House of Delegates Speaker William (Bill) Howell
Republican
District 28: County of Stafford (part); City of Fredericksburg
Bill Howell has served as Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates since 2003. That same year he also joined ALEC's Board of Directors. In 2009, he served as ALEC's National Chairman. Howell received a State Legislator of the Year award from ALEC in 2001. (Website of Speaker William Howell) The award is given to "state legislators who are ALEC members in good standing and have distinguished themselves by taking a leadership role in advancing, introducing, and/or enacting policies based on the fundamental Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism and individual liberty." (Texas Insider) Howell has repeatedly encouraged his colleagues to introduce model legislation in the House of Delegates. According to Delegate Jim LeMunyon, Howell asked him to carry a resolution expressing the legislature's support for a federal repeal amendment. Delegate Terry Kilgore carried legislation limiting asbestos-related liability for Crown Cork & Seal several years in a row at the speaker's request.
Additionally, as Speaker of the House of Delegates, Howell approves the expenditure of taxpayer dollars for Delegate's trips to meetings and conferences. Since 2001, the Commonwealth of Virginia has spent over $230,000 on legislator's trips to ALEC conferences.
ALEC Money
Howell has spent $6,257 of taxpayer money on trips to ALEC conferences. (VPAP)
|
Purpose
|
Amount
|
Location
|
Year
|
|
Travel Reimburse: ALEC Annual Meeting
|
$1,351
|
|
2001
|
|
Travel - ALEC Meeting
|
$884
|
|
2002
|
|
ALEC Meeting Expenses
|
$533
|
|
2003
|
|
Travel - American Legislative Exchange Council Mtg
|
$333
|
Philadelphia, PA
|
2007
|
|
ALEC Annual Meeting - Travel
|
$571
|
Chicago, IL
|
2008
|
|
ALEC Annual Meetings - Travel & Hotel
|
$691
|
Atlanta, GA
|
2009
|
|
ALEC State & National Policy Conference
|
$958
|
|
2009
|
|
ALEC State and Nation Summit
|
$936
|
Washington DC
|
2010
|
|
ALEC Annual Meeting
|
$1,382
|
Salt Lake City, UT
|
2012
|
|
ALEC Conference
|
$1,654
|
Salt Lake City, UT
|
2012
|
|
ALEC Annual Task Force Meeting
|
$1,266
|
|
2012
|
Howell has received $22,160 in "personal gifts" from ALEC to pay for his travel and accommodations for conferences. (VPAP)
|
Purpose
|
Amount
|
Date
|
Location
|
Year Reported
|
|
Hotel & Transportation for Annual Meeting
|
$1,828
|
|
San Diego, CA
|
2010
|
|
Directors Meeting - Hotel & Transportation
|
$1,074
|
|
Memphis, TN
|
2009
|
|
Annual Meeting - Hotel & Meals
|
$925
|
|
Atlanta, GA
|
2009
|
|
States & Nation Policy Summit - Hotel
|
$850
|
|
Washington, DC
|
2009
|
|
ALEC Annual Meeting
|
$1,678
|
|
Chicago, IL
|
2008
|
|
ALEC Policy Summit
|
$850
|
|
Washington, DC
|
2008
|
|
Hotel - Annual Mtg
|
$989
|
|
Philadelphia, PA
|
2007
|
|
Hotel - States & Nation Policy Summit
|
$777
|
|
Washington, DC
|
2007
|
|
Hotel for Spring Task Force
|
$504
|
|
Hilton Head, SC
|
2007
|
|
Winter Meeting
|
$1,591
|
|
Phoenix, AZ
|
2006
|
|
Annual Meeting - Travel & Hotel
|
$2,655
|
|
San Diego, CA
|
2005
|
|
Annual Meeting - Travel & Hotel
|
$1,366
|
8/2/05
|
Grapevine, TX
|
2005
|
|
Spring Meeting - Travel & Hotel
|
$684
|
|
New York, NY
|
2005
|
|
Directors Meeting
|
$595
|
|
Atlanta, GA
|
2005
|
|
Winter Meeting - Hotel
|
$408
|
|
Washington, DC
|
2005
|
|
Annual Meeting
|
$1,100
|
7/28/04
|
Seattle, WA
|
2004
|
|
ALEC Annual Meeting Expenses
|
$1,100
|
|
|
2003
|
|
Travel - Annual Meeting
|
$1,100
|
|
|
2002
|
|
Travel - Civil Justice Task Force
|
$350
|
|
|
2002
|
|
Travel - Civil Justice Task Force
|
$186
|
|
|
2002
|
|
Travel - ALEC Annual Meeting
|
$1,200
|
|
|
2001
|
|
Travel - Civil Justice Task Force Meeting
|
$350
|
|
|
2001
|
Howell spent $5,000 from his campaign committee to pay for his "lifetime dues" to ALEC. (VPAP)
ALEC Legislation
Howell cosponsored HB 1388, establishing a Virtual Schools program in Virginia.
