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Governor Northam Announces Virginia Named Top State in Annual Workforce Development Rankings

Feb 27, 2018

RICHMOND – Governor Ralph Northam today announced that Virginia rose from second to first in the Atlantic region in a recent analysis of state workforce development activities conducted by Site Selection Magazine. Among the eight states that were ranked, Virginia scored ahead of highly competitive states such as Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, and Delaware. This year, the magazine based their analysis on the context in which each state’s workforce development programs are applied rather than the specific programs themselves.

“Virginia’s position as a top state for workforce development shows that our efforts to fuel the New Virginia Economy by building a 21st century workforce are working,” said Governor Northam. “Workforce development is a top priority for my administration, which is why I appointed Megan Healy as Virginia’s first Cabinet-level Chief Workforce Advisor, to focus our attention on these issues at the highest level. A strong workforce is a draw for companies looking to either relocate their operations or expand their existing business and I am pleased Virginia is able to offer this.”

“In Virginia, we know our world-class workforce is an unparalleled economic asset,” said Chief Workforce Advisor Megan Healy. “Our improved ranking shows the national business community has noticed too.”

Instead of looking at a state’s specific workforce development programs, Site Selection Magazine examined the context in which these programs are applied in order to gauge the strength of a state’s workforce development environment. Site Selection ranked states regionally and used data from CNBC’s America’s Top States for Business 2017 Workforce and Education sub-rankings, Forbes’ Best States for Business 2017 Labor Supply sub-rankings, US News’ 2017 Best States for Education rankings, ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) rankings, and the average number of workforce development enactments passed in 2015 & 2016 in order to create a comprehensive workforce development profile for each state.

Virginia’s earning in the top regional spot reflects the effort of the Commonwealth’s workforce development and education partners. Virginia ranks 6th in the nation amongst “best educated states” and set a record for most bachelor’s degrees earned in state history in the 2016-2017 year. Virginia’s Workforce Credential Grant Program is also enabling the pursuit of “new collar”, middle-skills training to fill openings in in-demand industries.

The full report complete with other regional rankings can be found here.

PUBLIC POLICY NEWS

Broadband for Business Free Workshop from Roanoke County Office of Economic Development

Feb 26, 2018

The Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority, in partnership with Roanoke County, is hosting the “Broadband for Business” workshop at South County Library on March 8, 2018. Local business leaders are invited to learn about broadband services available to the local business community and how faster, high-quality connectivity is benefiting local business and economic prospects.

Telecommunications experts and local industry leaders will discuss the biggest questions:

  • How will the latest software and hardware industry trends affect your future business connectivity needs
  • What service levels and capacity agreements are necessary to keep your business operating at peak efficiency
  • Who you should call and what questions to ask when it’s time to renew your service contract
  • How does internet connectivity work and how do you get the best possible connection at the most competitive price point
  • How can regional infrastructure directly affect your competitive position
  • Which vendors are operating in the region
  • Become a more informed commercial consumer, and learn why everyone is talking about broadband

“We chose these topics to address what we believe are some of the biggest concerns and lingering questions about broadband within the community. Our workshop leaders are prepared and looking forward to sharing more about the infrastructure available in our community,” Frank Smith, President and CEO of the RVBA has said. “We’re encouraging all businesses to participate in the discussion and to come with questions. We are ready.”

The 1-hour workshop begins at 9:00 AM and will be followed by 30-minutes of open Q&A. Coffee and light refreshments will be served. No RSVP needed.

CHAMBER NEWS

Opportunity Zones to Spur Investment in Distressed Communities

Feb 22, 2018

The 2017 federal tax reform legislation created a new economic development tool that is designed to benefit distressed communities. The provision directs governors in each state to designate 25 percent of eligible low-income, high-poverty census tracts as Opportunity Zones. Long-term private investment in Opportunity Zones will be incentivized through certain tax deferral benefits.

There are 840 eligible tracts in Virginia, meaning Governor Northam will designate 210. The Department of Commerce and Trade is overseeing the process, with the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) as the lead agencies.

The DHCD website outlines the processes and criteria that will be used in making Opportunity Zone designations. Localities with eligible census tracts have been asked to provide feedback on priority tracts by March 2. The deadline for governors to submit their designated Opportunity Zones is March 21.

This program has the potential to have a meaningful impact throughout the Roanoke Region. You will can access a map of eligible census tracts to see which areas could be designated as Opportunity Zones. To provide general input as a stakeholder or interested party, take this brief survey through the DHCD website.

