At a morning news conference at the State Capitol, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, joined by legislators from both sides of the aisle, introduced his “Jobs and Opportunity Agenda.”

The legislative package consists of 20 pieces of legislation, as well as previously announced budget amendments, all focused on spurring job creation, promoting economic development and creating more opportunities for Virginians.

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, Secretary of Commerce and Trade Jim Cheng, Senior Economic Adviser Bob Sledd, and almost 30 Delegates and Senators from both parties all participated in the morning event.

Among the highlights of McDonnell’s agenda are measures to double the Governor’s Opportunity Fund, create a state HUB Zone Program, lower the threshold for Virginia’s Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit, provide tax credits for movie production, help veterans open small businesses, direct future royalties and revenue from offshore energy production to transportation and green energy development, and create the Virginia Universities Clean Energy Development and Economic Stimulus Foundation to encourage and facilitate energy research and economic development at Virginia’s universities and in the Commonwealth’s rural areas.

A preliminary economic impact analysis prepared by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership estimates that just the budget initiatives component of McDonnell’s “Jobs and Opportunity Agenda” alone will lead to over $311 million in new revenue for the Commonwealth over five years, and the creation of more than 29,000 new jobs over the biennium.

Speaking about the agenda, McDonnell stressed the importance of job creation.

He states, “This is a Jobs Administration. I have made creating jobs and bringing more opportunity to every region of Virginia my top priority. I am honored to be joined by Republicans and Democrats all committed to ensuring that practical solutions are put in place to obtain positive results for our citizens. Job creation is not a partisan issue, it is a Virginia issue. These bills will help in the effort to create the opportunity for good jobs for all Virginians.”

Bolling, who serves in the McDonnell cabinet as Virginia’s Chief Job Creation Officer, remarks, “As we have said for months, creating new jobs and growing the economy are our top priorities. By investing in proven economic development programs with a high return on investment, our budget and legislative initiatives take significant steps towards reaching these goals. A preliminary estimate finds that the budget amendments that are part of this agenda will lead to the creation of 29,300 new jobs over the next two years and over $311 million in revenue for the state over the next five years. It has been my pleasure to work with the Governor and our economic team to develop these recommendations and I look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly to secure their passage.”

Del. Danny Marshall (R-Danville), who joined McDonnell at the event, notes, “My district has been hit hard by the staggering economy. Virginians are anxious for what the future holds and I am proud to be able to introduce legislation on behalf of Gov. McDonnell to help workers and their families regain some economic stability.”

Del. Mark Keam (D-Fairfax), who also attended the morning press conference, remarks, “In these tough economic times, the most important task for the General Assembly is to focus on job creation and turning the economy around. As a Democrat, I am proud to work with Gov. McDonnell to help grow the economy of the Commonwealth by attracting new jobs. Citizens in my district sent us to Richmond to work in a bipartisan manner, and that is exactly what Gov. McDonnell and I are doing.”

Finally, Sen. Robert Hurt (R-Chatham) comments, “It’s an honor to stand with Gov. McDonnell, and other leaders from the House and Senate, in support of this much needed job-creating legislation. We are all committed to creating an environment in which businesses can thrive and create jobs for Virginians.”