Del. Ebbin Heads to Richmond After Fundraiser in Old Town
Virginia Del. Ebbin plans to address bullying in schools as well as environmental and transportation issues
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Virginia Del. Adam Ebbin (D-49) outlined his goals and plans for the upcoming General Assembly session in Richmond at a Friday evening event in Old Town Alexandria.
Several dozen supporters turned out to attend the $50-per-head fundraiser at Café Nicole on Queen St.
“I will be introducing a bill to establish penalties for extreme cases of bullying in the Virginia schools,” he told Old Town Alexandria Patch. “A kid committed suicide last May in Yorktown, but the sheriff could not conduct an investigation because bullying isn’t against the law in Virginia. My bill will call for an expulsion policy, and establish civil penalties and even jail time for offenders in extreme cases.”
A second bill on character education, designed to prevent bullying, will be introduced by Virginia Democratic Del. David Englin (D-45). Ebbin plans to co-sponsor this bill. “This and my bill are really companion bills,” said Ebbin, who was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2003.
He also plans to reintroduce unsuccessful legislation from last session on river and stream cleanup in the state. The bill imposes a 5 cent per bag fee on plastic or paper bags such as those used in grocery stores. Revenue from the tax would be deposited in a waterway cleanup fund. Legislation clarifying the state’s nondiscrimination laws is also on his agenda for the upcoming session.
Working with Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell and a Republican majority in the House of Delegates will present some challenges, Ebbin noted. He expressed concern about the financial stewardship of the state.
“The governor has made a number of significant proposals—many with merit,” he said. “The governor plans to ask for $4 billion in desperately needed transportation spending in the state. He wants to issue bonds, and we have to figure out how to pay for this and keep our AAA bond rating. Virginia is a very well managed state and we need to keep it that way with no more financial gimmickry.”
Ebbin was less enamored of McDonnell’s proposal to privatize the state’s ABC stores. “This move would triple the number of state outlets for hard liquor,” Ebbin said, “and this is a bad idea for the 49th District. Financially, it is also a bad idea and will end up losing money for the state.”
Ebbin, the only openly gay member of the Virginia General Assembly, according to his website, represents the 49th District, which covers a large part of South Arlington, the Del Ray and Arlandria portions of Alexandria and parts of Bailey's Crossroads in Fairfax County. Ebbin serves on the Education; Transportation; and Health, Welfare and Institutions committees.
He has lived in the city since 1989.
Tim Stevens
11:16 am on Sunday, January 9, 2011
I strongly support the proposed legislation to implement a 5 cent per bag tax on plastic bags. These bags are terrible for the Virginia landscape (and the oceans, when they wind up there). Alternatives are readily available - primarily reusable bags. A plastic bag tax has been shown to be effective in encouraging all of us to curtail their use. Even China bans their use, as well as a number of countries (and other parts of the U.S.)
Lee Hernly
1:16 pm on Monday, January 10, 2011
When laws like this are brought up from liberals like Ebbin and Englin, consumers are forced to pack reusable bags with them when they visit supermarkets and other retailers. Unfortunately, it turns out that some of these reusable bags — the ones replacing recyclable plastic bags - are laced with excessive levels of lead and can harbor dangerous bacteria. Most of us are in the dark about it (56%). If you leave the bags in your trunk on a hot summer day, just think about what that does to the bacteria.
Most reusable bags sold or given away by U.S. stores are imported from China, and quite a few contain levels of lead above what is legally allowable in many states. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has called on federal and state regulatory agencies including the Food and Drug Administration, Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate a report that showed nearly half of all reusable bags exceed state laws covering toxins in packaging.
Sen. Schumer sounded alarm bells when he said, “When our families go to the grocery store looking for safe and healthy foods to feed their kids, the last thing they should have to worry about are toxic bags."
Yikes.
Lastly, when D.C. initiated their bag fee, they promised residents an income stream of $3.5 million or more yearly from the bag fee. D.C. to date, due to the bag tax, has yet to get even relatively close to that amount.
Jeff Miller
10:29 am on Tuesday, January 11, 2011
It's unfortunate that Mr. Ebbin opposes Gov. McDonnell's efforts to break up the state-owned liquor monopoly in Virginia. Private retail stores would offer more choices for consumers and new opportunities for businesses. The Governor's ABC reform plan would also allow Virginia to recapture liquor sales now lost to private stores in D.C. And it would generate much-needed funding for transportation.
Let's hope other state legislators are more supportive of competition and consumer choice in Virginia.
Lee Hernly
10:41 am on Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Jeff-
You are spot on.
I hate to say it but Governor McDonnell is a coward for caving on the wholesale end of the business. Privatizing liquor sales has been a boon to each state's revenue that has done it recently (West Virginia, Iowa, etc).