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Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico, is taking another crack at adding sexual orientation to the state’s anti-discrimination policy.

The Virginia Fairness and Justice Act, or Senate Bill 747, would prohibit the state government from discriminating against employees based on sexual orientation among other reasons including race and religion.

Last year, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli declared (as McDonnell did in 2006, when he was attorney general) that until the General Assembly decides otherwise, there are no legal grounds for protecting gay Virginians from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Cuccinelli’s ruling sparked furor soothed somewhat by Gov. McDonnell signing an executive directive which basically said that he, as head of the state work force, would not tolerate bias on the basis of sexual orientation.
Still, McEachin would rather see it as law.

Easier said than done.

His effort last year was shot down in the Republican-controlled House of Delegates after clearing the Democrat-controlled Senate.

“Eighty nine percent of Fortune 500 companies prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. If we want to prove to those companies that Virginia is the right place to come and create jobs, we should start by proving that we are as welcoming and inclusive as they are,” McEachin said in a recent statement.

This year’s Virginia General Assembly session will feature no shortage of gun rights legislation.

The pro-gun Virginia Citizens Defense League has targeted a number of bills for support.

The most controversial among them, sponsored by State Sen. Roscoe Reynolds, D-Henry, would allow persons who have been treated for mental-illness and substance abuse in a residential setting to apply for restoration of their concealed handgun permits gun before the current five-year waiting period expires.

Reynolds has also proposed lifting restrictions on purchasing and transporting firearms by persons with abuse-based protective orders against them—deferring any sanction only if, and until an actual finding of abuse has been issued.

Del. Tony Wilt, R-Harrisonburg, is proposing a law that would limit the suspension penalty for reckless use of a firearm while hunting from one year to life to a maximum of five years. Several legislators have also proposed changes to Virginia’s Homestead laws that would allow persons subject to confiscation of property by creditors to retain one firearm for “household use.” Sen. Chap Petersen, D-Fairfax, has also proposed lifting the restriction that prohibits hunting on Sunday.

“This is the tip of the iceberg and we can expect many more to arrive later this week once the General Assembly is actually in session,” VCDL president Phil Van Cleave said in an email to supporters outlining the legislation.

After several years of frustration, gun advocates made legislative strides last year, aided by a newly-installed Republican governor and concerted lobbying by VCDL and the National Rifle Association. Laws restricting the transportation guns in cars and the carrying of concealed guns in bars were dramatically relaxed.

With both the 100-member House of Delegates and 40-member Virginia Senate up for election this year debate on gun issues could define a number of races.

Here, according to VCDL is a list of gun bills it will watch during the upcoming session, scheduled to begin Jan. 12:

HB 305 - Allows a person who has a CHP or who has current or retired military officer identification and who is purchasing an ‘assault weapon’ to be exempt from needing to prove citizenship (with a birth certificate, voter registration, passport, etc.)

HB 1411 - Limits the penalty for reckless handling of a firearm while hunting or trapping to a maximum of five years of prohibition from carrying while hunting/trapping, down from the current one year to life prohibition. However, if the person then hunts during the prohibition period, they can be prohibited from carrying while hunting/trapping for one year to life, up from the current one to five additional years.

HB 1422, 1471, SB 839 - Allows a person to keep one firearm for household use if they are subject to a creditor process (updates Virginia’s Homestead laws)

HB 1552 - Specifies that the Circuit Court Clerk is to mail a certified concealed handgun permit application to serve as a temporary concealed handgun permit within 5 days of the expiration of the maximum 45-day application processing period.

SB 754 - Deals with abuse-based protective orders, which restrict purchase or transport of firearms. The bill would make such restrictions only after an actual finding of abuse (not just an accusation).

SB 755 - Allows someone who has had mental health treatment or substance abuse treatment in a residential setting to petition the Court for restoration of a CHP before the current five year waiting period has expired.

SB 757 - Allows someone on private property to be able to discharge an air gun as long as they have permission from the property owner to do so and reasonable care is taken to ensure the projectile does not cross the bounds of the property. Any local ordinances to the contrary, such as Fairfax County has, would be preempted

SB 850 - Allows a person to hunt on Sundays.

Former Rep. Glenn Nye, who represented the 2nd Congressional district until this year, said Monday that he worked closely with Democrat Rep. Gabrielle Giffords as members of the Blue Dog coalition and the Armed Services Committee.

Nye’s first congressional visit to Iraq in January 2009 was with Giffords, who he called “a terrific member, a wonderful person and a friend.”

