In This Issue
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Quick Links
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Job postings deal for
VMA members!
As you begin hiring for 2010, post your job openings on the www.advancedtechnologyjobs.com job board and gain access to many qualified candidates who have already posted their resumes on this site.
As a VMA member company, you will receive a 25% discount on postings with the code below.
To take advantage of this opportunity, use the following promotional code when checking out: HIRE2010. |
Business Services Directory
The VMA has launched a new Business Services Directory in a "yellow pages" format to make locating associate members and other reputable companies who can help your business more convenient.
Whether your company needs financial or legal advice, security, staffing, office equipment, laboratory analysis, environmental or engineering consultations and much more, you can find a helpful listing in our directory.
Click here to access the new Business Services Directory or find the link on the VMA website homepage.
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VOLUME 3.0 | EDITION 2 | Feb 2010
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The 2010 General Assembly Session has started with a firestorm. Due to the budget deficit (est. $4.2 billion), the introduction of 2,511 bills this session, and the 20 new legislators in the General Assembly, that fire is burning hotter every week. As such, the VMA has had to work extremely hard to keep our priority legislation on track and hold our ground on fundamental issues such as taxation, regulation, education and energy.
We wrote about our renewed efforts in "grass roots" advocacy in the last issue of this magazine, and we will continue to need your help. In particular, we need your assistance in contacting your legislators this week.
There are currently two active alerts on our website that provide letters for you to read, edit and sign in support of our position. HB 614/SB 545 is a $60 million tax increase for industry and must be opposed. Whereas, HB 613 is intended to induce $1 billion in capital investments by eliminating the machinery and tools tax on NEW investments only.
Please visit our Legislative Action Center today and help us turn our "grass roots" network into a "grass fire." Click below to get started:
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VMA 2010 Defensive Legislation |
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The following are a select group of bills that have broad industry implications and have required a defensive strategy or amendments in order to protect industry:
- HB 280 would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to use fraud to obtain a signature or vote to organize a union. VMA is working with Virginians for Workplace Fairness to insure that the bill is constitutional.
- HB 566 would measure the student pass rate for Virginia's Workplace Readiness Skills assessment as part of local School Performance Report Cards. VMA is working with a coalition of educators and business organizations to stop the Virginia Board of Education from delaying implementation for two more years.
- HB 737 would require all employers larger than 15 employees to use the Federal E-Verify System to verify employment. VMA is part of the Virginians for Sensible Immigration Policy (VESIP) working to amend the bill.
- SB 34 would create a new definition of employee versus contractor. VMA is working to defeat this bill.
- HB 297 allows local government to create a system of civil penalties for noise ordinance violations. VMA successfully obtained an amendment to exempt industrial zoned property.
- SB 225 would require all contractors and subcontractors to a public entity to verify employment using the Federal E-Verify System. VMA is part of Virginia Employers for Sensible Immigration Policy (VESIP) and working to amend the bill.
- SB 235 would add a $2 per ton tipping fee at landfills. VMA is working to carry over this bill to 2011.
- SB 542/HB 1051 would eliminate the "dealer discount" for collecting and remitting sales taxes for Virginia. VMA is part of a coalition of businesses working to defeat the elimination of the discount worth over $80 million per year.
- SB 622 would increase employee costs and limit access to discount prices for dental insurance services. VMA is working with the www.vdawantsyoutopaymore.com coalition to oppose the bill.
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VMA 2010 Priority Legislation |
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The VMA has also in whole or in part had legislation introduced this session focused on new ideas and reforms to improve the business environment in Virginia for manufacturers and their suppliers. The following are descriptions of VMA priority legislation:
1. Virginia Technology Investment Act - HB 613
-will eliminate Machinery & Tools taxation on certain new technology investments only.
2. Energy Mandates Impact Assessment - HB 1274 & SB 647
-will require an economic impact statement to be developed before voting on legislation involving energy mandates.
3. Single Sales Factor Amendment - HB 1122
-will remove employment baseline requirements and tax penalties from this existing corporate income tax statute.
4. Workers Compensation Billing Reform - HB 1326 & SB 367
-will develop a WC Commission task force to reform medical procedure billing practices for workers compensation cases.
5. Offshore Wind Commission - SB 393
-will facilitate the development of offshore wind energy.
6. Virginia Workplace Readiness Skills Attainment Reporting Resolution - HJ 101 & SJ 50
-will ensure the Board of Education implements and measures VA Workplace Readiness Skills curriculum and testing in the K-12 system.
7. Virginia Workplace Readiness Skills Reporting - HB 566 & SB 630
- will require Virginia's workplace readiness skills assessment pass rate to be reported on the School Performance Report Card.
8. Workforce Development System Reform - HB 1041 & HB 1043
-will reform both the Virginia Workforce Council and the office of the Chief Workforce Development Officer.
9. Offshore Drilling Royalties - SB 601
-will invest offshore royalties into Transportation Trust Fund and Renewable Energy Research. VMA is working to have a percentage directly appropriated to local government for transportation projects as well.
To follow all of the legislation of the 2010 General Assembly session being monitored by the VMA, visit your Legislative Action Center at http://capwiz.com/vmaonline/home/.
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Join us for the VMA members only
conference calls in 2010! |
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As a way to keep members up-to-date on the activities of the VMA, we will hold quarterly, half-hour conference calls this year. We had great participation in our Q1 call, held on January 20th, and look forward to your participation.
Please save 1:00-1:30 pm on the following dates on your calendar for the call, and watch your e-mail for dial-in instructions closer to the dates:
1:00 - 1:30 p.m., April 21
1:00 - 1:30 p.m., July 21
1:00 - 1:30 p.m., October 20
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