Public commenters urge removal of Virginia Israel Advisory Board as Rules subcommittee advances HB 932
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Summary
Multiple public commenters told the Senate Rules subcommittee they want Article 10 (the Virginia Israel Advisory Board) removed from HB 932, calling it a taxpayer-funded vehicle for foreign commercial interests; the committee nonetheless voted to report HB 932 to Senate Finance (Ayes 9, No 4, 1 abstention).
Nancy Wien, co-chair of the Virginia Coalition for Human Rights, urged the Senate Rules subcommittee to amend House Bill 932 to remove Article 10, which she said "establishes the Virginia Israel advisory board, which serves essentially as a state taxpayer funded chamber of commerce bringing Israeli companies to Virginia often at the expense of local companies." She asked lawmakers to "dismantle VIAB, remove it from our state government."
Alex Hillard of Richmond, a member of the Virginia Coalition for Human Rights, told the panel the recodification presents "an opportunity to remove the Virginia Israel advisory board," arguing the state should not grant "special privileges to a country that is engaged in genocide."
Zena Ashlawi Hutchison, an 18-year-old resident of Loudoun County and member of the same coalition, similarly urged removal of Article 10, saying the board "gets hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars" and alleging a lack of transparency. Michael Pier, an Arlington resident, also supported removing the article, saying the board "does nothing for Jewish safety" and "just adds to the flames of antisemitism."
After the public comments, a committee member moved that House Bill 932 be reported and re-referred to Senate Finance. The motion carried with Ayes 9, No 4, and 1 abstention, and the committee formally sent the bill to Senate Finance for further consideration.
The public commenters framed their request as a policy and ethical objection to a statutorily authorized advisory board; the committee’s vote to refer the bill to Senate Finance does not itself remove Article 10. Further action, including any amendment to delete Article 10, would need to occur in later committee consideration or on the Senate floor.