City staff, consultant present draft 2025 legislative agenda emphasizing resiliency, local control and public safety

City Manager Mary Bunting introduced a draft 2025 legislative agenda and asked council to provide feedback before a final package is prepared for approval at the November meeting. Ed Reed of 2 Capital Consulting led the presentation and outlined the session timeline and constraints ahead of the General Assembly session beginning Jan. 8.

Reed told council the primary goal of the presentation was to gather direction from members: "The primary goal of today's presentation is to get your reaction and your feedback and guidance on what is being asked for the draft legislative agenda." He cautioned that bill limits (15 in the House, 20 in the Senate) and a smaller Hampton delegation after redistricting mean the city should prioritize requests.

The draft package highlights resiliency and environmental priorities — including tree canopy initiatives, community flood‑preparedness funding and continued support for preservation of African American cemeteries — and urges the city secure an ongoing share of the community flood preparedness fund. Reed said more than half of the grants from that fund have flowed to Hampton Roads in recent cycles.

Other policy positions include preserving local authority over zoning and land use (with attention to short‑term rentals and accessory dwelling units), education priorities such as full K–12 funding and adding conflict‑resolution instruction to curricula, and a slate of public‑safety items (jail per diem adjustments, regulation of illicit vaping products and support for a Crime Commission study of barrier crimes). The presentation also listed discrete legislative or budget requests: technical amendments to photo‑enforcement response windows, consideration of stop‑sign photo enforcement authority, a proposal to grant Virginia ABC enforcement authority for ABC‑store larcenies, and a request to restore a Hampton Health District to allow local administration of health services.

Councilmembers asked technical and policy questions during the Q&A, including how the package will incorporate Community Services Board priorities and how to handle proposed state bills that could limit the locality's input on plan submissions. Reed said staff will continue to coordinate with regional partners and return with a final draft in mid‑November.