Dear Friend,
The General Assembly is nearing its scheduled adjournment and important issues are being settled. This past week was the last week that bills with financial implications could be heard and upcoming week will be the last week of session. By next week, the General Assembly will have finished our work and sent all legislation to the Governor’s desk; including the amended budget, judicial nominations, and hundreds of bills on a variety of subjects. Below is an update on where things stand.
Vote in the Special Election
This coming Tuesday, February 21, is the special election to fill the seat left vacant by the passing of Congressman Donald McEachin. Voters registered in Congressional District 4 may vote and will choose between my friend and colleague, Senator Jennifer McClellan as the Democratic nominee, or Leon Benjamin, the Republican nominee.
You can check your registration status as well as your polling place at this website.
The House Budget
The House & Senate Budget Conferees are working to find a compromise between the two bodies’ conflicting budget reports. By the end of next week, the General Assembly will hopefully have found a compromise and communicate it with the Governor so he can consider amendments before acting on the budget.
I was pleased to see a number of my budget amendments included and am hopeful to see them in the final budget. Among these were funding for:
Demolishing the old Worker’s Compensation building so the Science Museum can establish a greenspace in its place.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.
Virginia Holocaust Museum.
American Civil War Museum.
Support for local libraries.
IT infrastructure for the Library of Virginia.
Additionally, I had two language-only budget amendments. These amendments do not allocate new funds, but instead will provide information, directions, or guidelines by which already-appropriated money should be spent.
One of my budget amendments will task VDOT to study the traffic at the I-95/Arthur Ashe Boulevard interchange for its current capability, as well as how it will perform with new development and growth in the area. I have heard from many Richmond residents about the dangerous, high-speed weaving, as well as the rush-hour traffic jams at this interchange. The underwhelming performance of the current interchange will only be exacerbated by projects like the Diamond District, which will bring more population density and commercial traffic. We need to ensure we are planning accordingly in order to keep our neighborhoods protected and our roadways safe.
My other language-only budget amendment is following-up on legislation I introduced last year. HB732 (2022 Session) set out to prevent public institutions of higher education from withholding student transcripts as a debt-collection tool for direct-to-school debt. There were concerns over data to support the breadth of these issues, so in lieu of my legislation’s passage, I ensured there would be a study to collect the targeted data. In light of this study, I introduced a budget amendment this Session which provides a surgical fix to the issue. My budget amendment requires institutions to release transcripts to students who owe less than $500 or who have enrolled in a payment plan and made three consecutive payments, or whose potential employers have requested the transcript.
2023 Outstanding Virginian Award
This past Monday, I was honored to present G. Gil Minor, III with a resolution commending him for his lifetime achievements and for receiving the Outstanding Virginian Award. You can watch my center-aisle presentation at this link and can read Gil’s commending resolution here.
Relevant Bills
Requiring Car Insurance
SB951 has passed both the House and Senate and is heading to the Governor for review. This bill would remove the ability to register a car as uninsured, which currently carries a $500 fee. By removing the uninsured motorist fee, Virginia would join 48 other states in requiring auto insurance for registered vehicles.
Petersburg Casino
HB1373 was defeated in Senate Finance. This bill sought to add Petersburg to the list of cities that can have a referendum on whether or not to host a casino. Additionally, it would have limited Richmond on when it is able to hold another referendum on the subject. The Senate version of this bill failed to pass earlier this Session.
Bills from the Governor’s Commission on Antisemitism
Two bills (HB1898 & HB1606) from the Governor’s Commission to Combat Antisemitism were acted on by the Senate. HB1898 was defeated in Senate General Laws and HB1606 passed Senate Rules and will likely pass on the Senate floor.
Automatic License Plate Readers
A House & Senate bill (HB1437 & SB1165) were introduced this year to allow increased use of Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) by having them placed by a private company in VDOT right of ways. These devices scan the license plates of traffic as it passes by, not for monitoring speed limits, tolls, or high occupancy vehicle requirements, but in case one of the license plates should become relevant in a law enforcement investigation.
While, these devices can prove to be helpful in a variety of crime investigations, data privacy concerns have arisen. These bills provide authority to establish a statewide network of interconnected devices that collect and store millions of data points. There are concerns over this network being manipulated by artificial intelligence to track an innocent person’s movements.
