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Rob Bell (Virginia politician)

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Rob Bell
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 58th district
In office
January 9, 2002 – September 18, 2023
Preceded byPaul Clinton Harris
Succeeded byRodney Willett (redistricting)
Personal details
Born
Robert Bernard Bell III

(1967-04-23) April 23, 1967 (age 57)
Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJessica Sweeney
EducationUniversity of Virginia (BA, JD)
WebsiteCampaign website

Robert Bernard Bell III (born April 23, 1967) is an American politician. He was a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 until 2023. In 2013, Bell ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Attorney General of Virginia. He resigned from his seat prior to his final term ending in 2023 to join Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares's office.[1]

Early life and education

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Bell was born in Palo Alto, California on April 23, 1967.[2][3][4][5]

Bell worked as a convention volunteer and part-time intern for game company Iron Crown Enterprises (ICE) while attending classes at the University of Virginia, and began working for ICE full-time as an editor in 1988.[6]: 147  Bell expanded and unified the Hero System from Hero Games, licensed by ICE.[6]: 136  The fourth edition of the role-playing game Champions (1989) was mostly the work of Bell; aside from writing the book, he had also coordinated a volunteer effort involving dozens of gaming groups to provide input and feedback regarding the Hero System.[6]: 148  Bell left ICE in 1990.[6]: 149 

After attending the University of Virginia, Bell served as a state prosecutor in Orange County for five years. He later entered politics, occasionally continuing to take criminal defense matters.[7]

Virginia House of Delegates

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Election

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Bell was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in November 2001, representing the 58th district in the Virginia Piedmont, including Greene County and parts of Albemarle, Fluvanna and Rockingham Counties.[8] Bell's seat was previously held by Thomas Jefferson.[9] On February 25, 2023 at the closing of the Virginia General Assembly Session, he announced that he would not seek re-election.[10]

Abortion

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In 2012, Bell voted in favor of a bill requiring all women to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound prior to having an abortion, except in cases of rape and incest, wherein police reports must be presented.[11][12] While hundreds of people participated in a silent protest outside the Virginia state capitol, Bell, as the bill's patron, postponed a vote on the bill, which passed the next day.[13] On March 1, 2012, Bell voted in favor of an amended version of the bill requiring women to undergo a transabdominal ultrasound prior to an abortion if written consent for a transvaginal ultrasound is not obtained, and no ultrasound at all if the physician deems it impossible to determine fetal age through the prescribed means.[14][15] In 2020, Bell voted against the House Bill 552 on the definition of birth control "for the purposes of the regulation of medicine, as contraceptive methods that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and provides that birth control shall not be considered abortion for the purposes of Title 18.2 (Crimes and Offenses Generally)."[16]

Citizenship inquiries

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During the 2012 legislative session, Bell was the primary sponsor of a bill requiring police to inquire into the citizenship of anyone arrested, regardless of criminal charges. The bill was widely criticized by civil rights organizations and failed to pass.[17]

Education

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In 2012 and 2013, Bell patroned the "Tebow Bill", named for Tim Tebow, which would allow homeschooled students meeting academic standards the opportunity to participate in public school sports teams and other extracurricular activities.[18]

In 2020, Bell voted against HB-1355 which authorized the development of community schools where parents and children can receive aid from social services.[19]

In 2021, Bell voted against HB-1980 that establishes scholarships and support for descendants of enslaved people to empower them out of the cycle of generational poverty.[20]

Employment

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In 2020, Bell voted against HB-984 that allows civil action against an employer that knowingly misclassified an employee often as an independent contractor to avoid properly paying for labor.[21]

In 2020, Bell voted against HB-582 that authorizes local government employees to form unions and bargain collectively.[22]

LGBT community

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In 2020, Rob Bell voted against the HB-1663 which "prohibited discrimination; public accommodations, employment, credit, and housing: causes of action; sexual orientation and gender identity" [23]