Howell cosponsored HB 1390, which would change Virginia's charter school procedures to make it easier for pro-charter members of the Board of Education to override local school board decisions about establishing new charter schools.
Howell cosponsored HB 2314, which would give businesses tax credits when they made a donation to a scholarship fund for children to attend private school.
Howell cosponsored HR 5, a resolution reaffirming the 10th Amendment and chastising federal mandates.
Howell cosponsored HJ 542, a resolution issuing a call for a federal constitutional amendment that would permit the repeal of any federal law by a vote of two-thirds of state legislatures.
Howell cosponsored HB 10, which prohibits the penalizing of residents for failing to obtain health insurance coverage. ALEC touts on its website that this legislation has been introduced in at least 38 states. This legislation has served as the basis for standing in Attorney General Cuccinelli's lawsuit against the federal government over the Affordable Care Act. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit threw out Cuccinelli's suit, ruling that the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act did not provide him standing to sue. (Sources: ALEC, Washington Post)
Howell cosponsored HB 2052, which would declare the right to vote by secret ballot on labor organization representation.
Howell cosponsored HB 1762, which was designed to limit the liability of Crown Cork & Seal in relation asbestos litigation. Howell requested Delegate Kilgore carry the legislation. Howell used his considerable power as Speaker to rearrange committee assignments and heavily lobbied his colleagues after versions of the bill failed two years in a row. ALEC, which authored the legislation, notes it has passed in 11 states and been introduced in an additional 5, including Virginia. (Source: Washington Post)
Howell cosponsored HB 926, which would terminate the authority of a business to operate in the commonwealth for hiring or employing an illegal alien.
House of Delegates Speaker William (Bill) Howell
Republican
District 28: County of Stafford (part); City of Fredericksburg
Bill Howell has served as Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates since 2003. That same year he also joined ALEC's Board of Directors. In 2009, he served as ALEC's National Chairman. Howell received a State Legislator of the Year award from ALEC in 2001. (Website of Speaker William Howell) The award is given to "state legislators who are ALEC members in good standing and have distinguished themselves by taking a leadership role in advancing, introducing, and/or enacting policies based on the fundamental Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism and individual liberty." (Texas Insider) Howell has repeatedly encouraged his colleagues to introduce model legislation in the House of Delegates. According to Delegate Jim LeMunyon, Howell asked him to carry a resolution expressing the legislature's support for a federal repeal amendment. Delegate Terry Kilgore carried legislation limiting asbestos-related liability for Crown Cork & Seal several years in a row at the speaker's request.
Additionally, as Speaker of the House of Delegates, Howell approves the expenditure of taxpayer dollars for Delegate's trips to meetings and conferences. Since 2001, the Commonwealth of Virginia has spent over $230,000 on legislator's trips to ALEC conferences.