If you are interested in becoming an Opportunity Zone General Partner or Investor, fill out one of the letters below and return to DHCD at OZ@dhcd.virginia.gov.

Opportunity Zone General Partner/Fund Manager Letter

Opportunity Zone Investor Letter

PUBLIC POLICY NEWS

2018 General Assembly Update

Feb 15, 2018

The Voice of the Region’s Business Community

Here’s a list of the bills your Chamber is currently following. If you become aware of a proposal that would impact your business, please email RGunn@RoanokeChamber.org.

Interested in becoming more engaged during session? Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) offers a valuable resource for tracking legislation by category, such as transportation, real estate, taxation, etc. Click here to learn more about this tool.

Additionally, committee meetings are now being live streamed and archived. This transparency measure will allow stakeholders and advocates to participate remotely. Click here to view recently released changes to House committee assignments.

Bill 
Patron
Summary
Position
 Head
 Board for Contractors; tradesmen licenses; expiration date. Provides that licenses for tradesmen shall expire three years from the date of issuance by the Board for Contractors. The bill requires the Board to sync the expiration date of a tradesman license, which is currently on a two-year cycle, to updates to the Uniform Statewide Building Code, which are typically on a three-year cycle.
Yancey
Worker retraining tax credit; manufacturing instruction for students. Modifies the worker retraining tax credit by allowing credit to manufacturers conducting a manufacturing orientation, instruction, and training program that is (i) provided to students in grades six through 12, (ii) coordinated with the local school division and certified as qualified for tax credit by the Virginia Economic Partnership Development Authority, and (iii) conducted either at a plant or facility used by the manufacturer or at a public middle or high school in Virginia. The credit would equal 35 percent of the manufacturer’s direct costs in providing the program, not to exceed $2,000 for any year.
Miyares
Diploma seals; science, technology, engineering, and advanced mathematics. Requires the Board of Education to establish criteria for awarding a diploma seal for science, technology, engineering, and advanced mathematics (STEAM) for the Board of Education-approved diplomas. Under current law, such diploma seal is limited in scope to technology and advanced mathematics.
HB1125
Landes
Teacher licensure. Makes several changes to the teacher licensure process, including (i) allowing an individual who seeks a provisional teacher license to satisfy certain licensure requirements during the period of provisional licensure; (ii) permitting the Board of Education to extend, for up to two additional years, the three-year provisional license of any teacher who requires additional time to satisfy the requirements for a renewable license; (iii) permitting teachers with a valid out-of-state license, with full credentials and without deficiencies, to receive licensure by reciprocity without passing additional licensing assessments; (iv) eliminating the requirements that teachers seeking initial licensure or renewal of a license (a) demonstrate proficiency in the use of educational technology for instruction and (b) receive professional development in instructional methods tailored to promote student academic progress and effective preparation for the Standards of Learning end-of-course and end-of-grade assessments; (v) permitting any division superintendent to apply to the Department of Education for an annual waiver of the teacher licensure requirements for any individual whom the local school board hires or seeks to hire to teach in a specific content area who demonstrates exemplary content knowledge in such area; and (vi) specifying that for the purpose of Board of Education regulations for the approval of teacher education programs, the term “education preparation program” includes four-year bachelor’s degree programs in teacher education.
HJ17
Filler-Corn
Study; Standards of Learning Innovation Committee; experiential learning and workforce development opportunities in high-demand fields; report. Requests that the Standards of Learning Innovation Committee study experiential learning and workforce development opportunities for high school students in high-demand fields. The bill requires the Standards of Learning Innovation Committee to reports its findings no later than the first day of the 2019 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
SB27
Stanley

