͏͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌If you’d like to unsubscribe, click here. [[link removed]]

Sen. Aaron Rouse




Monday, January 15th, 2024
Weekly Newsletter

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I am reminded of this quote:

Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

— Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.




"This session, I’m focused on providing relief for working families, protecting voting rights and ensuring opportunities for small businesses to be able to compete on a level playing field." Rouse said. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation for the benefit of all Virginians."

First day of session! It’s exciting to be back with my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate to outline our priorities to keep Virginia moving forward.

# [#]

This session, I am proud to serve on the following committees: Privileges and Elections, Commerce and Labor, General Laws and Technology and Rehabilitation and Social Services.

On January 10th I announced my legislative priorities for the 2024 General Assembly Session. These prefiled bills focus on delivering for Virginia Beach, supporting working families, protecting voting rights, and ensuring small businesses can thrive in our Commonwealth.

My bills this session will:

*
Change
the
Virginia
Beach
City
charter
to
adopt
the
10-1
election
system.
Amends
the
charter
for
the
City
of
Virginia
Beach
to
reflect
the
City's
transition
to
a
city
council
consisting
solely
of
single-member
districts
and
the
mayor.
*
Prevent
unlawful
and/or
flawed
voter
purges
by
setting
standards,
such
as
a
verification
requirement.
The
general
registrars
must
send
notice
before
canceling
a
voter's
registration,
regardless
of
the
reason
for
cancellation.
Any
canceled
voter
registrations
create
a
record
available
to
the
public
per
the
Virginia
Freedom
of
Information
Act
and
the
National
Voter
Registration
Act
*
Establish
requirement
of
registrars
to
notify
voters
who
appear
on
the
felony
list
before
canceling
their
registration.
The
general
registrar
must
mail
a
notice
to
voters
who
appear
on
the
felony
list
before
canceling
their
voter
registration.
The
general
registrar
will
allow
a
14-day
window
for
those
with
their
right
restored
to
petition
their
cancellation.
*
Expand
the
Earned
Income
Tax
Credit.
Allows
eligible
low-income
taxpayers
to
claim
a
refundable
income
tax
credit
equal
to
20
percent
of
the
federal
earned
income
tax
credit
claimed
that
year
by
the
taxpayer
for
the
same
taxable
year.
Filers
who
qualify
for
the
federal
equivalent
of
this
credit
but
can't
due
to
them,
a
dependent,
or
joint
filer
not
possessing
a
valid
social
security
number
are
eligible
to
claim
this
credit.
*
Establish
a
framework
for
the
regulation,
taxation,
and
enforcement
of
skill
games
in
Virginia.
Under
this
bill,
the
Virginia
Alcoholic
Beverage
Control
Authority
would
oversee
skill
games,
which
is
estimated
to
bring
$200
million
in
tax
revenue
to
the
Commonwealth
for
public
education,
school
construction,
and
local
governments.
Senator
L.
Louise
Lucas
(D-Portsmouth)
and
Senator
Timmy
French
(D-Shenandoah
County)
will
serve
as
chief
co-patrons
of
this
legislation.
*
Legalize
recreational
marijuana
sales
in
Virginia.
Establishment
of
marijuana
retail
market
and
regulatory
structure
inclusive
of
Virginia’s
small
and
midsize
businesses.
The
legislation
will
allow
for
potential
licensees
to
apply
for
licenses
at
the
same
time,
sets
a
12%
retail
tax
for
marijuana
and
marijuana
products,
with
6%
going
to
the
state,
6%
to
localities
and
empowers
the
Virginia
Cannabis
Control
Authority
to
establish
secure
seed
to
sale
tracking.
*
Extend
Virginia’s
“cocktails
to
go”
policy,
which
allows
bars
and
restaurants
to
sell
alcoholic
beverages
for
takeout.
More
than
35
states,
including
Virginia,
have
permitted
restaurants/bars
to
sell
cocktails
to-go
since
the
pandemic
started.
States
such
as
Arizona,
Georgia,
and
Washington
D.C.,
have
enacted
“cocktails
to
go”
as
a
permanent
policy.
*
Establish
Military
centered
community
zones.
Allow
localities
to
offer
unique
economic
development
benefits
in
communities
that
serve
a
high
population
of
military
personnel.
*
Establish
Cardiac
Emergency
Response
Plan
for
schools.
Requires
each
public
elementary
or
secondary
school
to
develop
a
cardiac
emergency
response
plan
(CERP)
to
appropriately
direct
school
personnel
to
respond
to
incidents
involving
an
individual
who
is
experiencing
sudden
cardiac
arrest
or
a
similar
life-threatening
emergency
while
on
school
grounds.
*
Amend
the
powers
of
the
State
Corporation
Commission
to
require
the
consideration
of
public
safety,
workforce
development,
and
fair
labor
standards.
*
Modernizing
rental
agreements
for
Self-Storage
facilities.
Allows
rental
agreements
to
be
delivered
and
accepted
electronically.
This
bill
would
also
allow
for
self-storage
facility
owners
to
tow,
per
local
ordinances,
any
non-authorized
abandoned
vehicles
or
watercraft.