ALEC Money
Howell has spent $6,257 of taxpayer money on trips to ALEC conferences. (VPAP)
Purpose
Amount
Location
Year
Travel Reimburse: ALEC Annual Meeting
$1,351
2001
Travel - ALEC Meeting
$884
2002
ALEC Meeting Expenses
$533
2003
Travel - American Legislative Exchange Council Mtg
$333
Philadelphia, PA
2007
ALEC Annual Meeting - Travel
$571
Chicago, IL
2008
ALEC Annual Meetings - Travel & Hotel
$691
Atlanta, GA
2009
ALEC State & National Policy Conference
$958
2009
ALEC State and Nation Summit
$936
Washington DC
2010
ALEC Annual Meeting
$1,382
Salt Lake City, UT
2012
ALEC Conference
$1,654
Salt Lake City, UT
2012
ALEC Annual Task Force Meeting
$1,266
2012
Howell has received $22,160 in "personal gifts" from ALEC to pay for his travel and accommodations for conferences. (VPAP)
Purpose
Amount
Date
Location
Year Reported
Hotel & Transportation for Annual Meeting
$1,828
San Diego, CA
2010
Directors Meeting - Hotel & Transportation
$1,074
Memphis, TN
2009
Annual Meeting - Hotel & Meals
$925
Atlanta, GA
2009
States & Nation Policy Summit - Hotel
$850
Washington, DC
2009
ALEC Annual Meeting
$1,678
Chicago, IL
2008
ALEC Policy Summit
$850
Washington, DC
2008
Hotel - Annual Mtg
$989
Philadelphia, PA
2007
Hotel - States & Nation Policy Summit
$777
Washington, DC
2007
Hotel for Spring Task Force
$504
Hilton Head, SC
2007
Winter Meeting
$1,591
Phoenix, AZ
2006
Annual Meeting - Travel & Hotel
$2,655
San Diego, CA
2005
Annual Meeting - Travel & Hotel
$1,366
8/2/05
Grapevine, TX
2005
Spring Meeting - Travel & Hotel
$684
New York, NY
2005
Directors Meeting
$595
Atlanta, GA
2005
Winter Meeting - Hotel
$408
Washington, DC
2005
Annual Meeting
$1,100
7/28/04
Seattle, WA
2004
ALEC Annual Meeting Expenses
$1,100
2003
Travel - Annual Meeting
$1,100
2002
Travel - Civil Justice Task Force
$350
2002
Travel - Civil Justice Task Force
$186
2002
Travel - ALEC Annual Meeting
$1,200
2001
Travel - Civil Justice Task Force Meeting
$350
2001
Howell spent $5,000 from his campaign committee to pay for his "lifetime dues" to ALEC. (VPAP)
ALEC Legislation
Howell cosponsored HB 1388, establishing a Virtual Schools program in Virginia.
Howell cosponsored HB 1390, which would change Virginia's charter school procedures to make it easier for pro-charter members of the Board of Education to override local school board decisions about establishing new charter schools.
Howell cosponsored HB 2314, which would give businesses tax credits when they made a donation to a scholarship fund for children to attend private school.
Howell cosponsored HR 5, a resolution reaffirming the 10th Amendment and chastising federal mandates.
Howell cosponsored HJ 542, a resolution issuing a call for a federal constitutional amendment that would permit the repeal of any federal law by a vote of two-thirds of state legislatures.
Howell cosponsored HB 10, which prohibits the penalizing of residents for failing to obtain health insurance coverage. ALEC touts on its website that this legislation has been introduced in at least 38 states. This legislation has served as the basis for standing in Attorney General Cuccinelli's lawsuit against the federal government over the Affordable Care Act. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit threw out Cuccinelli's suit, ruling that the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act did not provide him standing to sue. (Sources: ALEC, Washington Post)
Howell cosponsored HB 2052, which would declare the right to vote by secret ballot on labor organization representation.
Howell cosponsored HB 1762, which was designed to limit the liability of Crown Cork & Seal in relation asbestos litigation. Howell requested Delegate Kilgore carry the legislation. Howell used his considerable power as Speaker to rearrange committee assignments and heavily lobbied his colleagues after versions of the bill failed two years in a row. ALEC, which authored the legislation, notes it has passed in 11 states and been introduced in an additional 5, including Virginia. (Source: Washington Post)
Howell cosponsored HB 926, which would terminate the authority of a business to operate in the commonwealth for hiring or employing an illegal alien.