December 2018 - Pre-Session Email Update

Dear Friend,

It is my hope that you and your family are having an enjoyable holiday season surrounded by loved ones. Additionally, I hope that you survived our first snowstorm of the season and are getting prepared for the hard winter forecast ahead. In the midst of the seasonal excitement, I am looking forward to sharing news related to the upcoming session and some other relevant activities I have participated in since my last update to you.

First, I’d like to share that I have had the honor and privilege to serve the 69th district since 2010. During that time, I have met many hardworking, dedicated constituents who are eager to make Richmond and our Commonwealth a better place. I have had successes passing important pieces of legislation and served on numerous committees, including Appropriations, JLARC, and the Virginia Housing Commission. Depending on the outcome of the redistricting court case, my district may look a slightly different; however, I look forward to continuing to serve the citizens of the 69th District as we go forward.

Governor Northam’s Budget Announcements
On Tuesday, December 18th, Governor Northam outlined his proposed budget recommendations for the 2018-2020 biennium during the joint meeting of the Senate Finance, House Appropriations, and House Finance committees. You can access more detailed information here.
Right now, Virginia's financial outlook is positive as the Commonwealth had more revenue than expected. Based on this, the Governor predicts a continuation of strong revenue as well as anticipating additional revenue based on the General Assembly's decisions regarding the Internet Sales Tax and federal tax code conformity. Highlights are below:

Compensation

  • There is a one-time, one percent bonus for state employees, effective December 2019, as well as money to fund the state’s share of a one percent bonus for state-supported local employees. Additionally, support for retired law enforcement officers provides increased  health insurance credits for state police, deputy sheriffs, and other state law enforcement officers who retire with at least 15 years of service.

Education

  • $268.7 million in new money for K-12 Education: This includes additional money ($88 million) for teacher salaries to result in a 5% raise effective July 1, 2019; the At-Risk Add-On and Supplemental Lottery Per Pupil Allocation will be boosted by $70 million; and a $80 million one-time deposit in the Literary Fund will free up resources for low-interest loans for school construction.

  • Improving School Safety: There is new money for investments to ensure safe learning environments for K-12 students; $36 million to fund additional school counselors; $3.3 million to the Virginia Center for School Campus Safety, which will fund critical positions; expand access to training for school professionals, school resource and security officers; supplement expired grant support for the annual school climate survey; and provide additional active shooter trainings. It also adds funding for a treat assessment case management tool.

Higher Education

Workforce Development

  • There is $5.5 million for career advisors at community colleges; $4 million for workforce credential grant program, which helps students pay for training in high-demand jobs; and $8 million in one-time funding to create a case management system across agencies to keep track of the way people enter our workforce systems.

Natural Resources

  • Investments to Protect Virginia’s Water Quality & Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Cleanupinclude increased funding for Virginia’s agricultural best management practices cost share program, the technical experts needed to assist farmers, and several important nonpoint source water quality programs to $90 million per year by FY 2020.

  • The Stormwater Local Assistance Fund receives a dedicated $50 million to help urban and suburban areas reduce pollution coming off of impervious surfaces.

  • Data-driven land conservation strategy receives $11 million with the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation.

  • The Department of Environmental Quality receives $2.5 million to begin returning to previous staffing levels to properly regulate and enforce Virginia’s environmental standards.

Rural Broadband

Infrastructure

  • The Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Bank, which funds projects across the Commonwealth will receive $75 million to help provide seed money for improvements to I-81. An additional investment of $20 million to develop pad-ready business sites, $10 million for Virginia Saves, a revolving fund for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and a new position at the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy to support the solar industry and create an office focused on offshore wind are also included.

Medicaid/Health

  • To expand crisis response systems at community service boards, there is $9 million; $5 million for community transition support, and $2 million for permanent supportive housing, as well as additional funding to help first responders buy more Naloxone, a lifesaving opioid reversal drug.

Veterans

  • Funding is provided for behavioral health support positions for veterans and for new positions to help process benefits as well as  added positions to help veterans transition into the civilian workforce

Housing

  • The Housing Trust Fund, which provides loans for home purchases and helps reduce homelessness receives $19 million. There is funding for a new position at the Department of Housing and Community Development to work on the issue of eviction and additional support for legal aid attorneys to provide legal assistance to Virginians facing the prospect of eviction.

Other Items include

  • Support for Virginia’s Complete Count Committee to make sure that all of our state’s residents are counted in the vital upcoming census

  • $4.25 million to the Department of Social Services to prepare for potential storm evacuations, in light of the close call with Hurricane Florence in September

  • Provision for Virginia to stop suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid court costs and fees

  • Funding for the Department of Elections to enhance training for local elections officials and improve our oversight over maintenance of the voter lists

  • Funding for a voter referendum for the Equal Rights Amendment

  • $6 million to pay for the presidential primaries in 2020

Remember that the Governor’s budget amendments must be approved by both the House and Senate during the legislative session. You can read the Governor’s complete statement here.

2019 Legislation

The 2019 legislative session is a "short session" for approximately 45 days. During shorter sessions, members of the House of Delegates are limited to introducing 15 pieces of legislation. Throughout the year, I gather ideas for legislation in a variety of ways, including but not limited to, concerns received from constituents, advocacy groups, professional associations, commission and committees on which I serve, and the local news. Here are a few of the bills I plan to introduce this session:

High Risk Contracts
Based on the recommendations from JLARC (click here to review the report), of which I am a member, this legislation adds a definition of high-risk contracts and requires that, before execution, all state contracts that meet the definition of “high risk” be reviewed and approved by the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of General Services, and the Virginia Information Technologies Agency. The centralized review and approval process will ensure that contracts provide a good value to the state and reduce risks to both state agencies and the public.

Review of State Employee Compensation
Another recommendation from JLARC (click here to review the report), this legislation requires the Department of Human Resource Management to provide a report that specifies the job roles that should receive higher salary increases based on their recruitment and retention challenges, the amount by which other job roles’ salaries should be increased, and cost estimates for funding the proposed increases. Overall, state employee salaries are competitive with what other employers pay. Some jobs, however, have average salaries far below the market for these occupations, including jobs that perform essential government services and functions such as protecting public health and safety and managing public funds.

Groundwater Withdrawal Permits
A final recommendation from JLARC (click here to review the report) and a re-introduction from 2018’s session, this legislation directs the State Water Control Board to instruct the DEQ to modify the permitted withdrawal amounts for certain industrial holders of water withdrawal permits within the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area and further defines “human consumption” and “waste.” The Code clearly establishes that water withdrawals should be prioritized for human consumption, but currently more than 60 percent of all current permitted groundwater use in eastern Virginia is for industrial purposes. In order to reduce “crowding out” and costs to residential customers, we need to modify the amount of permitted withdrawal and reaffirm that high quality groundwater is for human consumption.

Non-payment of Child Support and suspension of driver’s licenses
Not having a driver’s license is a barrier to employment and income needed to pay child support. This legislation makes payment plans for child support more accessible by reducing the down payment requirements and increasing the length or payment of delinquent child support obligations, which can in turn remove the suspension of a person’s driver’s license. Payment plans with high dollar requirements are not realistic for lower income individuals. By making payments more reasonable, people will be able to make a payment plan, reinstate their driver’s license, and access employment and an income.

Local zoning for affordable housing
At the request of the City of Richmond, this legislation adds the City to the list of localities able to amend zoning ordinances to provide for an affordable housing dwelling unit program.

Giving Localities the Option to Ban or Tax Single-Use Grocery Bags
One of the best ways to reduce the amount of trash headed to landfills, as well as preserving our environment, is to ban or tax single-use items such as plastic bags. As China has closed its doors to our garbage, we need to reduce the amount of waste we are producing in the Commonwealth as well as be good stewards of our natural surroundings. This legislation allows any locality to adopt an ordinance to impose a tangible personal property tax of five cents for each disposable paper bag or plastic bag provided to the consumer by retailers in grocery stores, convenience stores, or drug stores.

Virginia Housing Commission will be sponsoring several pieces of legislation resulting from its work on reducing evictions; one of which I will introduce.