Groups I’ve Met With This Past Week
Athletic Trainers
Richard Bland College Leadership
Marymount University Leadership
New Virginia Majority
Open High School Students
Charitable Gaming Operators
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Leadership
Clean Energy Future
Dominion Energy Employees
Psychiatric Society of Virginia
Virginia Association of Naturopathic Physicians
A number of constituents
Issues on which I’ve heard the most from constituents:
Fully funding the Standards of Quality for Public Schools
Utility Rate Reform
Petersburg Casino
Rural EV Infrastructure Program
Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs)
Governor’s Fellows Programs
Governor Youngkin has opened the 2023 Governor’s Fellows Program. Applicants must be rising college seniors, graduating college seniors, or enrolled in a graduate degree program.
More information is available at this link.
Freedom’s Path Movie
Freedom’s Path, a film centered on the Underground Railroad, is in theaters nationwide. It was produced by Richmond’s own BK Fulton and his production company Soulidfly. Delegate Charniele Herring also gave this movie a shoutout in her “moment of black history” floor speech this past Monday as she talked about the expansive and beautiful history of the Underground Railroad. You can watch her floor speech here and learn more about the movie here.
Robert Lambeth Retirement
Robert Lambeth, the President of the Council of Independent Colleges of Virginia (CICV) is retiring after serving in that role since 1983. His leadership has been invaluable for the 27 accredited, nonprofit private colleges CICV represents. Delegate Byron and I recognized him on the House Floor. You can watch my floor speech here.
Commending & Memorial Resolutions
Members of the General Assembly can do a variety of actions legislatively. One unique piece of legislation we can put forward is a commending or memorial resolution. These are official proclamations that recognize either the achievements of a group or individual, or that celebrate the life of someone who is no longer with us. These resolutions are agreed to by the House, with an option for other members to sign on as co-patrons. Additionally, some resolutions are known as “joint resolutions” and are heard in both the House and Senate with a patron from each body signed on to the legislation.
This Session, I have introduced a variety of commending & memorial resolutions. Among those I have introduced include:
Commending the Black History Museum on 40 years
Commending the Library of Virginia on 200 years
Celebrating the life of John Moeser, a founding member of VCU’s Urban & Regional Studies and Planning Program, as well as an author, mentor, and advocate for more inclusive communities.
Commending Claire Guthrie Gastañaga on her leadership of the ACLU Virginia and her impressive career.
Commending G. Gil Minor, III on his receiving of the 2023 Outstanding Virginian Award, as mentioned above.
Hundreds of resolutions are passed each session. This year a commending resolution recognized Jay Braxton, Assistant Clerk for the House, and recipient of the 2022 Legislative Staff Award form the American Society of Legislative Clerks & Secretaries, and a commending resolution for Virginia resident, famed actor, and farmland preservation advocate Robert Duvall, as well as resolutions celebrating the lives of the three UVA student athletes who were tragically murdered last fall.
If you have an idea for a resolution, please feel free to contact myself or whomever represents your area.
Dominion Bill Assistance
Dominion Energy provides several bill payment assistance programs for its customers. You can view their entire list of programs at this link, which includes housing assistance and scam awareness resources.
Additionally, the Virginia Poverty Law Center has a utility helpline for those struggling to pay their bills. You can file a client intake form on their website.
Jazz Night at The VMFA
Every Wednesday, 6-8 PM, there is live jazz from local performers in the Cochrane Atrium at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
You can find scheduled acts at this link.
Community Events
The Monument 10k Race registration prices will increase March 1. Visit their website for more information.
The American Civil War Museum is hosting special Black History Programs the next two Saturdays. More information at this link.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts “Storied Strings” closes March 19. Visit their website for more information.
The Valentine Museum will be hosting a “Women of the Wickham House” guided tour on February 23, 6 PM. More information at their website.
The Library of Virginia has several programs and exhibits in celebration of their 200th anniversary. More information is available at their website.
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture will host Pulitzer Prize winning author Stacy Schiff for a lecture on March 12, 4 PM. Visit this link for ticketing information.
The Science Museum of Virginia’s new exhibit “Playing with Light” opened February 11. More information is available at their website.
The Visual Arts Center offers art classes for adults and children on topics such as woodworking, sewing, drawing and much more. Visit their website to see the schedule.
The Black History Museum’s “Forging Freedom, Justice and Equality,” exhibition commemorates the Museum’s 40th anniversary. More information is available here.
Thank You
It is an honor to serve in the House of Delegates. Please never hesitate to contact me at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org or 804-698-1069 if I can be helpful to you.
Sincerely,
Betsy