Scott Surovell Explained

Scott Surovell
Office:Majority Leader of the Virginia Senate
Term Start:January 10, 2024
Predecessor:Dick Saslaw
Office1:Member of the Virginia Senate
Term Start1:January 13, 2016
Predecessor1:Toddy Puller
Constituency1:36th district (2016–2024)
34th district (2024–present)
State Delegate2:Virginia
District2:44th
Term Start2:January 13, 2010
Term End2:January 13, 2016
Predecessor2:Kristen Amundson
Successor2:Paul Krizek
Birth Name:Scott Anthony Surovell
Birth Date:21 August 1971
Birth Place:Washington, D.C., U.S.
Party:Democratic
Spouse:Erinn Madden
Education:James Madison University (BA)
University of Virginia (JD)

Scott Anthony Surovell (born August 21, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as a member of the Virginia Senate, representing the 34th district, which encompasses portions of Fairfax roughly following U.S. Route 1, Kingstowne and Lorton. He previously represented the 36th district which also included portions of Prince William and Stafford counties until the 2023 redistricting and the 44th district in the Virginia House of Delegates.[1] He is a Democrat.

Early life

Surovell grew up in the Tauxemont, Virginia area where he attended preschool, elementary school and intermediate school. In 1989, he graduated from West Potomac High School and went to college at James Madison University, where he was student body vice-president. He graduated in 1993, with a major in Political Science.

Professional career

In 1993, he served as a Governor's Fellow in the administration of Governor L. Douglas Wilder. Surovell worked for DMV Deputy Commissioner Bill Leighty, who later served as chief of staff under governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. He also interned in Washington, D.C., for Representative Jim Moran of Virginia and then-congressman Ron Wyden of Oregon.[2]

Surovell earned a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1996, where he served as executive editor of the Virginia Journal of Environmental Law.[3]

Surovell is a trial lawyer specializing in criminal and traffic defense, domestic relations, personalinjury, consumer class action and commercial litigation. In 2002, Surovell founded Surovell Markle Isaacs and Levy PLC, a firm which specialized in representing individuals and small businesses throughout Northern Virginia with four other attorneys. Former state delegate and now Senator Chap Petersen was a member of the firm from 2005 through 2017. The firm is now known as Surovell Isaacs & Levy PLC.[4]

Surovell argued his first case before the Supreme Court of Virginia at age 28 involving a fraud claim involving the sale of a used car.[5] In 2007, Surovell successfully blocked an insurance company from paying a man convicted of killing his wife $300,000 of life insurance proceeds from his wife's policy.[6] The case ultimatelyresulted in modifications[7] to the Virginia Slayer Statute[8] in the 2008 General Assembly Session. In 2010, Surovell also won a $4.80-million jury verdict[9] in favor of a Vienna family who was permanently injured in a fireworks accident in the Town of Vienna.

Political career

In 2003, Surovell was elected Chairman of the Mount Vernon District Democratic Committeeof the Fairfax County Democratic Committee. In 2008, he was elected Chairman of the FairfaxCounty Democratic Committee where he organized and led local grassroots campaign activities for the Obama-Biden,Warner, Moran, Connolly and Feder campaigns.

In 2009, Surovell resigned as Chairman of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee in order to run for the House of Delegates.

Surovell has served on the Counties, Cities and Towns Committee (2010-2015), the Science & Technology Committee (2010-2015), and the Militia, Police & Public Safety Committee (2012-2015). In 2014, the Speaker appointed Delegate Surovell to the Virginia Broadband Commission. In 2014, Surovell was elected Caucus Chairman by the Virginia House Democratic Caucus.[10]

For several years Surovell has written a blog, entitled The Dixie Pig, named after a now-defunct restaurant on U.S. Route 1 in his district that was his grandmother’s favorite.[11]

In January 2015 Surovell announced a run for the Virginia Senate, District 36, hoping to fill the seat of retiring Senator Toddy Puller.[12] [11] He won election to the State Senate by a margin of 60.52% to 39.28%.

Surovell was appointed to the General Laws and Technology Committee, Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee and Local Government Committee. In 2016, Surovell was also appointed to the Virginia High Speed Rail Commission.[13] In 2018, Surovell was elected Senate Democratic Caucus Whip.[14] In 2019, Surovell was elected Vice Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.[15]

Surovell has been a leader in the Virginia General Assembly on government transparency, criminal justice reform, consumer protection and environmental protection. In 2016, Surovell passed legislation requiring government officials to redact public documents instead of withholding entire records[16] and passed similar legislation applying to homeowner, condo and cooperative associations the following year. He also passed legislation creating civil penalties for destroying public records to avoid Freedom of Information Act requests.[17]

Starting in 2016, Surovell has pushed and passed various legislative initiatives to clean up coal ash ponds in Virginia, one of which is in Dumfries, Virginia.[18] In 2019, he was the Chief Sponsor of legislation that prohibited coal ash in the Chesapeake Bay watershed from being stored in existing partially-lined ponds, required at least 25% to be recycled into products, and the remainder stored in modern lined landfills in excess of Environmental Protection Agency minimum requirements. The ultimate cost will exceed $3.2 billion or approximately $1.5 billion more than Dominion Power's original proposal.[19]

In 2018, Surovell carried legislation that authorized $3.4 million of payments from the Commonwealth of Virginia to pay for the wrongful incarceration of the Norfolk Four if the monies were matched by the City of Norfolk. That same year he also carried legislation he had introduced nine times which raised Virginia's threshold between misdemeanors and felonies to $500.[20]

In 2020, Surovell carried legislation that allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain driving privileges making Virginia the 17th state to allow such privileges.[21] He also was Chief Sponsor of successful legislation to make Virginia the first Southern state to ban conversion therapy,[22] passed legislation banning driving with a handheld mobile phone,[23] and fracking for natural gas anywhere east of Interstate 95 in the Commonwealth of Virginia.[24] He also led efforts to reform Virginia's criminal justice system in the 2021 Special Session that led to the end of Virginia's 200 year-old jury sentencing law and passage of legislation attacking racial profiling, policing reforms, restoring sentencing alternatives for rehabilitation, and expanding Virginia's credits for early release from prison.

