Legislation to Allow Fairfax Schools to Open Before Labor Day Fails Again

WTOP reports that the effort to repeal the so-called "Kings Dominion law" that prevents local schools from opening before Labor Day has died again. The State Senate Education and Health Committee killed the repeal of the law Thursday with a 9-6 vote.

A key vote against the law came from Sen. George Barker, D-Fairfax, who has expressed concern about the loss of sales tax revenue if the schools open before Labor Day, WTOP reported. One percent of that sales tax money goes to schools across the state.

Other jurisdictions have received state waivers of the law. Not Fairfax, the largest Virginia county with a population of one million and one of the richest counties in the U.S.

The McLean Citizens Association has made passage of the bill a priority for several years.

McLean legislators told the MCA's Education committee headed by Ed Saperstein that they were hopeful of passage this year because the bill had the backing of Gov. McDonnell.

Del. Barbara Comstock (R-McLean, Great Falls, Loudoun) told the MCA Education Committee in December that she's "fairly optimistic" that the Virginia state legislature will finally allow Fairfax to decide when to open its schools.

Veteran State Sen. Janet Howell, D-McLean, Reston, told the committee later in December, ‘It might or might not (pass the Senate)  depending on” who's on the Commerce and Labor committee.

The bill usually dies in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, she told the MCA committee.