Virginia Community College System; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Scholarship Pilot Program. Directs the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) to establish and administer a two-year Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Scholarship Pilot Program (the Program) for the purpose of providing access to postsecondary educational opportunities to students living in poverty. The Program would provide scholarships to select comprehensive community colleges in the maximum amount of $4,000 per year, to be applied toward the costs of tuition and books, to 200 selected students who meet TANF eligibility requirements.
Favola
Teacher licensure; approval of teacher education programs. Requires the Board of Education to include in its teacher licensure regulations standards for the approval of teacher education programs, including four-year undergraduate teacher education programs, from which graduates are eligible for licensure as teachers in the Commonwealth.
Sturtevant
Dual enrollment courses; quality standards; universal transfer course credit. Requires the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (the Council), in consultation with the Department of Education and each public institution of higher education, to establish (i) quality standards for dual enrollment courses, including quality standards for course instructors, materials, and content; (ii) a process by which dual enrollment courses that meet or exceed such quality standards are certified as universal transfer courses that satisfy course credit or other academic requirements at any public institution of higher education; and (iii) a policy for the satisfaction of course credit or other academic requirements through the successful completion of universal transfer courses by entering students that (a) identifies the course credit or other academic requirements of each public institution of higher education that the student satisfies by successfully completing a universal transfer course and (b) ensures, to the extent possible, that the satisfaction of course credit or other academic requirements is consistent across each public institution of higher education and each such universal transfer course. The provisions of the bill replace existing provisions that require the Council and each public institution of higher education to establish policies relating to course credit for dual enrollment courses but that do not provide for quality standards or the universal transfer designation for such courses.
Suetterlein
Teacher licensure; reciprocity; spouses of Armed Forces members. Requires the Board of Education to provide for teacher licensure by reciprocity for a period of one year for any spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the Commonwealth, provided that such spouse has obtained a valid out-of-state license, with full credentials and without deficiencies, that is in force at the time the application for such a one-year reciprocal license is received by the Department of Education. The bill provides that any such individual who receives a satisfactory evaluation at the conclusion of the year of employment under such one-year reciprocal license is eligible for a renewable license.
141 #1h
141 #3h
Austin/
Head
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia; These budget amendments requests additional general fund for the Workforce Credential Grant Program. $11m over 2018-20 biennium
248 #1s
Edwards
 Roanoke Higher Education Authority; This budget amendment provides general fund to create a GED Test Preparation Program; hire tutors for adult learners who return to school to improve writing and computer skills and to provide career counseling; support new program development for endorsements and credentials as identified in the GO Virginia, Region 2, Growth and Diversification Plan; and expand the Educational Testing Center to increase seat capacity and incorporate larger testing space for individuals with special needs. $1.37m over 2018-20 bienniuem
223 #1h
Head/
Rasoul

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; This budget amendment requests additional general fund to enhance research activities at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. $7.5m over 2018-20 biennium
Bill
Patron
Summary
 Position
Item106,
M1 & M2
Norment/
Hanger
 Community Development Services; Funding for the Virginia Growth and Opportunity (GO Virginia) Fund.
122 #2s
Hanger
 Virginia Economic Development Partnership; Provide general fund to VEDP for the Business Ready Sites Program. $4m over 2018-20 biennium
Krizek
Public procurement; agreements with labor organizations. Repeals provisions requiring state agencies to ensure that neither the state agency nor any construction manager acting on behalf of the state agency, in its bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents relating to the operation, erection, construction, alteration, improvement, maintenance, or repair of any public facility of public works, (i) requires or prohibits bidders, offerors, contractors, or subcontractors to enter into or adhere to agreements with one or more labor organizations, on the same or related projects, or (ii) discriminates against bidders, offerors, contractors, subcontractors, or operators for becoming or refusing to become or remain signatories or otherwise to adhere to agreements with one or more labor organizations, on the same or related public works projects.
Levine