To keep track of my legislation, click here.

Useful Resources for the General Assembly Session

Starting Wednesday, January 9th, session occurs each week day at noon. You can visit the Capitol in person and sit in the gallery of either the House or Senate to observe. Or you can watch via livestream wherever you are by visiting the Virginia General Assembly website and clicking on “Members and Session” on the left-hand side of the page.

I encourage you to use the Legislative Information Systems website (http://lis.virginia.gov/) to access bill information, committee information, and meeting schedules.

If you have specific bills you’d like to talk to me about, you can communicate with me in a number of ways:
Email: delegate.carr@betsycarr.org
Phone: 804-698-1169
Mail: PO Box 406 Richmond, VA 23218
Complete my survey: https://www.betsycarr.org/constituent-survey/

You can also schedule an appointment to meet with me by calling our office at 804-698-1169.

Important Dates for Session:
January 9 - First day of Session
February 6 - Crossover (all the bills passed in the House go to the Senate and vice versa)
February 23 - Last day of Session

Community News

GRTC’s New Routes
Our bus system in Richmond experienced many positive changes in 2018: New routes, faster service, simplified bus route names, and the Pulse. If you are still learning your new routes or are experiencing issues, you can participate in the Travel Training program. An associate will meet you at your stop, work with you to create your own travel plan and show you how to ride the bus to get to your destination. They will even ride along with you. It is free, except for the cost of bus fare. Call or email: 804-474-9320 or kcalder@ridegrtc.com

If you have a bus stop amenity request (such as new benches, trash cans, or shelters), you can email your request to planningcomment@ridegrtc.com

The Pulse service frequency is now every 10 minutes during the daytime until 7 p.m. and service begins at 5 a.m. on weekdays, a half-hour earlier. The Pulse operates from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. on weekends.

Richmond Public High School students can ride for free. RPS high school students need to return their permission slip to their school to have unlimited free rides on GRTC local city routes, including the Pulse. Call 804-358-GRTC if you need a permission slip mailed to you.

Visit ridegrtc.com or call 804-358-GRTC for more detailed information on services and routes available to you.

Training, Education, and Technology for Veterans and their Families in Need
Earlier this fall, I had the opportunity to visit Tech4Troops, a non-profit with a mission to end veteran homelessness and poverty. Tech4Troops hires veterans and provides them with valuable technical training. They accept donations of e-waste, such as old computers, which they then use in their training as well as gift the refurbished technology to Veterans and their families. Visit https://techfortroops.org/ to learn more and get involved.

Frommer’s Best Places to Go in 2019
The new year marks the 400th anniversary of several key historical events in our country, including the first English-style representative legislative assembly in the Western Hemisphere in Jamestown and the arrival of the first enslaved Africans. The American Evolution program is organizing cultural performances, talks, historical exhibits, and art installations to museums, theaters, and universities across the Commonwealth. As Virginia takes center-stage next year as a top destination, I encourage you to take advantage of all the offerings to learn about our history and how we can continue to do better in order to make our Commonwealth the best it can be. Visit https://www.americanevolution2019.com/ to learn more.

Currently one outstanding exhibition is  "Tenacity: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia." It will be available until January 2020 and explores the captivating and little-known personal stories of women in Jamestown and the Virginia colonies. These women certainly had tenacious spirits and made a lasting impact on their societies. From the arrival of the first English women in Virginia in 1608 to the Powhatan Indian women they encountered to the arrival of the first documented African woman in 1619, this exhibition explores women's roles, rights, and issues of the 17th century and how they are still relevant even today.

As always, it is a tremendous honor to serve you in the General Assembly. I look forward to hearing more from you as we enter the legislative session on January 9th. It is vital that I hear from my constituents in order to serve you in the best way possible. Please never hesitate to reach out to me with your concerns by emailing delegate.carr@betsycarr.org or calling the office at 804-698-1169.

Happy holidays to you and your loved ones.

Sincerely,

Betsy B. Carr

November 2018 Update

Dear Friend,

It is my hope that you have persevered through the wet and hurricane seasons and are enjoying the fall weather and the many special weekend festivals featured in our metropolitan area.

A quick reminder that Election Day is on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. 
City of Richmond Ballot:
Member United State Senate:

  • Corey A. Stewart – R

  • Timothy M. Kaine – D

  • Matt J. Water – L

Member House of Representatives – 4th District

  • Ryan A. McAdams – R

  • A. Donald McEachin – D

  • Peter J. “Pete” Wells – L

Chesterfield County Ballot:
Member United State Senate:

  • Corey A. Stewart – R

  • Timothy M. Kaine – D

  • Matt J. Water – L

Member House of Representatives – 4th District

  • Ryan A. McAdams – R

  • A. Donald McEachin – D

  • Peter J. “Pete” Wells – L

Member House of Representatives – 7th District

  • Dave A. Brat – R

  • Abigail A. Spanberger – D

  • Joseph B. Walton – L

Commonwealth’s Attorney *Special Election*

  • John F. Childrey

  • K. Scott Miles

If you do not live in the City of Richmond or Chesterfield County, you can find out who is on your ballot by visiting: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/voter-outreach/voting-info-tool.html
 
Constitutional Amendments (statewide):
Question 1: Should a county, city, or town be authorized to provide a partial tax exemption for real property that is subject to recurrent flooding, if flooding resiliency improvements have been made on the property?
 
Question 2: Shall the real property tax exemption for a primary residence that is currently provided to the surviving spouses of veterans who had a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability be amended to allow the surviving spouse to move to a different primary residence and still claim the exemption?
 
I plan to vote “yes” on both amendments. You can find more details about them here: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/election-law/proposed-constitutional-amendment-2018/index.html
 
In addition, I support our incumbents Senator Tim Kaine and Congressman A. Donald McEachin, as well as candidates for House of Representatives 7th District, Abigail Spanberger, and for Commonwealth’s Attorney, Scott Miles.
 
If you cannot vote on Election Day, you can complete your in-person absentee ballot application up to three days before Election Day, which would be on Saturday, November 3.
To cast an in-person absentee ballot, you will need to visit your local registrar’s office, which can be found here: https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup
 
On Tuesday, November 6th, polling places with be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Remember: Anyone in line at 7:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
 
All polling places must be fully accessible to elderly voters (65 and older) and voters with disabilities. However, if you need it, curbside voting is available to you.
 
Virginia law requires all voters to provide an acceptable form of photo identification at the polls. If you do not have this with you at the polls, you will be required to vote a provisional ballot and you’ll have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of identification to your locality’s electoral board for your vote to be counted.
 
Acceptable forms of identification for in-person voting include:

  • Valid Virginia Driver’s License or Identification Card

  • Valid Virginia DMV issues Veteran’s ID Card

  • Valid United States Passport

  • Other government issued photo identification cards (must be issued by US Government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, or a political subdivision of the Commonwealth)

  • Tribal enrollment or other tribal ID issued by one of 11 tribes recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia

  • Valid college or university student photo identification card (must be from an institution of higher education in Virginia)

  • Employee identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary course of the employer’s business

If you feel that your right to vote has been violated, please document your complaint by contacting your voter registrar or local electoral board.
 
For the City of Richmond:
Office of the General Registrar
J. Kirk Showalter
804-646-5950
 
For Chesterfield County:
Chesterfield Registrar’s Office
Constance Tyler
804-748-1471
 
For more information about how and where to vote as well as to find out who is on your ballot, visit www.elections.virginia.gov.

Enrollment for Medicaid Expansion

Starting on November 1st, individuals who meet Virginia’s new income criteria will be able to submit their application for Medicaid. Coverage begins on January 1, 2019. Visithttps://www.coverva.org/expansionfor information on eligibility and other important details.

