Friends,

We’re in the final days of the 2020 General Assembly. The 140 members of the House of Delegates and the Senate, along with their staff, and the amazing staff of the Capitol have worked day in and day out to improve the lives of everyday Virginians.

We “gavel out” the 2020 General Assembly soon, but I wanted to share with you the legislation that my team and I worked on and will soon go to the Governor’s desk:

• Environmental Justice Act, SB 406, requires state agencies to monitor the impact of its policies and projects on communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities.
• Standards of Quality, SB 910, provides funding for more teachers to support students with limited English proficiency.
• Public Institutions of Higher Education, SB 935, allows those who meet eligibility standards to receive in-state tuition regardless of immigration status.
• Office of New Americans, SB 991, establishes the Office of New Americans within the Department of Social Services to promote and assist immigrant integration within the Commonwealth.

This is just a fraction of the great work the General Assembly achieved over the last few weeks. The next step? These bills go to the Governor’s desk so that he can sign them into law.

I want to thank my staff and our interns. And I want to acknowledge the amazing work from the students in the Page Leadership Program. Hundreds of students, ages 13 to 14, apply every year to work in the General Assembly, and only a small group are accepted in this very competitive program. It’s a tremendous opportunity to get behind the scenes and become involved in our democracy at a young age. Their daily presence in the General Assembly brought such joy; we all enjoyed interacting with them and seeing ourselves through their eyes. These young people are already leaders, and I am looking forward to seeing what lies ahead for each of them.

As I reflect on this past year — from launching our campaign, to winning in November, to concluding my first term as Senator — I’m so proud of, and humbled by, this experience.

It’s been an immense honor to serve my first term as the Senator of the 10th District of Virginia. I thank you for all of your support, your advocacy for the issues you care deeply about, and for your commitment to this Commonwealth.

Sincerely,

Ghazala