From Delegate Ward Armstrong

We are now one month into the legislative session of the General Assembly.  As I have mentioned, this session is a difficult one, and it requires many tough decisions.  Please know that I am hearing all of your concerns and I am continuing to fight for the 10th District.  

Over the last couple of months, I have heard from many people in my district who have received bills from Appalachian Power Company (APCo) that were much higher than in months past.  Some of you may know that I have introduced four bills that will regulate APCo, and prevent rate increases from taking affect until after the SCC has approved them.  While some members of the legislature are prepared to accept a deal with APCO which provides little relief from APCo’s heavy rate increases to folks in my district, I am determined to continue the fight and will refuse to settle for anything less than my constituents deserve.

This week, a bill that I sponsored, HB 650 passed the House of Delegates.  This bill provides a judicial process for determining who makes the decision for the arrangements for a decedent’s funeral or the disposition of his remains when there is a dispute between the next of kin.  Many of the bills I introduce derive from concerns constituents bring to my attention regarding a particular issue.  It is my pleasure to be able to work with my constituents to help fix problems that exist in the law.  

Due to the expected inclement weather on Friday, the House of Delegates decided to forgo the special Ethics Subcommittee charged with dealing with ethics reform. Next week I hope to provide a progress report on legislation I introduced to create an ethics committee to investigate instances of unethical activity among legislators.
As always, should you need assistance while I am in Richmond, my office number in Richmond is 804-698-1010.  I welcome all comments, questions, or concerns from the folks in my district.  If you happen to call or come by the office while I am on the floor or in committee and not available, please ask to speak to my Legislative Assistant, Anna McClain.  I really enjoy when people from my district come to visit.  If you are planning a trip to the Capitol, please let my office know in advance so we can help make your visit an enjoyable one.

If you would like to track legislation during the session, please visit the General Assembly website at http://legis.state.va.us