Arlington County, Virginia - 2024 LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE

ARLINGTON COUNTY, VIRGINIA

2024 GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE

Every year, Arlington County creates a legislative package that outlines the County’s

legislative principles and priorities for the Virginia General Assembly Session. The 2024

General Assembly Session will be a “long” 60-day session, beginning January 10, 2024,

and ending on March 9, 2024. The General Assembly will adopt a new budget, covering

Fiscal Years 2024-2026.

The legislative principles are broader themes that will guide our approach to the

General Assembly session and our engagement strategy for our legislative priorities.

1) Workforce Resiliency

Streamline state and federal processes to account for local constraints on

staffing and strengthen resource pipelines to incentivize filling high demand

positions.

2) Fully Fund Commitments to Local Government

Ensure the state government pays its debts and fully funds commitments made

for services and staffing to local governments before funding additional new

priorities.

3) Respect for Local Authority

Oppose any efforts that make changes to Arlington County’s form of government

without the County Board’s explicit policy support.

The legislative priorities, which can be found on the following pages, are specific issues,

policies, and revenue measures that the County intends to expend significant political

capital on, in addition to asking our General Assembly delegation to support on behalf of

the County.

2024 GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

A. Human Services

1. Mental Health Crisis Intervention: Increase state funding for a community-based

comprehensive system of care that keeps Arlingtonians in Northern Virginia. This

includes staffing support for local crisis receiving centers and mobile crisis response

units; authorization to maintain a stock supply of controlled medications at these

facilities; reducing the burden on law enforcement during the temporary detention and

emergency custody order process; and a solution for the lack of available state

hospital beds for people in mental health crisis.

2. Address Critical Workforce Shortages: Support the Virginia Community Service Board

(VACSB) to secure money in the budget to provide paid internships, clinical

supervision hours, student loan repayment programs, and scholarship programs. It is

critical to fully fund the entire continuum of care and to create a sustainable workforce

pipeline to address the behavioral health crisis in Virginia.

3. Behavioral Health System Services: Increase funding for all services funded as part

of the System Transformation Excellence and Performance (STEP-VA) program to

account for the cost of inflation. This Commonwealth initiative provides community-

based services for individuals with behavioral health disorders featuring a uniform set

of required services, consistent quality measures, and improved oversight across

Virginia.

4. Developmental Disability (DD) Waiver Services: Continue to fund Priority One waiver

slots and conduct a re-baseline of the services reimbursement rates prior to each

biennial budget.

5. Reproductive Health Care and Services: Maintain unrestricted access to the full range

of reproductive health services for all persons.

6. LGBTQ+ Rights: Protect existing legislation that codifies rights and protections for

LGBTQ+ Virginians. Support any proposed expansions to those rights and reinforce

school boards in their efforts to allow LGBTQ+ students freedom of expression.

7. Infection Prevention: Fund and maintain an accessible inventory of personal protective

equipment for respiratory illnesses with an up-to-date training program for usage in

nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

8. Staffing Standards and Licensure Requirements: Improve Long-Term Care standards

by providing living wages, paid sick days, overtime pay, and training for workers, as

well as funding to meet state and national staffing standards for Ombudsman staff-to-

patient ratios. Streamline healthcare workers ability to obtain licensure in Virginia

when they are already licensed in other states.

9. Child Care: Increase funding for the state’s childcare subsidy program and direct the

Virginia Department of Education to enact program changes that increase

participation of child-care providers. These changes include, but are not limited to,

reducing the administrative burden, and increasing reimbursement rates to account

for administrative costs and the actual cost of tuition in a locality. Local flexibility to

administer or expand support services for childcare is critical.

10. Medicaid Expansion and Eligibility: Support continued state funding for the local

costs associated with Medicaid expansion, such as local eligibility workers, as well as

state assistance with reviewing the Medicaid eligibility of more than 1.2 million cases

as required after the termination of the federal public health emergency.

11. Food Security: Increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

benefits from $23/month to $50/month for older adults to meet their nutritional needs.

B. Land Use and Housing

1. Land Use Policies: Protect the authority of local governments to plan, zone, and

enforce land use regulations, without restricting local zoning authority or the zoning

process.

2. Housing Trust Fund: Support a significant increase and a sustainable source of

funding for the Housing Trust Fund.

3. Tenant Rights and Eviction Prevention: Expand authority to enforce tenants’ rights

and provide protection in situations of inadequate health and safety conditions and

support increased funding, programming, and a right to counsel to protect our most

vulnerable residents in eviction proceedings.