Virginia Legislative Black Caucus

I am proud to be serving with the LARGEST assembly of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus in the HISTORY of Virginia!

# [#]

With colleagues, Sen. Boysko and Sen. Hashmi on the Senate floor!

# [#]

I temporarily took over as Chair of Rehabilitation and Social Services committee as my colleague, Sen. Favola presented her bills.

# [#]

Aaron in the News

Historic display of racial, gender diversity marks the start of 2024 General Assembly session - Virginia Mercury [[link removed]]
“In a state that once intentionally sought to disenfranchise Black voters, Black lawmakers now run both committees dealing with voting and election issues. Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, is leading the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee. On the House side, Del. Marcia Price, D-Newport News, who has championed a state-level voting rights law, is chairing the elections committee.”




[link removed] [[link removed]] Senate Public Education Committee subcommittee recommends reporting @AaronRouseVaBch [[link removed]] school cardiac emergency response plan grant fund. (But will need to survive full committee and Finance committee.)
VAPLAN @vaplan2018 2:22 PM · Jan 11, 2024 · X




Dems push for retail cannabis market, some Republicans not on board | WRIC ABC 8News [[link removed]]
“It’s far too long, we have gone two years without really setting up this market and putting teeth behind it,” Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach told reporters on Jan. 10.





Youngkin renews push on tax changes - Cardinal News [[link removed]]
“Senate Democrats have filed two proposals aimed at fixing a problem that is unique in the United States. Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, has introduced a measure that would establish a cannabis retail market and regulatory structure inclusive of Virginia’s small and midsize businesses.

Rouse’s proposal would allow for potential licensees to apply for licenses at the same time, set a 12% retail tax for cannabis products, with 6% going to the state, and 6% to localities. It would also empower the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority to establish secure seed to sale tracking. Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, has also filed legislation.”




[link removed] [[link removed]] While Youngkin wants to raise taxes on low-income Virginians by an average $44 (to pay for a $9640 avg tax break for the wealthy), @PriceForDel95 [#] and @AaronRouseVaBch [[link removed]] want to create a refundable earned income tax credit for them.
VAPLAN @vaplan2018 3:49 PM · Jan 9, 2024 · X




Sen. Rouse’s Legislative Staff

Welcome Sen. Rouse’s Legislative team for the 2024 Session:

Dymon Bailey, Chief of Staff, Email: [email protected]
Tonianne Beals, Legislative Assistant, Email: [email protected]

# [#]

We look forward to sharing updates with you throughout the session. To contact me or my staff, please reach out to [email protected] or (804) 698-7522. To keep up with all the action at the General Assembly throughout the coming weeks follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Have a good week!
Sen. Aaron Rouse



PAID FOR BY ROUSE FOR SENATE

Rouse for Senate
P.O. Box 2864
Virginia Beach, VA 23450
United States
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