Pub. 1 Issue 4

3 Message from President and CEO, Don Hall DON HALL CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 T he 2020 General Assembly convened earlier this month — which means your VADA team is heavily involved with legislation that could have an impact on your business. Again, it’s important to note that every senator and delegate was elected in November. In total, we’re talking 140 legislators across both houses of the General Assembly. Many of these individuals are new to office, with about half of the House of Delegates serving four years or fewer. As an extension of that, both the Senate and House Transpor- tation Committees feature many new members. In the House alone, 36 percent of the 22 committee members are new; three of those are new to the General Assembly. We’re working quickly to forge relationships with these recently elected officials. Even with the veteran legislators who are new to these committees, we’re working to educate key law- makers on issues that are important to our dealer members. Change Can Be Good Most of you already know that we have had a turnover of power, with the Democrats now controlling both the Senate and House of Delegates. That means change, but change is not a bad thing. Change is exciting. In my 32 years working with VADA and the General Assembly, I know from firsthand experience that change creates opportunity. What must remain consistent, however, is our advocacy for pro-business issues that don’t necessarily follow strict party lines. Already in this 2020 session, we’ve identified several critical pieces of proposed legislation for dealers: • The elimination of annual vehicle safety inspections • Peer-to-peer vehicle sharing, electric vehicle rebates and carbon emissions • Revisions with employer requirements and worker’s compensation Any changes or new laws in these areas could dramatically alter how you do business. Should they be passed by the legis- lature and signed into law, you may see the impact on your bot- tom line. That’s why we constantly work the halls of the General Assembly on your behalf — and encourage you to participate in Dealer Day at the Capitol — to inform legislators of how policy can affect you and the communities you serve.