4. Short Term Rentals: Maintain authority at the local level to regulate short term rentals

and ensure there are registry rules for enforcement and tax collection purposes.

C. Finance

1. Local Taxing Authority: Preserve all current local taxing authority, including business

license, and machinery and tools tax administration, real estate and rate making

authority. Any modifications to local taxing authority must include an alternative

revenue authority with reliable, sustainable revenue sources.

2. Sales Tax on Groceries: Oppose the exemption of groceries and hygiene products

from the local option sales tax unless the General Assembly can establish a viable

revenue replacement to local governments. Codify a revenue replacement strategy

for education and transportation funding.

3. Financial Reporting Transparency: Align state reporting audit formats with new federal

reporting requirements under the Financial Transparency Act.

D. Transportation

1. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Funding: Advocate for

long-term, sustainable, dedicated state funding and expanded revenue opportunities

to meet the growing needs of public transit in our region. It is essential that

stakeholders – local, regional, state, and federal, and the public and private sector –

work together to ensure that Metro continues to meet transportation and economic

development demands and operates with dedicated operating and capital funding in

a more predictable structure.

2. Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) Funding: Protect existing NVTA

revenues and continue efforts to restore state funding diverted in 2018 to secure

dedicated funding for the State of Good Repair needs of the Washington Metropolitan

Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Of the $102 million annually that was diverted in

2018, $63.5 million has been restored; $38.5 million still needs to be restored.

3. Funding for Regional Transportation to Improve Mobility: Ensure the Commonwealth’s

$195 million non-general fund investments for new and expanded transportation

projects materialize as part of the Amazon HQ2 development. As Amazon brings more

than 25,000 jobs to our region, the Commonwealth will support additional Metro

entrances at Crystal City and Potomac Yard stations; improvements to U.S. Route 1

in Arlington County; a connection from Crystal City to Reagan National Airport; and a

bus route expansion in Pentagon City, Crystal City and Potomac Yard to improve

mobility for our region.

4. Towing: Grant authority to localities to provide better consumer protections for people

who have their cars towed.

5. Vision Zero: Support localities in achieving Virginia’s commitment to zero

transportation-related deaths and serious injuries on streets and trails. Secure

dedicated funding for projects and additional staffing positions, update design

standards and guidelines to be more bike and pedestrian friendly, and grant local

authority for automated speed enforcement beyond work and school zones.

6. Autonomous Vehicles: Support a study with local government representation to create

an Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Testing Program under which AVs can be tested to

safely navigate public roadways. The study should consider what legal framework

might be desirable to authorize such a program and other AV issues such as safety

oversight, data collection, insurance, and permitting.

E. Economic Development

1. State Funding for Economic Growth Initiatives: Bolster local and regional development

efforts by maintaining and expanding state funding for economic development policies

and programs.

2. Office Market Repositioning: Support strategies and programs that aim to reposition

vacant and obsolete office buildings into different commercial and residential uses

with the goal of revitalizing properties and encouraging new economic activity.

3. Tourism: Promote tourism by funding marketing costs to attract both first-time and

repeat visitors to Virginia.

F. Criminal Justice Reform

1. Immigration: Oppose any state mandate to localities requiring local law enforcement

officers to evaluate the immigration status of individuals encountered during lawful

stops or other routine police activities.

2. Reimbursable Positions Related to Body Worn Cameras: Provide state funding for

additional positions related to body worn cameras to increase transparency and

accountability with law enforcement. Additional staff in the Commonwealth’s Attorney,

Police Department, Fire Department, Sheriff’s Office, and Public Defender’s Office are

all critical to effectively implement Body Worn Camera programs.

3. Funding for Prosecutor Offices: Ensure there is adequate funding for the prosecution

of misdemeanors, civil duties, and the creation of diversion services.

4. Sexual and Gender Based Violence: Support measures to combat sexual and gender-

based violence and crimes including human trafficking, intimate partner violence,

sexual assault, and stalking.

5. Marijuana: Ensure legislation regarding marijuana remains consistent with Arlington

County’s local revenue, land use, and public health and safety policies.

G. Education and Youth

1. Teacher Raises: Support state teacher pay increases without conditions such as local

matches, recognizing that Arlington Public Schools annually raises teacher salaries at

levels consistent with local revenue and further, funds from local revenue the full

salaries and increases of many positions above the state’s Standards of Quality-

funded positions.

