RICHMOND – Today, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters released its 2020 General Assembly Conservation Scorecard, which ranks all 140 members of the legislature based on their votes on key environmental legislation.
The full 2020 Scorecard can be viewed and downloaded here.
This year’s Scorecard covers what was by far the most productive legislative session for Virginia’s environment in the history of our Commonwealth. Thanks to the new “Conservation Majority” that came into power in 2020, legislative champions came to Richmond ready to tackle some of our greatest environmental threats after years of obstruction at the General Assembly. Virginia LCV supported more than 100 pieces of legislation in 2020, with the vast majority of these bills passing and becoming law.
“This year has been truly monumental for Virginia’s environment. Elections have consequences and, in this case, that means cleaner air and water in the Commonwealth,” said Michael Town, director ejecutivo de la Virginia League of Conservation Voters. “While we made incredible progress this year, 2020 has clearly demonstrated the huge challenges ahead of us, as we recover from a public health and economic crisis, while confronting the systemic racism that plagues our society. A clean environment only matters when it is accessible to and benefits all Virginians, and we are committed to doing our part to make this a reality.”
This year’s legislator scores take into account 25 votes in the House of Delegates and 22 votes in the Senate of Virginia. These run the gamut from passage of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, a blueprint to 100-percent clean electricity by mid-century, to bans on fracking and offshore drilling, efforts to clean and protect the Chesapeake Bay, and important environmental justice protections that help bring more equity into decision-making while protecting and empowering vulnerable communities.
Fifty-nine lawmakers, 10 Senators and 49 Delegates, scored a perfect 100-percent score in 2020, earning the designation of “Legislative Hero” for voting alongside Virginia LCV’s position on top conservation priorities every time this year.
2020 Legislative Heroes
Senador John Bell
Senadora Jennifer Boysko
Senador Creigh Deeds
Senador Adam Ebbin
Senador John Edwards
Senadora Janet Howell
Senadora Mamie Locke
Senadora Jennifer McClellan
Senador Jeremy McPike
Senador Scott Surovell
Del. Lashrecse Aird
Del. Alex Askew
Del. Hala Ayala
Dip. Lamont Bagby
Del. Jeffrey Bourne
Dip. David Bulova
Del. Betsy Carr
Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy
Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler
Dip. Karrie Delaney
Dip. Eileen Filler-Corn
Del. Wendy Gooditis
Del. Nancy Guy
Del. Elizabeth Guzmán
Del. Cliff Hayes
Del. Dan Helmer
Del. Steve Heretick
La diputada Charniele Herring
Del. Patrick Hope
Del. Sally Hudson
Del. Clinton Jenkins
Del. Jay Jones
Del. Mark Keam
Diputada Kaye Kory
Dip. Paul Krizek
Del. Mark Levine
Del. Joseph Lindsey
Dip. Alfonso López
Del. Delores McQuinn
Del. Martha Mugler
Del. Michael Mullin
Del. Kathleen Murphy
Del. Kenneth Plum
Del. Marcia Price
Diputado David Reid
Del. Danica Roem
Del. Ibraheem Samirah
Del. Don Scott
Dip. Mark Sickles
Del. Marcus Simon
Del. Shelly Simonds
Dip. Suhas Subramanyam
Del. Rip Sullivan
Del. Luke Torian
Del. Kathy Tran
Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg
Dele. Jeion Ward
Dip. Vivian Watts
Del. Rodney Willett
Another 17 lawmakers, 11 Senators and six Delegates, earned scores between 75 and 99 percent in 2020, earning the designation of “Legislative Leader” for their prioritization of key conservation issues.
2020 Legislative Leaders
Senador George Barker
Senadora Barbara Favola
Senadora Ghazala Hashmi
Senador Lynwood Lewis
Senadora Louise Lucas
Senador Dave Marsden
Senador Monty Mason
Senador Joe Morrissey
Senador Chap Petersen
Senador Dick Saslaw
Senador Lionell Spruill
Del. Dawn Adams
Del. Lee Carter
Del. Joshua Cole
Del. Chris Hurst
Dip. Sam Rasoul
Del. Roslyn Tyler
Virginia LCV also recognized nine lawmakers for their individual leadership this year on different environmental issues. These went to Senators Jennifer McClellan and Jill Vogel, and Delegates Lamont Bagby, Eileen Filler-Corn, Elizabeth Guzman, Jay Jones, Terry Kilgore, Suhas Subramanyam and Rip Sullivan.