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Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV)

To: Home Educators of Virginia
From: Joe Guarino, director of government affairs
Date: Monday, February 1, 2005

2005 GENERAL ASSEMBLY UPDATE: Action for Wednesday: Educational Tax Credit Bill Moves Forward

Monday night, House Finance Subcommittee #1 heard HB 2914, the Virginia Education Investment Act, patroned by Del. Chris Saxman (R-Staunton). This bill would give ALL parents with school-aged children a tax credit for qualified educational expenses. The maximum tax credit would be $800 for single filers and $1200 for joint filers.

The patron, Del. Chris Saxman (R-Staunton), spoke passionately about parents directing the education of their children. He emphasized all parents should have the opportunity to choose the type of education they would like. Those subcommittee members who asked questions or made comments spoke in favor of the bill. Both the Virginia PTA and VEA (Virginia Education Association, teacher’s union) gave testimony against the bill. In addition, when a representative from People for the American Way spoke against the bill, one subcommittee member publicly chastised the man. He said he was maligning private school parents and homeschooling families who sacrificed to pay taxes for public schools, but chose other means of education.

Later, another subcommittee member asked a representative from the Virginia Department of Taxation a very important question about their fiscal impact statement on the bill: As part of their analysis, did the Department of Taxation take into account the millions of dollars in savings nonpublic school students bring to Virginia by not attending public schools, since they are still counted in the school-age population? When the representative said no, the member took her to task and strongly encouraged everyone to remember this savings when discussing the subject of tax credits for educational expenses.

When the chair asked anyone in favor of the bill to stand, over 60 parents and students stood. With about 100 people attending the hearing on all bills before the subcommittee, this number of people brought an audible gasp in the room. Even though we did not identify ourselves as homeschoolers, the dozens of parents and children who stood, made an impact!

During the hearing, a new development occurred with the bill. Del. Saxman had presented two tax credit bills. The other bill, HB 1942, the Children At Risk in Education (CARE) Scholarship Tax Credit, focuses on low-income children. A motion was made to incorporate HB 2914 into HB 1942. Without complaint, the bills were merged. We will now track HB 1942.

When the debate ended, the vote was 6-4 to recommend the full Finance Committee report the bill to the full House for their vote. The six in favor were Delegates Parrish, Lee Ware, Lingamfelter, Cole, Hugo, and Janis. The four in opposition were Delegates Orrock, Johnson, Hull, and Shannon.

VOTE "YES" ON HB 1942
THE FULL FINANCE COMMITTEE WILL NOW HEAR HB 1942 AND VOTE ON IT THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 3. If you support education tax credits, please contact your legislator on the committee and ask him or her to vote YES on HB 1942.

While no more testimony from the public will be allowed at the meeting, the chair will ask all those supporting or opposing the bill to stand. So if you are able to attend the meeting, your presence will again have an impact.

If you call, or attend the committee hearing, we encourage you to speak AS AN INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN, NOT AS A HOMESCHOOLER. This is NOT a homeschool bill, nor do we want homeschooling to become an issue: This is a bill that will benefit ALL parents.

House Finance Committee (Click on each name to see their contact information.) Del. Parrish (Chairman), Del. Purkey, Del. Orrock, Del. Louderback, Del. Lee Ware, Del. Welch, Del. Nixon, Del. Byron, Del. Lingamfelter, Del. Cole, Del. O'Bannon, Del. Janis, Del. Hugo, Del. Cline, Del. Johnson, Del. Melvin, Del. Van Yahres, Del. Hull, Del. Watts, Del. Hall, Del. Shannon, Del. Lewis

SPECIFICS:
TIME: approximately 2 p.m.
DATE: Wednesday, February 2, 2005
PLACE: General Assembly Building, 9th and E. Broad Sts., House Room D (on first floor)

DIRECTIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUILDING
All roads lead to Richmond! Well, not exactly, but if you can find your way to I-95 or I-64, you can get to Richmond. We have provided directions from the major roads leading into Richmond. Please follow the directions from your area of the state.

From north or south of Richmond, take I-95 to Exit 74-C onto Broad St. heading west. Go about five lights to 9th St. On the near-left corner, you will see the back side of the General Assembly Building. On the far-right corner, you will see the Library of Virginia.

From east of Richmond, take I-64 West, toward Charlottesville. Take Exit 190 slowly onto 5th St. Go five blocks to E. Broad St. and turn left. Go four blocks to 9th St. On the far-right corner, you will see the back side of the General Assembly Building. On the near-left corner, you will see the Library of Virginia.

From northwest of Richmond, take I-64 East, toward Norfolk. Take I-64 Exit 187 into Downtown Richmond where I-64 merges with I-95. After about three miles, take I-95 Exit 76 slowly onto 3rd St. Go five blocks to E. Broad St. and turn left. Go six blocks to 9th St. On the far-right corner, you will see the back side of the General Assembly
>Building. On the near-left corner, you will see the Library of  Virginia.

From southwest of Richmond, take Rte 76/Powhite Parkway into Richmond. As you cross the James River Bridge, get into the right lane and take Rte 195/Downtown Expressway. Take the 7th/9th St. exit. Go to 9th St. and turn left. Go six blocks uphill to E. Broad St. On the near-right corner, you will see the side of the General Assembly Building. On the far-left corner, you will see the Library of Virginia.

PARKING
In the evening beginning at 6, you may park at any meter for free. We would suggest find your way to 9th and Main Sts. and turn north, one-way onto 9th. Go two blocks, turn left at Grace and begin looking along this first block. If nothing is there, turn left onto 8th and look for a space there. If not, go two blocks to Main St. and turn right. If nothing is there, turn right onto 7th, go to Franklin, and turn right. If you still haven’t found a spot on the street by the time you get back to 9th, turn left onto 9th, go back to Grace, turn left, go to 8th, turn left, and park in the deck on the right. (See a parking map from the Library of Virginia, which is across Broad Street from the General Assembly Building.)

DIRECTIONS HOME
If you are heading south, find your way back to E. Broad St. Go east to 14th St. where you will see the entrance for I-95 South and I-64 East.

If you are heading north, northwest, or east, find your way back to E. Broad St. Go to 7th St. which is one way north. Turn on 7th St. Go five blocks until you see the entrance for I-64 and I-95.

If you are heading southwest, find your way back to E. Broad St. Go to 8th St. which is one way south. Turn on 8th St. Go five blocks to Canal St. and turn right. You will see the entrance for the Downtown Expressway on your left.

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HEAV—Serving the homeschoolers of Virginia through information, legislation, and resources since 1983! Be sure to sign up to receive the FREE Virginia Home Educator magazine at http://www.heav.org.

HEAV (Home Educators Association of Virginia)
2248-G Dabney Road
Richmond, VA 23230

Phone: 804-278-9200
Fax: 804-278-9202
Website: http://www.heav.org
E-mail: info@heav.org; for legislative matters, legislative@heav.org