Redistricting

As you may know, the Courts ruled 11 districts, including the 69th, to be unconstitutional based on racial gerrymandering, which illegally reduced the voting strength of black Virginians. Maps were introduced from both sides of the aisle. The Democrats’ plan was killed in committee and the General Assembly was set to vote on the Republicans’ map on October 21st, but the special session was cancelled. Because the House of Delegates could not reach an agreement and was set to miss the court-ordered October 31stdeadline, the maps will be drawn by a special, nonpartisan expert hired by the Courts. The three-judge panel appointed Bernard Grofman, who is an economics and political science professor at the University of California, Irvine. Grofman also helped redraw Virginia’s congressional districts in 2015. The judges expect to have a draft of the maps available by December 2018 and finalized by March 28, 2019. Another redistricting will take place after the decennial census in 2020.

Legislative Reporting 

The Division of Legislative Automated Systems (DLAS) has released a checklist of special and periodic reports to the General Assembly. If this is of interest to you, you can access this list athttps://rga.lis.virginia.gov/reports2018-2019.pdf. The 72-page documents details reports ranging from the Capitol Square Preservation Council to food safety and restaurant inspection programs to solar energy. If any report summary interests you, you can request a copy of the report by e-mailingreportdocs@dlas.virginia.govand identify by report number (e.g. 5, 79, 323, etc.) the reports you wish to receive.

On the Road and Distance Learning with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Sixty-five years after the launch of the original Artmobile, the VMFA celebrated the opening ofVMFA on the Road: An Artmobile for the 21stCentury.The inaugural exhibition is called How Far Can Creativity Take You?featuring VMFA Fellowship Artists.

The VMFA discontinued its Artmobile program in the early 1990s, but as part of a renewed commitment to statewide outreach, they began exploring ways to revive the program. The Museum received an 18-wheel tractor-trailer with 640 feet of display space, previously used by the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission. The current Artmobile exhibition has three sections: An introduction to VMFA and its unique history; in-depth video interviews with the featured artists, VMFA curators, and educators; and a modular interactive studio for visitors. The Artmobile will visit Richmond from January 24-26. As a former VMFA staff member in statewide programs, I am happy that an artmobile will once again be traversing our state.  For more information and tour dates visit:https://www.vmfa.museum/exhibitions/vmfa-on-the-road/

With the Evans Distance Learning Program, students and teachers can video-conference with a VMFA educator for a “virtual field trip” of their Richmond campus. Exploring on-view works of art, students are invited to make personal connections with objects while expanding their understanding of topics they are exploring in the virtual classroom. The programs serve grade 6-12 and community college audiences. Each session lasts approximately 45 minutes. Feel free to pass on this opportunity to your teachers and schools, who can book sessions by visiting:www.vmfa.museum/learn/distance-learning


High School Students Can Learn to Fly

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC), in partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia, Liberty University, Averett University and the Virginia Department of Aviation, is offering flight academies at no cost for high school students statewide. The Pathways Flight Academies will immerse students in learning to fly while discovering the range of exciting aviation career opportunities available. Four, two-week residential academies will be offered during the summer of 2019 for selected students who have shown an interest in and passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM), and have career aspirations to become a pilot. During the program, students will undertake ground school and flight training that can culminate in their first solo flight at the end of the academy.

Qualified applicants must be U.S. citizens, Virginia residents, and 16 years old by the start of the Academy. They must also be able to pass an FAA flight physical exam upon acceptance into the program. Twenty-four students will be selected. The demand for aviation jobs is extremely high. Sixty thousand new U.S. pilots will be needed in the next 15 years as well as 10,000 new U.S. air traffic controllers and 480,000 new aviation maintenance technicians worldwide by 2026. 

The application deadline is January 25, 2019. Learn more about the Pathways Flight Academies and the application process at http://www.vsgc.odu.edu/pathwaysflightacademies.

2019 Legislative Session

The new session will begin on January 9, 2019. If you have legislative ideas or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Already, I am working on bill drafts with several constituents  You can call my office at 804-698-1169 or e-mail me at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org. Hearing from constituents like you helps me to better understand the issues and informs me in how I should vote. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Betsy B. Carr

July 2018 Update

Dear Friend,

I hope your summer has been filled with fun and relaxation, whether you’ve stayed locally or ventured out to other regions. Since my last e-mail newsletter, new laws have gone into effect. For a full-report, I encourage you to review the Division of Legislative Services’ “In Due Course." Here are some bills that may be of interest to you and your family:

Grand larceny threshold increase (HB1550/SB105)
The law increases from $200 to $500 the threshold amount of money taken or value of goods taken at which the crime rises from petit larceny to grand larceny. As part of the Criminal Justice Reform Compromise, the General Assembly also strengthened the restitution laws in the Commonwealth. This new law allows a Defendant to remain on probation until restitution payments are complete, for up to 10 years, with review hearings monitoring compliance with restitution.

Unstructured recreational time for public elementary schools (HB1419/SB273)
Local schools boards can now provide elementary schools a certain amount of unstructured recreational time that is intended to develop teamwork, social skills, and overall physical fitness for students.

Student discipline; long-term suspension (HB1600)
The maximum length of a long-term suspension was reduced from 364 calendar days to 45 school days. Long-term suspension can extend beyond a 45-school-day period, if the offense involves weapons, drugs, serious bodily injury, or if the school board or division superintendent finds that aggravating circumstances exist.

Certification of use and dispensing CBD oil and THC-A oil (HB1251/SB726)
This law became effective on March 9, 2018, and provides that a practitioner may issue a written certification for the use of cannabidiol (CBD) or THC-A oil for the treatment or to alleviate the symptoms of any diagnosed condition or disease determined by the practitioner to benefit from such use. The law also increases the supply of CBD oil or THC-A oil a pharmaceutical process may dispense from a 30-day supply to a 90-day supply. This came at the recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care.

Horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering (HB1609)
Historical horse racing is now established as a form of horse racing. Historical horse racing is defined as a form of racing that creates pari-mutuel pools from wagers placed on previously conducted horse races and is hosted at a racetrack owned or operated by a significant infrastructure limited licensee or a satellite facility that is owned and operated by a significant infrastructure licensee or a nonprofit industry stakeholder organization recognized by the Virginia Racing Commission.

Local regulation of solar facilities (HB508/SB429)
A property owner may install a solar facility on the roof of a dwelling or other building to serve the electricity or thermal needs of that dwelling or building, provided that such installation is in compliance with any height and setback requirements in the zoning district as well as any provisions pertaining to any local historic or architectural preservation district.

Rear-facing child restraint devices (HB708)
Effective July 1, 2019, child restraint devices are prohibited from being forward-facing until, at least, the child reaches two years of age or until the child reaches the minimum weight limit for forward-facing car seats as prescribed by the manufacturer.

Public safety answering points; deployment of text to 911 (SB418)
Each public safety answering point (PSAP), by July 1, 2020, must be able to receive and process calls for emergency assistance via text message.

Use of handheld personal communications devices (HB1525)
There is now a mandatory fine of $250 for using a cellphone for reading emails or texting while operating a motor vehicle in a highway work zone when workers are present. 

Electric Utility Regulation (SB966)
In lieu of the biennial review proceedings previously required, Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power will be subject to triennial reviews of their rates, terms, and conditions for generation, distribution, and transmission services. Dominion’s first review will be held in 2021, which is one year earlier than currently scheduled and Appalachian’s will be held in 2020 and will utilize the three 12-month test periods beginning January 1, 2018 and ending December 31, 2019. There is also a new rate adjustment clause for expenses of electric distribution grid transformation projects and declares that these projects be in the public interest. The cost of such projects may be recovered through a rate adjustment clause or a customer credit reinvestment offset. 

Recycling Study (SB218)
The Department of Environmental Quality will study and then report to the General Assembly on how to improve recycling in Virginia over the next ten years by November 1, 2019. In addition, it adds the definition of Beneficial Use, Beneficiation Facility, and Recycling Center to the code all in an effort to improve recycling in the Commonwealth.

Pre-Filing Legislation for 2019
The General Assembly has already made preparations for the 2019 legislative session. As of July 16, legislators began pre-filing legislation for the coming year. If you have a concern with potential policy-related solutions, please reach out to my office. My office is happy to explore legislative possibilities that could improve the lives of citizens in our Commonwealth.

