@media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) {
/* mobile-specific CSS styles go here */
table[class="backgroundTable"] {
width: 100% !important; }

table[class="sideColumn"],
table[class="defaultText"],
.twoColumnRightSidebar table[class="sideColumn"] {
border-width: 0 !important;
width: 100% !important; }

table[class="sideColumn"] {
border-bottom-color: #cccccc !important;
border-bottom-style: dashed !important;
border-bottom-width: 1px !important; }

table img[class="headerImage"] {
width: 100% !important;
height: auto !important; } }
-->



















Dear Jack,

 

As your Senator, I want to keep you up to date on the latest information regarding COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in our community. The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic. As of today, there are 41 known cases in Virginia, 5 of which are in Loudoun County and 2 of which are in Prince William County. While there is no need for panic, reasonable precautions have to be taken for the safety of our families and communities. 


Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Hand hygiene is the #1 way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content is also effective if soap and water are not available.

Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue while coughing/sneezing, and then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve if no tissues are available.

Clean and sanitize frequently touched surfaces.

Stay home when you're feeling sick whenever possible.

Avoid unnecessary travel

Avoid large gatherings of people


Please note: authorities do not encourage hoarding supplies such as toilet paper, bleach wipes, and hand sanitizer. Please buy only what you need.

Governor Northam has ordered all K-12 schools closed from Monday, March 16th to Friday, March 27th at a minimum. Additionally, Prince William County Public Schools will be closed from Saturday, March 14th to Tuesday, April 14th. Loudoun County School Nutrition Services will continue to provide  breakfast and lunch for pickup at Loudoun schools between the hours of 8am and 1pm. Additional information can be found here. Prince William County Schools will be providing meals between 9 and 10am at select locations. Additional information on Prince William County meal services and service locations can be found here.

I also received an update on INOVA's preparations for COVID-19. They informed me of the thorough and comprehensive preparations they are making to care for patients with advanced respiratory conditions related to this disease, and I have full faith that they are more than up to the task of tackling this outbreak. 

One piece of information that INOVA asked me to pass on to you: it is still completely safe to donate blood. INOVA Blood Services requires 25o volunteer donors per day to maintain their blood supply and they have seen a drop in volunteers, so please consider giving blood if you're able.

For the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19, you can visit: 

Virginia Department of Health COVID-19 Map

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) COVID-19

I will continue to keep you updated on COVID-19 related news in the coming weeks.




In happier news -- the 2020 Legislative Session is a wrap! Thank you all for your many calls, emails, and letters -- it is so important for me to hear your voices so that I can represent you effectively in Richmond.



Last week, we welcomed many different individuals and businesses from the 13th district to give them commending resolutions in the Senate! We recognized several constituents this year, including Jai Srinivasan, an outstanding eight-year-old actor who played Tiny Tim on Broadway. Jai has cerebral palsy and is breaking barriers for disabled performers, and we are so proud of him!



Ellen Zangla and her son Thomas also came to receive their recognition! Ellen is a fantastic pet photographer in Hamilton, and she raised over $28,000 for animal welfare groups through the sale of her coffee table book, Tails of Loudoun County!



Another group that we recognized was Belmont Ridge's own Violet Blast, an all-girl Lego robotics team that placed in several local competitions and were chosen to represent Virginia in an international competition. These girls did an amazing job representing girls in STEM!


2020 Legislation

It has been such an exciting and productive year in the General Assembly. Some of our bigger accomplishments:

Ratifying the ERA: This year, we became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. It was my honor and privilege to cast my vote for equality, in honor of the many women in my life, but especially my late mother, who dearly wanted to see the ERA passed.

LGBTQ Equality: I've fought for the rights of LGBTQ people since my first campaign in 2009, when it wasn't easy or popular. We've come a long way in eleven years, and I'm proud that we finally passed legislation this year prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ Virginians in housing, employment, and public accommodations.

Voting Rights: The right to vote is one of the most important rights we have, and I'm thrilled we've passed some great reforms this year to make it easier to vote. Not only did we pass automatic voter registration, same day registration, and early voting, we also voted to make Election Day a state holiday!

Gun Safety: One of the main issues that I spoke on last year was gun reform. I could not be happier to report that we have come out strong against gun violence. We passed universal background checks and red flag laws, as well as reinstating the one-handgun-a-month law. I'm proud of the reforms we've made, which preserve second amendment rights while still putting safeguards in place to prevent gun violence.

In addition, I was able to pass much of my own legislation this year. For some of these bills, I've been working on passing them since my first session as a delegate, so it's been a long road!

In-Person Training for Concealed Carry Permits: Currently, in order to get a concealed carry permit in Virginia, you only have to take a brief online course. I don't believe that an online course can take the place of an in-person training from a qualified instructor when it comes to gun safety. That's why I've been fighting to require in-person training for concealed carry permits for five sessions now. I'm thrilled that we finally passed it this year.

Correctional Officers Disease Presumption: This is another bill that's near and dear to my heart that we were able to pass this year. Correctional officers do some of the most dangerous jobs in Virginia, and currently the law leaves them unprotected if they get an infectious disease on the job. This bill ensures that they can go into work each day and know that if they get sick on the job, they'll be taken care of.

Tethering Dogs: My wife Margaret and I are dog lovers, and I couldn't be happier to finally get this bill through this year. My bill prohibits dogs from being tethered outside in extreme or dangerous weather conditions, and also increases the minimum length of the tether for the dog's comfort and safety.


Town Hall Schedule

Unfortunately, with the current outbreak, we have elected to cancel our March 30th town hall meeting with Dels. Delaney and Subramanyam. We will keep you updated on the town hall schedule as the situation develops.


As always, feel free to reach out to my office anytime with any concerns or questions you may have. My office’s number in Richmond is (804) 698-7513 and our office's email address is [email protected].

Sincerely,



Senator John J. Bell

Senate of Virginia, 13th District

 









 

                                 

 

 

Contact

Senator Bell

 

Richmond Phone Number:

(804) 698-7513

 

District Phone Number: 

(571) 367-9080

 

Email Address:

[email protected]

 

Website:

www.senatorbell.com

 

Please contact me by phone or email if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about legislation or other state matters. I'd be happy to answer any questions!

 









Senator John Bell

900 E. Main Street

Richmond, VA 23219















---------------------------------------------------------------
| Paid for and Authorized by John Bell for State Senate |
---------------------------------------------------------------

John Bell for State Senate
P.O. Box 4489
Broadlands VA 20148 United States

If you believe you received this message in error or manage your preferences, please [link removed].

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000}
span.s1 {font-kerning: none}

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000}
span.s1 {font-kerning: none}
span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none}

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000}
p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Georgia; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 19.0px}
span.s1 {font-kerning: none}
span.s2 {font: 10.0px Georgia; font-kerning: none}