​Virginia Advocacy on Economic Development

Examples of the Chamber’s advocacy in Virginia on issues related to economic development include:
​​​The Arlington Chamber joined other chambers and business organizations in calling for the General Assembly to adopt HB2195/SB1470, providing for the creation of a single Department of Workforce Development. The legislation would consolidate all workforce development programs into a single department, which would streamline administration and the delivery of workforce development services.
​​The Arlington Chamber joined with a coalition of chambers and hospitality industry associations from across Virginia to call on the Commonwealth to use a portion of its American Rescue Plan funding to provide grants to support the hospitality industry. The group is asking for per-room grants for hotels and other lodging establishments, per-seat grants for restaurants, and applications of the ARP for attractions, destination marketing organizations, other venues, and hospitality training programs. The Virginia General Assembly is expected to convene a special session later this year to allocate the Commonwealth’s share of the ARP money. The Arlington Chamber sent a letter urging Governor Northam to allow Senate Bill 861 to become law.  The Arlington Chamber wrote a letter to the Arlington General Assembly delegation urging them to vote against an amendment proposed by Governor Northam that would delay benefit consortia for a year. The Chamber supports the bill passed by the General Assembly to allow small businesses to form benefits consortia to expand access to quality, affordable health care coverage for their employees. The Governor’s amendment would cause small businesses and their employees to wait a year to gain this health care access. The Arlington Chamber wrote a letter to the Arlington General Assembly delegation asking them to support Governor Northam’s proposed amendment to allow electronic meetings during the crisis. Holding electronic meetings during the emergency is essential to ensure that important public business can proceed in a way that minimizes risk to participants.  The Arlington Chamber wrote a letter with four other local Chambers of Commerce asking Governor Northam to propose an amendment that would clarify that public bodies may hold electronic meetings during the coronavirus pandemic on all continuing operations. Holding electronic meetings during the emergency is essential to ensure that important public business can proceed in a way that minimizes risk to participants. Continuing public business during the emergency will help prepare for our economic recovery. The Arlington Chamber sent a letter to Governor Northam encouraging his signature on Senate Bill 861, which would allow for the creation of benefit consortia. This bill would allow small businesses to form benefits consortia to expand access to quality, affordable health care coverage for their employees.  The Chamber sent a letter to the Virginia Senate Local Government Committee opposing S.B. 839, a bill which would allow local governments, like the Arlington County Board, to require developers to enter into binding labor contracts as a condition of certain special exception site plan developments.​ The Chamber sent a letter to the Virginia State Health Commissioner encouraging the approval of a Certificate of Public Need (COPN) for an outpatient surgical hospital containing four operating rooms operated by Virginia Hospital Center.​ The Chamber has joined in a letter with 13 other chambers of commerce from across Virginia to call upon the General Assembly to support the Commonwealth’s proposal for Amazon’s new headquarters during its upcoming 2019 legislative session. The coalition’s letter says, “Virginia benefits greatly from the Commonwealth’s commitment to providing an economic backbone for all businesses through investment in statewide assets, including education, workforce development, and transportation infrastructure.”  The Chamber signed onto a letter urging lawmakers to support additional funding for GO Virginia during the 2018 General Assembly session. ​​The Coalition of Northern Virginia Chambers of Commerce – composed of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and 12 other area chambers – urged the Virginia General Assembly to support full funding for the “Virginia Initiative for Growth and Opportunity” (GO Virginia) in the FY2018 Budget plan, which will be adopted in the upcoming Legislative Session. The goals of GO Virginia are: to raise awareness for Virginia's significant new economic challenges and opportunities; to mobilize business, education, and community leaders to work collaboratively for economic development, job creation, and career readiness; and to make Virginia's state government and strong and effective catalyst for strategic, job-focused regional collaboration.