Virginia Beach legislative affairs director briefs council on budget, bills that could affect city

Brent McKenzie, Virginia Beach’s legislative affairs director, briefed the City Council on a range of General Assembly actions and bills that could affect local revenue, city programs and regulatory authority.

McKenzie told council members the House and Senate released amended budgets that tap a Commonwealth surplus largely driven by Medicaid costs and propose individual tax rebates of $200 for single filers and $400 for joint filers, expansion of the standard deduction and making the earned-income tax credit refundable. He said both chambers are making “a heavy investment in education,” including elimination of a historic support cap and increased special-education aid. He also flagged an $8 million sports-tourism capitalization in the House budget and multiple stormwater and flood‑mitigation grant dollars the city could pursue.

Why it matters: several of the budget items and pending bills could provide grants or create local obligations, and other bills would change how the city regulates or funds services.

Most of McKenzie’s briefing described budget provisions and bills that are on or approaching “third read” deadlines in each chamber. He said the House included a $500,000 pilot to support childcare in city schools, and that the House and Senate budgets both include monies for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund and related flood‑prevention grant programs. He also said the House budget included $200,000 earmarked for cancer screenings for city employees who responded to the 2012 Navy jet crash.

McKenzie reviewed several bills of city interest by bill number: HB 2041 (expansion and operational requirements for speed cameras), HB 2245 (real‑property assessment changes for so‑called affordable housing), HB 1743 (addressing BPOL double taxation concerns with delayed enactment), SB 992 (enhanced civil penalties with a 30‑day cure provision), SB 1158 (imminent‑domain language that could affect design‑build and flood‑mitigation projects), and SB 923 (a water‑permit bill that briefly risked Hampton Roads permits before it was defeated). He also listed the collective‑bargaining measures currently moving (HB 2764 / SB 917 and HB 2495 for firefighters/EMS), and said those proposals would repeal the current prohibition on public‑employee collective bargaining and set out bargaining units and a public labor board.

McKenzie said some proposals the city sought — including legislation on ABC store larceny and short‑term rentals — did not pass this session, but conversations with stakeholders continue. He said the city had success getting an eminent‑domain bill through and reported a 57–39 House vote for the city’s zero‑waste awareness week measure.

Council members pressed several operational questions McKenzie could not answer on the spot. A council member described neighborhood complaints about high speeds, ATVs and “street takeovers,” and asked whether the city should seek a work group with General Assembly members to reconcile differing perceptions of camera programs (ticket counts versus revenue). McKenzie summarized HB 2041’s technical requirements — daily camera calibration, a 30‑day warning period before ticketing, expanded allowable locations called “high‑risk pedestrian corridors,” and signage/photo requirements — and cautioned some operational elements (daily calibration, photographic evidence of flashing signs located far from cameras) could make programs impractical unless amended.

No formal council vote was taken on any of the bills during the briefing. McKenzie said city staff will continue negotiations with bill patrons and other stakeholders and return with more detail as bills move through crossover and final‑vote deadlines.