We had coverage a few days ago of a bill patroned by Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Still My Senator Until Redistricting Kicks In or I Finally Relocate!) that would remove from the Code of Virginia a provision that adult children must be responsible for the financial support of their parents, if the parents have no other way to make ends meet.
The measure has been on the books since 1920, and Ebbin, speaking at a Monday subcommittee hearing in the House of Delegates, said it was time to dispatch it to the scrap heap of history.
“It really isn’t made for modern society,” he said of the rule, noting that there are any number of social-safety-net options for those facing financial challenges toward the end of their lives.
[Ebbin noted that his interest in the issue came after a constituent — nope, not me! — brought the measure to his attention.]
For a moment in the hearing, it appeared like the bill (which had passed the Senate unanimously) might run into trouble, as a Republican delegate noted that the century-old Code of Virginia verbiage still was relevant to some bankruptcy proceedings. But other than that one “nay” vote, the bill won support from the subcommittee and moved ahead.
Current state law not only mandates that adult children share some financial responsibility for their parents, but also provides both financial and criminal (!) penalties for those who fail to do so. Yipes.
A CHANGE OF HEART: Another interesting missive from Arlington School Board member Mary Kadera came over the transom earlier this week.
It seems Kadera has changed her mind about the necessity of the Arlington County Democratic Committee holding an annual caucus to determine its School Board endorsees.
Last month, Kadera spoke in favor of retaining the caucus (which, in the end, the committee decided to do), but now says she probably made a mistake in doing so.
Her e-mail comes as the ACDC tonight will vote on rules for its 2022 School Board caucus, which will be a wide-open affair since incumbent Barbara Kanninen is throwing in the towel after two terms.
We’ll see what changes to the previous process the committee makes, if it makes any at all. And will those changes be enough to mollify critics, inside and outside the Democratic rank-and-file, about the caucus itself? We’ll see!
And isn’t the real question this: Why would anyone want to serve on a School Board these days? There have to be 1,000 other ways to self-flagellate onself and have more fun in so doing.
- Scott McCaffrey