“As a moderate, Gabby was passionate about her district but careful to listen to ideas from both sides of the aisle,” he said. “She avoided the inflammatory language too prevalent in American political discourse today.”

Nye also called upon members of the Congress to “reflect on what they can personally do to calm the heated political rhetoric and refocus our energy on honest debate without personal attacks,” while noting that the motivations of the shooter are still unknown.

After observing a moment of silence in his Henrico County office Monday, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-7th, was asked about the rhetoric. He said, “I think right now, instead of pointing fingers, where we are is trying to focus on healing, trying to focus on paying our respects to the victims of his horrible, horrible incident and I think the signal that is being sent that all of us need to focus on [is] how we best move and lead in a responsible way and solve the problems of this country…”

The Healing Place, the Gloucester Institute and the first lady’s new foundation are the latest recipients of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s excess inaugural funds.

McDonnell today pledged $6,250 to The Healing Place, and $10,000 to the Gloucester Institute, whose founder, Kay Coles James, served on McDonnell’s gubernatorial transition committee. James previously served as director for the Office of Personnel Management under President George W. Bush, also is a former dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University in Virginia Beach, where McDonnell received his law degree.

McDonnell has also given $10,000 to the first lady’s FLITE Foundation, which was recently formed to advance her agenda of raising the profile of people and programs focused on four areas: health and wellness; military families; Virginia wine, tourism and film; and women’s initiatives. FLITE stands for First Lady’s Initiatives Team Effort.

The governor has helped The Healing Place before, holding a fundraiser at the Executive Mansion in April for the Richmond nonprofit organization that seeks to provide shelter for the homeless and drug-abuse treatment. The event raised roughly $16,000. After winning the gubernatorial campaign in 2009, then Gov-elect McDonnell visited The Healing Place and served lunch on Christmas Eve. He mentioned it in his inaugural address.

It’s also a cause dear to Bob Sledd, senior economic advisor to the governor, who formerly served as the finance chair for the organization.

McDonnell said about today’s gift: “The willingness to both help fellow citizens in times of need and allow them a second chance at success is a trait that is uniquely and proudly American, and one to which all Virginians can aspire.”

The Gloucester Institute was founded to provide training and nurturing for rising young leaders in the African American community, McDonnell said. He called it “a model organization for citizens of all backgrounds who appreciate civil discourse and aspire to reach common ground on important issues.”

In case you’re counting, here’s a rundown of how $111,500 of the leftover inaugural funds has been gifted so far:
The Gloucester Institute ($10,000), The Healing Place ($6,250), The FLITE Foundation ($10,000), The Family Foundation of Virginia ($5,000), The Federation of Virginia Food Banks ($10,000), Carpenter’s Shelter ($6,250), Virginia Society for Human Life ($2,000), Virginia National Guard Foundation/Wall of Honor ($3,000), Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund ($500), Daily Living Center ($1,000), Virginia Autism Project ($5,000), Virginia NAACP ($2,500), Robert Russa Moton Museum ($10,000), Barter Theatre ($5,000), Virginia Public Access Project ($10,000), and the Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts ($25,000). 

Gov. Bob McDonnell has joined 32 other governor across the country in asking President Barack Obama and House and Senate leadership to ease requirements placed on state governments through the health-care overhaul.

“In these difficult fiscal times, we understand that the federal government cannot provide new sources of taxpayer dollars to assist the states,” reads the letter circulated by the Republican Governors Association, of which McDonnell is the vice-chairman. “Therefore, our only option is to request flexibility and relief from [Maintenance of Effort] provisions so that we may responsibly manage our state budgets on behalf of our citizens.”

The maintenance of effort requires state to keep eligibility levels steady.

The governors and governors-elect say health care and education are the primary cost drivers for state budgets, and that Medicaid enrollment is up while revenues are down.

“States are unable to afford the current Medicaid program, yet our hands are tied by the MOE requirements…” it states. “The effect of the federal requirements is unconscionable; the federal requirements force governors to cut other critical state programs, such as education, in order to fund a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to Medicaid.”

Medicaid costs are rising in Virginia, but McDonnell already suggested cuts to K-12 education in his recent budget amendments to use the money to fund changes he wants to make to the retirement system for teachers. 

This letter comes just days before the new Republican majority in the House is scheduled to vote on a repeal of the Obama administration’s health-care overhaul. It’s a largely symbolic effort, as a repeal is unlikely to pass in the Senate and even then would need Obama’s signature.

Still, Democrats are organizing opposition to the repeal effort, trumpeting some of the plans more popular elements.