Northern Virginia Technology Council Submits 2014 Legislative Agenda to Virginia Policymakers

Council urges policies and investments to continue focus on growing and diversifying Virginia's technology and innovation economy

HERNDON, Va., Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Jan. 6, the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) – the largest technology council in the nation – sent letters to all members of the Virginia General Assembly and to the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and senior officials of the McAuliffe administration outlining NVTC's 2014 legislative priorities. While the letter acknowledges that policymakers will be making many difficult decisions in adopting budget amendments and policies that meet Virginia's needs and address current revenue challenges, it also highlights the critical nature of further advancing the gains Virginia has made in building a globally branded technology business climate in 2014 budget and policy actions.

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Specifically, NVTC's 2014 Legislative Agenda urges policymakers to increase the funding cap for Virginia's R&D tax credit; increase funding for the CIT GAP Funds; increase funding for Virginia's cybersecurity, data analytics and modeling and simulation initiatives; and maintain funding for Virginia's Angel Investment Tax Credit and Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund (CRCF). These programs collectively boost Virginia's competitiveness in promoting research, entrepreneurship, innovation, emerging technologies and technology-based economic growth, and job creation.

NVTC also outlines policies that will strengthen Virginia's ability to assist businesses by further improving and integrating Virginia's Business One Stop, which provides a single location for entrepreneurs to find and complete the needed forms to open their business, authorizing an entrepreneur-in-residence program to place successful entrepreneurs in government agencies for limited periods of time to help them identify and resolve barriers to new company formation, and protecting Virginia businesses from patent trolls who employ bad faith assertions of patent infringement.

In addition, NVTC calls on legislators to boost Virginia's technology workforce through a robust science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education pipeline by increasing the number of STEM certifications and degrees awarded statewide, and by advancing policies that ensure Virginia businesses and universities can hire the best and brightest and all Virginians can participate in the growing technology economy. Specifically, this includes continued investment in Virginia's Top Jobs initiative, increased STEM focus in grades K-12, the promotion of legislation prohibiting employers from discriminating based on sexual orientation, and continued support for Virginia Values Veterans and other targeted state workforce initiatives to provide training and job opportunities for veterans that complement private sector efforts including NVTC's Veterans Employment Initiative.

NVTC also asks legislators to continue efforts to improve infrastructure, including transportation, energy and broadband, to support economic development and help Virginia companies compete globally.

Click here for a full copy of NVTC's 2014 Legislative Agenda, or here to see NVTC's legislative accomplishments during the 2013 General Assembly.

The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) is the membership and trade association for the technology community in Northern Virginia. As the largest technology council in the nation, NVTC serves about 1,000 companies and organizations, including businesses from all sectors of the technology industry, service providers, universities, foreign embassies, non-profit organizations and government agencies. Through its member companies, NVTC represents about 300,000 employees in the region. NVTC is recognized as the nation's leader in providing its technology community with networking and educational events; specialized services and benefits; public policy advocacy; branding of its region as a major global technology center; initiatives in targeted business sectors and in the international, entrepreneurship, workforce and education arenas; the Equal Footing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity that serves local area youth; and The Entrepreneur Center @NVTC, which mentors new technology entrepreneurs. Visit NVTC at www.nvtc.org.

SOURCE Northern Virginia Technology Council