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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/22/2008 3:40:28 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Virginia--Update: Assessment Bill Makes Dramatic Comeback, Passes Committee |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Virginia--Update: Assessment Bill Makes Dramatic Comeback, Passes Committee Unanimously Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: Your calls made a huge difference! Yesterday the Senate Health and Education Committee voted unanimously to send Delegate Scott Lingamfelter's assessment bill to the full Senate! But there was plenty of drama before that. As I walked from office to office talking to senators and their legislative aides on Wednesday, I heard constant comments on the number of phone calls they were receiving on H.B. 1183. One assistant showed me several pages of a notepad she had filled with the names of people who had called. "Oh yes, we know about H.B. 1183!" I heard many times. Some senators commented to me that they thought it was a common sense bill and had no objections to it. Many were impressed that not one person had testified against the bill during the three previous public hearings. However, others seemed to have objections or questions even after I left their office. It was very difficult to tell what would happen in committee. As the hearing on the bill opened on Thursday morning, Delegate Lingamfelter gave the committee an articulate and persuasive explanation of the need for the bill. After the testimony in support of the bill was over, the chairman asked for testimony against it. A representative of the superintendent's association objected to the part of the bill requiring them to consider portfolios. He said reviewing the portfolios would take time and money they don't have. It appeared that a number of senators were sympathetic to this concern. It was clear that the bill would fail unless their concern was addressed. An amendment was offered removing the portfolio provision. To save the bill, I consented to the amendment, as did representatives from Home Education Association of Virginia and Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers. The amendment was then adopted unanimously. One senator seemed unhappy with the fact that parents have a choice at all in what type of assessment to submit. He proposed an amendment that would have taken away all parental choice and given the superintendents alone the power to decide what type of assessment a family would be required to submit! After a spirited discussion, his amendment was defeated by a wide margin. The committee then began to vote on whether or not to report the bill, that is, send it to the full Senate for further action. It looked like it was going to be a tie--which would have meant the bill would have died. A supportive senator decided to vote "no" on the bill so he would be able to ask that the vote be reconsidered later. When the votes were counted, the motion to report the bill failed to pass. A motion was offered to "pass by" the bill until next week, preserving the opportunity for the committee to consider the bill again. The motion carried and the committee went on to discuss other business. A short time later, however, a supportive senator asked to reconsider the vote to report H.B. 1183. In a dramatic turnaround, the committee voted unanimously to report the bill to the full Senate! Because the vote was unanimous, H.B. 1183 will probably be treated in a "block" manner on the Senate floor, that is, packaged with other bills that are considered not controversial and voted on as a group. We are hopeful that the Senate will pass the bill with little or no further debate. Thank you for your phone calls that convinced the senators that this bill should become law. And to God goes the glory, for truly He holds the hearts of the rulers in His hands. Sincerely, Scott A. Woodruff HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Is customer service an art or a science? For us, good customer service is both an art and a science -it should appeal to our members and be effective. Consider what our members say about us: We're thankful for the support HSLDA membership provides us. We'd never homeschool without them. We highly recommend HSLDA to all homeschoolers. - North Tonawanda, NY I cannot imagine our homeschool journey without HSLDA's strong leadership, protection, and guidance. God bless HSLDA! - Alta Loma, California More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1940 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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