Commentary

A basic tenet of representative government is that the public has a right to know what their elected representatives are doing. When I spoke to the House of Delegates on the opening day of the 2008 session, I pointed out it is the public’s right to know that leads us to pass freedom of information and open meeting laws and to require accountability on the part of the executive branch. Yet in what is certainly an incongruity if not pure hypocrisy, the House of Delegates continues to insist on conducting essential steps in the legislative process without a record that could inform the public.

The rules of the House of Delegates allow subcommittees of as few as five members to consider and defeat legislation. With a quorum of three, it is possible that as few as two of 100 delegates can decide the fate of important legislation. All this action takes place without a public record. Last year nearly 800 bills suffered an unknown fate at the hands of subcommittees without a single trace of evidence left in the record as to what happened. In the previous year, more than 400 bills were disposed of without a record. Among those bills defeated in this way was one to raise the minimum wage in the state.

An amendment to the rules that I introduced the first day of the session would have required that votes of members of subcommittees be recorded and made public. While I emphasized the importance of the public’s right to know what goes on in the legislative process, I also pointed out some practical reasons that a record of subcommittee meetings be made public. Standing committee schedules take up the regular business hours; subcommittees generally meet as early as 7:00 a.m. or late in the day limiting the ability of the public to attend. Likewise, limitations on meeting room space result in the subcommittees meeting in cramped spaces that restrict the public being able to see, hear, or participate in the debate.

My amendment to the rules would have added some sunshine to the process by recording member votes. The amendment failed by a nearly party-line vote of 44 Democrats and one Republican for it to 54 Republicans opposing it. This is not the end of the issue. It will return year after year until the Republican majority recognizes the public’s right to know or finds itself in the minority for its arrogant unwillingness to keep the public informed.

Contact me by emailing kenplum@aol.com. Call me at 703.758.9733 and your call will automatically be forwarded to my Richmond office at no cost to you.

An Editorial

LAWMAKERS CLOAK ACTIONS

Editorial
Charlottesville Daily Progress

Call it the gulag of lawmaking.

Proposed bills go into the darkness and there they are killed, no spotlight, no fingerprints.

The General Assembly continues to cloak in secrecy some of its most basic decisions, those concerning the life or death of proposed laws. A bill to change this was defeated on a largely partisan vote during the very first hour the legislature was in session.

Here’s the background:

Two years ago, the GOP majority in the House of Delegates used its new power to change the legislative rules under which the House operated. Bills that went to subcommittee for evaluation could be killed there – with no recorded vote.

Previously, subcommittees had recommended the fate of legislation to their full committees.

Although the committees often accepted those recommendations with little or no discussion, at least there was a chance for further discussion. And there was a record of who voted for or against sending the bill forward to the House.

Constituents could find out not only what happened to a bill, but who made it happen. The old system provided openness and accountability.

Proponents of the change argued that the new system streamlined the handling of bills. Certainly, the Assembly carries a heavy load. Bad legislation has been slipping through more often of late, perhaps because lawmakers lack sufficient time to scrutinize legislation effectively.

Maybe lawmakers should self-regulate and simply not submit so many bills.

Proponents also pointed out at the time that the subcommittee meetings were open to the public. Members of the public pointed out that the subcommittee members huddled together at tables set at a sufficient distance that spectators seldom could hear what was happening. There were no microphones and scant effort by the subcommittee members to make their voices heard.

Another key criticism was that the new system gave small subcommittees vast and unwarranted power. A handful of legislators, acting without accountability, continue hold life-and-death power over all the bills that come their way.

A recorded vote is the only way members of the public could know which lawmakers voted to kill legislation. Even citizens with the time and hardihood to trek to Richmond and sit in on meetings couldn't find out what was happening.

Nearly 800 bills died in this way last year, said Del. Kenneth R. Plum, D-Fairfax, who presented this year’s unsuccessful bill to prevent proposed laws from being anonymously killed in subcommittee.