Medicaid Expansion
As I mentioned in my last update, on June 7th, Governor Northam signed the new state budget that expands eligibility for health coverage for up to 400,000 Virginia adults, beginning on January 1, 2019. There is still a great deal of work ahead to implement the changes to the Medicaid program, as outlined in the budget. If you are interested or seeking medicaid coverage, please read the eligibility requirements, the frequently asked questions, and visit www.CoverVA.org to learn more. There is also a toll-free number to call, 1-855-242-8282.

New coverage will apply to adults ages 19-64 with incomes under 138% of the Federal Poverty Level. For example, a single adult making $16,750 or less annually would meet income requirements. Coverage will include primary and acute care, behavioral health services, addiction and recovery treatment services, pharmacy services, and preventive care and treatment.

If you have any issues or questions, you are always welcome to contact my office at 804-698-1169.

Virginia is a Top State for Doing Business
This year, Virginia was named the 4th best state to do business in the country in CNBC’s 2018 “Top States for Business” ranking. Rising from #7 in 2017 and through bi-partisan efforts, Virginia’s highly-qualified workforce and increased educational opportunities have helped pave the way to 4th place. CNBC scores states in 10 categories, including economy, cost of living, and education. Virginia received high marks in workforce and business friendliness, but lower marks in the cost of living and cost of doing business. Read more about Virginia in comparison to other top ranked states here.

Exploring the Commonwealth
As much as I love our greater Richmond community, it is refreshing to visit other parts of the state to learn about their local economies and cultures. Recently, I had the opportunity to join the legislative Sportsmen's Caucus on a trip to St. Paul, Virginia, located in the southwestern region.Kayaking and floating down the Clinch River, as well as ATV riding on the Spearhead Trails, were highlights of the trip. Additionally, learning about the much needed economic growth of southwest Virginia was interesting and inspiring. This new economic development offers an opportunity for those affected by coal and manufacturing job losses.

Focusing on outdoor activity, the state and other organizations, like the Nature Conservancy, are purchasing plots of acreage along the Clinch River in order to develop a state park. In 2016, the General Assembly approved $2.5 million for the first phase, and the goal is for the park to stretch from Tazewell County through Russell, Wise, and Scott counties into Tennessee. The Clinch River, the “coral reef of North America,” is one of the world’s most biodiverse rivers and home to a large number of aquatic species and 46 mussel species, 20 of which are endangered. The Nature Conservancy is working with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to improve conservation and restoration efforts. If you are looking for an in-state vacation, I encourage you to consider southwest Virginia for your next trip. Feel free to reach out to me for tips on where to stay and what to do.

News from State Agencies 

Paid Parental Leave and Child Care Options 
Earlier this summer, Governor Northam issued two executive orders to provide support for state employees both at work and at home, which include paid parental leave and early child care and education. Executive Order Number Twelve authorizes paid parental leave for employees of executive branch state agencies, and provides up to eight weeks of paid parental leave to enable employees to care for and bond with a newborn, or for a child under the age of eighteen newly-placed for adoption, foster, or custodial care.

Executive Order Number Thirteen set up an Advisory Commission on Quality Child Care to study early child care and learning options for state employees. It will study the feasibility of providing evidence-based early care and learning programs for young children of state employees working on or around Capitol Square in Richmond. It will also explore the creation of similar programs for state workers in other parts of the Commonwealth.

I think this is an excellent step forward for parents working in the administration and hopefully will provide a model for potential legislation that can extend to all state employees. The Commonwealth needs to attract and retain talented state employees, and this is a great way to recognize those with young children and growing families. You can find more details at the Department of Human Resource Management’s website at www.dhrm.virginia.gov.

Virginia Retirement System
As a member of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), I had the opportunity to hear the Virginia Retirement System’s (VRS) report. The VRS hit its long-term target of increasing investment income by 7 percent in the recent fiscal year, and a new analysis suggests VRS should consider lowering the target for returns in the short term, which would range from 6.4 percent for the average annual return. The system will not reset contribution rates until 2019 for the next biennial budget. You can read more about the VRS report here, and if you are a state employee with questions about your VRS account, please contact my office at 804-698-1169 to be connected with a VRS representative who can assist you.

DMV - Virginia REAL ID and Veteran Indicator 
The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has begun its Virginia REAL ID Public Education Campaign ahead of the October 1, 2018 first issuance date.

On October 1, the DMV will begin offering Virginians the option of applying for a Virginia REAL ID compliant driver’s license or identification card. A REAL ID compliant credential allows the holder to prove their identity for certain federal purposes, like boarding a domestic flight or entering a military base. It will cost an additional $10 for the first issuance and will require applicants to come into the DMV with their required proof documents. The Department of Homeland Security’s enforcement of REAL ID regulations will begin on October 1, 2020. For more information, you can visit, www.dmvNOW.com/REALID.

The DMV is also now offering driver’s licenses and ID cards with a Veteran Indicator. As a result of recent legislation, the DMV has replaced its previously issued Veteran ID card with an optional Veteran Indicator on its driver’s licenses and ID cards. In the first week, the DMV issued 726 credentials with Veteran Indicators. If you currently hold a Virginia driver’s license or ID card, you can apply online for a replacement or renewal credential with the new Veteran Indicator. Customers who have already proven their Veteran Status can simply click “yes” to request an indicator on their new credential. Otherwise, customers can click a link to submit the required proof documents showing their discharge date and status. Applying for the indicator is free though standard fees apply to whatever credential they are requesting.

Serving on a State Board
Do you have a skill set or interest and would like to put it to use by serving on a state board or commission? Gubernatorial appointments are made on an ongoing basis with about 900 appointments being made throughout the year. There are three types of boards and commissions: Advisory, Policy, and Supervisory. Serving the Commonwealth of Virginia is both an honor and privilege, and I encourage you to seek opportunities that may be of interest to you. You can learn more at the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website and here is the link to current open positions.

Upcoming Events

National Night Out
One of my favorite evenings of the year is coming up - National Night Out. A great evening to meet and fellowship with your neighbors and community. National Night Out is “America’s Night Out Against Crime.” Some neighborhoods have block parties, others have activities for youth or cookouts. There is also an opportunity to get to know your local public safety officers and elected officials. I always enjoy visiting several events in the 69th district and seeing the diversity of our Richmond community in full display.

To find out more information or register your neighborhood event, visit the City of Richmond’s website.

Richmond Peace Education Center’s Conflict Resolution Training
Today, our country and local communities are experiencing conflict both politically and culturally. If you are interested in gaining skills on how to effectively resolve disputes in a peaceful manner, then consider taking RPEC’s two-day conflict resolution training. This is open to both teachers and any adult interested and includes engaging group exercises where you can strengthen your communication, active and empathetic listening, and conflict problem-solving skills. This is a great tool to have under your belt at home, the workplace, the classroom and community. Learn more here.

The McShin Foundation’s Authentic Recovery Coach Training
Virginia and many other states are facing an opioid epidemic. Locally, the McShin Foundation is leading the way to help people with substance abuse issues seek long-term recovery, and they are ready to help you, or anyone interested, in becoming a “Recovery Coach.” Taking place monthly on the final Thursday and Friday, this is an opportunity to begin learning how to turn your lived experience into a career of helping others. You will learn how to remove barriers and obstacles to recovery and serve as a personal guide and mentor for people seeking or already in recovery. CEUs will be accepted through the NAADAC Certification Commission and the VA Certification Board. You can register and learn more information here.

Save the Date 
I am excited and proud to announce my 7th annual Taste of the 69th District will be on Tuesday, October 16, 2018. Featuring 25+ restaurants from around the 69th district, this is an excellent opportunity to sample local cuisine as well as meet your neighbors and local elected officials, like myself. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.

It is an honor and privilege to serve you in the General Assembly. If you have questions, concerns, or need help with a state agency, please never hesitate to contact my office at 804-698-1169 or email me at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org.

Sincerely,

Betsy B. Carr

June 2018 Legislative Update

It is with great pleasure and honor that I write to tell you (as I am sure you have read in the news) that the General Assembly passed the budget, which included Medicaid expansion, and was signed by Governor Northam on Thursday, June 7, 2018.

