Here I am speaking about a bill last week in the Senate Health and Education Committee.

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This past Friday was the deadline for all bills to be introduced that will be considered this session; 1,545 bills were introduced in the House and 736 in the Senate, not including resolutions. Last week was the first full week in our legislative session so committee meetings have started and legislation is slowly starting to move through the process. However, I look forward to updating you all as my bills and other major legislative priorities progress in the coming weeks. For now, I have listed the updates on the few bills that have moved forward this week.

This week, I am excited to share updates on several of my bills on education that were heard in their respective sub-committees. In addition to my newsletter, you can continuously stay updated on my bills through the Legislative Information System (LIS). Here is a quick overview of the progress on a few of my bills.

The Education and Health Committee heard my bill prohibiting the use of legacy admissions in public institutions of higher education, Senate Bill 46, and unanimously reported it! Banning legacy and donor admissions would make the college admissions process more merit-based, so all of our students would have equal access to the excellent higher education institutions we have in Virginia. The bill now also incorporates Senate Bill 71, which prohibits public higher education institutions from providing preferential treatment in admissions based on the student’s legacy status or familial relationship to a donor to the institution. This bill passing through the Education and Health Committee is an important step towards making more equitable education a reality.

Two of my bills, Senate Bill 127 and Senate Bill 128, were reported from the Education and Health Committee and were rereferred to the Finance and Appropriations Committee. Senate Bill 127 was reported unanimously and would expand access to mental health resources for our students by increasing the number of support staff in schools, such as counselors, social workers, and school psychologists. Senate Bill 128 was reported by a vote of 14-0 with one abstention and would allow us to invest more money into our schools and reform the way we spend money in education.


I’ve introduced 21 pieces of legislation in total this session to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing Henrico and the Commonwealth, from education to housing to school safety. For the full list of bills I have introduced this session, please visit the Legislative Information System (LIS).

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I am also preparing resolutions to celebrate notable achievements of residents of the 16th Senate 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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I am excited to be hosting a town hall with the Henrico County delegation on Saturday, January 27th, 2024. The town hall will take place in the large room of the Tuckahoe Public Library at 1901 Starling Drive, Henrico, VA. I will be attending the event along with Senator Lamont Bagby, Senator Lashrecse Aird, Delegate Delores McQuinn, Delegate Rodney Willett, Delegate David Owen, and Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling. To RSVP for the event, please complete this short form. I look forward to discussing what I am working on in the legislature and answering your questions about what is happening in our Commonwealth’s capital. 

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This week, we had members of the UK’s Labour Party visit the Capitol. I had the opportunity to chat with them about the elections here in Virginia this past fall and what we are working on in the state legislature to attack the gun violence epidemic in our communities and open economic opportunities for all Virginians. I taught AP European History for a long time, and it was my favorite class to teach, so this was the opportunity of a lifetime. It was great to talk about all things UK Parliament!

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This Sunday, the Richmond Times Dispatch published an op-ed I wrote about three legislative proposals I am carrying this session and my pledge to continue to work with my General Assembly colleagues to prioritize school safety. As a teacher, I’ve long known that a student who is safe is a student who is safe to learn, and, in 2019, Delegates Jeff Bourne, Michael Mullin and I put forward a series of school safety proposals based on that notion. To provide students an environment in which they can learn successfully, we have passed a red flag law, added counselors and support staff to our schools, and tightened the relationship between schools and law enforcement. That’s a lot of progress, and Virginia students and schools have benefitted from this comprehensive approach to providing a safe, supportive learning environment.

Since I’ve been in the legislature, we have seen bipartisan progress in making our schools safer and providing the resources and the policies to create a world-class education for all students. But we must respond to contemporary problems. Gun violence is the number one cause of death among young people, mental health problems are increasing, and social media is increasingly contributing to those mental health problems and lower academic performance. My introduced bills will continue us on the path of ensuring that schools are a place where everyone can reach their potential because a student who is safe is a student who is safe to learn.

You can read my full op-ed here. 

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This past week, Senate members who are not on Senate Finance and Appropriations got the opportunity to present their amendments to the state budget. The most important piece of legislation is the budget bill. Virginia passes a biennial budget in even-numbered years, and amendments to that biennial budget in odd-numbered years. Stay tuned for more information about the budget in the coming weeks!

Applications are now being accepted for the Governor’s Fellows Program, an internship program offered by the Governor of Virginia that offers rising college seniors and recent graduates the opportunity to work within the state’s executive branch.

The program is designed to inspire public service leadership and provide a platform for professional development. It is open to all Virginia public and private college and university students and Virginia students who attend colleges or universities out of state. The deadline to apply is March 4, and interviews will begin on March 11. The program runs from June through August.

The program provides an opportunity for students to gain firsthand experience in the executive branch and learn about state government. During their participation, the Governor’s fellows have the opportunity to learn from guest speakers who are leaders in state government and beyond. Fellows also experience state government on the road, visiting state government agencies and historic sites.

“The Governor’s Fellow program is an experience I cannot recommend highly enough! It provided me with an enormous boost straight out of college that helped prepare and propel me forward into the role I have today,” said Max Berckmueller, a 2023 Governor’s Fellow. “I loved how the program brought together people from various backgrounds and walks of life with different interests and goals into a fellowship where you can make some amazing connections and friendships.”

To apply, visit the Governor’s Fellows Program website and send the required recommendation letters to:

Governor’s Fellows Program
Post Office Box 2454
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Email any questions to [email protected].

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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