| | Dear John, We are well into the 2020 General Assembly session, and we are continuing to see some incredible victories for the LGBT community! Continue reading to learn more about our recent successes and find out how you can help make LGBT equality a reality in Virginia. | |  | General Assembly Update This week, we had four bills pass on the floor of the Senate, a huge win for the LGBT community! Sen. Boysko's SB 161 would direct the Department of Education to craft guidance that creates inclusive classrooms for transgender students in public schools – it passed 23-16. And, her SB 657 would modernize the process for transgender people updating their birth certificate’s gender marker – it passed 24-15. Sen. Surovell's SB 245 would prohibit licensed professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors – it passed 21-18. And, Sen. Ebbin's SB 17 would repeal Virginia’s statutory prohibitions on marriage equality – it passed 23-13. But, that’s not all! We also saw exciting wins in the House of Delegates, too. Del. Hope's HB 386, the House companion bill to SB 245, was advanced in subcommittee by a vote of 5-1. Del. Roem's HB 1429 would protect transgender people from discrimination in health insurance - it advanced in subcommittee by a vote of 5-0. Plus, Del. Levine's HB 1049 would modernize the VA Code to include sexual orientation and gender identity protections - it advanced on a 7-1 vote. Last, but certainly not least, the House version of the Virginia Values Act (HB 1663 Del. Sickles) advanced in subcommittee with a vote of 5-1. This bill would prohibit discrimination in housing, employment, and public spaces on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. We expect to see HB 1663 and the Senate version of the Virginia Values Act (SB 868 Sen. Ebbin) to be heard in full committee next week. To stay updated on bills important to the LGBT community, follow EV’s Facebook page and check out our 2020 General Assembly web page. | | | | | | Crowd the Capitol This week, members of the faith community crowded the capitol and spoke to over thirty delegates and senators on our priority legislation, including the Virginia Values Act! Equality Virginia's Crowd the Capitol series is only successful because of the voices and diversity of supporters, and we welcome you to join us in the coming weeks! Even if you don't identify as a member of the remaining Crowd the Capitol themed groups, we still encourage you to participate in one of our upcoming events. All are welcome! Upcoming Crowd the Capitol Events February 11 – Business leaders & owners February 18 – Families & LGBT youth February 25 – Public safety & anti-violence advocates | | | | | | | |
Day of Action We are so excited to announce our Day of Action’s afternoon programming. After our morning of advocacy at the General Assembly talking about important bills for the LGBT community, we are hosting eight workshops relevant to supporters of LGBT equality. You won’t want to miss out on these amazing sessions, which are facilitated by community members on the front lines of change in Virginia! Click here to see the full list of workshops and register to join us on February 4th at the Library of Virginia (800 E. Broad St., Richmond, 23219). | |  | | | | | | | |  | Day of Action Training Nervous about your first time going to the General Assembly or are you interested in honing your advocacy skills? Do you want to learn more about what to expect at our Day of Action? Join us for a 30-minute training and Q&A to get the inside scope! We'll cover: legislative details, what to expect when meeting with your legislators, talking points, and general logistics. There will be time for questions, and we will email you a recording of the training afterwards. Trainings will be offered on Thursday, January 30th at 12:00pm and 7:00pm via a Zoom video call. | | | |  | Field Team: Richmond & Beyond This week our Richmond volunteer team set to work to process the last few stacks of postcards going to Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn. These postcards ask that she support non-discrimination protections in housing, employment, and public spaces so that everyone can feel safe to live and work in Virginia regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. If you'd like to help with data entry and join our volunteer team, email [email protected] or join our Facebook Event page. Can't join us in-person in Richmond or Hampton Roads - that's ok! You can volunteer with us from anywhere in the state. Register here to phone bank any time that works for you. | | | | |  | Field Team: Hampton Roads Did you know the Hampton Roads phone bank team has dialed over 7,800 supporters of LGBTQ rights since the start of our campaign for non-discrimination protections? And, did you know that last week, our team had the biggest phone bank of the campaign so far? We're so grateful to our phone bank co-sponsors: the Transgender Assistance Program of VA, the Knight Hawks of VA, and MJ's Tavern. Want to co-sponsor an event in Hampton Roads? Email our organizer Margaret at [email protected]. With just days until the Senate committee votes on the Virginia Values Act, there's never been a more important time to volunteer with the Hampton Roads team to make critical calls in support of trans-inclusive protections. | | | | | |  | Ask a Trans Person Invite a friend, family member, or coworker to learn more about the trans community! We are hosting our final “Ask a Trans Person” panel discussion of the season in Norfolk at the New Life Metropolitan Community Church on Tuesday, January 28 from 6:30-8:00pm. Join us for a night of fun and community as you deepen your understanding of transgender Virginians’ experiences and learn why trans-inclusive nondiscrimination protections are vital. The event is free, but registration is required. | | | | |  | Take Action Now! We saw some promising victories this week for the Virginia Values Act, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation in housing, employment, and public spaces. House Bill 1663 advanced out of subcommittee and we expect its companion bill - SB 868 - to be heard in Senate committee next week. This legislation could be life-changing for LGBT Virginians, and we need every voice to make sure it passes in the General Assembly this year. Ask your legislator to support the Virginia Values Act as well address the many other bills that would impact the LGBT community. NOW is the time for action - let's make 2020 our year! | | | | | | | | | |  | Commonwealth Dinner Our 17th Annual Commonwealth Dinner is only two months away on Saturday, March 28! We hope you’ll join us for a special evening to celebrate our 2020 OUTstanding Virginians, in addition to the many accomplishments we’ve had over the past year. We are confident that by March, we will be raising a glass to a wholly-changed legal landscape for LGBT Virginians - and you don't want to miss out! The event features a plated dinner, a silent auction, a $1,000 raffle, and so much more. Come celebrate with us on Saturday, March 28th at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Take advantage of our early bird ticket prices before Friday, February 10th - reserve your spot today! | | | | In addition to attending the Commonwealth Dinner as our guest, there are several other ways you can help to support the success of this event. For example, you can purchase an ad in our color, souvenir program - it's a great way to been seen by over 1,000 attendees. Also, we welcome contributions to our silent auction. If you would like to support this event behind-the-scenes and still enjoy the special evening, please sign up here to volunteer. | | | | | | | | Equality Virginia
530 E Main St Ste 600 | Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 643-4816 | [email protected] | | | | | | | | | | | |
