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This newsletter will update you on the latest news on what has been happening in the Capitol that will affect the 16th district. For additional announcements and updates, I also recommend that you follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
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I am grateful for the support of my family, friends, community members, and dedicated volunteers who helped make this win possible! Here I am, sworn in, posing with my family, standing among my fellow Henrico County Democratic Senators, and posing with the two Senate Democrat members I joined the General Assembly with back in 2017.
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Swearing in as Senator and Kicking off the 2024 Legislative Session
Last Wednesday, January 10th, I was were sworn into the Virginia Senate along with the other new and returning Senators. Thank you to everyone who helped me get here, starting with my family and extending to the hundreds of volunteers and supporters who helped us win. I’m excited to help keep moving Virginia forward and to represent you as Senator.
This session I am excited to be a member of the following committees: Education and Health; General Laws and Technology; Local Government; Privileges and Elections; and Rehabilitation and Social Services.
I am also grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Chair of the Public Education Sub-Committee and hope to advance legislation that will improve our public education system and ensure that our children have access to high-quality education and mental health resources. As a high school teacher, I am acutely aware of the issues facing students today, and I know how important quality education is in determining the future of our children’s lives. I look forward to working with my colleagues this session to pass legislation intended to improve the lives of all Virginians.
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Here I am speaking to the importance of revising the SOQ formula in the Education and Health Committee.
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My Bills For This Session
During the 2024 General Assembly session, I focused my legislative efforts on education, school safety, housing, and energy. Proposed legislation for 2024 is available on the Legislative Information System (LIS). In this Session, Senate members were limited to 21 bills. Here is a quick overview of a handful of my bills.
Firearms continue to be the number one cause of death among children and teens nationwide. I am carrying Senate Bill 44 with Delegate Rodney Willett, which would make it punishable to irresponsibly leave a gun accessible to a child. This bill would allow firearm owners to store their firearms as they choose but outlines the legal repercussions for owners whose children misuse their firearms to commit a crime or hurt themselves or others. Though many people think these policies already exist, there are no such laws in Virginia, even though they are among the most effective ways to bring down gun violence.
Equal access to higher education is essential, but we cannot ensure that all students will receive equal consideration in the admissions process if Virginia colleges and universities continue to consider legacy and donor status in their admissions process. Senate Bill 46 will even the playing field for all students in our Commonwealth, regardless of background, by prohibiting the use of legacy admissions in public institutions of higher education. As a high school teacher who mostly teaches seniors, I see in the classroom every day how hard these students are working to get into college and how much stress they are under. By banning legacy and donor admissions, we make the process more merit-based, so my students and students across the Commonwealth have a fair shot at our world-class colleges and universities.
Senate Bill 122 creates a Department of Pharmaceutical Services tasked with identifying which drugs are purchased by state agencies and developing a plan to maximize cost savings for state agencies. This bill would consolidate state agency prescription drug purchasing and, by some estimates, save taxpayers millions of dollars in our annual budget.
Many homes across our Commonwealth were built centuries ago, and, as a result, many of our oldest zero-lot line homes have neither maintained proper adherence to easements nor submitted plans to zoning or planning to make improvements nor historically recorded deeds of sale. If one of these homes is in disrepair, and the owner would need to cross property lines to make these repairs, right now, they would have to jump through several hoops just to make their home liveable. Senate Bill 123 will make it easier for owners of these historic zero-lot line homes to fix their homes by simplifying the process of entry.
Virginia legalized sports betting in 2020 but excluded Virginia college sports. Senate Bill 124 will permit betting on Virginia college sports and will generate additional funds that can be used to address the needs of Virginians.
Last Thursday the Public Education Sub-Committee heard two of my bills, Senate Bill 127 and Senate Bill 128, and unanimously reported them! Senate Bill 127 would expand access to mental health resources for our students by increasing the number of support staff in schools. Senate Bill 128 is a near-term proposal that would adjust our school funding formula in alignment with a JLARC study done this summer. SB 128 would ultimately allow us to invest more money into our schools and reform how we spend that money.
I am also preparing resolutions to celebrate notable achievements of residents of the 72nd district and memorial resolutions for members of our community that we lost this year. If you have a suggestion for a member of our community that you would like to be honored with, please email me at [email protected].
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Thank you to all of the constituents who visited for Bankers Day on Thursday!
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Tips and tricks for Understanding the Legislature
Whether it is your first General Assembly session or your 6th like mine, sometimes the language we use around Capitol Square can be tricky. Below is a glossary of some common terms and motions used in session and in committees and a helpful graphic on how to read a bill.
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Layout of a typical bill includes:
-The regular font shows you what the Code of Virginia already says
-Italicized font means that language is being added to the Code of Virginia.
-Strikethrough means that language will be removed from the Code of Virginia.
-Bold font indicates a title or headers
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Definitions of Common Committee Terms
General terms:
-Co-Patron: A Delegate or Senator who supports the bill and signed on in support.
-First Reading: The bill is placed on the House floor calendar.
-Second Reading: The bill is open for discussion on the House floor.
-Third Reading: The bill is voted on the House floor.
-Crossover: When all the bills that passed one body (House or Senate) “crossover” to the other body
-Sine Die: The House and Senate have completed their work and session adjourns.
Committee terms:
-Report: This motion is made to vote on the passage of a bill in committee.
-Refer: This motion is made when a bill is being reported and referred to another committee for review and consideration.
-Pass by for the Day: When a bill is still up for consideration but the committee or the patron needs more time to work on the bill. It is considered again during the next committee meeting. This motion can also be made on the House floor.
-Lay on the table: This means the bill fails to pass.
-Pass by Indefinitely: This means the bill fails to pass.
-Continued: The bill fails to pass but will be considered next year after more research/discussion, often accompanied by a workgroup that convenes between sessions.
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The Valentines for Vets program infographic!
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Congresswoman McClellan's Valentines for Vets
I am excited to share Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan’s Inaugural Valentines for Vets Initiative that runs through Friday, February 2, 2024. Congresswoman McClellan invites constituents of the Fourth Congressional District to make or collect Valentine’s Day Cards to show support for the men and women who have served our country in the Armed Forces. We’re calling all students, teachers, and Boys and Girls Scouts to join us in expressing our appreciation for the fourth district’s veterans.
To participate:
-Write a note to a veteran on a handmade or store-bought card.
-Cards can be mailed or dropped off to their Richmond (11 S. 12th Street, Richmond, VA 23219) and Brunswick ( 100 Athletic Field Road, Lawrenceville, VA 23868) offices.
-Cards will be hand-delivered to Veteran-serving organizations in the district.
NOTE: Participating schools with a large volume of Valentines for Veterans may contact the Congresswoman's office to arrange a pick-up. Please contact Bianca Casper, [email protected], 804-486-1840, with any questions or concerns or click here for more info.
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If you would like to reach out and discuss any of my legislative priorities, share an opinion, or send a scheduling request if you’d like me to come and share a legislative update at a community or organization meeting, please do not hesitate to contact my office at [email protected].
Yours in service,
Schyuler VanValkenburg
Senator, 16th District
Schuyler VanValkenburg
Senator, District 16, Henrico County
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