City previews items for 2017 General Assembly: Airbnb, veterans exemptions, emergency psychiatric treatment among priorities

City staff provided an overview of the draft 2017 legislative package the city plans to present to the General Assembly, describing three categories: specific legislative requests, new policy positions and long-term positions. Miss Bateman, who has compiled the package, said the list is intentionally focused and reflects input from council and city management.

Key specific requests cited included authority for magistrates to order testing in certain exposure cases (HIV/hepatitis B/C), full payment of the Fort Monroe payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT), funding support for the National Institute for Seafood and Aquaculture, and allowing FEMA hazard mitigation funding to cover cost‑efficient, recurrent-flood retrofits such as flood vents. Policy positions called for state-level handling of short‑term lodging (so-called Airbnb) regulation and tax collection, funding for local youth employment programs, equitable street‑maintenance funding (including support for converting city streets to bike lanes without penalty), and advocacy to reduce the intellectual/developmental disability waiver waiting list. "A legislative package is the city's opportunity to enunciate to the members of the General Assembly the specific items that need state legislation or state funding," Bateman told the council.

During Q&A, staff provided additional context: the Hampton Newport News Community Services Board reported a waiting list of 366 people for the intellectual/DD waiver, and Bateman said the veterans exemption has materially affected Hampton's finances — she cited a FY2012 cost of about $614,000 and FY2017 impact growing to $1,477,000 for qualifying veterans in Hampton. Council members discussed framing and next steps for refining language and supporting materials before formal adoption in November.