Friday, January 31, 2014

General Assembly Update

banner 2
Norment News 

General Assembly Update: Week Four
 Visit us Online!
 
View our videos on YouTube

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
 


 
Contact our Office:

Senator Tommy Norment
P.O. Box 6205
Williamsburg, VA 23188
(757) 259-7810
district03@senate.virginia.gov

Kalia Sokos
Legislative Aide
kalia@senatornorment.com  
 
 
norment new pic
 
 

 
 
Senator Norment visiting with the children from St. Benedict School during their visit to the General Assembly this week  
 
In his first interview this week Senator Norment sat down for VCTA Cable Reports for New Kent and King and Queen County to discuss the 2014 General Assembly session.
VCTA Cable Reports 2014- New Kent/King & Queen- Sen. Tommy Norment
VCTA Cable Reports 2014- New Kent/King & Queen- Sen. Tommy Norment
 January 31, 2014

This Week In Richmond 

 

In temperature and temperament, Capitol Square felt as though it moved north this week.  The chill outside and the politics inside Virginia's Capitol made Richmond feel a lot more like Washington.

 

The Democrats, with the tie-breaking vote of Lt. Governor Northam, became the majority party in the Senate of Virginia on Tuesday.  Although the Senate was organized for the full four-year term in 2012 and changing the rules governing the Senate requires a two-thirds vote, Democrats ignored the rules and abandoned precedent to wrest control of the Senate. As could be expected, their tactics were in no way genteel.  

 

Not only was this bare-knuckled partisanship not "The Virginia Way" so frequently mentioned lately, but the Democrats also managed to impose a new rule on the Senate that is profoundly undemocratic.  This rule grants a single Senator, the Chairman of the Rules Committee, the power to prevent a Senate Bill from being approved by the Senate if it has been "substantially" amended by the House. In effect, this rule gives one legislator the ability to single-handedly kill legislation with no accountability or recourse. 

 

The Senate of Virginia has 40 members; giving just one senator the power to derail legislation without a vote violates the foundations of representative government.  This remarkably irresponsible granting of veto power to a single legislator would not even be contemplated in Washington, where partisan bickering and gridlock have become commonplace. It brings shame on the Senate of Virginia that such an undemocratic rule has been forced upon this historic and proud body.

 

Of course, ignoring rules seems to have become accepted behavior among some in public office.

 

Continuing the erosion of legal and constitutional protections in Virginia, Attorney General Mark Herring announced that he will refuse to defend the Virginia Constitution's definition of marriage. This decision comes less than two weeks after swearing an oath to defend the Constitution.  

 

At the federal level, President Obama declared in his State of the Union Address that he will enact policies unilaterally, as he has failed to effectively work with Congress to pass his agenda thus far. If he follows through on this pledge, he will effectively usurp the power reserved for Congress by the Constitution.

 
The rule of law and constitutional government protect our liberties and preserve our freedoms.  Abandoning those foundations in the name of political expediency, convenience, or power poses a direct threat to representative government. Reversing the trend away from the principles underpinning our democracy will be very challenging.
Legislation

Despite the chaotic situation in the Senate and the snow falling outside, I was able to successfully advance a large portion of my legislative agenda this week. 
 
SB 444, which would allow localities to prohibit ownership of hybrid canines- a hybrid of a dog and a wolf, passed the Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee by a unanimous vote. I had several bills passed by the Courts of Justice Committee this week as well. SB 478 and SB 489 would increase penalties for those convicted of trafficking in contraband cigarettes. SB 482 would raise penalties for those drivers who have been convicted of a DUI four or more times within 10 years. SB 487 would increase the penalty for those operating a boat while intoxicated where that boat operator severely injures the victim. SB 496 will clarify the provisions for appointing special police in localities.