In the 2021 Session, Surovell was chief sponsor of legislation to repeal Virginia's death penalty after four centuries of it being legal.[25] He also led the efforts to reform Virginia's restrictive law prohibiting expungement or sealing of misdemeanor and felony convictions,[26] and led the study and legislation that expanded the Court of Appeals of Virginia from 11 to 17 judges and provided of right of appeal in every civil and criminal case like every other state.[27]

In the 2022 Session, Surovell worked through divided government to pass legislation that allows for methane capture.[28]

On November 15, 2023, Surovell was elected Majority Leader of the Virginia Senate - beating out Hampton State Senator Mamie Locke.[29]

Electoral history

Surovell first ran for the Virginia House of Delegates during the 2009 elections to replace retiring Democratic incumbent Kristen J. Amundson. He defeated his Republican challenger 53% to 44%, and was sworn into office the following January in Richmond, Virginia.[30]

References

  1. http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/014f2f536999a31885256c0d005171db/55b264eb253334fd85257535005773da?OpenDocument Virginia House of Delegates - Scott Surovell
  2. http://www.surovell2009.com/about-scott.html Bio on official Campaign website
  3. http://www.siplfirm.com/Attorneys/Scott-A-Surovell.shtml Bio on law firm website
  4. Web site: Fairfax Law Firm - Surovell, Isaacs & Levy, PLC - Fairfax County Lawyer. Surovell Isaacs & Levy, PLC. May 31, 2020.
  5. Web site: HOLMES v. LG MARION CORPORATION. Findlaw. 7 October 2014.
  6. News: Judge Rules Against the Killer and the Insurer . The Washington Post . Sandhya . Somashekhar . May 16, 2007.
  7. News: Fairfax Lawmaker Aims to Close Slayer Statute Loophole . The Washington Post . Sandhya . Somashekhar . January 20, 2008.
  8. http://leg1.state.va.us/000/lst/LS418462.HTM
  9. News: Jury awards $4.75 million in Vienna fireworks accident . The Washington Post . Tom . Jackman . November 13, 2010.
  10. News: Surovell wins No. 2 Democratic Party post in Virginia House of Delegates . The Washington Post . Laura . Vozella . September 24, 2014.
  11. Barton, M.A. Scott Surovell Running for Virginia Senate Seat. Mount Vernon Patch, January 26, 2015.
  12. Peterson, T. Scott Surovell (D-44) Announces Bid for State Senate. Connection Newspapers, Tuesday, January 20, 2015.
  13. Barton, M.A. Scott Surovell Appointed to High Speed Rail Commission. Mount Vernon Patch, April 21, 2016.
  14. Web site: State Sen. Scott Surovell named caucus whip. Prince William Times. May 31, 2020.
  15. Web site: Senate Democrats pick Saslaw to be majority leader for 2020 session. MEL . LEONOR . Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 31, 2020.
  16. Web site: McAuliffe will sign public-records law but may still seek changes. Fenit. Nirappil. Mar 8, 2016. May 31, 2020. www.washingtonpost.com.
  17. Web site: Legislation That Establishes FOIA Penalties Continues to Move Through the Capitol. Michael. Pope. www.wvtf.org. 20 February 2019. May 31, 2020.
  18. Web site: Coal Ash Ponds: Power companies to face new barrier in closing Virginia sites. Alex. Koma. Inside Nova.
  19. Web site: After 4-year fight over coal ash, governor signs new bill into law at Possum Point. Jill. Palermo . Prince William Times. May 31, 2020.
  20. Web site: Bill to raise felony theft threshold advances in state Senate committee. Margaret. Matray. pilotonline.com. May 31, 2020.
  21. Web site: Virginia lawmakers vote to grant driver privilege cards to undocumented immigrants. Ned Oliver Virginia. Mercury. Prince William Times. May 31, 2020.
  22. News: Virginia Is First Southern State to Ban Conversion Therapy for Minors. Sandra E.. Garcia. The New York Times. Mar 3, 2020. May 31, 2020.
  23. News: Virginia General Assembly approves higher gas tax, speed cameras and cellphone ban. Washington Post. May 31, 2020.
  24. Web site: Virginia lawmakers vote to grant driver privilege cards to undocumented immigrants. Ned. Oliver. May 31, 2020.
  25. Web site: 'It is the moral thing to do': Virginia's death penalty abolished in historic signing.
  26. Web site: Virginia Lawmakers Pass Bill to Seal Some Criminal Records.
  27. Web site: Virginia Court of Appeals set to get 6 new judges after lawmakers agree to expansion.
  28. News: McGowan. Elizabeth. December 21, 2022. Virginia wastewater project would be first to serve customers local biogas. Energy News Network. August 4, 2023.
  29. https://bluevirginia.us/2023/11/breaking-va-senate-dems-elect-scott-surovell-as-new-majority-leader-mamie-locke-to-remain-as-caucus-chair#:~:text=This%20morning%2C%20the%20Virginia%20Senate,slim%2C%2021%2D19%20majority.
  30. Web site: 2009 Virginia Election Results: House of Delegates - 44th District. Hampton Roads. March 5, 2010.

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