In 2020, Bell voted against HB-1041 that provided the opportunity for individuals to issue a new certificate to show a change of sex after their transition of their sex and verification from their healthcare provider to prove that the individual underwent the appropriate gender transition procedures.[24]

In 2021, during a special session, Bell voted against HB-2132 which outlined that a person's sexual orientation and identity does not provide a proper defense to any charge of capital murder.[25]

Public safety

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As of 2013, Bell serves as the chairman of the Virginia State Crime Commission.[26]

In 2006, Bell proposed legislation to bar violent sex offenders from school property, following public outrage over a convicted sex offender serving as a Santa Claus at an elementary school.[27] In 2012, he proposed a bill expanding this ban to cover school buses and school-affiliated events.[28]

In 2008, Bell proposed legislation to require school superintendents to screen job applicants for a history of child abuse convictions in Virginia and other states, as well as criminalize the misrepresentation of an applicant's offender status.[29]

Property rights

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Bell sponsored a legislatively referred constitutional amendment seeking to reform eminent domain in Virginia. The effort was initiated in part as a reaction to a 2005 US Supreme Court decision upholding the right of the government to seize property for economic development. The Virginia General Assembly approved the amendment in 2011, and then-Governor Bob McDonnell endorsed it. The proposed amendment was placed on the November 6, 2012, ballot as a statewide referendum, where it was approved.[30][31]

Attorney General campaigns

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On December 6, 2011, Bell announced that he was a candidate for the 2013 Republican nomination for Attorney General of Virginia.[32] State Senator Mark Obenshain won the nomination over Bell by a 55%–45% margin at a statewide convention in Richmond on May 18, 2013.[33]

On December 3, 2015, Bell announced he would run again for the Republican nomination for Attorney General in the 2017 election, and vowed to oust incumbent Mark Herring, whom he cast as a liberal crusader with no regard for the law.[34] However, on November 21, 2016, Bell abruptly announced that he was ending his campaign because his children, one of whom has special needs, were facing "new challenges" and stated, "Despite my best efforts, it has become clear to me that I can’t possibly fulfill my responsibilities as a father while making a statewide run."[35] He announced that he would return donations made to his attorney general campaign, and would run for re-election to his House seat.[35]

Electoral history

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Date Election Candidate Party Votes %
Virginia House of Delegates, 58th district
Nov 6, 2001[36] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 13,627 59.95
Charles S. Martin Democratic 9,088 39.98
Write Ins 17 0.07
Paul Clinton Harris retired; seat stayed Republican
Nov 4, 2003[37] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 13,267 98.64
Write Ins 183 1.36
Nov 8, 2005[38] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 15,831 62.04
Stephen H. Koleszar Democratic 9,676 37.92
Write Ins 11 0.04
Nov 6, 2007[39] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 16,220 98.30
Write Ins 280 1.69
Nov 3, 2009[40] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 18,402 67.24
Cynthia Neff Democratic 8,948 32.69
Write Ins 16 0.05
Nov 8, 2011[41] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 17,227 98.20
Write Ins 315 1.79
Nov 5, 2013[42] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 20,191 95.78
Write Ins 890 4.22
Nov 3, 2015[43] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 13,926 96.44
Write Ins 514 3.56
Nov 7, 2017[44] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 18,652 61.20
Kellen Squire Democratic 11,797 38.71
Write-Ins 27 0.08
Nov 7, 2019[45] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 18,217 62.47
Elizabeth A. Alcorn Democratic 10,922 37.45
Write-Ins 22 0.08
Nov 2, 2021[46] General Robert B. Bell III Republican 25,835 63.21
Sara H. Ratcliffe Democratic 14,999 36.70
Write-Ins 36 0.09

