FamilyFoundationBlog.com

The past 24 hours have been good for Virginia’s homosexual lobby, at least in the Virginia Senate, where two key legislative initiatives passed. But there also is positive news for values voters in the House of Delegates.

Yesterday, the Senate passed SB 66, legislation that would add sexual orientation (and “gender identity or expression”) to the state’s non-discrimination in hiring laws (see Richmond Times-Dispatch). Despite no evidence being presented anywhere in the process that discrimination is taking place, the bill passed 23-17, with one Republican, Fred Quayle (R-13, Suffolk), joining all 22 Senate Democrats who favored the measure.

Senator Mark Obenshain (R-26, Harrisonburg) argued against the bill during the floor debate, adding the fact that should this bill become law, the Commonwealth would open itself up for extensive litigation by those who claim they have been discriminated against regardless of their job qualifications.

Today, SB 451, legislation that would allow local governments to offer domestic partner benefits, and patroned by Senator Mary Margaret Whipple (D-31, Arlington), passed the Senate 26-14. This took place despite the fact that this legislation could have a significant fiscal impact on the Commonwealth through increased Standards of Quality funding. Republican Senators Quayle, John Watkins (R-10, Midlothian), Harry Blevins (R-14, Chesapeake), and floor leader Tommy Norment (R-3, Williamsburg) joined the 22 Democrats.

These bills still must be vetted in and voted on in the House. We encourage you to contact your delegates to defeat these unnecessary bills. If you do, we are quite hopeful that these bills will not find equal favor there.

In fact, earlier this evening, a House General Laws Sub-committee defeated HB 1116, mirror legislation to SB 66. It was patroned by Delegate Adam Ebbin (D-49, Arlington). The vote was 5-3 with Delegates John Cosgrove (R-78, Chesapeake), Bill Carrico (R-5, Galax), Ed Scott (R-30, Culpepper), Todd Gilbert (R-15, Woodstock), and Rich Anderson (R-51, Woodbridge) voted against the bill. This indicates that SB 66 has little hope for success in the House.

The Family Foundation of Virginia’s 2009 Voter Guides, non-partisan bulletin inserts that compare the positions of candidates on important issues such as life, marriage, parental rights and religious liberty, now are available. These Guides do not endorse or oppose any candidate or political party and are legal for distribution in churches.

We were busy all summer encouraging pastors to engage in the civic process. Many have committed to distributing our Voter Guides in their churches. However, Virginia is a very large state and we have areas that have not yet been reached. We need your help in getting our Voter Guides into every church that is concerned about the direction in which our state and nation are heading. Please ask your pastor if your church will take The Family Foundation Voter Guides.

Each year, people contact several pastors and ask them to take the guides. This year, we are offering a small prize for your participation: Win a framed Virginia Capitol photo by submitting the largest number of churches with which you coordinated and delivered Family Foundation Voter Guides before midnight, November 3. Voter guide distribution at targeted events also will be considered.

Plus, we have another incentive: Start by entering just one church you know you can help with Voter Guides and you will be entered into the drawing to receive an autographed copy of our Gala speaker and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s latest book. Click here to enter.

On Saturday, October 17 (unless otherwise noted), we will have distribution sites across Virginia to pick up the Voter Guides. See the list below for the one closest to you. If there are none in your area, please volunteer to set up a distribution point for two hours that Saturday. To help in any way with this effort, e-mail john@familyfoundation.org or call 1-804-343-0010. Whether you want to take Voter Guides to your church, set up a distribution point in your area or be the contact person for your city or county, we need your help.

The distribution points are:

Richmond (Contact: Mark Earley, Jr., at 804-405-2129)

Grove Avenue Baptist Church, 8701 Ridge Road, 9:30-noon.

Clover Hill Baptist Church, 3100 Old Courthouse Road (Midlothian), 9:30-noon.

Gethsemane Church of Christ, 5146 Mechanicsville Turnpike (Mechanicsville) 9:30-noon.

Loudoun (Contact: Ryan Rogge at 703-674-6948)

Near Panera Bread, 215 Fort Evans Road, NE (Leesburg), 10:00-1:00 p.m.

Tidewater (Contact: Hector Falcon at 757-288-2382)

Kempsville Presbyterian Church, 805 Kempsville Road (Virginia Beach) 8:30-1:00 p.m.

Peninsula (For more information, call 757-592-0312)

World Outreach Worship Center, 1233 Shields Road (Newport News), 10:00-1:00 p.m.

Lynchburg (For more information, call 434-401-0726)

Thomas Road Baptist Church Parking Lot, 1 Mountain View Road, 10:00–noon.

Henry County (Contact: Jeff Evans at 276-233-9407)

Victory Baptist of Fieldale, 1300 Dillons Fork Road, 11:00-1:00 p.m.

Patrick County (Contact: Mildred Layman at 276-340-0549)

Stuart Festival, Patriots of Patrick County Booth, Between 410 and 402 Patrick Avenue in Stuart, 10:00-4:30 p.m.

Harrisonburg and Rockingham County

Available at the “Values” debate between incumbent Republican Delegate Matt Lohr and Democratic challenger Gene Hart, Cornerstone Church at the Lake, 3591 Isaak Walton Drive, Sunday, October 18

Roanoke (Contact: Mickey Mixon at 540-798-8621)

Tanglewood Mall, under the mall sign, 4420 A-Electric Road, Sunday, October 18, 3:00– 6:00 p.m.

