Following the gain of at least 15 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates, Democrats are making government transparency their hallmark issue in the first legislative proposals the party is backing for the 2018 session.
They outlined proposals to ban personal use of campaign money, end gerrymandering of legislative districts and make public a database held by the state Supreme Court’s executive secretary — information that is only searchable now by making a request to every circuit court clerk in the commonwealth.
Transparency has “been a priority for years and there will be other priorities,” said Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, the party’s leader in the House. Other delegates and delegates-elect joined Toscano on a conference call Monday to outline some of the legislative proposals.