January 13, 2016
 
 
Delegate Ken Plum's 
Virginia E-News

Delegate Plum and Senator Howell heard from constituents at their annual Pre-Session Town Hall meeting last week.

Commentary  
 
Clearing an Obstacle to Gun Violence Prevention in Virginia            
Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum 
 
Virginia has the dubious distinction of having had the biggest mass murder in history--Virginia Tech in 2007, and the first televised shooting--Smith Mountain Lake in 2015. Yet, the Commonwealth has never had a serious public debate on preventing gun violence. With the leadership being shown by the President and the strong interest on the part of the public, the 2016 session of the General Assembly is time for that debate.
 
Every annual session of the General Assembly is the same: A few legislators bravely put in their commonsense, can't-we-do-a-little-something-about-gun-violence? bills. Now these bills even have the support of the Governor. In the House of Delegates the bills get referred to the Militia, Police and Public Safety Committee made up of mostly NRA sympathizers. The chairman of that committee sends the bills to a subcommittee stacked with four legislators who have never seen a gun-related bill they like unless it eases regulations or restrictions and with one other legislator. That subcommittee hears the bills and summarily defeats them 4 to 1.
 
Their actions are totally predictable. Same thing happens every year.
 
When Republicans gained a majority in the House of Delegates they changed the rules to allow the Speaker to refer bills of his choosing to the Rules Committee where they could be sent to the floor of the House of Delegates without recommendation. The official explanation for the change was that there could be bills of such public significance that they needed to be debated by the full legislative body and not simply by a committee. 
 
Bills to enhance public safety and prevent gun violence seem to me to rise to the level of importance that they should be debated by the full body and not be defeated by just four of the 100 members of the House. The Speaker of the House who has absolute authority as to where bills are referred could simply refer gun-violence prevention bills to the Rules Committee where they would be sent to the floor of the House of Delegates without a recommendation.
 
The ensuing debate and votes would clearly show whether the elected representatives in the House are standing up for the people who elected them a majority of whom support commonsense gun violence prevention measures, or do these delegates represent the gun groups who feed money to their campaigns and who threaten them with primary opposition if they do not go along.
 
Cynics say the rules change to allow the Rules Committee to send bills to the floor without recommendation was meant to create a situation where progressive bills could be referred to the floor to force Democrats to "go on the board" with a recorded vote on issues like a potential tax increase. Certainly the Republicans in power would not be embarrassed or intimidated by having to vote on public safety measures related to ending gun violence that the majority of citizens in poll after poll indicate they support.
 
Preventing gun violence in a state that has seen two examples of the worst of the carnage is too important an issue for four legislators in a cramped conference room to decide for the Commonwealth. There is a way as described above for the issue to get a full hearing; the time has come for the House of Delegates to give it the time and public debate it warrants.
      

Virginia Report on Comcast Channel 28
  
Tune in to Ken's weekly television program, Virginia Report, on Reston Comcast Channel 28 for public service programming (Verizon Channel 1981). Ken interviews state and local leaders who are making news by making a difference.

TONIGHT- Wednesday, January 13 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Principal Lindsay Trout about Trends in Elementary Education
    
Tuesday, January 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, January 20 at 10:30 p.m., Delegate Plum talks with Karen Brutsche of NV Rides Reston

Virginia Report is also available for viewing online at https://vimeo.com/album/1650266 
   

Bulletin Board  
 
Become an Election Officer for Fairfax County 




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New Session for Encore Chorale of Reston



Encore Chorale of Reston has just started a 15-week session at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road in Reston. No auditions!

Encore Chorale is music education and recreation for singers age 55+. Singers may be seated for rehearsals and performances, and rehearsals are held during daylight hours, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Encore Creativity for Older Adults sponsors 15 chorales in the Baltimore-Washington DC area and attracts singers who have sung their entire life, singers who have not sung in 20, 30 or 40 years, and some who are exploring choral music for the first time. After 15 weeks of rehearsal, Encore Chorales perform free concerts for friends, family and the community. Baltimore/Washington/Northern Virginia chorales will perform more than a dozen community concerts in May 2016. To register, contact Cheri Danaher, Arts Education Director, Reston Community Center, at 703-390-6175 or Cheri.Danaher@fairfaxcounty.gov. Registrations will be accepted through January 19. Tuition is $160.00 for Reston residents; $320.00 for non-Reston residents. For more details about the Encore Chorale program visit: www.encorecreativity.org. Contact the Encore Creativity office at info@encorecreativity.org or 301-261-5747.

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Introducing RAPIDPASS 


RAPIDPASS is the optional on-road emissions inspection program in Northern Virginia. RAPIDPASS allows a motorist to simply drive through an on-road RAPIDPASS system to complete their emissions test. Upon notification of a clean emissions result, motorists can conveniently pay for their emission inspection online and proceed with their vehicle registration renewal. Details are at RAPIDPASS.
 
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Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards
Call for Nominations

The good deeds of dedicated volunteers often go unnoticed.  Help honor, celebrate and thank our  community superstars for their commitment and energy. Learn more at Volunteer Service Awards.



Calendar of Events     

Today: Wednesday, January 13, Virginia General Assembly session begins. More information, including links to watch the live stream of daily House and Senate proceedings, can be found at General Assembly.  

Tonight: Wednesday, January 13, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., Old Courthouse Road Realignment Project Community Meeting, at Wolftrap Elementary School, Cafeteria, 1903 Beulah Road, Vienna. Visit Community Meeting for details.
 
Thursday, January 14, 10:00 a.m. to noon, Adventures in Learning (AIL) Open House at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (UUCF) 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Download a flyer here.

Thursday, January 14, 10:00 a.m., Monthly Vigil for Gun Violence Prevention at the National Rifle Association (NRA) headquarters to remember the Newtown, CT shootings that killed 26 children and adults. Meet at 11250 Waples Mill Road in Fairfax (where Waples Mill Road crosses I-66). Signs provided.   

Saturday, January 16, 4:00 p.m., "Remembering the Dream." Reston Community Orchestra's 10th Annual MLK concert celebrates the life and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through symphonic works, spirituals, and songs inspired by his legacy. Featuring baritone Bryan Jackson and Reston's own Beverly Cosham. At Reston Community Center, Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Free Admission -- No Tickets Required -- Seating is Limited. More information is at MLK Concert.  

Tuesday, January 26, 9:30 a.m. to noon, Community Ambassador Program Orientation, at the Pennino Building, 12011 Government Center Parkway, Suite 206 in Fairfax. Registration deadline is Wednesday, January 20. Register here. 
 
Saturday, February 6, Virginia Polar Dip 2016: Freezin' for a Reason. Registration at noon, Dip at 2:00 p.m., at Reston Community Center, Lake Anne Village Center, Reston. The goal is to send many more children with life-threatening illnesses and their families to Camp Sunshine, a one-of-a-kind retreat in Casco, Maine. Click here for details. 
 

36th District 

Reston, Virginia
 

Annual Legislative Survey
 
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In This Issue
Commentary..."Clearing an Obstacle to Gun Violence Prevention in Virginia"
"Virginia Report"
Bulletin Board
Check Your Calendar

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum
Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News


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