 

All legislation being considered during this year's session can be tracked on the General Assembly's website, virginiageneralassembly.gov

Visitors

Another snowstorm discouraged some visitors from traveling to Richmond this week.  But, some made it through in spite of the snow and the below-freezing daily high temperatures.
  • Ann Davis, James City County Treasurer
  • Tara Thomas, Gloucester County Treasurer
  • Harry Whitt, King William County Treasurer
  • Ruth Larson, Williamsburg-James City County School Board
  • Heather Cordasco, Williamsburg-James City County School Board
  • Dr. Hugh M. Bryan III, Gloucester
Location

Hopefully we will get better weather over the coming weeks so that more visitors can come visit our office in Richmond. I will continue to work away diligently in in Richmond until the General Assembly adjourns on March 8. My legislative assistant, Kalia Sokos, is also in Richmond, and our office is in Room 621 of the General Assembly Building.  You can contact us by sending an e-mail to District03@senate.virginia.gov, or by sending a letter to me at Senate of Virginia, Post Office Box 396, Richmond VA 23218-0396.  You can also call us at 804.698.7503.

 
 
Very truly yours,
 
Senator Tommy Norment
Paid for and Authorized by Friends of Tommy Norment
This email was sent to alexanderofyork@yorkteaparty.org by senator@senatornorment.com |  
Senator Tommy Norment | PO Box 6205 | Williamsburg | VA | 23188

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Winter Weather News

banner 2
Norment News 

Winter Weather Information
 Visit us Online!
 
View our videos on YouTube

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
 


 
Contact our Office:

Senator Tommy Norment
P.O. Box 6205
Williamsburg, VA 23188
(757) 259-7810
district03@senate.virginia.gov

Kalia Sokos
Legislative Aide
kalia@senatornorment.com  
 
 
norment new pic
 
 

 
 January 28, 2014

Winter Storm Preparations

Our area is under a winter storm warning from the National Weather Service from 3:00 p.m. today until 1:00 p.m. Wednesday. The temperature will be ranging from the mid-20s, heading into the mid-10s at night. Below are some tips for staying safe during this storm:

General

* Please make sure to remain in layers, and keep your children in layers as well, as the weather will get extremely cold tonight. Watch out for signs of hypothermia and frostbite.
* Be sure to fill up your gas tanks, as the winter conditions may make getting around very difficult for at least the next day or two. * Please do NOT leave pets outside! The cold temperatures may be deadly for pets, so be sure to keep them indoors. 

Transportation

* To keep up with the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) progress in plowing, please see the following
information packet, which provides information on VDOT's plan for snow removal, as well as contact numbers to check on their progress.
* VDOT has sent out an advisory to the Hampton Roads area that over 400 pieces of equipment will be used to keep the roads clear, and that the interstates and high volume primary and secondary roads will be the first focus.

Electric

* For Dominion, please visit the following site for basic emergency contact information. You can report an outage to Dominion by calling 1-866-DOM-HELP, and you can go to the following website to see outage information. Dominion also has pages for general preparedness tips for winter weather, which you can locate here and here
* For the Prince George Electric Cooperative, you can report an outage by calling 804-834-2424, or by visiting the following
site. They also have a winter weather preparedness website, which you can visit by going here

Keep up with updates for James City County by checking with
James City County Alert Systems. In addition, please see the following county and city specific sites for recommendations on how to prepare for the upcoming storm, as well as contact information for local services:


 Be sure to stay safe and stay warm! 
 
 
Very truly yours,
 
Senator Tommy Norment
Paid for and Authorized by Friends of Tommy Norment
This email was sent to alexanderofyork@yorkteaparty.org by senator@senatornorment.com |  
Senator Tommy Norment | PO Box 6205 | Williamsburg | VA | 23188

Friday, January 24, 2014

General Assembly Update

banner 2
Norment News 

General Assembly Update: Week Three
 Visit us Online!
 
