Dear Friend,
Spring has officially begun and Virginia’s beautiful bloom is nearing. I hope you find time to enjoy the coming temperate temperatures and fresh foliage. The General Assembly will meet for the reconvene session on April 12 to receive the Governor’s actions on legislation that passed the General Assembly. Below is an update on state and local news.
Governor’s Actions
The General Assembly communicated 819 bills to the Governor’s desk for review. The Governor has acted on 385 of these bills thus far. The Governor has until March 27 to act on the remaining 434 pieces of legislation.
385 bills have been signed into law by the Governor, including my HB1765, which expands the definition of a fire company to include companies that provide rehabilitative services to firefighters at active scenes, as well as HB1744 which establishes transferability of home studies for adoption and foster care services.
Most of the signed bills are technical clean-ups to code and were uncontroversial in their passage. Larger pieces of legislation, like the “skinny budget” and utility rate reform have not been signed yet.
You can read more about some of the new laws in this article, from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
If you wish to review session proceedings and happenings, you can read the weekly session updates on my blog.
History Standards
The Board of Education met Tuesday for its final public hearing on the Department of Education’s third revision of the history & social study education standards. This latest revision was introduced in January by State Superintendent Jillian Balow, who resigned earlier this month from her position.
The revised standards will be considered for a vote next month. You can read the standards here and read more about the background of the debates in this article from The Washington Post.
Members Retiring from the General Assembly
Additional retirements from the House & Senate have been announced since the General Assembly adjourned. This election cycle will see a large amount of turnover. The loss of institutional knowledge these members brought will surely be missed. Below is a list of members who will not be seeking re-election.
House of Delegates:
Former Speaker, Eileen Filler-Corn
Rob Bell
Ken Plum
Jeff Bourne
Kathleen Murphy
Kathy Byron
Mike Mullin
John Avoli
James Edmunds
Tim Anderson
Wendy Gooditis
Roxann Robinson
Margaret Ransone
Senate
Majority Leader, Dick Saslaw
Minority Leader, Tommy Norment
Janet Howell
Lynwood Lewis
John Bell
John Cosgrove
John Edwards
Steve Newman
Jill Vogel
Among House members who are expected to run for Senate are: Dawn Adams, Schuyler VanValkenburg, Lamont Bagby, John McGuire, Emily Brewer, Suhas Subramanyan, Clint Jenkins, Dave LaRock, Chris Head, Tara Durant, Danica Roem, Elizabeth Guzman, and Sally Hudson.
The Mayor’s Proposed Budget
Mayor Stoney announced his proposed budget earlier this month. City Council has begun their work session on the budget as well. On Monday, March 27, 6-8 PM, there will be a public hearing of the Mayor’s proposed budget.
You can read the Mayor’s budget here and find the schedule for budget work sessions at this link.
Invasive Plant Species Awareness
The Friends of the James River Park recently concluded their invasive plant species awareness week. However, it’s not too late to get involved in combatting invasive plants that suffocate native plants and alter the local ecology.
You can read more about the James River Park System’s Invasive Plant Task Force, including ways to get involved at this link.
Additionally, you can learn more about the Richmond Tree Stewards at their website.
Community Resources
Utility Help: Dominion Energy has several bill payment assistance programs. 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.
Legal Aid: The Legal Aid Justice Center provides legal aid on a variety of practice areas. Visit their website for more information. In addition, Virginia Poverty Law Center has a legal aid hotline that can be reached at (866) 534-5243.
Housing: The Virginia Poverty Law Center has an eviction aid helpline that can be reached at 833-663-8428. Additional eviction resources can be found at Housing Opportunities Made Equal’s website. Virginia Housing has several resources. Prospective and current homeowners can visit this link for educational resources. Renters can find educational resources from Virginia Housing at this link.
Community Events
The Institute of Contemporary Art will celebrate its 5th anniversary on April 21, 5:30-9:30 PM. Visit this link for more information.
The Richmond Performing Arts Alliance will host its Annual Parking Lot Party, May 6, 2-6 PM at the Dominion Energy Center. This is a free event. More information to come.
The Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s new exhibit “Apollo: When We Went to the Moon,” is now open. Visit the Museum’s website to learn more.
The Visual Arts Center’s Annual Residents Exhibition is open until April 23. The theme is “Time Machines.” More information is available at this website.
Riverfront Canal Cruises will begin on April 1. These 40 minute tours include historic narration. Ticketing information is available here.
The Library of Virginia will host a special panel and discussion titled “A Woman’s Place is in the House… of Delegates,” March 29, 6-7:30 PM. More information is available at their website. Additionally, the “200 years, 200 stories” exhibit, celebrating their 200 year history, continues.
The American Civil War Museum’s first spring lecture will be March 30, 6:30-8:00. Visit their website for more information. Tickets are $10 and free for members of the museum.
Maymont’s Mansion tours have resumed. Visit Maymont’s website for ticketing information.
The Byrd Theater is featuring latest award-winners and well-known films in their limited engagements series. More information is available here.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts “Athena LaTocha: The Past Never Sleeps” exhibit is now open. Visit their website for more information.
The Valentine Museum’s will host a downtown walking tour, “Figures of Freedom,” on April 1, 10-11:30 AM. Visit their website for more information.
The Science Museum of Virginia will host a “Girls in Medicine Camp-In” on March 25, for an overnight experience focusing on optometry and ophthalmology. More information at their website.
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