Special Session 2020: What Do Virginians Need Going Forward

Monday, October 19, 2020

Dear Friend,

The special session lasted 60 days, that is longer than the upcoming 2021 general session is expected to last. But legislation on the Governor’s desk will reform policing practices, better train officers, fund mental health crisis intervention programs, develop stronger bonds with the communities being policed and ensure that “bad” cops are not passed around. These measures are truly transformational.

The other major accomplishment of the special session was revising the budget. The General Assembly’s amendments to the Governor’s budget ensure that safety-net programs, support for small businesses, and necessary investments in our schools and health care systems will be sufficient to carry Virginia through this pandemic. It is important to note that we reallocated dollars in a responsible way, bearing in mind the need for healthy reserves and a rainy-day fund to maintain Virginia’s triple-triple A bond rating.

Elections 

Elections matter, the progressive policies that the General Assembly recently passed are the direct result of the November 2019 elections and the Democrats taking control of the House of Delegates and the State Senate.

This November, we have the opportunity and obligation to regain our Democracy. It is time to say “yes” to protecting health insurance for millions of Americans, to taking action on climate change, to embracing equality and to respecting science. Make a plan to vote. The Election is November 3 and October 23rd is the last day you can request an absentee ballot. NoVA jurisdictions have early in-person voting sites up and running check here (Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington) for more information.

End of Session Highlight 

The last bill to pass the General Assembly on the last day of session embodied the Democrats’ commitment to reforming the criminal justice system. A jury sentencing bill introduced by Senator Morrissey from Richmond places sentencing in the hands of judges, even in jury trials, unless the defendant asks for the jury to recommend the sentence.

Based on national studies from indigent defense groups and the experience of 48 other states, judges are far more likely to consider mitigating circumstances in issuing a jail sentence than juries. In fact, prosecutors today leverage the possibility of long jail sentences, likely to be issued by juries, to obtain a guilty plea to lesser offenses, regardless of actual guilt. The threat of long jail time is a big stick that can be unfairly used. The debate on the Senate floor evolved around leveling the playing field for alleged offenders. I am proud to say that I co-sponsored this bill, and as whip in the Senate Democratic caucus, played an important role in getting the measure passed.

Budget Amendments that will Carry us through June 30, 2021

The General Assembly ensured that $328M will be allocated to the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginian Department for Emergency Management to support the purchase of PPE and the Commonwealth’s on-going testing and contact tracing program. This allocation is vital to containing the spread of COVID-19 and creating the environments necessary to enable schools and business to resume business in a more normal fashion. It is today's reality that the bulk purchase of these life-saving items falls to the state, due to the absence of any coordinated response from the federal government. Fortunately, lawmakers and Governor Northam are committed to doing what it takes to keep Virginians healthy.

Health Care - The health care sector received some needed restoration funds as a result of COVID-19 and the demands on acute care beds, nursing facilities, and home care services to those with developmental disabilities. Hospitals received $60M to offset costs associated with caring for the uninsured, lost revenue resulting from the moratorium on elective surgeries, and increased expenses associated with the treatment of complicated COVID cases. Hazard pay ($1,500) was included for personal care workers, and nursing homes will receive an additional $20 a day per patient through June 2021.

Safety Net Programs - The General Assembly took steps to make the CARES Act dollars that are currently set aside for eviction prevention easier to access for both renters and landlords. There will be a moratorium on utility cut-offs throughout the duration of the COVID-19 State Emergency Order, and other actions were taken to keep Virginians more financially secure and families intact. For example, the Permanent Supportive Housing program received a partial restoration of $20M and the Housing Trust Fund was restored to its earlier level of $85M through FY 2022.

K-12 Education - Fortunately, we were able to provide a large infusion of funds to help our public-school systems. The Covid-19 Relief Fund will provide $95M to help schools pay for costs associated with implementing the Standards of Quality. Moreover, approximately $221M from the CARES Act and other revenue streams will help schools cover expenses related to public health measures, virtual learning, and other steps necessary for the delivery of expected educational programing. Finance staff tell us that the allocation will equate to approximately $175 per pupil.

Child Care - Close to $77M will be allocated from the CARES Act to assist child care centers in implementing public health measures to serve children whose parents must physically return to work. Hopefully, these dollars will also be used to expand the availability of affordable daycare slots.

In summary, the special session was a landmark session with the passage of many important bills, but with the acknowledgement that more needs to be done to eradicate systemic racism. Although the schedule has been grueling and my committee has been busy, I am very excited about returning to Richmond for the 2021 session.

Thank you for your on-going support. Stay safe. We are in this together and we will get through this together.

Sincerely,