Dear John,

The General Assembly’s opening week arrived with a roar. We gaveled into session on Wednesday, January 8 to adopt a few organizing resolutions and then went into recess until Monday, January 13. Fortunately, by then, the water crisis in Richmond had subsided. The General Assembly office building and capitol building were open to the public and lawmakers enjoyed running water in our homes away from home.

Overview:

Governor Youngkin gave a glowing account of the state of the Commonwealth and bragged about the fact that Virginia once again was named as the #1 best state to do business. Of course, the factors that helped us garner that recognition were the result of policies that the Democrats led the way on. The top of the list was an educated workforce, an achievement which was only possible because record investments have been made in K-12 public schools and because we made post-high school learning opportunities available and affordable. It is also worth noting that the absence of an abortion ban in the Commonwealth was considered a “good for business” factor by the CNBC rating agency. Unsurprisingly, Governor Youngkin did not acknowledge the connection between individual freedoms and a welcoming and strong business environment.

Speaking at a press conference on mental health issues.

My Courts Committee Bills:

SB744 Current law prohibits those who are convicted of domestic violence or who are the subject of a protective order from owning firearms. This week, I passed a bill in the Senate to enforce this law by requiring that such individuals  demonstrate to a judge that they have actually transferred their firearm. This bill passed on a party line vote. The Governor vetoed this exact bill last year, but I am hopeful that he will embrace his own law-and-order rhetoric and sign my SB744 when it lands on his desk this year.

SB747 This bill to expand mental health services for youth who are adjudicated to be delinquent by a judge was voted out of committee but re-referred to Finance. SB747 allows a judge to order a comprehensive assessment of a juvenile’s mental, behavioral and developmental conditions by a multidisciplinary team. I truly hope we can make the goal of rehabilitation of our young people more of a reality, and my bill would be a step forward in achieving that goal.

SB825 This bill expands upon my successful legislation last year to encourage banks to report fraudulent financial dealings with the elderly. This bipartisan effort permits a law-enforcement officer or third party representative to seek a seizure warrant from a judge or court to protect the victim’s assets. It is the second bill to pass out of the Senate this session. I believe this bill will provide a much-needed tool to combat financial abuse.

My Healthcare Bills:

SB841 Reported unanimously out of the Senate Education and Health Committee, this legislation will expand the ability for mobile opioid units to dispense treatments in the field. This is an incredibly important bill in preventing overdoses and treating addiction.

SB843 This legislation, currently on the floor of the Senate, directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services to develop a plan that will allow healthcare providers to employ remote patient monitoring for more patients, especially patients managing chronic diseases. This will enable healthcare providers to better track and evaluate the changing health needs of their patients, leading to lower costs and better outcomes.

My K-12 Public Education Bills:

SB753 - Students learning English may be excellent students in math. But, when taking the Standards of Learning (SOL) exams, they may receive a low score simply because they don't fully understand the English language. My bill, currently in the Senate Education and Health Committee, would allow children to take the math SOLs in Spanish, if that is their native language. SB753 unanimously passed out of the Public Education Subcommittee and the Department of Education officials are prepared to support the bill. I was surprised and heartened that Youngkin appointees were interested and helpful in my effort.

SB820 The Virginia Department of Education has instituted a new system to evaluate the success of schools in ensuring that students meet certain proficiency standards. This legislation will provide those schools that are identified as "off track" or "needs intensive support," with the financial resources they need to improve their performance. At the moment, I am working to remove those two labels from my bill but still ensure that certain schools get an infusion of resources. I worked with the Virginia Education Association and other stakeholders on crafting this bill. The legislation is currently awaiting a hearing in the full Senate Education and Health Committee but it was unanimously reported out by the Public Education Subcommittee.

I know that school systems and educators want a delay in the implementation of the Board of Education’s new accountability system, but it is likely that a substantial version of this system will go forward for the 2025-2026 academic year. Given that likelihood, I wanted to seize the moment and designate the resources that are truly needed to assist schools in reaching accountability targets.

Defending a bill before the Senate General Laws Committee.

My Bills in Rehab and Social Services:

I am fortunate to continue as chair of the Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee (Rehab & Social Services). This committee oversees child welfare and prison reform, among other incredibly important issues.

SB765 - Under current law, when individuals are found incapacitated in a court proceeding for guardianship or conservatorship, the default (unless the court writes something else) is that their voting rights are taken away. My bill would require the courts to indicate their reasoning for removing voting rights in this proceeding. If nothing is written, the default would be that the individual keeps their voting rights. Twenty-two other states operate in a similar manner. Both the Rehab and Courts of Justice Committees have an interest in this bill. It is a very consequential piece of legislation and I am honored that stakeholders have asked me to be the patron.

SB770 - Currently, the Board of Local and Regional Jails submits three separate reports on inmate deaths throughout the year. The reports must include the reasons why the deaths occurred and identify any potential trends or systemic issues that need to be addressed. My bill consolidates the reporting requirements so that the three reports are combined into one annual report. The bill does not alter the content required in the various reports.

SB773 - My bill would require the Virginia Department of Social Services to enter into an MOU with local departments of social services and public housing authorities to access federal housing grants for foster youth exiting the system. Local social service departments would have to develop a housing plan for these youth. We are aware that former foster youth face high rates of homelessness and this bill is intended to help address that problem.

SB819 - Prior to release from an Emergency Custody Order or a Temporary Detention Order (TDO), my bill requires healthcare professionals to consider whether a referral to an out-patient community-based setting for voluntary treatment is appropriate. This practice should already be occurring, so my legislation is attempting to codify a best practice. While this bill was assigned to the Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee, it has been re-referred to the Education and Health Committee.

SB870 - My bill would allow the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Department of Social Services to access Department of Corrections data to improve pre-release services, including the continuation of medical services, reentry planning, and post-incarceration services for individual offenders.

Lastly, thank you for the ongoing calls and emails. Although the volume of correspondence from constituents and others has been very high, I do appreciate hearing from you.

I hope you’ll visit my website at BarbaraFavola.org and subscribe to my regular newsletters. I also have a dynamic social media presence through Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). I hope you’ll follow my work using one or both of those platforms. You may also track legislation through Virginia’s Legislative Information System. The Commonwealth’s General Assembly website is a useful tool as well. You can follow events, find pertinent information, observe sessions, and monitor committee meetings through the site.

It is an honor and privilege to represent you in Richmond.

Sincerely,

Barbara Favola

Representing District 40