VA Follows California, Illinois, and New Jersey with More Regulation
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Illustration by Juan Puerto
Proposed regulation of small businesses in Virginia will exacerbate an already critical shortage of skilled labor, resulting in higher costs to citizens, and thwart development of new jobs across the Commonwealth.
A robust economy and record low unemployment are just two factors that have led to an extreme shortage of skilled workers across the nation. The Commonwealth of Virginia is no exception. As is normally the case with supply and demand, it is logical to conclude that the price of services will go up as the shortage intensifies.
Virginia is a beacon of small business for this nation; consistently ranked in the top 5 for number of small businesses and recently ranked #1 in the nation by Thumbtack. Unfortunately, it is also quickly becoming a pit of regulation, burdening individuals and businesses alike.
“A robust economy and low unemployment are just two factors that have led to an extreme shortage of skilled workers across the nation. The Commonwealth of Virginia is no exception.”
Legislation in Search of a Problem
At a time of critical shortage, we have an opportunity to put more Virginia residents to work. Instead, the Virginia House is searching for reasons to increase regulation. They seek to put in place more barriers to entry. The proponents of these legislative efforts argue that unregulated industries pose serious risks to consumers, and the potential for harm is recognizable and could likely occur. They do not, however, cite a single piece of evidence to support this claim.
Instead of searching for more regulation, why not allow the free market system do what it was designed to do; that is, allow the users of these services to make their own decisions without the intervention of unnecessary laws or barriers.
This experiment has been tried in states such as California, New Jersey, and Illinois. It is no surprise that costs for these services in those areas are 50% higher than in the Commonwealth.
VA House General Laws Committee
| Name | District | |
|---|---|---|
| David L. Bulova (Chair) [D] | 37 | |
| Betsy B. Carr (Vice-Chair) [D] | 69 | |
| Luke E. Torian [D] | 52 | |
| Marcus B. Simon [D] | 53 | |
| Kathleen Murphy [D] | 34 | |
| Marcia S. "Cia" Price [D] | 95 | |
| Paul E. Krizek [D] | 44 | |
| Lashrecse D. Aird [D] | 63 | |
| Chris L. Hurst [D] | 12 | |
| Dawn M. Adams [D] | 68 | |
| Schuyler T. VanValkenburg [D] | 72 | |
| Kathy K.L. Tran [D] | 42 | |
| Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler [D] | 21 | |
| Thomas C. Wright, Jr. [R] | 61 | |
| Mark L. Cole [R] | 88 | |
| Barry D. Knight [R] | 81 | |
| James W. Morefield [R] | 3 | |
| James A. "Jay" Leftwich [R] | 78 | |
| Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr. [R] | 55 | |
| Jason S. Miyares [R] | 82 | |
| Emily M. Brewer [R] | 64 | |
| William C. Wampler III [R] | 4 |
VA House Courts of Justice Committee
| Name | District | |
|---|---|---|
| Charniele L. Herring (Chair) [D] | 46 | |
| Vivian E. Watts (Vice-Chair) [D] | 39 | |
| Patrick A. Hope [D] | 47 | |
| Marcus B. Simon [D] | 53 | |
| Joseph C. Lindsey [D] | 90 | |
| Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. [D] | 48 | |
| Mark H. Levine [D] | 45 | |
| Steve E. Heretick [D] | 79 | |
| Michael P. Mullin [D] | 93 | |
| Jeffrey M. Bourne [D] | 71 | |
| Karrie K. Delaney [D] | 67 | |
| Jennifer Carroll Foy [D] | 2 | |
| Don L. Scott [D] | 80 | |
| Terry G. Kilgore [R] | 1 | |
| Robert B. Bell [R] | 58 | |
| Margaret B. Ransone [R] | 99 | |
| James A. "Jay" Leftwich [R] | 78 | |
| Les R. Adams [R] | 16 | |
| Jeffrey L. Campbell [R] | 6 | |
| Christopher E. Collins [R] | 29 | |
| Jason S. Miyares [R] | 82 | |
| Ronnie R. Campbell [R] | 24 |