Legislative Initiatives

AAA Public Affairs actively represents the interests of motorists and other travelers for fair transportation laws, taxation, traffic safety, environmental impacts, and insurance issues. AAA works closely with Legislators during the Virginia General Assembly sessions each year as well as working to keep our members and interested others up-to-date on current developments.

Legislative Participation

When lawmakers consider their votes on specific legislation, they listen to the concerns of their constituents. It is important to be familiar with the legislation you are interested in and to make your voice heard. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Go to the General Assembly's home page, www.legis.state.va.us. If you know the number of the bill, you can call it up directly. If you aren't sure of the number of the bill, you can click on "session tracking" on the home page and search by subject or the patron (that is the person who sponsored the bill).

When you read the text of the bill, be aware that only the words in italics are new. Old language also may be crossed out. Once you read the bill, remember you will need to track it as it moves through the session.

If you want to make contact–start with the bill's patron. Then find out which committee the bill has been referred to and who is on the committee. Then contact them as well. The most important people to contact are your representatives because they know you can help keep them in office.

From the General Assembly home page, click on "Citizen Participation" on the lower right of the home page to learn how to find your representatives. Your voter registration card lists your House and Senate districts.

The General Assembly has also set up a toll-free line, "Constituent Viewpoint Opinion Line," for you to leave a message about an issue or bill for your legislators. The line, which takes calls from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., is (800) 889-0229. The service, which does not transfer you to legislative offices, will request each caller's name, address, and phone number.

For more information on the Virginia General Assembly, go to www.legis.state.va.us.

Legislative Resources

When our lawmakers consider their votes on specific legislation, they listen to the concerns of their constituents. To assist citizens in letting their voice be heard, AAA Tidewater Virginia is providing contact information for area legislators along with information regarding current transportation related bills and a link for tracking the status individual bills.