Friends,

Earlier this year our global community was thrust into a pandemic that exposed the inequities in health services, education, and job security. Over that past few months, my office has been working to address these evolving needs of our community amid this crisis.

This week, I share information on our upcoming education town hall, our plans for the Special Session scheduled to begin August 18, and some resources that may be helpful to members of our community.

Education Town Hall:
Our local School Boards have faced remarkably challenging times these past few months as they navigated the complexities of the global pandemic and its impact upon schools and our children’s education. I know that each of the School Boards within District 10 -- Richmond City, Chesterfield County, and Powhatan County -- considered carefully the voices and concerns of parents, teachers, administrators, and students. The School Boards for Richmond Public Schools and Chesterfield County have decided upon a fully-online start to the academic year, and the School Board for Powhatan County has decided to give parents a choice between two instructional pathways: a virtual-only option or a hybrid option. These decisions were incredibly difficult, and I thank each Board for making decisions that are best for the communities that they each serve.

To examine these next steps for the 2020 - 2021 academic year, I’ve invited several representatives from throughout District 10 to join me to share plans, concerns, and strategies for managing the new educational landscape that we face. Join us on Wednesday, August 12, 7-8 pm, for this important conversation. Register now to participate in the discussion.

Special Session: 

Last month, Governor Northam announced that he is calling the members of the General Assembly back to Richmond for a Special Session. Scheduled to begin on August 18, this legislative session will address critical budget items that were previously frozen because of the pandemic crisis and also examine critical police and criminal justice reform measures. I will be introducing a bill to grant local governments the ability to establish Civilian Review Boards (CRBs) so that independent boards, representative of their communities, will have oversight of local policing agencies. Concurrently, I am co-patroning a bill to address how we respond when individuals are experiencing mental health crises, ensuring that we recognize their situation as a medical emergency and not a criminal matter. I have additionally been working with numerous organizations to craft measures to help families avoid the crisis of homelessness; the COVID-19 crisis has placed thousands of Virginians in peril of eviction, and housing stability must be a part of our plan to combat this pandemic. Lastly, I am Chief Co-Patron on a bill to place nurses in every school, another essential step in the midst of this health crisis

Eviction Resources:
The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in thousands of unemployed Virginians. Many families are facing eviction in these next few months. As I mentioned, I will be introducing a bill for eviction moratorium in Special Session, but in the meantime if you or someone you know needs assistance, please look for resources at https://www.stayhomevirginia.com/quick-links or call the Eviction Legal Helpline at 1(833)-663-8428.

Closing thoughts:
COVID-19 is still affecting our nation, and cases in our state are increasing once again. I implore you and other members of our community to please wear masks, practice social distancing, and stay at home when possible. We will only beat this pandemic by forgoing what is personally desirable and taking actions that protect our entire community.

If you need assistance during these challenging times or if you want to schedule a phone or conference call, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. As a reminder, email is the best way to contact us. We can be reached at [email protected].

-- Ghazala

 

 

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Senator Ghazala Hashmi was elected to represent Virginia Senate District 10 in 2019. She has led efforts in the General Assembly to support education, protect healthcare and the environment, and prevent gun violence. Senator Hashmi is committed to ensuring Virginia's government works for everyone.

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