After five years of advocacy from many constituents in the 69th district and across the Commonwealth, I am proud to have been a part of the process that brings much needed healthcare coverage to more than 300,000 Virginians, effective January 1, 2019. In the 69th district alone, according to the Commonwealth Institute, 6,800 individuals could gain coverage through this expansion. Now Virginia the 33rd state, along with Washington, D.C., to include expanded healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

Thank you for your patience and diligence on this crucial issue.

Along with Medicaid expansion, the two-year, $117 billion budget includes raises for state employees and teachers and addresses capacity issues at mental health facilities. You can review more budget detailshere.

Committees & Commissions

The Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission (JLARC), of which I am a member, has released a comprehensive reference guide, “Virginia Compared to the Other States.” If you are interested in how our Commonwealth compares in terms of population, economy, education, taxes, employment, and more, this is a great place to start learning. 

Additionally, JLARC released a report of the Virginia College Savings Plan (Virginia529), which administers a prepaid tuition program, two education savings programs, and a disability savings program. This is the largest 529 savings plan in the country, with $69.1 billion in assets and a 21 percent share of the national market as of March 31, 2018. In 2017, JLARC staff were asked to review the investment management structure of Virginia529’s Prepaid529 fund and determine whether there are other ways to more efficiently manage the fund, for instance, assigning it to the Virginia Retirement System or the Department of Treasury. JLARC’s report found that while the Prepaid529 investments should not be transferred, there were recommendations for strengthening the investment management structure.

At the June JLARC meeting, some legislators pointed to recommendations in the JLARC report and advocated reduction of the Prepaid529 “pricing reserve” fee from 10% to 7%. You can read more about the report at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. in Virginia

It is an honor to serve on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission. The Commission is currently working on a number of projects that will help preserve the legacy of Dr. King. Through a series of roundtables held in each of the communities that he visited in Virginia, community leaders, educators, historians, and others are examining Dr. King’s question, “Where do we go from here?” I have had the opportunity to sit in on all of the community roundtables and found each of them to be meaningful and thought-provoking. Most recently, at the First Baptist Church in Williamsburg, I enjoyed discussion on the “radical King” as described by historian, Dr. Robert Vinson. He emphasized the way King advocated for change along with racial equality by campaigning for the end of the Vietnam war and supporting a sanitation workers’ strike. 

There is so much for us to remember and learn from the great Dr. King. If you are able, please join us at the next roundtable on July 11 at the High Street Baptist Church in Danville from 6 to 8 p.m. or view it live (and find the archived videos from Charlottesville, Richmond, Farmville and Williamsburg) by searching @VAMLKCommission on Facebook. You can also learn more about the Commission’s activities and donate to support the construction of the “Emancipation Proclamation and Freedom Monument” at http://mlkcommission.dls.virginia.gov/

In a similar vein, during the 2018 legislative session, I introduced HJR86, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. On July 9, 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified granting citizenship to “all persons born or naturalized in the United States” and requiring equal protection under the law for all persons within states’ jurisdiction. This marks a significant victory in a centuries-long fight for freedom. It is my hope that this commemorative resolution, along with the evolving festivities to honor the 400th anniversary of the first Africans’ arrival in Jamestown (1619), will help others remember, acknowledge, and learn from our nation’s history of enslaving people of color as well as restricting their educational, economic, and social rights so that history is not repeated.

Keeping Our Children Safe

Sadly, the United States has continued to suffer mass shootings in public places, such as our schools. After the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida this past February, we have witnessed students and adults coming together to advocate for stronger gun control. In response, the Virginia House Democratic caucus established the “Safe Virginia Initiative” Task Force, a working group focused on developing policy initiatives that will reduce gun violence in Virginia. The group, led by Delegates Eileen Filler-Corn and Kathleen Murphy, is organizing events between May and October of this year throughout Virginia and will include public input.

The National Conference of State Legislatures has a comprehensive, interactive graphic on school safety legislation across the country, for your review here.

Community Notes

Hurricane Season Officially Underway

June 1, 2018 marked the official start of the hurricane season. Some Virginians have already experienced wind storms and flooding conditions. These summer storms can be unpredictable; preparation is key. Here are the items you need for an emergency storm kit:

  • Flashlight with extra batteries

  • At least 3 days of non-perishable food

  • Gallon of water per person, per day

  • First Aid Kit

  • Blankets and extra clothes

  • Battery-powered lantern, fan, radio, and extra batteries

  • Cash for emergency use

  • Update your electric account phone number online or by calling 800-222-0401

  • Sign up for text alerts to receive storm updates. Sign up here.

  • Fully charge your phone(s) before the storm arrives

If your power goes out, call Dominion at 866-366-4357 or report it online here. Don’t assume your neighbor called or that Dominion is aware already!

No Kid Hungry Summer Meals Program

For many kids, summer is a time of sunshine, playtime, and freedom from homework. But for the Virginia kids who struggle with hunger, summer vacation can be a time of uncertainty and anxiety. For many, summer can be the hungriest time of the year. A lack of reliable nutrition during the summer months takes a major toll on children. Kids who struggle with hunger are more likely to experience “summer slide,” forgetting what they learned the year before.

The Summer Meals Program (also known as the Summer Food Service Program, or SFSP) is a federally-funded, state-administered program that provides FREE meals to youth 18 years old and younger when school is not in session. The program is intended to fill in the gaps for students who count on school breakfast and lunch during the school year, but lose that resource in the summer.  The Virginia Department of Education administers the program.

Meals are prepared by sponsoring organizations, such as school nutrition departments and food banks, and served at safe, trusted community sites such as libraries, parks, schools, and churches. Meals are available to all children at open sites, regardless of income or address. Many sites provide enrichment activities, and they offer an opportunity for children to spend time with their neighbors and friends. In Virginia in 2017, 149 sponsors served more than 3.7 million meals from over 1,500 individual locations through the Summer Meals Program.

Children and families can find free meal sites in their area by texting “FOOD” or “COMIDA” to 877-877 starting in early/mid-June. Visitwww.nokidhungry.org/virginia for more information.

Financial Aid Assistance

Do you have a student who needs help with the financial aid process? GReat Aspirations Scholarship Program, Inc (GRASP) is a charitable, college-access organization that assists students and families in obtaining funding for post-secondary education. They are happy to provide a financial aid session to help get you and your family on the right track. Please contact my office for more information by calling 804-698-1169.

Let’s Keep Virginia Beautiful - Adopt-A-Highway

Virginia’s Adopt-a-Highway program is celebrating 30 Years in 2018!  A partnership established between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Keep Virginia Beautiful, encourages new participants to join the thousands of groups that have helped keep Virginia’s roadways litter-free since it was first established in 1988.  The Adopt-a-Highway program provides a FREE opportunity for businesses, civic groups and even families to clean up litter and be recognized for their efforts with a sign featuring their name after two pickups have been documented.  An increase in miles covered with regular litter cleanups will translate into overall savings for the commonwealth and provide a cleaner, greener environment for us all to enjoy.  For more information, please emailinfo@keepvirginiabeautiful.org or visit their website.

Explore and Learn Virginia History

You can be a tourist in our own town this summer by using the Virginia History Trails App presented by American Evolution. The Virginia History Trails app, a customized digital platform, is great tool for exploring Virginia history without having to leave your hometown. The app features 20 trails and 400 stories from all across Virginia. You can download the Virginia History Trails app on Google Play or App Store.

It is an honor and privilege to serve in the House of Delegates. Please never hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance to you. You can call my office at 804-698-1169 or email at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org.

Sincerely,
Betsy B. Carr

2018 End Of Session Update

Dear Friend,

The 2018 legislative session of the Virginia General Assembly adjourned sine die on March 10, with unfinished business. The House of Delegates and Senate budget negotiators were unable to reach a compromise before the General Assembly adjourned. Governor Northam has now called a special session April 11, for the Assembly to complete work on the budget for 2019-2020 and for the remainder of 2018, which is called the “caboose budget.”
 
