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Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter shares information on the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s recent meeting on higher education in Virginia, discusses National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, and highlights select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.
JLARC Higher Education Institutional Viability & Spending and Efficiency
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) recently shared its reports on higher education funding. JLARC’s full reports ( Higher Education Institutional Viability [[link removed]] , Spending and Efficiency in Higher Education [[link removed]] , and the Virginia Military Survivors & Dependents Education Program [[link removed]] ) and the meeting recording [[link removed]] are available to the public.
As I continue to evaluate the research findings and the set of recommendations proposed by JLARC, the concerns with declining enrollments and the impacts that such decline are having at our various institutions are obvious areas of focus for us in Virginia. The report highlights the various factors that impact enrollment, including decreasing population of traditional, college-age students, higher education costs, and shifts away from four-year degree requirements for several career pathways. As we continue to assess the skills and training necessary for careers and jobs in this 21st century, we will need to pursue engaging opportunities for preparing young adults for the requisite competencies they need, as well as open doors for retraining working adults as our technologies and industries evolve.
The JLARC report provides a critical foundation for us as we prepare to focus on further discussions and possible legislation in advance of the 2025 Session.
Crush the Crisis: Prescription Drug Take Back Day
On Saturday, October 26, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, locations across Virginia will accept unused and expired medication for safe disposal as a part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day . Drop off locations in Central Virginia include the following:
*
Chippenham
and
Johnston-Willis
Hospitals
will
be
collecting
at
Wegmans
-
12501
Stone
Village
Way,
Midlothian
*
Henrico,
Parham
and
Retreat
Hospitals
will
be
collecting
at
Sarah
Cannon
Cancer
Institute
-
7607
Forest
Avenue,
Richmond
*
TriCities
Hospital
will
be
collecting
at
the
hospital
–
411
W.
Randolph
Road,
Hopewell
Accepted items include tablets or capsules in any packaging; patches; medicated ointments, lotions, or drops; liquid medications in leak-proof containers; vape cartridges without batteries; and pet medications. Needles, syringes, lancets, and illegal substances will not be accepted. Additional drop-off locations can be found at the U.S. Department of Justice [[link removed]] .
Select Community Engagements
We have had a busy two weeks here and have several engagements to highlight:
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Last Monday, I began a busy morning in Southside Richmond at the Hickory Hill Community Center to commemorate the first day of early voting in the City of Richmond’s satellite voting locations [[link removed]] . With a few days of early voting left, making definitive plans to vote is more important now than ever before. The helpful tool iwillvote.com [[link removed]] can assist in ensuring a smooth experience.
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Shortly after the Hickory Hill stop, I joined Chesterfield County Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to tour the new Matoaca Fire Station No. 8, which can cover 24% more territory thanks to its new location. In addition to touring the station, I learned about the Virginia State Police Med-Flight program and its partnership with Chesterfield Fire and EMS for the past forty years.
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After my tour, I stood proudly with other elected officials and healthcare advocates to highlight the stakes in this November’s election to protect healthcare affordability and accessibility for communities across our country. Voters will, I am sure, send a strong, resounding message this November that we will not go back on our progress.
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On Tuesday, my Chief of Staff returned to her alma mater to participate in the Christopher Newport University’s first annual Captains Vote Day, an opportunity for legislators, candidates, and organizations to mobilize young voters. Participants connected with my staff to learn about my vision for Virginia as its next Lieutenant Governor and how critical state-level elections are.
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Late that Tuesday afternoon, I traveled to River City Middle School to join students, partners, and community members to celebrate the successful funding of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) and see its direct impact on the ground. During the 2024 session, Delegate Mike Jones and I successfully patroned budget amendments for these programs, which provide additional instructional opportunities to students attending schools with high concentrations of poverty. I look forward to continuing to support our students and our school districts during this upcoming legislative session.
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On Thursday, I addressed leaders and advocates at Secure Solar Futures’s annual Solar Leadership Circle. I shared the state of solar policy in Virginia and the integral part it will play in meeting our Virginia Clean Economy Act goals. In addition to sharing my vision for solar, I had the opportunity to tour the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety facility and learn how the integration of solar has impacted its mission to reduce deaths, injuries, and damage through comprehensive testing.
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On Saturday morning, I traveled to Woodbridge to support the campaigns of Senator Tim Kaine and Congressional candidate, Eugene Vindman, both critical races that will help determine control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. We had wonderful representation from numerous supporters and from groups such as Moms Demand Action, CASA in Action, SEIU, and others.
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Later that evening, I joined Democrats and Congressman Gerry Connolly in Fairfax for a South Asian Bollywood Bash to celebrate Kamala Harris' historic candidacy. Our Vice President’s story—growing up in a household of first generation Americans, living in a working class neighborhood, working minimum wage jobs to achieve greater opportunities—resonates with so many Virginians and people across our nation.
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On Sunday, I was joined by reproductive rights activists for a fundraiser in support of my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. Throughout this election cycle, in legislative meetings, and at community events, discussions of reproductive rights and freedoms are a consistent topic of conversation. With extremists across the country determined to limit access to contraception, outlaw abortion, and criminalize health care providers, it is crucial that we elect leaders that recognize that such decisions have a fundamental right to privacy and are best made between individuals and their medical providers.
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On Indigenous Peoples Day, I joined members of the 11 Virginia-recognized Indian tribes for the Second Annual Richmond Indigenous Peoples Day Pow Wow. This day honors the Indigenous Communities’ strength, resilience, and courage. Our Virginia tribes’ voices and traditions continue to enlarge our understanding of Virginia’s rich and complex history.
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This past Friday, I began a busy day of events by first visiting the 2024-2025 cohort of the Humphrey Fellowship Program [[link removed]] at Virginia Commonwealth University. This US State Department-administered program brings together emerging leaders from across the world to develop their professional skills and expertise. I have spoken with Humphrey Fellows for a number of years and continue to learn from each cohort that joins us annually as a part of the VCU community.
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Shortly after, I joined the final day of VCU’s Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment (ISEE) annual symposium on a panel to discuss K-12 Climate and Environmental Literacy Education in Virginia. Climate change continues to impact communities with extreme weather events resulting from centuries of fossil fuel use to build the world we know today. As future generations grapple with the effects of a changing climate, equipping our students with fact-based environmental and climate change literacy is essential.
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That evening, I was pleased to join Latino Democrats for the Fiesta Por El Futuro, “Party for the Future,” in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The evening was a celebration of culture, hope, and purpose under a Harris Presidency. I shared my immigrant journey and the importance of addressing our unique American experiences within our communities.
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This past Saturday, I joined Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna R. Reed and women in support of Kamala Harris at a lovely Women’s Brunch. We shared the stakes of this election for women's dignity and respect. We also addressed the issues of misogyny and the fights for equality that continue to impact women, their voices, and their efforts at full representation.
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Shortly after, I was pleased to join fired-up Prince Edward County Democrats (PECD) for the annual Fish Fry. With three weeks left in this campaign, we are sharing the depth and breadth of policy initiatives Kamala Harris will bring to support individuals regardless of zip code. PECD has continued to connect with its community in the last few days.
Connecting With My Office
My office can be reached at the following:
Email: [email protected] [gmail.com]
Phone: 804.698.7515
If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here [[link removed]] .
— Ghazala
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