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Dear Friend,
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This week’s newsletter focuses on Tuesday’s election results and their impacts on the upcoming General Election in November, shares information about an ongoing legislative effort, and provides details about our upcoming Medicaid Unwinding Town Hall which will bring in speakers from the Department of Medical Assisted Services and the Department of Social Services. We also share details from recent community engagements and events. Thank you for taking the time to read the newsletter and for staying informed.
Tuesday's Primary Election Results
Tuesday’s primary election results provide a compelling picture of Virginia’s potential, new General Assembly following the November general elections. All 140 seats of the General Assembly are on the ballot. I congratulate the candidates who won their respective party primaries. Primary results for Senate, House, and Local elections are available here [[link removed]] .
The primary elections have brought forward an historic number of diverse candidates who are now their party’s nominees for Senate and House seats. The diversity of the candidates is reflective of the changing communities in the Commonwealth and also a reflection of a healthy democracy.
I especially congratulate Lashrecse Aird’s primary success in SD13. This hard-fought primary focused on protecting safe and legal abortion access in Virginia. Virginia is the last state in the South to fend off harmful restrictions to abortion access, and Lashrecse’s success is yet another step in ensuring that necessary medical care will continue to be provided and will not be criminalized in Virginia.
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Celebrating Lashrecse Aird’s victory for the Democratic nomination in Senate District 13 alongside Delegate Marcia ‘Cia’ Price and former Delegate Jay Jones.
Photo credit: Nicolas Galindo with the Richmond TImes-Dispatch
Heat Illness and Cars
On June 28, 2022, Laura Beck lost her husband, Aaron, and their 18-month old son, Anderson in an unbearable tragedy. Laura’s family’s story is provided in detail here [[link removed]] . In Laura’s own, powerful words, her story is “not an easy read. However, reading someone else’s story is much easier than writing your own .”
Each year, an average of forty children die from heatstroke, either because they were left or became trapped in a car [[link removed]] , according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA’s “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock” campaign [[link removed]] is a nationwide effort to draw attention to children accidentally left in vehicles, and additional, stronger efforts are also necessary. As we approach the hottest months of the year, remembering the safety procedures for protecting young children must be an essential public concern.
Despite her remarkable personal trauma of losing both Aaron and Anderson, Laura has channeled her tragedy into selfless, public efforts by advocating for change as she works with Kids and Car Safety [[link removed]] , a non-profit organization focused on preventing all vehicular-related deaths of minors, including deaths by heat stroke [[link removed]] . Through her advocacy, she has had a consistent message: this heartache and unbearable loss can happen to any family because tragedy does not discriminate.
My office will be working with Laura in the next few months as we prepare for the 2024 General Assembly Session to raise awareness of the dangers of heat and cars. I appreciate Laura for reaching out to my office, sharing her story, connecting us with resources, and asking to collaborate on this important project in memory of her beloved Aaron and Anderson.
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Upcoming Medicaid Unwinding Town Hall
Under the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, anyone who was enrolled in Medicaid was allowed to keep their coverage regardless of whether or not they still met eligibility requirements. With the end of the Public Health Emergency, states must now redetermine eligibility for Medicaid. In Virginia alone and as of June 2023, more than 1.8 million Virginians must still undergo redetermination [[link removed]] .
Next Wednesday, June 28, 6:30pm to 7:30pm, my office is hosting an in-person town hall with representatives from the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Virginia Department of Social Services to answer constituent questions about Medicaid Unwinding, renewal processes, and other crucial information. The Town Hall is open to the public, and registration [[link removed]] is required. We hope you will join us to get answers to your questions.
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Highlights from Community Events & Meetings
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Last Friday, I joined members of the VCU Health Department of Psychiatry for a tour of their facility at Jackson Center and learned about the many essential mental health and substance addiction services that are provided.
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Saturday kicked off Get Out the Vote (GOTV) events across the Commonwealth for Tuesday’s Primary. Many groups and community members gathered in Eastern Henrico in support of Lashrecse Aird’s campaign for Senate District 13.
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Also on Saturday, I attended Councilman Mike Jones’ Inaugural Juneteenth Community Celebration & Cookout at Forest Hill Park. We gathered with many community members, local vendors, artists, and elected officials (pictured: Richmond City Council President, Councilman Mike Jones, and Councilwoman Katherine Jordan) to commemorate Freedom Day.
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On Tuesday, I joined students from across the Metro Richmond Area as they were honored by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Great Aspirations Scholarship Program (GRASP) and the Virginia 529 SOAR Virginia Program at a luncheon at the University of Richmond. These bright and talented students graduated recently from Richmond and Henrico County public schools, and I look forward to seeing what they do next as they move forward to post-secondary education opportunities in four-year and community colleges all across Virginia.
Connecting With My Office
Please email us at [email protected] [[email protected]] or call our office at 804-698-7510. If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here [[link removed]] [[link removed]] .
— Ghazala
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