BSCL met on January 6, 2022 for its monthly membership meeting.

Minutes

Call to order, Deborah Wood, President, at 7:32 (16 participants in call)

Approval of Minutes from Nov. 4, 2021 meeting was unanimous

Reminder, it is time to pay BSCL membership dues for 2022. Payments can be made on-line or using the paper form that will be published in the next newsletter.

Every Barcrofter is encouraged to send submissions to the Barcroft News at editor@bscl.org

Barcroft’s Representative to the Virginia House of Delegates, Patrick Hope, provided an update on the political background in Richmond, current and projected legislative action, and the redistricting plan that has been approved by the Virginia Supreme Court, as well as other topics. (Here’s a link to view the approved maps, and look at what has changed.) Mr. Hope spoke from this linked presentation. Virginia’s strange legislative and electoral calendar means that the current Governor, Ralph Northam, is submitting the budget for the next two years. There will be some changes to the budget described in the slides referenced above. Additionally, expect the Republican majority in the House to forward bills referencing gun rights, vaccine mandates, “critical race theory,” abortion, charter schools, criminal justice reform, LGBTQ rights, and more. Mr. Hope will not be our representative after the new maps take effect.

There is a chance that all House elections will have to be rerun in the new Districts. There were questions and comments concerning, among other things:

• ominous signs of environmental backsliding by the incoming Youngkin administration

• The recall processes underway against officials in many jurisdictions. These never succeed.

• Noise ordinances to cover cars with very loud exhausts.

Mr. Hope was thanked for his service to Barcroft in his twelve years in Richmond, and the meeting was adjourned at 8:46