Local alternative minimum wage. Establishes a procedure by which a local alternative minimum wage may be imposed in any locality. If imposed by ordinance of the local governing body, the alternative minimum wage requirement shall become effective on the July 1 that follows delivery of a certified copy of the ordinance to the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. A local alternative minimum wage requires every employer to pay to each of his employees, for work performed by them within the locality, wages at a rate to be determined by local ordinance beginning July 1, 2019. In subsequent fiscal years, the maximum local alternative minimum wage shall be adjusted based on changes in the consumer price index. If the federal minimum wage exceeds the levels specified in an alternative local minimum wage requirement, the federal minimum wage will prevail.
Simon
Minimum wage. Increases the minimum wage from its current federally mandated level of $7.25 per hour to $9 per hour effective July 1, 2018, to $10 per hour effective January 1, 2019, to $11 per hour effective January 1, 2020, to $13 per hour effective January 1, 2021, and to $15 per hour effective January 1, 2022, unless a higher minimum wage is required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). For 2023 and thereafter, the annual minimum wage shall be adjusted to reflect increases in the consumer price index. The measure also provides that the Virginia minimum wage applies to persons whose employment is covered by the FLSA.
Favola
Banks; loan applicant verification. Requires banks that receive a loan application form that names an existing customer as the applicant to contact the customer and verify that the customer has applied for the loan.
Locke
County food and beverage tax. Increases from four percent to eight percent the maximum tax that any county is authorized to impose on food and beverages sold by a restaurant, commonly referred to as the meals tax. The bill also removes the requirement that a county hold a referendum before imposing a meals tax.
Bill
Patron
Summary
Position
Orrock
Certificates of public need. Creates a three-phase process to sunset certificate of public need requirements for many categories of medical care facilities and projects, with the requirement for a certificate of public need eliminated (i) for the establishment of a new imaging service or addition of new equipment for imaging services beginning July 1, 2019; (ii) for ambulatory and outpatient surgery centers beginning July 1, 2020; and (iii) for hospitals and all other categories of projects other than nursing homes and facilities and equipment for open heart surgery and organ or tissue transplant services beginning July 1, 2021. The bill also creates a new permitting process for categories of facilities and projects exempted from the certificate of public need process that requires the Commissioner of Health to issue a permit but allows the Commissioner to condition a permit (a) on the agreement of the applicant to provide a specified level of care at a reduced rate to indigents, accept patients requiring specialized care, or facilitate the development and operation of primary medical care services in designated medically underserved areas of the applicant’s service area or (b) on compliance of the applicant with quality of care standards. The bill allows the Commissioner to refuse to issue a permit if he determines that the project for which the permit is sought would be detrimental to the provision of health services in underserved areas of the Commonwealth.
Stolle
Certificate of public need. Makes several changes to the Medical Care Facilities Certificate of Public Need Program.
Stanley
Virginia Grocery Investment Program and Fund. Creates the Virginia Grocery Investment Program and Fund to provide funding for the construction, rehabilitation, equipment upgrades, or expansion of grocery stores, small food retailers, and innovative food retail projects, defined in the bill, in underserved communities.
Bill 
Patron
Summary
Position
Obenshain
Right lane restrictions for tractor trucks on Interstate 81;pilot program. Directs the Department of Transportation to conduct a pilot program establishing zones on Interstate 81 where tractor trucks would be required to travel in the right lane only. The bill establishes requirements for any such designated zone.
Stanley
Interstate 73 Corridor Development Fund and Program. Establishes the Interstate 73 Corridor Development Fund and Program and reallocates to the I-73 Fund the $40 million from state recordation taxes that is currently allocated annually to the U.S. Route 58 Corridor Development Fund and Program. All provisions of the bill are contingent upon construction of and payments for Route 58 being completed.
Edwards
Commonwealth Transportation Board; factors for project selection. Requires travel time reliability to be one of the factors used by the Commonwealth Transportation Board in its statewide prioritization process for project selection.

Interested in touring Prague and Vienna? Travel with your Chamber!

Feb 12, 2018

Please join us for a trip orientation on Monday, February 26, 5:30 p.m. to learn more about the October 8 Prague and Vienna & optional Budapest excursion. Oliver Bergeron, CI Destinations, president, will brief attendees on the experience, what’s included, optional tours and more. $2,999 per person/double occupancy.

Join us on this amazing tour of Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. A tour where history comes to life. Explore Central Europe’s centers of culture and arts under the guidance of your own tour manager who acts as your own personal concierge. These three riverside cities straddling mighty rivers promise centuries of tradition and culture. This tour has the perfect balance of structured tours and leisure time. Spend three nights in the Old Town of Prague, three nights in Vienna’s city center and (optional) two nights in the amazing city of Budapest. Everyone who attends the presentation at the Chamber on February 26 at 5:30 p.m. and takes the trip will receive a tour to Kutna Hora ($129 value per person) for free.

Highlights include: Vienna City Tour, Schoennbrun Palace, Old Town Prague, Cesky-Krumlove, Prague Castle/City Tour, Royal Palace, St. Vitus Cathedral, Strahov Library, Kutna Hora (optional)

Also includes: Round trip airfare from Dulles, Airline fuel surcharges, taxes, and fees, 6 nights in first class hotels, 8 meals (6 breakfasts/2 dinners), sightseeing per itinerary, admissions per itinerary, professional tour manager, baggage handling, hotel transfers.

Optional 2 Day post tour to Budapest: ($599) includes Fisherman’s Bastion, the Church of St. Mathias in Buda, Heroes’ Square in Pest, the elegant Chain Bridge (with breakfast daily and one dinner)

Please RSVP for Monday, February 26 by emailing Michele Peppers at MPeppers@RoanokeChamber.org.

CHAMBER NEWS