“The public’s right to know is a basic tenet of all we do,” said Del. Kenneth R. Plum, D-Fairfax, harking back to the foundational principles established by Jefferson, Madison and others.

At least, it ought to be a basic tenet of the legislature.

But this legislature makes a more ominous choice. It sends proposed laws to secret, silent deaths at the hands of shadowy subcommittees.

Laws go in, but they may not come out – and no one will admit at whose hands they died.

Around the Capitol

• My amendment to require recorded votes in subcommittee had broad support that included the ultra-conservative Virginia Club for Growth, the business association Virginia FREE, League of Women Voters, AARP, Virginia Education Association, and others. Its only opposition seemed to be the Republican caucus of the House of Delegates.
  
  
• The numbers on the license plates of legislators indicate seniority. In my first term in 1978 I was number 97. This session I am number 5 meaning that I am fifth in seniority among the 100 members of the House of Delegates. Imagine my surprise when I opened the envelope to take out my new tags and found that they were number 5, but one included the text, “Speaker, House of Delegates.” I inquired in a floor speech if the real Speaker had thrown in the towel?...or did he want me to serve as co-Speaker?...or was this event a foreshadowing of events to come? He did not seem amused.
  
  
• Time and space do not permit me to report on the more than 3,000 bills and resolutions and the $78 billion budget that will be considered this year. To check on specific bills, go to http://legis.state.va.us.
  

Upcoming Primary Election

The Democratic and Republican Parties in Virginia will conduct Presidential Primary elections on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. Any eligible county resident who will be 18 by or on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, may register and vote in the February primary.

Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m. Go to your regular polling place to vote.

Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/eb for information about voting absentee in person or by mail and to download an application for an absentee ballot. 

Constituent Survey – 2008 General Assembly Session

Please take a moment to complete my annual Constituent Survey. Your responses to questions about current issues will help me as I prepare for the 2008 General Assembly Session. Take the survey by clicking on the following link. Thank you in advance for sharing your views.

Click here for Survey

Delegate Ken Plum's Weekly "Virginia Report"
on Reston Comcast Channel 28

View Delegate Plum’s Virginia Report online at http://www.rctv28.com/videosVR.htm.

Check here for future dates for reports from Richmond on Reston Comcast Channel 28 during the 2008 General Assembly session.

Announcements

The 2008 General Assembly session has begun. Follow the action at http://legis.state.va.us. Please stay in touch with me about issues of interest or concern to you. Email me at kenplum@aol.com. Call me at 703.758.9733. Your call will be forwarded to my Richmond office at no cost to you. Send me a fax at 804.698.6736.

Dominion, Honeywell, and the Home Depot stores in Dominion’s Virginia service area are cooperating to deliver a Compact Fluorescent Light program initiative. Additional information about the CFL bulb program, a list of participating store locations, and instructions about proper CFL bulb disposal and recycling can be found on Dominion’s web site, www.dom.com.

At the New Year, many of us make resolutions around healthier lifestyle choices. Good nutrition is essential to living a healthy life. Go to www.seniornavigator.org/vaprovider/consumer/report.do?directoryEntryld=62968 to learn tips for healthier eating and to obtain a listing of U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

This spring Restonians will elect two Reston Association Board members – one from the Hunters Woods/Dogwood District and one At-Large Director. Each will serve a three-year term. Board members determine the Association’s goals and policies and make a significant and lasting contribution to the community. Persons wanting to run for a Director seat must complete a Statement and a Petition of Candidacy. Homeowners and apartment renters are eligible to run for the Board with certain stipulations. Filing deadline is 5:00 p.m., February 1. For information about running for one of these open seats, log on to Reston Association’s website at www.reston.org or call 703.435.6512.

Although the Federal Trade Commission prohibits telemarketing calls to cellphones, callers dialing at random may get a cellphone instead of a landline. As a protection, sign on to the FTC’s Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 toll free.

