February 20, 2018
2018 General Assembly Session Legislative Agenda For Delegate Nick Freitas
- RICHMOND, VA — Delegate Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) is very encouraged about the progress his bills are making in this year's session. "He is very proud to serve the people from his community." The Delegate is focusing on a multitude of issue that are of great concern to his constituents, as well as all Virginians. A few of his Bills that he would like Highlighted are :
- HB 900 Protects the liberty and property of all Virginians and places 4th Amendment protections back into the Code by requiring a criminal conviction before the government can sell your property.
- HB 901 Allows for an expedited permit process for highspeed internet and other communication providers, so that we can expand broadband into rural areas.
- HB 543 Places special emphasis on the leasing of surplus government property to charitable organization providing addiction recovery services.
- HB 533 Requires our state agencies to better inform our veterans as to the benefits and job opportunities they have in the Commonwealth as they transition out of the military.
- HB 544 Provides a path to establish more High School Apprenticeship programs
- HB 532 Drastically reduces the current restrictions on the cultivation and sale of industrial hemp, which would give rural Virginia access to a new cash crop that could economically revive the central and southern regions of the Commonwealth.
- HB 883 (Co Patron with Mike Webert) Establishes a pilot program whereby we can drastically reduce onerous and outdated regulatory burdens on our entrepreneurs and business owners.
- HB 532 Significantly reduces the onerous tax burden placed on our distillers who currently pay 54% of every in-store sale to the government.
As a member of the Finance Committee, my focus remains on keeping taxes low and making sure that taxpayer dollars are expended only for legitimate functions of the government. This year alone dozens of Democratic tax increase proposals that would have raised taxes on hardworking Virginians by over $770 million has been voted down. We loudly voiced our opposition against a tax on Uber and Lyft that Democrats in the senate purposed. We also opposed House Bill 1051 introduced by Democrat Delegate Watts which would have instituted a tax on Streaming video services such as Netflix, Hulu and Pandora.
Regulatory reform, too often regulations imposed by Washington or Richmond end up restricting the ability of free people to enter the marketplace and provide for their families and communities. The regulatory reform pilot program (HB 883 Webert) This legislation establishes a regulatory reform program with a goal to reduce or streamline regulatory requirements by 25% over the next 3 years. sincerely believe that Americans are through with government interference in every aspect of our lives. As your Delegate, my mission has been to take power out of the hands of politicians and bureaucrats and place it back into the hands of the people. I am happy to report that this session, much progress has been made on that front.
Combating the Opioid Crisis during this session, the house Republican Caucus carried and passed seven pieces of legislation to help end the Opioid Crisis. Substance-exposed infants (HB1157 Pillion) This legislation builds on the creation of the substance-exposed infants workgroup last year, which held regional town halls across the commonwealth to receive input from local stakeholders. The plan adds a trauma-informed approach to Identify and treat of substance-exposed infants and improves screening and Identification of substance-using pregnant women.
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Gina M. Staufenberg
Legislative Assistant
Delegate Nick Freitas
30th District, Virginia House of Delegates
Phone: (540) 222-7706
Email: Gina@nickjfreitas.com
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