Expansion of health care coverage for low-income Virginians remains the major conflict between the House and Senate budgets. The House budget provides for this expansion using federal dollars, thereby providing savings to be used in crucial areas such as education and public safety. The Senate budget did not expand health care coverage, and thus had significantly less to spend on other areas. As noted by Mayor Stoney, the House version of the budget has an additional $2 million for Richmond Public Schools. I supported the House version of the budget, as did my House colleagues from the Richmond delegation.
 
As I wrote earlier, the General Assembly passed legislation that I introduced this session. The Richmond Times-Dispatchfeatured an article on my HB 594 which gives localities another tool to help combat criminal blight. The Virginia Housing Commission, on which I serve, worked with the City of Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham on this issue. Chief Durham wanted additional tools to combat situations including prostitution and excessive calls for service due to drugs and other crimes at the same locations. Each individual locality in the state will now be able to set up an ordinance within the scope of the law passed by the General Assembly.
 
The General Assembly also passed my bill HB 609, which will improve safety in homes that are rented. The bill lays out guidelines for how and when  landlords must install and update smoke alarms in their managed properties. This will help ensure that dwellers have sufficient time to reach safety if a fire or smoke incident does occur.
 
My bills HB 590 and HB 591 will make it easier for land banks and land trusts to acquire property that they can develop, and ensure that the property then remains affordable for the long term. Entities such as Richmond’s own Maggie Walker Community Land Trust will be able to benefit from this type of legislation, a continuation of legislation that I have worked on for serveral years with colleagues on  the Housing Commission.
 
Other legislative efforts during the 2018 session included reforms to school suspensions, an increase in the felony larceny threshold so that we can ensure that one mistake does not ruin an entire life and the expansion of the state revenue reserve funds. The expansion of state revenue reserves is important because it is one of the top priorities of the bond rating agencies. Virginia needs to exceed compliance with these regulations so that we can continue to borrow money for capital construction projects and other needs at the lowest possible interest rate in the market, thus saving the most taxpayer money possible.
 
A discussion of other legislation that will affect everyday life for Virginians can be found in this article printed in The Virginian-Pilot.
 
After the Special Session of the General Assembly on April 11, the regularly scheduled Reconvened Session, which meets 6 weeks after the sine die adjournment, will take place April 18. During that session the legislature approves the Governor’s bill and budget amendments.
 
During the coming months, committees and commissions on which I serve – the Advisory Council on Economic Justice, the Appropriations Committee, the Housing Commission, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commission, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, and the Joint Rules Committee – will continue to hold meetings.
 
In addition, neighborhood and civic groups will hold their regular and special annual meetings, clean-ups, house and garden tours, block parties, spring markets and family festivals. Please let my office know if you would like more information.
 
It is a tremendous honor to serve you in the House of Delegates. I am available to meet with any constituents throughout the year in my office or in their local district community.

Please never hesitate to contact me if I can be helpful with a state agency or with legislative information. My phone number is 804-698-1069 and my email address is delegate.carr@betsycarr.org. I look forward to our continuing work together.

Sincerely,

Betsy

Storm Response And Final Week Of Legislative Session

Dear Friend,

I would like to provide you with follow-up information after Friday’s severe windstorm as well as a brief General Assembly update with only one week of this legislative session remaining.

On the weather front
Dominion Energy Virginia faces the largest scale power outage since the 2012 derecho and most protracted high winds since Hurricane Irene in 2011. Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency.

As of Sunday afternoon approximately 60,000 of the nearly 700,000 customers affected by the storm were without service. Approximately 40,000 of the customers without power are in Northern Virginia, approximately 6500 are in the Fredericksburg area and 7,000 in the Charlottesville area. About 1800 customer outages remained in the Richmond area, 3000 in Gloucester, 1200 on the Northern Neck, and 200 in Southside Virginia as well as smaller number of outages across the Dominion system. Almost 4,000 Dominion Energy personnel are working around the clock to restore power. The great majority of critical services have been restored. Focus is now on neighborhood restoration and having schools ready for classes on Monday. Full restoration of customer service is anticipated for Tuesday evening.

With large-scale outages like this one, the power company’s first priority is to address downed power lines due to the safety issues they create.  As a reminder, stay 30 feet away from downed wires, assume that they are energized, and report them immediately to 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357). Citizens are asked to report outages at the Dominion Energy website,www.dominionenergy.com/outages-center or by calling the toll free number. Updates can be viewed on Dominion Energy’s Twitter at:https://twitter.com/domenergyva and on Facebook at:https://www.facebook.com/dominionenergyva.

On the legistlative front
The budget, the most important work the Assembly addresses each Session, remains yet to be passed. The final budget that passes will be whatever compromise Senate and House member conferees work out between the House and Senate budgets, which both passed in late February. The major difference between the two budgets is the expansion of  health care coverage for low-income Virginians, included in the House budget. While there are similarities in the two budgets, there is a difference of $600 million dollars to be reconciled. Here is a comparison Michael Martz provided in theRichmond Times Dispatch.

By extending healthcare coverage and receiving a 90% federal match, the House budget captures savings of $371 million in general funds. As a result, investment is available for public education and workforce training, as well as long-deserved salary adjustments for our critical state employees and school teachers. For the Port of Virginia to remain a key economic driver and competitive with other East Coast ports, funds have been designated for the much needed widening and deepening of its channels.

On a smaller scale, other funded items of particular constituent interest include visual screenings for elementary school students and digitizing specific collections for the Library of Virginia.

Since the start of the 2018 session, I have met with hundreds of constituents from the district who have taken the time to advocate at the General Assembly and to discuss their priorities with me. I much appreciate their input.

In addition to daily meetings with constituents, professional and special interest groups, and advocates for pending bills, I attend several caucus groups which meet on a regular basis to discuss topics of common interest.  These meetings provide General Assembly members with opportunities for learning and cooperation in different ways.

The Military & Veterans Caucus meets weekly to discuss legislation that impacts veterans and creates a helpful chart of legislation supported by our veteran community. At the Sportsmen’s Caucus I have learned about state parks, trails,  wildlife, the state of oysters and crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation. The Capital Region Caucus, with delegates from  Richmond City, and Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Powhatan, Goochland, and Charles City counties met to address specific legislative concerns and to explore how the budget might affect those localities. Caucuses for the Arts, Tourism, New Virginians and Outdoor Recreation bring together interested colleagues. 

After the tragic shooting at the high school in Parkland, Florida, delegates and senators also formed the Gun Violence Prevention Caucus. The Caucus meets to discuss efforts, legislation, prevention tactics, and other ways to reduce gun violence in our Commonwealth and in our communities. The tremendous energy and determination from the students at Stoneman Douglas High School shows that we cannot and will not lose hope in affecting change. I will participate in these caucus discussions. I would like to express my thanks to the many constituents who contacted me in support of gun safety legislation and those who took the time to speak at committee meetings on the bills during the session. 

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commission, on which I am honored to serve, will remember his legacy and influence in Virginia in a series of Community Conversations held in each of the locations across the state that Dr. King visited 50 years ago. The roundtables are part of the Commission's King in Virginia project. The project will research, compile, and exhibit information on Dr. King’s visits to Virginia and the time he spent in Richmond to urge the reopening of schools that had closed resisting desegregation. The first of these events occurred Thursday, March 1, in Richmond. There are three remaining roundtable events, the details of which can be found below. The public is welcome. For more information on these events, please contact my office.

Tuesday, March 13 in Charlottesville
Old Cabell Hall Auditorium, University of Virginia
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 24, Farmville
First Baptist Church
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, June 6, Williamsburg
First Baptist Church
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

The Virginia Governor’s Fellow program provides a unique opportunity for rising college seniors and graduating college seniors. This extensive and competitive summer program places students and graduates in positions in the Office of Governor Ralph Northam for a hands-on fellowship experience in the inner workings of state government. More details on this exciting and beneficial program are available at this link. Please contact my office if you have any questions or would like additional information. 

It is a privilege to serve you in the House of Delegates. I am available to meet with any constituents throughout the year in my office or in their local district community. Please never hesitate to contact me if I can be helpful with a state agency or with legislative information. My phone number is 804-698-1069 and my email address is delegate.carr@betsycarr.org. I look forward to our continuing work together.

