Friends,

Summer rapidly advances, and we have several updates on pressing important issues for our communities within Senatorial District 10. New vaccine mandates, a look at how the Commonwealth will benefit from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, rental assistance, Child Tax Credit information, an update on Special Session, and an invitation to an (in-person!) Town Hall — it’s a lot to cover, so we’ll dive right in.

New Mandates for State Employees
Last week, Governor Northam announced that Virginia’s state employees are required to show proof of vaccination; or, if they are not vaccinated, they will be required to show proof of a negative Covid test every week. You can read the full release from the governor’s office here.

This important step comes as we confront the disturbing surge of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Cases are rising across the country, especially among the unvaccinated. Among Virginians infected, hospitalized or killed by COVID-19 in the past six months, 99% were not fully vaccinated. The only way we stop this pandemic once and for all is by making sure that everyone who is eligible in our communities is vaccinated. Vaccines are safe, effective, available, and free.

So, if you have not received your vaccine yet, please visit Vaccinate Virginia to learn how and where to get vaccinated; you can also call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682, TTY users call 7-1-1).

Virginia and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
We are keeping a close eye on the progress of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as it makes its way through Congress. My office has received many inquiries about how the bill will benefit Virginians. You can find a full summary from the White House here, and here some highlights:

• Repair and rebuild our Commonwealth’s roads and bridges, with a particular focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety. Virginia has over 500 bridges and more than 2,000 miles of highways in poor condition, and the infrastructure bill will address that issue head on.
   
• Provide expanded access to broadband internet for all Virginians. This includes the 9.7% of residents in our Commonwealth who currently lack access to broadband infrastructure, the 13.3% of households who lack an internet subscription, and the 39.4% of Virginians who live in an area with only one provider providing minimally acceptable internet speeds.
   
• Installing a network of electric vehicle charging stations. By expanding the reach of electric vehicles, we can provide incentives for increasing their use in Virginia — a critical component of climate change mitigation efforts across the country.

Rental Assistance
As we continue to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic, we know that many still struggle to pay their rent each month. If you or someone you know needs assistance, you can use this Rental Assistance Finder to connect with resources and aid programs.

Child Tax Credit Information
Just a few weeks ago, families began receiving the first child tax credit payments passed in the American Rescue Plan. (If you’re expecting a payment, you can check the status of it here). This is a significant victory for families everywhere. Learn more about the Child Tax Credit here.

Special Session
For the first time since March 2020, the General Assembly convened in-person in the Capitol building for our second 2021 Special Session. Seeing my colleagues, many of whom I had not seen in over 17 months, was a welcomed part of this Special Session. We passed an historic spending bill that allocated the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in areas of urgent need throughout the Commonwealth: support for small businesses; critical infrastructure efforts for schools and our water systems; funding for higher education; broadband expansion; and much more. The General Assembly also agreed to the appointment of eight new judges to be seated on our expanded Court of Appeals. These new appointees are remarkably qualified and represent much-needed diversity in terms of geographic representation, legal background and practice, gender, and race.

During Special Session, we also presented two special resolutions on the Floor of the Senate. The first resolution commended Michael Paul Williams, columnist for the Richmond Times Dispatch, for his recent recognitions in being awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his commentary on race and racial inequities in Richmond. Williams has engaged thousands of readers with his nuanced and evocative writing. The second resolution honored our Virginia State Police and Virginia National Guard for their valor and sacrifice in defending our nation’s Capitol against insurrectionists on January 6. The text of this powerful resolution is available here.

Town Hall: Next Thursday
Next Thursday, August 19, from 7PM-8:30PM, I am hosting an After Special Session Town Hall, along with my Richmond-area colleagues from the General Assembly, to provide updates on our work in the Special Session and answer questions from constituents.

The town hall will be held at Reynolds Community College (1651 E Parham Rd, Richmond, VA 23228) in the Workforce Development and Conference Center Building. You can RSVP here. Reynolds Community College will be following any mask guidelines established by the Commonwealth. We will keep you updated on those guidelines before the town hall, but please anticipate wearing masks to ensure your safety and the safety of others.

— Ghazala