energy than carbon dioxide and is responsible for a third of current warming from human activities.
The legislation allows natural gas companies to reduce methane emissions by:
Investing in enhanced leak detection;
Purchasing low emissions methane; and
Investing in projects to construct infrastructure to capture or develop biologically-derived methane systems through measures such as waste composting, municipal sewage operations, and capturing landfill gas or gas from animal feeding operations.
Nearly identical legislation carried by Delegate Israel O’Quinn has passed out of committee in the House of Delegates and will receive final vote on Monday.
Richmond, Virginia – Today, the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee passed Senator Scott Surovell’s bill to study whether Virginia laws need to be changed to assist building inspection and maintenance. SB 740 passed by a unanimous vote, and comes in response to the tragic collapse of the Surfside condominium building in Florida and the structural damage discovered in 2016 at River Towers Condos in Belleview.
“As we saw with the Surfside condo collapse, the consequences of outdated and under-enforced building inspection and maintenance laws can be catastrophic” Surovell said. “I don’t think we should wait for a disaster to occur in Virginia before addressing this issue. The study will help us bring better standards to diminish that possibility, and ensure buildings across The Commonwealth remain habitable and safe”.
SB 740 establishes a task force, which will report its findings and recommendations, including any legislative recommendations, to the Chairmen of the House Committee on General Laws and the Senate Committee on General Laws and Technology no later than 2023.
The bill now heads to the Senate Finance Committee.
