Dear AIA Virginia Members,
I’m writing with good news about our advocacy efforts! We chalked up some big wins this year.
SIGNED INTO LAW: HB578
Puts contract negotiation in the negotiation stage for public work
WHY IT MATTERS: Firms were increasingly being required by public bodies to accept terms and conditions when submitting responses to RFPs. Often these T&C were uninsurable, but when objections were raised, firms were being ranked lower. Not only does this have a negative impact on QBS, but it puts both the firms and public bodies at risk. Firms were sometimes taking a gamble by accepting the work when they really needed it, and public bodies thought they had coverage where they didn’t.
SIGNED INTO LAW: HB499
Amended to protect the Health, Safety and Welfare of the public
WHY IT MATTERS: Inspired by a national movement to reduce the number of licensed professions, this bill didn’t adequately address HSW concerns in its original form. We worked with a number of other professions to amend it to beef up protections for the public.
SIGNED INTO LAW: HB823
Increases transparency so we know what A/E services are being sold by state agencies to other state agencies
WHY IT MATTERS: If state agencies are going to compete with private architecture firms, the information ought to be publically available.
KILLED: HB1373
This bill would have allowed local public bodies to purchase the intellectual property or other work of a design build team.
WHY IT MATTERS:
Seems ok at first glance, right? But looking deeper, there were no provisions to address liability issues, price negotiations, and a host of other matters. We worked hard with the sponsor to find solutions, but in the end we couldn’t support this legislation — and our voice made a difference. We’ve offered to work with the sponsor to help craft a good piece of legislation to benefit all for the coming session. We’ll keep you posted.
There were many other bills on our radar. Some we monitored, some we requested technical amendments, and some we laid low on and let others do the heavy lifting. All in all, it was a great year in the legislature — and we’re looking forward to another one next year. The work doesn’t end with the close of the session, though. We’re already beginning to strategize for next year and continuing the work with our partners, allies, and opponents to build coalitions and find compromises.
I hope you’ll join me in thanking Kenney Payne, AIA; Lynden Garland, AIA; and Robert Burns, AIA who gave countless hours in support of our efforts. In addition, our friends with ACEC Virginia and Greater Washington, the AIA Virginia Government Affairs Committee, and our legislative counsel with Williams Mullen were invaluable.
As always, if you’d like to get involved email me at rgeorge@aiava.org or give me a call at (804) 237-1768.
My best,
Rhea George, Managing Director
AIA Virginia
PS: We won’t have these kinds of successes without your support. Give today at www.aiavapac.org