Sincerely,
Betsy

Crossover 2018 Email Update

The General Assembly convened for the 2018 Legislative Session on January 10.  Since then, the House and Senate have considered over 2000 bills; I would like to provide you an update from the Capitol at ‘crossover’, the midpoint of the legislative session.
 
The bills I introduced this session reflected issues of community concern, as well as recommendations from the Housing Commission and the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) on which I serve.  A bill (HB 594) addressing crime blight along a couple of traffic corridors in our area, which had been identified by our Richmond police chief, as well as similar problems from other police chiefs around the state, passed in the House. It reflected the consensus of a number of stakeholders including law enforcement, motel owners and the Poverty Law Center. Another bill (HB 609) endorsed by the Housing Commission, provides a statewide system for ensuring the proper installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in rental residences. This can help protect residents and ensure proper warning when there is fire or smoke danger in the home.
 
Continuing recent legislative work establishing a land bank and land trust, House Bill 590 and House Bill 591 were passed for the construction and preservation of affordable housing in our community.
 
Two bills, which were the result of JLARC recommendations, dealt with the issue of establishing a statewide policy on regional water use and planning in our Commonwealth.
 
HB 1185 would have required that localities work together to plan their use of water. Currently, each locality, which uses a common water source, can develop its own plan. This approach can be problematic because upstream localities could, for instance, make a plan for river water use without considering implications on downstream localities. Although other delegates expressed interest and support for regional planning, there was concern about the immediate cost to implement such planning and the bill did not pass.
 
The second bill (HB 1186) would have ensured that the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) follow current Virginia Code when issuing permits for water withdrawals from the Potomac aquifer, which is the aquifer underneath the eastern half of Virginia. This bill would have ensured that permits are prioritized for human consumption; for instance, human needs and a municipal water supply would take precedence over an industrial commercial use. While the bill failed, DEQ has agreed to determine how best to implement the intent of the law prioritizing human use. DEQ will provide options that address complicated considerations such as economic development, agricultural use, and the Hampton Roads Sanitation District project which plans to inject “purified” water back into the aquifer. A consensus advisory group met in the recent past; their agreements resulted in lower withdrawal permits. For the present time, the aquifer level is not in immediate danger. However, implementing the intent of the code, which prioritizes aquifer use for human consumption, ensuring an adequate water supply for citizens’ use in the future, remains a necessity. I plan to continue working on these issues, in collaboration with my colleagues and experts in the field.
 
The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s full report on Virginia’s Water Resource Planning and Management is available at this link.
 
Gun safety, a frequently expressed community concern, was the subject of several of my bills which were, unfortunately, unsuccessful in this year’s session. House Bill 597 would have banned the use of ‘bump stocks’, devices that can be used to increase the rate of fire of a weapon. A bump stock device was used in the tragic Las Vegas shooting that resulted in over fifty dead and hundreds wounded; such devices remain legal in our Commonwealth. Other bills included limiting the number of magazines (HB 596), and requiring in-person training for a concealed carry license (HB 602).
 
HB 603 would have raised the permit application fee for a concealed handgun for non-residents of Virginia and raised revenue for our Virginia State Police. Although this measure seemed analogous to that of charging higher tuition for out-of-state students attending our public universities, the bill was defeated in subcommittee.
 
House Joint Resolution 86, which I submitted, commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution which requires equal protection under law for all persons.  The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Commission, on which I am privileged to serve, recommended this resolution.
 
Several key issues permeate this year’s legislative session. Expanding access to health care coverage continues to be a major priority for representatives. Governor Northam and Speaker of the House Cox have had pertinent discussions about how Virginia can provide more health coverage to our residents. The House of Delegates Appropriations Committee will present its Fiscal Years 2019-2020 budget proposal on Sunday, February 18.  Where we stand on the critically important task of ensuring quality health coverage for more of our citizens may be clearer then.


Legislation supported by Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company has garnered much attention. House Bill 1558 would lift the “rate freeze” that was passed by the General Assembly, which I opposed back in 2015. Although this year’s bill does propose investments in renewable energy while returning $200 million to ratepayers in one-time bill credits using money that was deemed to be “over-earned” by Dominion Energy, both concepts which I favor, I believe that both can and should be done in simple legislation and not within a complex package of technical regulations.
 
An amendment by Delegate Toscano addressed a significant concern about whether customers would be forced to pay twice for renewable energy projects, what the news media has been calling a “double-dip”. In the floor debate, delegates expressed concern that the bill limits the State Corporation Commision’s oversight control of utiltites. The bill does provide for “Grid Transformation.” For instance, there will be two-way communication between utility and customer. In some sections of the state which are subject to frequent hurricanes, customers are pleased with the possibiltiy that they will not have to call the utility company when their power goes out because the utility company will be able to already know that information. Much work and stakeholder input has gone into improving HB 1558. Governor Northam, the League of Conservation Voters, and many other groups now support it. However, I believe more work needs to be done. Along with 40 of my colleagues (out of 100), I voted against the bill on its final passage in the House. However, after a conference occurs to reconcile the House and Senate versions of the bill, the final bill, which will be voted on nearer to the end of session, may offer more measures that representatives appreciate and can support. I will certainly continue to evaluate the legislation as it evolves.
 
The General Assembly continues work, in conjunction with the Executive Branch, to stem the tide of the opioid crisis in our Commonwealth. Legislation has advanced that puts limits on certain prescriptions and other regulations on certain pharmacies to ensure that prescriptions are not over-provided. Studies have demonstrated that addiction often starts with legitimate need for the drugs that are initially provided through prescription. Delegates who are doctors in their full-time careers advanced these bills.
 
I have always been a strong supporter of equality in the LGBTQ community. Moreover, numerous constituents contacted me to support legislation that would have banned discrimination in the workplace and in housing for the LGBTQ community, such as SB 202 and SB 423. While I co-sponsored these bills, and pushed for them to be passed by making motions in the subcommittee, the Republican majority defeated these bills. They were not even heard by the full House of Delegates. Thank you to the many constituents who contacted me to make their voices heard and also to those who took time to appear and testify before the General Laws subcommittee. I will continue to fight for equality and opportunity for all Virginians.
 
Many constituents, who advocated making city streets safer for pedestrians and for bike users, wrote to support increased penalties for distracted drivers using hand held communication devices. House Bill 181 passed the House although there was considerable opposition because of concern that selected community members may be targeted unfairly.
 
Legislation regarding protections for animals is also being discussed. House Bill 646, which I co-patroned, would put in place adequate shelter and space requirements  before tethering of an animal would be allowed. This bill did not pass. However, House Bill 889, which simply allows a locality to implement limits on how long a dog may be tethered outside, with certain conditions, did pass the House of Delegates and will now be heard in the Senate. Meanwhile a different Senate bill (SB 872) concerning the subject will come to the House.
 
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)  continues to receive legislative focus.  This critical infrastructure system, upon which thousands of Virginia citizens daily rely, must have its capital needs properly funded while appropriate oversight of management and safety is ensured. The final piece of legislation to fund Virginia’s share of WMATA is a work in progress. Members of the Northern Virginia delegation are working tirelessly to ensure adequate funding. Many constituents have contacted me supporting legislation that reforms and properly funds the WMATA system and addresses transit in Virginia.
 
As a member of the Appropriations Committee, work on the state budget for Fiscal Years 2019 and 2020 is ongoing. Virginia is required to pass a balanced budget each biennium. I submitted various amendments to the introduced budget. Among my budget amendments are those that would direct more funding to school districts that serve a disproportionately high number of at-risk and low-income students, fund emergency construction and repair needs for facilities at Virginia Commonwealth University, and expand access to Virginia’s popular and helpful 529 College Savings Plan by allowing our citizens to make smaller deposits to these prepaid college tuition plans.
 
Participation in the Richmond Public Schools Job Shadow Dayeach year is a special delight. Aijya, a middle school student at Elkhardt-Thompson, shadowed me and my office staff for the day to learn more about the legislature and how a bill becomes a law.
 
The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation are sponsoring this year’s Poetry Out Loud contest. Students can apply at www.poetryoutloud.org and submit their work to compete in both the Virginia and national poetry recitation contests.
 