Shenandoah County (Contact: Brad Huddleston at 540-820-0810)

Family Fun Day Festival for Christ, Shenandoah County Fairgrounds, 300 Fairgrounds Road, Woodstock, Sunday, October 18, 10:00-4:00 p.m.

Staunton and Surrounding Area (Contact: Brad Huddleston at 540-820-0810)

Free lunch for pastors! Shoney’s Restaurant, 30 Sangers Lane, Staunton (I-81, Exit 222), 11:30–1:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 20. The Family Foundation of Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley Teen Challenge are sponsoring a free lunch for pastors. Voter guides will be available there. In order to attend, register by calling Brad Huddleston or e-mailing him at brad.huddleston@tffaction.org.

It all happened late this afternoon, in rapid fire succession, all starting with a blatant mis-speak by Delegate Ben Cline (R-24, Rockbridge) when bringing his spending transparency bill (HB 2285) to the floor.

Explaining the Senate’s floor amendment to the bill and why it should be “severed” (which elicited some sarcastic “oooohs”):

“I talked to the patron and he’s okay with it.”

Speaker Bill Howell (R-28, Stafford), to what may have been the loudest laughter in session this year:

“You are the patron!”

After Majority Leader Morgan Griffith (R-8 Salem) parodied Cline to more laugher, Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-15, Woodstock) stepped up for a bill of his own:

“Mr. Speaker, I have a question of the patron. Would the patron yield?”

The House laughed louder than the original faux paux. Then Delegate Gilbert added, “I can go on. This is easy.”

It’s been a long “short session” and they’ve been on the floor for hours at a time. It’s definitely time to bring down this curtain and let them go home!

Today’s Bill of the Day also generated a near-miss Quote of the Day. HB 2671, patroned by Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-15, Woodstock), is a bill that would recognize Page County as the “Cabin Capital of Virginia.” 

Senator Mark Obenshain (R-26, Harrisonburg), apparently carrying the bill on the Senate floor since he represents Page, found himself in the midst of a tortuous Q&A on the bill by Senator Creigh Deeds (D-25, Bath). Among the pressing matters the would-be governor wanted to know from the stand-in patron was “Does the gentleman know what goes on in cabins?” Any type of debate signals, even if not paying attention, that the bill clearly is not in the uncontested calendar.  

But enough was enough for Senator Donald McEachin (D-9, Henrico), who decided to take action:

Senator McEachin: “Mr. President, I request the bill be pulled from the uncontested block.”

Lt. Governor Bill Bolling: “It has been pulled from the uncontested block. Are the Senators ready to vote? . . .”

Wake-up, big Don! The bill passed 20-17.

From Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-15, Woodstock), tonight in a meeting of the House Courts of Justice Criminal Sub-Committee, on a bill to criminalize Csome type of treatment of animals. I walked in the room in the middle of the debate, stalking another legislator on another bill.

“This is an animal rights bill. I refuse to vote for anything that elevates a cow to a human being.”

Oh, yeah? We agree delegate, but maybe you should have read this: “Introducing CowMan And RabbitMan.”

Delegate Todd Gilbert (R-15, Woodstock) is getting a rep as one of the wittiest guys around the capitol. Tonight, in the House Education Subcommittee on Teachers and Administration, he had a classic.

This evening the sub-committee heard Delegate Scott Lingamfelter’s (R-31, Prince William) bill (HB 1844) to make it easier for localities to create charter schools by allowing to sunset some of the restrictive language in the statute that created charter schools in Virginia (which critics say was passed not to create charter schools, given the difficulty in creating them and the paucity of them).

Typically, Pat Lacey, a veteran and effective lobbyist for the educrat establishment, which uses its political muscle to block any and every education reform — and even bills that sometimes only remotely affect education — was sitting in the GAB’s 4 West conference room’s front row waiting to punce on the bill, even after Delegate Lingamfelter amended some of the its language.

After Lingamfelter finished his presentation, Delegate Gilbert opened it up for public comment by asking:

“Would Delegate Lacey like to speak in opposition now?”

The room, knowing Lacey’s power may be as great or greater than many lawmakers, errupted in laughter.

However, things are only funny if there’s a bit of truth in them, and Delegate Gilbert’s keen sense of humor makes a huge point. Powerful special interests funded by huge war chests don’t make for a pretty legislative process. But Gilbert wasn’t done.

Also speaking in opposition was a man who identified himself as from an organization representing teachers. When he finished his statement, Gilbert pointedly asked, to gain some transparency:

“Do you represent any teachers other than those who work for public schools?”

The man meekly admitted, “No.” There. “Teachers unions” don’t speak for all teachers and, often enough, not even the ones in their own union. Delegate Gilbert’s question should be rote for any education committee member to anyone who claims to represent “teachers,” especially those whose mission isn’t to educate, but to block reform.

By the way, the bill passed 7-0. Good news for its immediate future. We’ll see how it fares down its legislative path. No doubt, the educrats are waiting somewhere along the way, waiting for “Delegate” Lacey and allies to kill it off.