Jan 30

General Assembly Report – January 30

Home school advocates had the upper hand in a “friendly” House Education subcommittee on Thursday, when they packed a small room in the General Assembly building at 7 AM to speak in favor of Delegate Bell’s House Bill 947 that would not allow school divisions to participate in a league that does not allow home schoolers to take part in interscholastic activities. That equates to telling the VHSL to change their rules or they will have no members. All school divisions in the state currently operate under League rules. An attempt to add private school students failed; however, a five-year sunset clause added to the bill passed.

Proponents of the bill were designated by Delegate “Dickie” Bell to make their arguments first, and, by the time opponents were set to speak, the chairman stated that time was short and only a few were allowed to present testimony against the bill. Ken Tilley representing VHSL spoke first, followed by a spokesperson from the PTA and VSBA. VEA, VASS, VSBA and a number of others prepared to speak against the bill were not afforded the opportunity to testify. The bill passed handily, even though an equally divided, special committee of the House Education Committee held three hearings in 2011 and made the decision that the bill, as written, should not go forward.

The House Education Committee is expected to vote on HB 947 at its regular meeting on Wednesday, February 1, and may or may not hear testimony, since the bill was supposedly “vetted” in subcommittee.

Bet Neale

ELIZABETH HARRELL (“Bet”) NEALE

CAREER HISTORY: Twenty-five years of legislative experience in the Virginia political arena.
Bet began her career in the political arena as a Legislative Research Associate at the Division of Legislative Services, having first been mentored by her father Delegate Lyman Harrell, who served 12 years as a member of the House of Delegates. After moving with her family to West Point, where her husband Mark practices dentistry and where they raised their three children Nancy, Cheryl and Mark, Bet remained active in state legislative work as a consultant for a state commission and as a legislative assistant to Delegate Mary Marshall and Delegate Dorothy McDiarmid, Chair of the House Education and House Appropriations Committees. Beginning in 1990, Bet represented VASS as their lead lobbyist for 8 years, after which she served as executive director of the Henrico Education Foundation for HCPS.
Bet came on board with VASSP in 2000 as Director of Government Relations and lobbies on behalf of Association members during all General Assembly sessions and at meetings of legislative education committees and subcommittees. In her capacity as Director of Government Relations/Lead Lobbyist for VASSP, Bet also represents middle and high school principals and assistant principals at statewide education meetings, seminars and special commissions as well as at meetings of the State Board of Education.
Bet is a graduate of the University of Richmond with a BA in English and a Collegiate Certificate in Secondary Education. She has been a guest lecturer at the College of William and Mary and the University of Virginia as well as a presenter at various state meetings and seminars.