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DATE: January 23, 2004
Home Educators Association of Virginia E-Mail Alert

To: Virginia Home Educators
From: Joe Guarino, HEAV Director of Government Affairs

GENERAL ASSEMBLY UPDATE: HEAV INTRODUCES TWO BILLS

The 2004 session of the General Assembly includes two bills introduced by HEAV.

HIGH-SCHOOL DIPLOMA BILL

Patroned by Del. Rob Bell of Charlottesville, HB 675 will change Option 1 under the homeschool statute requiring a parent to have a baccalaureate degree to homeschool and replace it with a provision allowing a parent with a high school diploma to homeschool his or her children.

RATIONALE: Over the past 20 years, it has been proven that, regardless of a parent’s educational background, there is very little difference in the child's scores on national standardized tests.  Furthermore, Virginia is the last state to use the baccalaureate degree as a threshold to homeschool.  Better than 60 percent of states use the high-school diploma.  We would like the General Assembly to bring Virginia more in line with these states. The rest of the states do not use any threshold.

ACTION: The bill, HB 675, will be heard for the first time before the House Education Committee, Monday, Jan 26, 9a.m., in House Room C of the General Assembly Building.  Attend if you can.  The Virginia Education Association has targeted this bill for defeat.  Please pray for victory for homeschoolers.

CHIILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT

Patroned in the House by Del. Bob McDonnell of Virginia Beach and in the Senate by Sen. Bill Bolling of Hanover this bill will require all child protective service workers to inform parents of the allegation at the initial point of an investigation of alleged abuse.  It would also require training for these workers in the constitutional rights of children and families, including Fourth
Amendment and parental rights.

RATIONALE: This act has already been passed at the federal level in early 2003.We would like to codify this in Virginia law.  This way, if a parent has a challenge, they have redress at the state level first with all the Appellate levels up to the federal level, rather than having to start at the much more expensive and cumbersome federal level.  Also, federal funds are tied to the
ongoing training element of the federal law.

ACTION: The House bill, HB 1135, will be heard for the first time before the Welfare Subcommittee of the House Health, Welfare, and Institution Committee,Thursday,Jan.29,7:30 a.m., in the 7th Floor West Conference Room of  the General Assembly Building. The Senate version, SB 584, will be heard for the first time before the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services,Friday,Jan.30,8:30 a.m., in Senate Room B of the General Assembly Building. Attend if you can. Pray for limited discussion and widespread support,especially considering it has already been passed at the federal level.