APV is partnering with over 20 other organizations and not-for-profits to release this report on transparency at the General Assembly. The press conference is on Tuesday, April 14th and is open to the public, please join us.
NEW REPORT ON TRANSPARENCY IN THE
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
WHAT:
Transparency Virginia, which was formed to monitor transparency at the General Assembly, releases a report assessing and measuring the transparency and openness of the Virginia Legislative process. The new report, “The Virginia General Assembly: The Case for Improved Transparency” evaluates both legislative bodies on how well lawmakers adhered to basic transparency practices during the 2015 General Assembly session. The report reveals both anecdotes and statistics on the openness of how legislation is disposed of, and the ability of citizens to reasonably participate in the legislative process. TV used publicly available information and the findings of its members to measure against three key inquiries: meeting notices, consideration of legislation, and recording of votes. TV hopes the findings will spark greater efforts for public participation and inclusion in the legislative process, and is hopeful that opening the rules, conduct and process of the legislature will move greater public interest and participation.
Among its observations, TV members found:
• Multiple instances where public notice of upcoming House and Senate committee or subcommittee (“sub/ committee”) meetings was so short as to make public participation nearly impossible;
• Scores of bills in the House and Senate that were never given a hearing; and
• In the House, 76% of bills and resolutions killed in sub/committee without a recorded vote or any vote at all,
versus 7% of bills defeated in the same way in the Senate.
WHEN:
Tuesday, April 14th, 10 a.m.
WHERE:
Press Conference will be in the House briefing Room in the Virginia General Assembly Building
The Report will be available at: https://transparencyvirginia.wordpress.com/ after 10AM Tuesday, April 14th.Embargoed Copies to the Press available 4/13/15.
VISUALS:
The report includes cover art, statistics from the 2015 legislative session, and charts explaining findings.
# # #
Transparency Virginia (TV) is an informal collection of advocacy groups and non-profits that advocate at the General Assembly on behalf of issues important to their members, and others in the public. TV believes in openness and transparency in the legislative process in Virginia, and was formed to measure and improve public understanding, trust, and participation at the legislature.
