Dear Friend,
Virginia’s transitory Springtime is blissful and fleeting. I hope you have had time to enjoy the beauty of Virginia’s dramatic bloom and the longer, sun-filled days.
The General Assembly met for its Reconvened Session to receive and respond to the Governor’s actions on the legislation passed during the 2024 Session. Below is an update on state news and local happenings.
Reconvened Session
The General Assembly sustained the Governor’s 153 vetoes; recognizing the one-seat majorities in each chamber and the need for our Commonwealth’s legislature to work efficiently and with a sense of priority during its Reconvened Session. The 153 pieces of vetoed legislation include bipartisan bills and consequential legislation that would have improved the lives of Virginians. You can watch responses from sponsors of vetoed legislation including me speaking on my HB1088 which would have created educational materials for environmental literacy and climate change here; Delegate Marcus Simon speaking to his HB1539 which would have prohibited extradition of doctors and patients who performed or received abortions in Virginia here; and Delegate Nadarius Clark speaking to his HB351 which would have required a firearm owner to purchase or demonstrate ownership of a locking device when they are purchasing a firearm here.
Deliberations were had on the Governor’s amendments to several bills including SB212 to permit, tax and regulate skill games, which ultimately failed to pass; HB1491 and SB454 to allow Dominion and Appalachian Power Cooperative to recoup costs associated with small modular nuclear reactors, which passed; HB173 to prohibit the import or sale of plastic firearms or unfinished firearm frames, which the Speaker ruled the Governor’s amendments to not be germane; as well as many other pieces of legislation. You can watch deliberations on the Governor’s amendments here.
For legislation returned to the Governor without his recommendations adopted (in other words, when the legislature denied his amendments) the Governor has until May 17 to take final action. He can either veto, sign, or take no action which results in the bill becoming law.
The Budget
The General Assembly unanimously rejected the Governor’s amendments to the Budget. Both the House and Senate leadership, as well as the Governor, joined in the Rotunda of the Capitol after Reconvene Session to clarify that the rejection of the Governor’s budget amendments was done to spur a reconciliatory budget negotiation. Budget conferees and the Governor will find a path forward together to arrive at a budget that sees each party and branch of government making concessions on some goals to provide for their constituencies more broadly.
A special session is scheduled for May 13, where a new budget report will be made available. The General Assembly will vote on the new budget on May 15.
You can read about the Reconvened Session in this article from The Virginia Mercury as well as more information on the budget negotiations in this article from The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
My Commission Appointments
The Speaker appointed, and in some cases re-appointed, me to:
The Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission (JLARC)
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Board of Trustees
The Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center Board of Trustees
The Commemorative Commission to Honor the Contributions of the Women of Virginia
Commissions are important ways for legislators to engage more deeply on issue areas, spend time learning about and honoring key historical events and figures, creating forums of discourse for stakeholders and subject matter experts, and coordinating with localities, other states, federal partners, and other leaders on specific projects. You can find a list of all current commissions and studies at this link.
Richmond City Budget
Richmond City Council is in the midst of their budget work. Their next meeting will be Monday, May 6, 1-3pm where budget amendments will be presented. Following this is a meeting Monday, May 13, which will include a public hearing.
More information and background on the City’s budget, as well as other upcoming meetings and helpful links can be found here.
Richmond Diamond District Open Houses
There will be three open houses to gather public input for the Diamond District, May 8, 9 and 14. May 8 and 14 will be virtual and May 9 will be at the Bon Secours Training Center.
More information here.
E-Cycling Event
The City is holding an e-cycling event, May 11, 10am-2pm at 1710 Robin Hood Road. Residents are invited to bring old electronics, documents for shredding, and household hazardous waste for disposal. More information is available here.
Richmond Police Neighborhood Assistance Officers
The Richmond Police Department is recruiting Neighborhood Assistance Officers (NAOs); uniformed, volunteer members of the police department who do not have special arrest privileges, service weapons, or marked vehicles. NAOs work whenever their schedules permit and assist with traffic control, vehicle assistance, sobriety checkpoints, among other tasks and duties.
You can learn more about the program and apply here.
Interns in my Office
My office hosts interns during the legislative session as well as in the interim.
During Session, I had a phenomenal roster of students from varying backgrounds including a Master’s degree student at VCU, a capitol semester student in their undergrad studies at VCU, two students from my alma mater of Hollins University, a senior from the University of Richmond who is now beginning their law studies, a recent graduate of VCU who is now working at the National Institute of Health before she pursues a degree in medicine, a senior at Maggie Walker Governor’s School, and a junior at Trinity Episcopal School who participated through their “Junior Work Week” program.
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 804-698-1078 if I can be helpful to you.
Sincerely,
Betsy