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By threat or promise, Virginia’s legislature is back in session. By all accounts it should be a much more congenial jamboree than 2004. After last year’s epic budget battle, lasting over 117 days, the rancor seems to have generally subsided and a new veneer of sweetness has overcome most legislators, particularly in the House of Delegates.

However, one should not be so quick to accept this new M&M-candies politic. The outside may be shiny, well balanced, and colorful but on the inside there is clearly a very sticky central core that just might get the hands of some politicians a little soiled this Session. Whispers in the halls and hushed conversations in local eateries are speaking about an inevitable backlash to last year’s budget debate; retribution.

One should not too quickly forget that nine months ago it took 17 Republican members of the House of Delegates to jettison party leadership and side with their Republican counterparts in the Senate. At the time, the Speaker of the House assured the rogue 17 that they would not be targeted for reprisal from party loyalists. However, only weeks after the historic budget passed, a new Retribution Caucus began to strategize with anti-tax ideologues from outside of the Commonwealth. Since then, several of the 17 have been thrown from important committees and all have been targeted for the 2005 House primaries.

The life of a politician is not easy. One has to consider loyalties to one’s party, constituents, values, re-election, and we hope one’s faith. Amid all of that, it is easy to see how competing interests often confound and conflict the hearts of good folks who are willing to take the lead as elected officials. As part of a Faustian struggle, legislators hear from all sides and then are alone in voting. For politicians, fallout is simply part of the vocation.

The politics of vengeance, however, takes conflict to a different level. It is not confrontational but rather more passive in its aggressiveness. It seeks opportunity to undermine. Vengeance looks for weakness in an attempt to destroy with vindictiveness. I would say that retribution is wholly unholy and one of the many trends eroding the fabric of our democracy on all levels.

This should be a quiet session, albeit a short 45 days. Though advocates and legislators alike must continue to challenge and affirm the great opportunities of budget surpluses, lower grocery taxes, and governmental reforms, we should all leave the retribution to God.

This is the short, “odd-year,” 6 week, session, beginning Wednesday, January 12th and ending Saturday, February 26th. As you know, there are two aspects to the process: legislative and budgetary. The legislative crossover is Tuesday, February 8th, when all of the bills from one house that remain alive must “cross over” to the other. The budgetary crossover is on Thursday, February 10th when each house enacts its own budget, necessitating a conference committee to work out the differences. Since the biennial budget is enacted in even numbered years (2004, 2006, etc.), last year’s two-year budget is simply being amended. Because of the prefiling rules, many bills have already been “put into the hopper.” The committee/subcommittee structure dictates quick action, with the first priority on bills that may have fiscal impact. What this means for you and me is that we must move quickly in our advocacy with our Delegates and Senators. Check the Interfaith Center’s Web site (www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org) and utilize our user-friendly system to E-mail or fax your legislators regarding specific bills.

United Methodist Day
Date: Thursday, January 27th
Contact: www.vaumc.org

Roman Catholic Day
Date: Monday, January 31st (rain date, February 7)
Contact: www.richmonddiocese.org/ojp/

Date with the State - Jewish Day at the Assembly
Date: Wednesday February 2nd
Contact: www.jewishrichmond.com

Virginia Interfaith Center - Day for All People of Faith
Information <click>
Date: Thursday, February 3rd
Contact: 804-643-2474 or office@Virginia Interfaith Center.org

(A full listing of bills is available on our Web site, www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org)

HB2050 Unemployment Compensation; Minimum Earnings; Maximum Weekly Benefit, Introduced by Sam Nixon. - Increases the minimum earnings required for a laid off worker to be eligible for unemployment from $2,500 to $3,500 over two quarters.
Interfaith Center’s Position: The Interfaith Center opposes this bill. This would have excluded 6,500 Virginians who were laid off (in 2003) from receiving unemployment benefits.

HB 1761 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); drug-related felonies, Introduced by James Dillard. - Provides that a person who is otherwise eligible to receive TANF and food stamp benefits shall not be denied such public assistance because the person has been convicted of a drug-related felony.
Interfaith Center’s Position: The Interfaith Center supports this bill.

HB 1805 The Freedom Restoration Act, Introduced by Robert Marshall
The Freedom Restoration Act amends provisions added to the Code during the 2004 General Assembly Session (formerly known as the 21 Day Rule). This legislation would reduce the hurdles for a convicted individual when he or she attempts to introduce evidence of innocence.
Interfaith Center’s Position: The Interfaith Center supports this bill. We want to see justice be meted out. Innocent persons who are imprisoned do not exemplify justice.

HB 2697 Church law substantive changes, Introduced by Delegate James Scott
Removes certain religious references in the Code of Virginia and removes certain Sunday-only restrictions and exemptions, redefines "church" and "minister" to encompass all religions, and recognizes the existence of incorporated churches.
Interfaith Center’s Position: We support most of the changes Del. Scott is seeking.

January 12 - Session Convenes
January 14 - Last Day to Request Draft Legislation
January 21 - Last Day to Introduce Legislation
February 3 - Committee Action on Revenue, Debt, and Appropriation
February 6 - Budget Committees Complete Work
February 8 - Legislative Crossover
February 10 - Budget Crossover
February 16 - Each House completes work on the Other's Bills
February 21- Last day for Committee action on legislation
February 24 - Last day to put remaining bills into conference
February 26 - Adjournment Sine Die
March 26 - Last Day for Governor to act on legislation
April 6th - Reconvened Session