| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 2/26/2008 11:45:33 AM Home School Legal Defense Association Virginia--Two Homeschool Bills Pass Senate Unanimously |
|
====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Virginia-- Two Homeschool Bills Pass Senate Unanimously Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: Yesterday the full Senate acted on two bills of importance to homeschool families. TWO NEW ASSESSMENT OPTIONS H.B. 1183. This bill was filed by Del. Scott Lingamfelter at HSLDA's request. After clearing the House comfortably, this excellent bill appeared to be in trouble when the Senate subcommittee refused to approve it. Homeschoolers prepared for the full Senate committee with a sense of urgency, redoubling their efforts. Home Educators Association of Virginia and Organization of Virginia Homeschoolers made major contributions. The efforts paid off. The Senate Health and Education Committee approved the bill unanimously February 21. And yesterday the full Senate approved the bill unanimously! Because the House and Senate passed slightly different versions, we expect the bill to go to a conference committee. We do not expect this to be problematic, however. The bill as currently written will open the way for families to submit two additional kinds of year-end assessments, confident that they will not be rejected merely because of the format: 1) an evaluation letter from a person licensed to teach in any state, or a person with a master's degree in an academic field, and 2) a report card or transcript from a correspondence program, college, or community college. HOMESCHOOL "OPTION" REVISION H.B. 767. Delegate Robert Tata's bill cleared the House by a wide margin and cleared the Senate Health and Education Committee unanimously on Feb. 21. The full Senate approved the bill unanimously yesterday. Since the House and Senate passed identical versions, the bill should head for the governor's desk for his signature soon. This bill makes some relatively minor changes to what a family is required to show when filing their notice of intent. This bill was drafted by the Department of Education, with comments by HSLDA and the other state homeschool organizations. While this bill was designed to streamline the Department of Education's administrative responsibilities and won't affect most families, to the extent that it has an effect, it will be positive. TAX CREDITS H.B. 1164. Sponsored by Del. Chris Saxman, this bill passed the full House on a 50-48 vote February 12. It must receive favorable treatment in Senate committee soon to continue forward. This bill would create a tuition scholarship-tax credit program that would help many students, including homeschoolers. A similar law was enacted in Arizona several years ago and has been operating smoothly. The House amended the bill so that the credits would not actually be allowed until Virginia teacher salaries reach the national average and until Virginia "attains the standards of learning" for public schools. PARENT-TAUGHT DRIVER'S ED H.B. 1540. This bill would have transferred the responsibility for all driver's ed programs to the Department of Motor Vehicles--and inadvertently repealed all provisions allowing homeschool parents to teach driver's ed to their own children. We contacted the bill's sponsor, who immediately recognized our concerns. He has withdrawn the bill. LEARNER'S PERMIT--ATTENDANCE RED TAPE H.B. 438. HSLDA called the office of the sponsor, Del. J.H. Miller, and explained that this was a bad bill because it manipulated learner's permits to try to improve school attendance, and could lead to a dramatic increase in red tape for homeschool families. On February 7 the House Transportation Subcommittee No. 3 vote to "continue" the bill until next year, effectively ending the threat this year. TAX CREDITS H.B. 420. Delegate Robert G. Marshall sponsored this bill that would have provided welcome tax relief for families who incur out-of-pocket expenses for educating their children by homeschool, private school or public school. Unfortunately, the House Finance Committee did not approve of the bill and it is effectively dead. HPV VACCINATIONS H.B. 188. Delegate Robert G. Marshall filed this sensible bill that would have postponed mandatory human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations until their safety and efficacy could be studied further. The bill passed the House by a comfortable margin, but unfortunately, the Senate Health and Education Committee voted to "pass by indefinitely," effectively killing the bill. SOCIAL WORKERS FILING LAWSUITS AGAINST PARENTS H.B. 1382 (and S.B. 788). H.B. 1382, allowing social workers to file support enforcement lawsuits, has passed both houses and will be sent to the governor for signature soon. As originally drafted, the bill gave nearly unlimited power to social workers to file lawsuits, which would have led to a dramatic increase in the violation of constitutional rights. But thanks in part to homeschoolers placing many phone calls, amendments removing all social worker power to file lawsuits except in cases of support enforcement were incorporated into the bill. Thank you for standing with us for freedom. Scott A. Woodruff HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Will your children's inheritance retain its value? If you pass on a legacy of freedom, your children and their children's children will thank you. But freedom is never secure; it must always be guarded. Membership with HSLDA is an investment in the future that can be passed on to future generations of families wanting to teach their children at home. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1944 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 Email: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: ##ToAddress## - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
