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Dear Friend,
This week’s newsletter provides information on constituent services through my office, discusses updates from recent Commission meetings, shares a community engagement from this past week, and commemorates Giving Tuesday. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.
Constituent Services
As a State Senator, assisting constituents in my senate district is a central and critical responsibility. My staff and I work with our federal partners in Congress and in the US Senate, with our state agencies, our local officials, and with many community organizations to address constituent issues, gather information, provide timely responses, and resolve problems. Examples of the state agencies with which my office works include the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), the Virginia Department of Social Services (DSS), and several others. Constituents who need assistance are able to complete our constituent services intake form [[link removed]] ; a member of my staff will then connect directly. Nosotros hablamos español .
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Commission Meetings
On Tuesday, the Joint Commission on Health Care (JCHC) held its November meeting to vote on recommended policy options provided through the research conducted by JCHC staff. The policy options that we evaluated emerged from the JCHC report on Strategies to Extend Health Care Access to Vulnerable Populations and included these various healthcare access programs: mobile health clinics, community paramedicine programs, home visiting programs, community health workers, and telehealth. The selected policy options will now be considered for legislative and budget actions for the upcoming 2025 Session. The JCHC also heard presentations on two additional research topics: Expanding Access to Sickle Cell Disease Treatment in Virginia [[link removed]] and Strategies to Strengthen the Anesthesia Workforce in Virginia [[link removed]] . At our December meeting, the JCHC will vote on the policy option recommendations emerging from these two reports.
Immediately following the JCHC, I also chaired the Virginia Housing Commission Affordable Housing Workgroup to receive updates on legislation referred to the Housing Commission from the 2024 session. The workgroup reviewed legislative proposals on real estate disclosures including flood damage and fly-over zones, early lease terminations for those with protective orders, the Eviction Diversion Program, and more. Included in the discussion were three legislative proposals as well as a budget amendment to expand housing availability by allowing faith congregations and non-profit organizations to build affordable housing on land and in buildings owned by those respective groups. Housing access and affordability requires finding unique ways to reduce barriers and increase supply for a growing population. The full Housing Commission will meet in December to endorse legislation and confirm priorities in advance of the 2025 session.
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Select Community Engagements
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On Sunday, I met with residents of the Shady Hill Mobile Home Community in Senate District 15. Residents of Shady Hill have been working alongside organizers with Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) to advocate for better living conditions within their community, as well as to strengthen tenant protections for mobile home community residents across the Commonwealth.
Giving Tuesday
Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, a day that reminds us of the power of collective action and the importance of giving back to our communities through service and charity. As we continue into the holiday season, a time of joy but also a time when many in our communities are facing hardships, we have the opportunity to direct time, energy, and resources into causes and organizations that uplift the lives of our most vulnerable residents.
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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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Friends of Ghazala Hashmi
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