View our videos on YouTube

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
 


 
Contact our Office:

Senator Tommy Norment
P.O. Box 6205
Williamsburg, VA 23188
(757) 259-7810
district03@senate.virginia.gov

Kalia Sokos
Legislative Aide
kalia@senatornorment.com  
 
 
norment new pic
 
 

 
 January 24, 2014

This Week In Richmond 

As students around the Commonwealth enjoyed days off from school this week, legislators and staff at the General Assembly faced record cold temperatures and icy conditions in order to work for the betterment of Virginia in our Commonwealth's Capitol. Snow days and holidays are just like every other day during the General Assembly sessions. There are no days off or make-up days. With 2,300 pieces of legislation up for consideration this year, Virginia's legislators and staff were hard at work in the Capitol the entire week, admiring the snow through their office windows and celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. by continuing to strive for the common good.

 

Our Former Governor and His Family

While there were many pieces of legislation debated this week, the focus of the media and the thoughts of many legislators were on the indictments of former Governor Bob McDonnell and former First Lady Maureen McDonnell. While federal charges being filed against a former governor and first lady would be big news under any circumstances, for those on Capitol Square the announcement hit especially hard.

 

Having known and served with Governor McDonnell since we first entered the General Assembly in 1992, I know this has been a very difficult and trying time for him, for Maureen, for their family, and for those of us who know him to be a dedicated public servant. For many legislators of both parties, the McDonnells are more than the most recent occupants of the Executive Mansion; they are long-time friends. This is not some abstract scandal, viewed from a safe distance through news accounts, but a list of serious charges being leveled against two people most here admire, respect, and know personally.

 

Although current circumstances surrounding the McDonnell family are sad and disappointing for the Commonwealth, Virginia continues to pride itself on having lawmakers from both parties who consistently maintain the highest ethical standards. The high caliber of lawmakers and the strength of our governing system should continue to bolster public confidence in the underlying integrity of our government. While people do make mistakes, our Constitution, the Code of Virginia, and the judicial system ensure that when errors of judgment arise to the level of violating the law or the public trust, appropriate action can be taken to remedy the situation.

 

While I sincerely hope that the charges filed against the former governor and first lady prove to be false, the situation has furthered my desire to continue implementing ethics reform in the Commonwealth. The four ethics bills, SB 649, SB 650, SB 651, and SB 652, that I have introduced this session have been referred to the Senate Rules Committee, and I look forward to updating you on their progress as they continue to move through the legislative process. 

 

Legislation

Many bills were approved by committees and taken up by the full Senate this week.  I am happy to report that my bill on Park Rangers, SB 451, was approved by the Courts of Justice Committee and has been referred to the Finance Committee.  SB 488, which would provide legislative approval for the agreement reached between King William County and the Town of West Point that allows the County to continue using a split-levy tax system, has been unanimously passed by the Senate. Additionally, SB 449, which will modernize the transfer system for higher education institutions, passed the Senate and has been referred to the House Committee on Education. 

 

All legislation being considered during this year's session can be tracked on the General Assembly's website, virginiageneralassembly.gov

Visitors

Due to Martin Luther King Day and the snowstorm, which provided an unexpected day off for much of the Commonwealth, we had a lot of visitors representing a wide variety of different groups and organizations.

* Donald Green, New Kent
* Emily Anderson, Williamsburg with NAMI
* Doug and Helen Hansen
* Pam Pouchot, Yorktown
* John Whitley, Williamsburg
* Mason Moseley, Yorktown
* Walt Latham, York County Registrar
* Tara Morgan, Hampton City Registrar
* Carolyn Greathouse, Williamsburg
* Christa Welton, Gloucester 
Location

We are now here in our Richmond office and will be here until the General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn on March 10.  My legislative assistant, Kalia Sokos, is also in Richmond, and our office is in Room 621 of the General Assembly Building.  You can contact us by sending an e-mail to District03@senate.virginia.gov, or by sending a letter to me at Senate of Virginia, Post Office Box 396, Richmond VA 23218-0396.  You can also call us at 804.698.7503.

 
 
Very truly yours,
 
Senator Tommy Norment
Paid for and Authorized by Friends of Tommy Norment
This email was sent to alexanderofyork@yorkteaparty.org by senator@senatornorment.com |  
Senator Tommy Norment | PO Box 6205 | Williamsburg | VA | 23188