Second Week of Session

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Dear Friend,

Committees began the tedious work of hearing bills and receiving testimony from officials in the Youngkin Administration in charge of subject areas under a committee’s purview. What became very clear is that the Youngkin Administration is only moving on regulations that they agree should be implemented. I expect this is not an unusual posture for any Administration, but disappointing nonetheless. Every day I spend in the General Assembly, I am more motivated than ever to ensure that Democrats win the Governor’s race in 2025 and the House of Delegates remains in Democratic hands.

On a happier note, I am delighted to say that my Kinship Care bill, a bill to help youth avoid foster care, and live with relatives while their families are going through troubling times, passed with strong bi-partisan support and with the blessing of Governor Youngkin. I was the chief patron of versions of this bill for the past three years and served as the chief patron and chief negotiator once again. This year, I am hopeful that the bill will finally become law and the dollars needed to support relative families will become a reality.

Unfortunately, the main funding stream from the federal government that supports children who must be removed from their homes (Title IV-E) requires a child to enter the foster care system for six months, after which they can be placed with relatives. My bill is intended to help the child avoid this trauma while providing financial aid and other support to the host family. Governor Youngkin has allocated state funding in his budget for my Kinship Care program and I am confident that the Democratic majorities in each chamber will not let this important effort go unfunded. The CBS channel in Richmond covered the Kinship Care Bill. Here is the clip.

My Bills that Passed the Senate:

Children’s Advocacy Center -- My bill that defines a Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) in code and identifies the CACs as important resources when a forensic interview is needed passed the Senate on a vote of 39-0. By placing this definition and reference in code, we expect that law enforcement, especially the state police, will be more aware of the role CACs can play in child trafficking investigations.

Helping Youth with Disabilities & Families Transition-- A smaller piece of a comprehensive special education reform bill that I am carrying also passed the Senate. Senate bill 51 which passed on Wednesday, requires the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services, in collaboration with parent groups and others, to ensure that online resources are available and disseminated to assist in the transition from school to post-school activities.

Other Important Developments:

Senator Scott Surovell, Democratic Leader in the Senate; and Delegate Luke Torian, Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, submitted bills that would establish the Monumental Sports Authority and grant the Authority the ability to issue $1.5 billion in bonds. These bonds would be issued using the state's good faith and AAA bond rating to build the sports arena at Potomac Yard. The Authority would be obligated to reimburse the state through rental agreements, sales taxes and other revenue streams.

These bills were only dropped after the Governor agreed to consider increasing funding for Metro. Of course, we really need a dedicated source of revenue for Virginia’s portion of the Metro funding formula, not just a one-time increase. I am not in favor of assuming so much financial risk when the state is facing reductions in revenue; and core services such as public education are not adequately funded. Moreover, other important questions remain about how to mitigate the impacts that the sports complex will have on the surrounding area. I expect to be learning more about the details of the project in the coming days and I will share what I learn.

Groups Visiting Richmond:

One of the most gratifying experiences of serving in the legislature is meeting with the dozens of stakeholders, activists and individual citizens who travel to Richmond to petition their government to better serve them and the interests about which they are so passionate. This week I, or members of my staff, met with Arlington representatives and advocates from Voices for Virginia’s Children, Virginia Sierra Club, the Dental Hygienists Association, the Professional Firefighters Union, United Campus Workers, the Virginia Native Plant Society, the Virginia Association of Latino Organizations, 40 Strong, the Virginia Community Health Worker Association, and many more. I was especially impressed with the numbers of young people who stopped by, ready to work on creating a better world.

Upcoming Issues:

Mental Health Services: I expect a number of my bills designed to improve access to mental health services and bolster community-based care will receive bipartisan support. I am also working on bills that will reduce the burden on law enforcement and create a more humane environment in the transportation and custody process, affecting those on a temporary detention order. I expect all of these bills will be winding through the committee process in the upcoming week. I look forward to giving you a briefing on these important developments.

It is an honor and privilege to represent you in Richmond.

Sincerely,