2023 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
We feel strongly we can achieve economic success by focusing on the following policy initiatives:
Economic Development & Regionalism
VA WEST SUPPORTS:
- A strategic plan for additional Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) funding for public-private partnerships to expand affordable broadband and telecommunication services in unserved areas to support economic development, telework, telemedicine, and tele-education access necessary for a modern workforce.
- Funding for economic development programs available through the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and GO Virginia.
- Tax reform measures to strengthen and defend Virginia’s business climate.
- Expanded incentives for angel and venture capital investments in Virginia businesses and increased funding to commercialize regional research spinoff and startup businesses.
- Protection of Virginia’s existing Right-to-Work laws so that employees are not compelled to pay union dues as a condition of employment.
- Investment in job training, education, and in-demand skills as means to higher earning potential.
- Delaying the minimum wage increase as passed during the 2020 General Assembly session until the economy recovers to pre-pandemic levels.
- The continued safe development of cost effective, traditional and renewable energy sources to meet business needs.
Workforce Development & Education
- Increased FastForward funding and support for the G3 program.
- Initiatives that strengthen connections among students, parents, educators, and guidance counselors of career and technical education (CTE) opportunities and regionally in-demand careers.
- Efforts to improve coordination between Virginia’s employers, job training programs, and education communities to meet industry, workforce, and student needs.
- Funding for regional career and technical education communities.
- Emphasis on science, technology, engineering, math and health (STEM-H) courses in K-12 and Virginia’s colleges and universities, in addition to coursework in areas of business and economics to encourage the next generation of small business owners.
Transportation
- Expansion of Amtrak passenger rail from Lynchburg to Bedford and Roanoke to New River Valley, and continued exploration of expansion to Bristol.
- Continued efforts toward timely implementation of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Plan (CIP)
- Reconsideration of a regional intermodal freight facility
- Continued exploration of innovative and sustainable funding mechanisms and additional VDOT SMART SCALE weighting to meet transportation needs in our VA West communities.
- Initiatives to expand air service at regional airports in our VA West communities.
Healthcare
VA WEST SUPPORTS:
- Legislation that allows the creation of Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements (MEWAs) which offer health plans to support health care affordability and accessibility for employers and employees.
- Initiatives and additional resources to address the future of mental and behavioral health treatment in the Commonwealth.