2017 General Assembly Legislative Updates 1/23: Bathroom Bill's down, Day of Tears passed, and we have some environmental work to do

A brief update on the 2017 Virginia General Assembly: 

HB 1612, the Anti-Trans Bathroom Bill, is Dead

Del. Bob Marshall's anti-transgender bathroom bill, HB 1612, was killed in the House general laws subcommittee (composed of 2 Democrats and 5 Republicans). This bill would require that public institutions ensure that transgender people only used sex-segregated facilities (bathrooms, locker rooms, etc) which corresponded to the sex on their birth certificate, rather than their gender identity and presentation. It would also require schools to out transgender or possibly-transgender children to their parents within 24 hours. 

It looks like there are two factors which played a role in the bill's defeat: the certainty that Governor Terry McAuliffe would veto the bill, and the example of North Carolina's strong opposition to HB 2, their own Bathroom Bill passed last year. Let's give a hand to our comrades and allies down in NC, who showed the subcommittee the kind of storm they'd be in for if they voted the bill on. Here's the Richmond Times-Dispatch's story on the bill's death. 

HR 268, Resolution Declaring Roe v. Wade Day the "Day of Tears," Passes the House

Del. Benjamin Cline's bill declaring January 22nd the "Day of Tears," during which the legislature encourages private flags to be flown at half-mast to "mourn the lives lost to abortion," passed the House in a vote of 57-36. This won't make any practical difference in the availability of abortion to Virginians, but is an attempt to shame and vilify people who have made a medical decision about their own body. 

You can see how your representative voted here. Because this item is a resolution, not a bill, the governor doesn't get a veto, and it seems likely that it will pass the Senate. 

Set of Bills Submitted to Hide the Chemicals Used in Fracking

This one involves two sets of bills. The first set, HB 1678 and SB 1292, would exempt information deemed trade secrets from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The next set, HB 1679 and SB 1291, would define the chemicals used to stimulate wells in hydraulic gas fracturing (fracking) as trade secrets, and exempt them from disclosure under FOIA. 

These bills, introduced by Del. Roxanne Robinson and Sen. Ben Chafin, would shield gas companies from public scrutiny; scrutiny which is sorely needed. Fracking works like this: a well is drilled in a shale formation which is interspersed with natural gas. A high-pressure mix of water and chemicals are injected into the well, to stimulate the gas extraction. This process forces the fracking mix into the aquifer (where drinking water comes from if you have a well). 

Essentially: gas companies can do what they want, and if you're poisoned because they do it near your well, good luck proving it. You can write a letter to your reps using this form the Sierra Club has set up.