Calendar of Events

The National Council for Science and the Environment will sponsor the 8th National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment, Climate Change Science and Solutions, to develop comprehensive strategies for protecting people and the planet against rapid climate change. The conference will be held January 16-18, 2008, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC. Visit www.NCSEonline.org/2008conference to register and view the conference agenda.

Join the Statewide Rally in support of keeping Virginia’s hard working parents and guardians in the work force. Rallies are being held at child care centers across the state on the same date to bring supporters together, united on one night. On January 17, join with the Laurel Learning Center, 11484 Washington Plaza West, Reston, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. to help raise awareness and send a strong message to legislators: support funding for the child care fee system.

The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and Reston Interfaith will announce the 2008 Best of Reston Honorees on Thursday, January 17, at the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce Monthly Luncheon, Hyatt Regency Reston, at 11:30 a.m. To purchase tickets or for information, contact olgag@restonchamber.org.

The 23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration will include a special performance by the Reston Community Orchestra on Saturday, January 19, 6:00 p.m. at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods. The performance is free and open to the public.

Additional events for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration are: a Community Concert sponsored by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Christian Church on Sunday, January 20, 4:00 p.m. at the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation; a Commemorative March on Monday, January 21, 8:00 a.m. at Southgate Community Center, and the Celebration Program on Monday, January 21, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods. For more information about these and other events or to volunteer, contact Haywood Hopson at 703.390.6161 or visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com.

The proposed Metro stations in Reston will be discussed on January 22, Langston Hughes Middle School cafeteria, 6:15 to 9:00 p.m. For more information on the project go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/sam_study.htm.

The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce Community Service committee will present an educational workshop for nonprofits on January 24. The guest speaker, Mikel Smith Koon, president of Mosaik Strategies, will discuss The ROI of Nonprofit/for-Profit Collaborations. The session is being held at the Chamber office, 1763 Fountain Drive, Reston. Check-in is 8:30 a.m., and the workshop begins at 9:00. Greater Reston Chamber members can attend free of charge; nonmembers pay $15. A continental breakfast is provided. To register call Olga at 703.707.9045.

Attend the 25th Anniversary Performance of the Capitol Steps to benefit Reston Interfaith on January 27, 2008, 7:00 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Reston. To make a reservation, visit the following link to Reston Interfaith's website:
www.restoninterfaith.org/uploads/CapitolSteps2008orderform.pdf. Return your order form to Meredith Magwire. For questions or more information, call 571.323.9566 or email meredith.magwire@restoninterfaith.org.

Share your thoughts at a panel discussion hosted by the Reston Association, "Making Meaningful Connections: How local Organizations Can Reach Out to a Diverse Community" on Wednesday, January 30, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at RA's main conference room at 1930 Isaac Newton Square. A light dinner will be provided, and translation services and child care will be provided. To register, call Karen Monaghan at 703.435.6514.

The annual Polar Plunge at Lake Anne will be held on Saturday, February 9, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Take a full winter dip, a "Chicken Dip," or sponsor a brave plunger. Registered participants will plunge into Lake Anne to raise funds for Camp Sunshine. Registration forms and pledge sheets are at www.freezinforareason.com. Spectators are welcome.

A special groundbreaking event to celebrate the beginning of the major restoration and repair work on Reston’s streams will be held on Tuesday, February 12, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the United Christian Parish Church, 2222 Colts Neck Drive in Reston. This landmark project was made possible through the collaborative effort of innovative leaders in the community who have a passion for preserving Reston’s treasured natural environment. RSVP to karen@reston.org.

Bid on treasures from the past at Reston Museum's "Attic Auction" on Thursday, February 12, 5:30 p.m. Live bidding begins at 6:30 p.m. Visit www.restonmuseum.org for more information about the Museum.

Authorized and Paid for by Kenneth R. Plum

Delegate Kenneth R. Plum | 2073 Cobblestone Lane | Reston | VA | 20191