2. Vaping: Increase penalties for the sale of vaping products to underage youth and

prevent the operation of vape shops near schools and childcare centers.

3. Youth Mental Health: Expand funding to provide professional staff and services for

student mental health needs.

H. General Government

1. Unfunded Mandates: Oppose any mandates that are not fully funded, including

additional administrative burdens and public notice requirements on local

governments.

2. Broadband Access: Promote local flexibility and private sector investments in

expanding Internet and Wi-Fi infrastructure within residential and commercial

buildings to increase affordable and high-quality service and foster provider

competition. Prioritize advancing digital equity efforts across the Commonwealth:

computer device access, resources for cost-burdened households, and digital skill-

building, including professional training for cybersecurity and other information

technology workforce development activities.

3. Electronic Meetings for Public Bodies: Permanently allow virtual participation for public

bodies to meet by electronic means under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

4. Procurement: Protect local authority on matters related to procurement such as the

open bidding process and the state portal for advertising projects.

5. Information Technology Security: In alignment with industry best practices, establish

a standardized baseline for information technology security assessments that

localities may adopt to enhance the resilience of cloud-based information systems

during a potential breach.

I. Public Safety/Emergencies

1. Staffing: Maintain adequate funding for police departments (“599 money”), sheriffs, jail

personnel, and other emergency medical services personnel.

2. Jail Diversion Efforts: Adequately fund jail diversion efforts for mental health and

substance-abusing individuals who become involved with the criminal justice system.

3. Next Generation 9-1-1: Support the statewide transition to Next Generation 9-1-1

using state funds that will be dedicated to the 9-1-1 Services Board; this should not

be an unfunded mandate for which localities become accountable.

4. Swatting: Support full restitution for costs associated with a law enforcement response

that results from a hoax communication to 9-1-1.

J. Energy, Environment, and Climate Change

1. Protect Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI): Preserve a cap-and-invest

program that caps carbon dioxide emissions and requires polluting power plants to

meet this cap or obtain allowances through quarterly auctions. Maintain commitment

to using auction proceeds as important to investing in local low-and-moderate

income energy efficiency and stormwater management projects that are not

otherwise available through other local or state funding sources.

2. Protect Virginia Clean Economy Act: Support transition to a sustainable and reliable

power grid while achieving lower emission levels associated with 100% renewable

energy sources in the Commonwealth, including continuing commitments to energy

efficiency and grid- and behind-the-meter energy storage.

3. Public/Private Partnerships: Expand the ability and authority of local jurisdictions to

encourage private sector efforts to support energy efficiency incentive programs,

reduce fossil fuel use, promote safety, and shift to renewable energy. Such measures

include, but are not limited to, local and regional green banks, stronger and stretch

building energy codes, electric vehicle and solar infrastructure, local commercial

building efficiency benchmarking, and zero emission transportation options.

4. Renewable Energy Choice: Permit retail customers the choice to purchase 100%

renewable electricity from any licensed competitive supplier of electric energy

regardless of whether the incumbent utility also offers it. Purchases can be made

individually, as part of a collaborative or alliance, or through local government

agencies administering aggregated commercial and residential renewable energy

purchases to meet local/regional climate and equity objectives.

5. Enable Ratepayer Protections: Enable greater representation of local government

on behalf of community needs and interests in State Corporation Commission (SCC)

proceedings to include advocating for prudent and fair rates, cost-benefit tests,

reliability and resiliency, and integrated County-utility planning reflecting Community

Energy Plan goals.

6. Preserving and Expanding Tree Canopy: Support legislation to provide local

governments with greater authority in the reforestation, preservation, and

management of urban forests in recognition of their ability to capture and store carbon,

reduce stormwater runoff, improve air quality, lower energy use, mitigate invasive

plant species effects, and mitigate urban heat islands and their health effects.

7. Stormwater Local Assistance Fund (SLAF): Increase SLAF funding to support

projects that provide Chesapeake Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) nutrient and

sediment reductions required under MS4 permits. Evaluate updating proposal scoring

criteria to assign points to projects that also support local stormwater resiliency

priorities and needs.

8. Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Support policies that promote producer

responsibility for environmental, public health, and infrastructure impacts of chemical

compounds such as PFAS. Ensure that parties affected by past practices retain rights

to fully recoup costs incurred by regulatory actions, public health impacts, and/or

environmental cleanup. Oppose policies or regulations which transfer cost of PFAS

management onto stormwater, wastewater, and/or drinking water based utilities.