Opinion: Legislator report cards help voters make informed choices

The elections in November represent a historic opportunity for citizens in the commonwealth. All 140 seats in the Virginia General Assembly are on the ballot, and due to redistricting many voters in Hampton Roads will have new choices among candidates.

To help voters who share our commitment to a more just society, Virginia Organizing produced 2023 Legislator Report Cards. Legislators’ votes on bills in four priority areas — school funding, housing, mental health and energy burden — were used to calculate their scores. We selected 19 bills as indicators. Not all legislators were able to vote on all 19 bills, as some bills died in committee. However, if the legislator voted on the bill in committee, it was included in the scorecard.

Redistricting pits a few legislators against each other. In the newly drawn 18th Senate District, Sen. L. Louise Lucas is facing Sen. Lionel Spruill, Sr. in a primary; early voting began May 5. Both senators scored a perfect 100 on their report cards. The new district includes portions of both legislators’ previous districts. The scorecards include maps of the new districts. (We also have scorecards for Sens, Mamie Locke and Monty Mason, Del. A. C. Cordoza, Del. Clint Jenkins and Del. Rob Bloxom, as well as legislators outside Hampton Roads.)

Both Lucas and Spruill voted in favor of several bills to protect tenants, including requirements for notice of rental increase, which narrowly passed. These bills are critically important to Portsmouth renters as well as those across greater Hampton Roads, as many face eviction and struggle with the lack of affordable housing. Virginia Organizing strongly supported this bill and applauds those who helped it become law. Tenants deserve to know when their rent will increase and by how much.

Both Lucas and Spruill voted in favor of a bill to protect individuals from having their electricity cut off during extreme weather, on a Friday, state holiday or day immediately preceding a state holiday. This bill ultimately failed. During winter snow storms or summer heat, many Portsmouth residents would experience severe hardship without electricity. The lives of individuals with medical conditions who require specialized equipment may be jeopardized. The elderly and people with disabilities may suffer greatly without electricity. Despite the bill failing, we are confident it will be introduced next session and hope that whoever is elected to represent Portsmouth will continue to support this and other bills to address this issue.

The Affordable Energy Bill, which regulates how much Dominion Energy can charge customers, received the support of Lucas and Spruill. The bill gives the State Corporation Commission the authority to essentially control the base rate Dominion Energy charges its customers. As a monopoly, Dominion is regulated by the State Corporation Commission as a safeguard for the public. The legislation was introduced as a result of the revelation that Dominion overcharged Virginians $1.2 billion since 2015. Many residents of Portsmouth are on a budget. It is not uncommon for them to choose between paying rent or utility bills, and purchasing medication or food. While our legislators in Richmond have allowed Dominion to operate as a monopoly and to benefit from a comfortable profit margin, it need not do so at the expense of Portsmouth families. Spruill and Lucas, recognizing the energy burden faced by many of their constituents, supported this legislation.

Virginia Organizing enjoys a 25-year history of empowering marginalized communities. As a non-partisan organization, we focus on legislation, rather than individuals or political parties, that supports our vision of a more equitable society. To review the Legislator Report Cards, visit virginia-organizing.org and vote!

Shirley Edwards is a member of the Portsmouth Chapter of Virginia Organizing.