Card image cap

Amy Laufer's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

Key

Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
What is the Political Courage Test?
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

Virginia State Legislative Election 2019 Political Courage Test

Pro-choice a) Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
Yes b) Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
No c) Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
I believe that reproductive healthcare is healthcare. These decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor. These choices are deeply personal, and I am opposed to the government getting involved in what should be a private medical decision.

Budget Stabilization:Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Virginia's budget.

Yes a) Do you support a state regulated and taxed sports gambling system?
No b) Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
No c) Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
Yes d) An income tax increase on any tax bracket?
I believe that we need to be investing in our people. This means investing in education, infrastructure, healthcare, and broadband so that all of our people have the opportunity to succeed. We also need to make sure that people are earning a decent living wage, especially if they work for the state. If it is necessary to raise taxes to make these investments, I am not opposed. Being efficient and effective with taxpayer money must be a priority.
Yes a) Do you support a limit on campaign contributions to state candidates?
Yes b) Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
Yes c) Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
No d) Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
Yes e) Do you support automatic voter registration?
It is also important that as felons leave the system and reenter society, we are giving them their voice back. This means we should have automatic restoration of rights for all people leaving the criminal justice system.
No a) Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
No b) Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
No c) Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
Yes d) Do you support the legalization of recreational marijuana?
Yes e) Do you support banning the use of cell phones and other handheld communication devices while driving?
I believe we need to be abolishing mandatory minimums and raising the level at which theft becomes a felony. These laws imprison our population more than necessary, which leads to further costs for incarceration that get passed down to the taxpayers.
Yes a) Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
No b) Do you support lowering state income taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
No c) Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
Yes d) Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
No e) Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
Yes f) Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Virginia?
Yes g) Do you support requiring employers to provide paid family leave?
I believe that the commonwealth and country are most successful when everyone is prosperous. We need to ensure that we are doing all we can for our working families. We need people to feel secure at work so they can be more productive in their jobs. Drug testing for welfare programs ultimately hurts the children we are trying to protect.
Yes a) Do you support adopting federal education standards in Virginia?
No b) Do you support state funding for charter schools?
Yes c) Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Virginia high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
I am also passionate about ensuring universal preschool in Virginia. I was a Head Start student, and I know what a big step up preschool can be. Additionally, it lowers the burden on working families who often have to pay a large percentage of their income for childcare. When students come to school behind, it is that much harder for them to learn, so we need to ensure that all students have access to preschool.
Yes a) Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
Yes b) Do you support government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
Yes c) Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
I believe that we need to be allowing people who are able to create their own energy to do that in any quantity and sell it back to the grid unimpeded. This would lower our reliance on big utilities companies and further incentivize individuals to invest in clean energy infrastructure.
Yes a) Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
Yes b) Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
No c) Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
Yes d) Should a license be required for gun ownership?
I believe that we need to be supporting safe and responsible gun ownership. I believe in taking advantage of Moms Demand Action plans, such as safe gun storage education. We need to be encouraging gun owners to buy gun safes and to store their weapons separately from their ammunition. Additionally, if a crime is committed using a gun that was not properly stored by the person who owned it, the owner should be held responsible for their negligence. I also believe we need to institute red flag laws, allowing families to petition police to remove guns from those in crisis.
Yes a) Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
Yes b) Do you support Medicaid expansion through Virginia's health care programs?
Yes c) Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
Yes d) Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
Yes e) Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
While the medicaid expansion in Virginia was a huge step forward, we need to be removing the work requirement. People need to be able to get healthcare so that they can become well enough to work and participate in our society and economy.
Yes a) Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Virginia's anti-discrimination laws?
Yes b) Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Virginia's anti-discrimination laws?
Yes c) Do you support greater efforts by Virginia state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
It is essential that we pass the Equal Rights Amendment in Virginia, not just for the commonwealth but for the entire nation. This legislation would guarantee equal pay for equal work and was supported by over 80% of Virginians but was blocked in committee. No person should be discriminated against because of who they are or who they love.
There are large rural areas in this district without broadband access. Children are sitting in parking lots outside of closed buildings to do their homework, because that is the only place they are able to connect to wifi. People are unable to run businesses out of their homes or access telemedicine. Many farmers are unable to bring their goods to market over the internet. We need to be expanding broadband infrastructure so that these people have the opportunities they need.
My top legislative priority is universal preschool. This would help both children and working families by relieving some of the burden of paying for childcare. Currently, preschool is funded 65% through the state, with the rest of it being covered by localities. I believe we need to move more of the financial responsibility to the state. We need to make increasing educational equity by investing in early childhood education a priority, and we need to be investing in it.

Vote Smart does not permit the use of its name or programs in any campaign activity, including advertising, debates, and speeches.

arrow_upward