References

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  1. ^ Glass, Maggie (September 18, 2023). "Delegate Rob Bell joining Miyares team". WVIR-TV. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "Bio for Robert B. Bell". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved November 18, 2008.[dead link‍]
  3. ^ Virginia House of Delegates Manual, 2018–2019. Richmond: Commonwealth of Virginia. 2018. p. 95. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  4. ^ "Robert Bell III's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  5. ^ "Bell, Rob B III". The Virginia Elections and State Elected Officials Database Project, 1776-2007. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d Shannon Appelcline (2011). Designers & Dragons. Mongoose Publishing. ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7.
  7. ^ "Meet Rob Bell – Delegate Rob Bell". Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  8. ^ "Virginia House of Delegates; Robert B. Bell". Retrieved November 18, 2008.
  9. ^ Morgan, Anne Marie (May 2013). "Delegate Rob Bell Running for Virginia Attorney General". www.wvtf.org. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  10. ^ "Delegate Rob Bell announces he will not seek re-election". www.nbc29.com. WVIR. February 25, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  11. ^ "Virginia HB 462 - Requires an ultrasound prior to an abortion - Key Vote - Project Vote Smart". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  12. ^ "HB 462 Requires an ultrasound prior to an abortion - Voting Record - Virginia House - Project Vote Smart". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved June 8, 2013.
  13. ^ "Silent protest outside, Virginia house puts off ultrasound vote". MSNBC. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2012.
  14. ^ Provence, Lisa (March 3, 2012). "30 arrests: Ultrasound protest brings riot police to Capitol". The Hook. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  15. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking - Amendment > HB462 > 2012 Session".
  16. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB552 > 2020 session".
  17. ^ Hester, Wesley P. (February 10, 2012). "Illegal immigration bills likely to advance". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  18. ^ Baxter, Paige (February 11, 2013). "'Tebow Bill' passes in House, awaits action in Senate". Loudoun Times. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  19. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB1355 > 2020 session".
  20. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB1980 > 2021 session".
  21. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB984 > 2020 session".
  22. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB582 > 2020 session".
  23. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB1663 > 2020 session".
  24. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB1041 > 2020 session".
  25. ^ "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB2132 > 2021 session".
  26. ^ Commonwealth of Virginia. "Virginia State Crime Commission". Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  27. ^ Boniti, Loretta (December 12, 2006). "Bill Bans Sex Offenders from School Property". NBC29. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  28. ^ Quattlebaum, Jillian (February 20, 2011). "Assembly Tightens Sex Offender Laws". VCU Capital News Service. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  29. ^ "House Passes Bell's Teacher Background Check Bill". Newsplex. February 8, 2008. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  30. ^ "Virginia Eminent Domain Amendment, Question 1 (2012)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  31. ^ Vozzella, Laura (Apr 6, 2012). "McDonnell signs off on property rights referendum". The Washington Post. Retrieved Dec 4, 2020.
  32. ^ Moomaw, Graham (2011-12-06). "Bell makes bid for AG official". Charlottesville Daily Progress. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
  33. ^ Pershing, Ben and Errin Whack (2013-05-18). "Va. GOP settles on Cuccinelli, Obenshain and Jackson for November ballot". Washington Post. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
  34. ^ Vozzella, Laura (Dec 3, 2015). "Republican Rob Bell vows to oust Herring as Va. attorney general". Retrieved Dec 4, 2020 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  35. ^ a b Times-Dispatch, GRAHAM MOOMAW Richmond. "Del. Rob Bell ends campaign for Virginia attorney general". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  36. ^ "General Election- November 6, 2001". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 29, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  37. ^ "General Election- November 4, 2003". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on July 7, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  38. ^ "General Election- November 8, 2005". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  39. ^ "November 6, 2007 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  40. ^ "November 2009 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  41. ^ "November 2011 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  42. ^ "November 2013 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  43. ^ "November 2015 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
  44. ^ "November 2017 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2018-10-07.
  45. ^ "November 2019 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
  46. ^ "November 2021 General Election Official Results". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
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