Dear Friend,
Summer is in full swing and I hope you are taking advantage of all the activities available to you now that Virginia has re-opened. If you are not yet vaccinated, I highly encourage you to consider doing so – for your benefit and the benefit of our community. The COVID cases, particularly the Delta variant, are almost exclusively affecting the unvaccinated. The Richmond City and Henrico County Health Districts are still offering “Cool Cube Crews” to get you and your loved ones vaccinated at a time and location that is convenient for you. You can make a request here. They are also offering educational town halls and community canvassing to help share information about the vaccine.
New Laws
On July 1, most laws passed during the 2021 legislative session took effect. The Division of Legislative Service’s “In Due Course” offers a thorough overview of new laws that affect the daily lives of citizens in the Commonwealth. Here are a few that are of particular importance:
Marijuana: Simple possession of marijuana is now legal for people over the age of 21 years old. The buying, selling, and distribution of marijuana remains illegal for the time being. Visit https://www.cannabis.virginia.gov/ for more specific information.
The death penalty is now abolished in Virginia
Voting Rights Act of Virginia: Prohibits discrimination in elections administration, requires local election officials to obtain feedback for voting changes, and allows individuals to sue in cases of voter suppression.
Other voting rights include: Expanded days for no-excuse early voting, waiving the requirement for a witness signature, availability of secure ballot drop boxes at polling locations, allowing 16 and 17 year olds to pre-register to vote so they are automatically registered once they turn 18
G3 (Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back) Program: Low and middle income Virginians can attend community college for free when they pursue career opportunities in critical, high-demand fields such as healthcare, early childhood education, public safety, and skilled trades. More information here.
Medicaid program recipients can now receive dental care. Expanded coverage affects more than 750,000 Virginians.
Special Session
The General Assembly will convene in-person on Monday, August 2nd for a special session to determine the use of $4.3 billion in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The Governor has not yet released his budget but has previously committed to allocating federal dollars to help public health, small businesses, workers, public schools, and fully deploying broadband across Virginia. The legislature will also consider the appointment of judges to the expanded Court of Appeals.
While the special session schedule is not available yet, you will be able to watch the session via livestream on the Virginia General Assembly website and the meeting schedule is available here.
America’s “Top State for Business”
Recently, Virginia earned the recognition as America’s “Top State for Business” by CNBC. Virginia has earned this top spot in 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2019 – more than any other state in the country. I am proud that our Commonwealth has received this recognition. We are the best state for business, but we are also working hard to make this the best state for workers. In recent years, we have increased minimum wage, passed workplace protections, promoted worker training, invested in our schools, and removed barriers to higher education. While there is still much work to be done to help Virginians, I am glad that Virginia is considered an open and welcoming place to live, work, and play.
Grants Available to Cultural Nonprofits
Virginia Humanities will be distributing more than $900,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to museums, historic sites, and cultural institutions across Virginia. The funds are part of the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress. Humanities-focused nonprofits based in Virginia that faced financial difficulties due to COVID can apply for grants now. Application instructions are available at VirginiaHumanities.org. Grants can be used to cover general operating costs such as salaries, rent, and utilities as well as costs associated with providing public programs. Awards will be announced in September.
Hate Crimes Grant Program
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is offering a grant opportunity for localities within the Commonwealth to combat hate crimes. Localities that have established a partnership program with institutions and/or nonprofits that have been targets or are at risk of being targets of hate crimes are encouraged to apply. The goal is to minimize bias-motivated incidents by providing funding that supports groups that may be at risk based on race, religious conviction, color, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or national origin.
More information is available here.
Community News
Black History Museum’s Freedom Friday: Live jazz concert by Glennroy & Company on August 6 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Concert is free, wine and wings available for purchase. Advanced registration is required.
Movies at the Byrd Theatre: The Byrd has an excellent line up of movies playing this summer. Limited seating is available. Additionally, you can support the Byrd from home by checking out hand-picked selections from partnering streaming providers. Proceeds from the films directly support the Byrd. More information here.
Coming to the Table RVA is a local nonprofit that provides leadership, resources, and a supportive environment for all who wish to acknowledge and heal wounds from racism. They offer a number of events each month, including a book circle and movie circle. On Monday, July 26th they are hosting an in-person dinner and viewing of the new documentary “How the Monuments Came Down.” More information and registration here.
VMFA’s “The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture and the Sonic Impulse” runs through September 6. More information available here.
After Special Session Townhall: Join me and the Central Virginia delegation for a town hall on August 19th from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Reynolds Community College. There will be a meet and greet followed by a townhall focusing on the outcomes of the Special Session. More information to follow.
It is an honor to serve in the General Assembly. I am always available to meet with you via Zoom and in person. If you would like to schedule an appointment or share your concerns with me, please email me at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org or call 804-698-1069. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Betsy B. Carr