Dear friends,

This past week in the General Assembly, we began wrapping up committee hearings and determining which bills will make the “crossover” to the opposite Chamber. Today and early tomorrow will continue to be even more hectic as we face the Crossover deadline on Tuesday, February 7. In this newsletter, I share updates on my legislation and spotlight some of the many meetings and events from the past week. Thank you for taking the time to read and for staying informed.

From the Senate to the House
As we wind down the first half of the legislative session, Senate bills are completing their passage from Subcommittee to Committee, and then to Finance and Appropriations (if the legislation has a fiscal impact) and then to the Chamber Floor for final passage. Last week, six more of my bills passed the Chamber, adding to the six bills previously passed; they are now headed to the House of Delegates:

Included in last week’s bills is SB 941, which passed out of the Senate on a party-line vote of 22-17. Known as the Contraceptive Equity Act, this legislation aligns Virginia Code with existing federal law. It eliminates the burden of insurance co-pays and coverage delays for prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. Birth control medications and contraceptives are a routine part of health care for many individuals, and are also used by many to address issues of debilitating menstrual pain and to regulate hormones. This bill ensures that medications remain accessible under insurance plans.

The second bill to pass came from one of my constituents from Powhatan and his attorney. Incarcerated for 23 years on false charges, this constituent was finally released from prison on parole in 2017 and then fully exonerated on a Writ of Actual Innocence. This legislation pursues compensation from the Commonwealth for the more than two decades of imprisonment on charges that were fabricated. Delegate Lee Ware (HD 65), who also represents Powhatan County, is carrying the companion bill in the other Chamber.

SB 1333, an environmental bill that I’m carrying which empowers the Clean Energy Advisory Board to apply for and disburse federal monies made available through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed out on a bipartisan vote of 26 to 13.

Finally, several education bills passed out on unanimous votes on Friday. SB 890 establishes the Veterans Teaching Licensure Support Fund and Program. The program awards grants to eligible veterans and service members teaching in a public school in the Commonwealth or pursuing an education career in the Commonwealth to reimburse them for the tuition expenses incurred towards receiving their teacher licensure. SB 935 instructs the Department of Education to create a comprehensive website and online portal dedicated to teacher licensure applications and endorsement requirements. SB 1130 increases the flexibility and options of Virginia’s Get Skilled, Get a Job, and Get Ahead (G3) Program for workforce development.

Additional Legislative Updates
In addition to the bills that passed out of the Senate, the following are a few additional updates on the legislation on which I have been working:

• SB 931 seeks to address the concerns of the "unrestorably incompetent defendant” who may be prone to violence but must, by law, be released. We had considerable discussion with many attorneys, both prosecutors and defense lawyers, but were not able to fully resolve some significant concerns. In committee, we agreed to strike the bill and ask the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee to send a letter to the Behavioral Health Commission to study the issue and concerns of the legislation.
• SB 932 establishes the Virginia Psilocybin Advisory Board to facilitate therapeutic access to psilocybin services and to monitor and study federal laws, regulations, and policies related to psilocybin. The bill passed the Senate Education and Health Committee on Thursday on a unanimous vote.
• SB 934 increases the aspirational telework goals for employees within most of our state agencies from 20% to 45%. The bill passed out of the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee on a bipartisan vote (13-1).
• SB 937 establishes the Television Production Development Grant Program and Fund to promote the television industry in the Commonwealth. Although the bill had strong support in the Senate General Laws & Technology Committee, passing on a vote of 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention, it was not successful in the Senate Finance Committee. SB937 was passed by indefinitely; however, the language of the bill will be incorporated into the budget in order to provide support for the Television Production Development Grant Program and Fund.
• SB 1109 establishes the College and Career Readiness for English Language (EL) Learners Grant Program, offering much needed support to school divisions seeking to develop career and postsecondary education preparation programs for EL students. This bill passed both the Senate Education & Health Committee and the Senate Finance Committee unanimously.
• SB 1110 prohibits a public institution of higher education from withholding an official transcript for the purposes of collecting on student debt from those individuals who are applying for employment or to the military or National Guard. It also requires the release of student transcripts for college debt that is less than $500 or if the student is making progress on a debt repayment plan. The bill passed out of the Senate Education & Health Committee unanimously.
• SB 1118 creates the English as a Second Language Incentive Reward Program and Fund to incentivize, promote, and retain teachers endorsed in EL. This bill passed both the Senate Education & Health Committee and the Senate Finance Committee unanimously.
• SB 1334 asks the Virginia Department of Education to convene a work group with a diverse array of stakeholders to develop recommendations for a code of ethics for Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. This bill passed out of the Senate Education & Health Committee on a vote of 9 ayes, 5 nays, and 1 abstention.
• SB 1432 requires entities that collect, gather, or use consumer-generated health information to take measures to protect that information under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The impetus of the bill is the critical need that we now have, in a post-Dobbs decision world, to protect personal health data that is being tracked by a variety of devices and applications. We are seeing other states moving to demand access to this data in an effort to criminalize essential health care concerns and medical decisions. Because of the innovative nature of this legislation which impacts new and emerging technologies, I agreed with Delegate Kathy Tran, who is carrying the companion bill in the House, to strike the bill with a letter to the Joint Commission on Health Care to study our concerns.
• SJ 247 amends the Constitution of Virginia to allow the General Assembly to empower localities to provide real estate tax exemptions for low income residents. The bill passed the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee on a 9-5 vote.

Community Events and Meetings

 
After a busy day of committee meetings last Monday, it was wonderful to attend the Virginia School Boards Association reception that evening. I had the chance to speak with many elected school board officials representing a variety of localities across the Commonwealth, including my friend, Chesterfield County School Board member Dot Heffron.

 
Tuesday was an exceptionally busy day. I began by joining an early morning rally with the Virginia Conservation Network. The hard work and dedication of so many concerned citizens continues to put a strong spotlight on conservation efforts and on key policy decisions such as Clean Cars, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). 

I also received many visitors, including sixth-grader Robert and his mother, Nkenge, who were at the Capitol for the Decoding Dyslexia Advocacy Day. Robert shared his experiences as a child with dyslexia and did a wonderful job lobbying for additional funding for literacy education.


Several constituents stopped by to speak about the importance of native plants, clean rivers, and land preservation. Virginia is blessed by an abundance of natural beauty, and these members of various Garden Clubs are among the leadership of those dedicated to conservation.


On Tuesday, we also held a very special Center Aisle presentation. Senator Mamie Locke (Hampton Roads) presented SJR 260, commending Colonel Anthony Pike. Colonel Pike retired as Chief of the Virginia Division of Capitol Police this past December. He is one of the longest-serving chiefs in the division’s history. Colonel Pike has had a long and distinguished career in public service, and he has the respect of all who served under his leadership and all who work and serve at the Capitol. Colonel Pike was one of the first to welcome me to the Capitol three years ago, and I’ve always valued his high standards of integrity and his thoughtful approach to public safety. 


On Tuesday, the Virginia Radiological Society spoke to my staff about the opportunities and struggles facing healthcare workers broadly, and their discipline in particular. Our healthcare professionals have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to provide the best possible care, and I am greatly appreciative of their commitment to keeping our Commonwealth healthy.


The Virginia Housing Alliance visited my office on Wednesday to speak on the issue of housing affordability. Virginia’s housing inventory is currently 300,000 houses less than what we need to keep up with demand and bring home prices to a more affordable position. 

Connecting With My Office
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— Ghazala