Constituents often want to know how best to follow General Assembly business. The General Assembly’s legislative website, available at this link, is an excellent resource to view the legislation and budget amendments introduced by each legislative member. Additionally, the website provides office contact information such as phone and fax numbers and email addresses for each delegate and senator. You can search legislation by bill number, by committee, or by General Assembly member. Various committee meetings are streamed online by visiting the meeting agenda for the committee.
 
Additionally, the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) provides a user friendly way to search legislation by topic. As always, if you have a question regarding legislation, please feel free to contact me.
 
The General Assembly is scheduled to adopt the FY 2019 and FY 2020 budget, finish all legislative business, and adjourn ‘sine die’ by Saturday, March 10th.
 
It is a privilege to serve you in the House of Delegates. I am available to meet with any constituents throughout the year in my office or in their local district community. Please never hesitate to contact me if I can be helpful with a state agency or with legislative information. My phone number is 804-698-1069 and my email address is delegate.carr@betsycarr.org. I look forward to our continuing work together.
 
Sincerely,
Betsy

Winter 2017 Legislative Update

Dear Friend,

As we prepare for the start of the 2018 Legislative Session of the General Assembly in January, I am pleased to provide you with an update from the Capitol.

The 2018 Session begins January 10, 2018 and is scheduled to last 60 days. This session will include the development of a new state budget for the next biennium. After the November elections, Ralph Northam and Justin Fairfax were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor, respectively, and Mark Herring was re-elected as Attorney General. All three will be sworn into office to serve their term on January 13, 2018. Inauguration tickets can be requested at this link, but are not guaranteed. Democrats picked up at least 15 seats in the House of Delegates. However, the House majority is still undecided as recounts are occurring in 3 House districts.

Each year, I invite constituents to complete my legislative survey. The survey includes questions on topics that are expected to come before the General Assembly. The results of the constituent survey help me to best represent our community and our shared values. Please consider completing my 2018 Session Survey by visiting this link. Paper copies are available by contacting my office at 804-698-1069 and providing a mailing address.

Today, Governor Terry McAuliffe presented to the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees the final proposed budget of his term. Governor McAuliffe presented a budget that expands Medicaid by drawing down federal funds, addresses the core state government services that had funding deficiency, continues workforce training investments and investments in K-12 education, and improves the fiscal strength of our Commonwealth. 

Legislators have already begun filing bills to be considered in the 2018 session. I plan to introduce a wide range of legislation that will help citizens and improve their lives in our Commonwealth. Expanded options for affordable housing organizations, redistricting reform, restoration of civil rights, affirmative defense for overdose victims receiving help, expanded gun safety laws, ensuring ground water use is prioritized for human consumption, study of best treatment models for substance abuse, reforms to Virginia’s concealed handgun permitting process, and a study of options for combating bullying among youth and youth suicide in the LGBT community are among the subjects of some of my proposed legislation.

Over the past few weeks, I have been meeting with groups who plan to advocate before the General Assembly. A few of these groups include the Chesterfield Education Association, the Military Officers of America, Open High School, the Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Port Authority, local Realtors, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, as well as individual constituents.

Recently I toured the St. Francis Home, located in the 69th District, to receive an update on the Home’s efforts to expand care and funding for senior citizens and advocate at the General Assembly.

Members of the Capital Region House and Senate delegation met recently to discuss regional issues including transportation and education funding and an expansion of broadband, as well as to hear legislative priorities of the surrounding counties and cities.

The Virginia Women’s Monument Commission recently held a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new women’s monument on Capitol Square. The “Voices from the Garden” Monument will commemorate women’s contributions across four centuries from every corner of our Commonwealth. This will be the first memorial to women of its kind in the entire United States.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commission continues its work on the Emancipation Proclamation and Freedom Monument to be erected on Brown’s Island in Richmond, and to plan public discussions throughout the state for the upcoming commemorative “King in Virginia” year. The Richmond Symphony will feature a MLK Tribute for its February 3-4 concert.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) has continued to meet over the past months to review study reports of multiple state agencies and programs. The reports are available online for the public to review by visiting jlarc.virginia.gov. Recently, JLARC released a report regarding early childhood education and child tax credit programs in Virginia.

The NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton is accepting entries through December 31 for an art contest with the theme “The Next 100 Years”. Students in grades K-12 are encouraged to apply. Information regarding submission of art and contest details is available at this link.

In preparation for the legislative session, please note that the General Assembly has relocated offices for both Delegates and Senators. My office is now located in the Pocahontas Building, at 900 East Main Street in Richmond. Those planning to visit the General Assembly during the session should enter the Pocahontas Building on Main Street, between 9th and 10th Streets.

My mailing address, email address, and phone number remain the same. My mailing address is Post Office Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218, my email address is delegate.carr@betsycarr.org, and my office phone number is 804-698-1069.

It is a privilege to serve you in the House of Delegates. I am available to meet with constituents throughout the year in my office or in their local district community. Please never hesitate to contact me if I can be helpful with a state agency or with legislative information.

Wishing you a very enjoyable holiday season and a healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2018.

Spring 2017 Legislative Update

Dear Friend,

I appreciate the opportunity to provide you a legislative update. The General Assembly met April 5 for the reconvened session to consider the Governor’s vetoes and amendments to legislation that passed during the 2017 regular session. A listing of legislation vetoed by the Governor is available at this link. Fortunately, the General Assembly did not override any of the Governor’s vetoes, many of which preserved keeping Virginia more welcoming, inclusive and business friendly.

Several of the Governor’s budget and legislative amendments attracted significant interest. An amendment to place a year-long ban on permitting for the closure of coal ash storage facilities passed. However, an important budget amendment that would have allowed for the expansion of Medicaid in Virginia failed.

Many constituents contacted me regarding a bill, HB 2264, that I opposed which would have  limited the funding of family planning services. This bill was vetoed by Governor McAuliffe and will not become law. Redistricting reform was a major topic of conversation in the legislative session and since adjournment. The General Assembly did not pass any redistricting reform legislation, including my HJ 651, during the session. Since the session adjourned in February, lawsuits relating to the constitutionality of Virginia’s House of Delegates districts are ongoing.

School suspension was another much-discussed topic. A bill I supported to attempt to limit the number of days a child could be suspended from school did not pass on a tie vote in the House. Those in favor of the bill argued that keeping children out of school is ultimately not helping them learn. Removing violent behavior from the classroom is necessary, but those children will be not be assisted in the best way if they have no supervision or direction. Those arguing against the bill were concerned about the removal of local control of school-related decisions. This session was not the first one to see this type of legislation introduced. Frequently, new, comprehensive and/or controversial legislation may take several years before moving successfully through the legislative process. After hearing arguments from all stakeholders, the introducers of the bill learn what modifications will enable the bill to pass. 

Solar energy is a popular topic in constituent emails. Recently, Dominion Virginia Power submitted its integrated resource plan to the state for review. Dominion states that their plan includes an increase in the use of solar energy across Virginia. The Richmond Times-Dispatch recently published an article detailing the plan which includes comments from various stakeholder groups.

The Governor signed legislation that I introduced allowing for the expansion of land bank programs to reduce blighted properties. Additionally, he signed my bill which establishes a process for candidate withdrawal from a race for an elected position after the ballots have already been printed.

As a result of work this session, there were several measures taken related to the topic of marijuana reform. Senator Marsden’s SB 1027, which I co-patroned, will allow for the production of cannabidiol oil in Virginia to treat epilepsy. Additionally, the Virginia State Crime Commission will study whether or not Virginia should decriminalize small amounts of marijuana.

Before the 2018 session begins next January, legislative committees and commissions, will continue meeting. I will attend and serve as a member on the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, Housing Commission, Appropriations Committee, and Joint Rules Committee meetings. The General Assembly publishes a calendar for committee or commission meetings that are open to the public and is available here. 

Primary elections will be held across Virginia on June 13th atyour regular polling location. Both the Democratic Party and Republican Party will hold nomination contests. The deadline toregister to vote in the primary is May 22. The deadline to request that an absentee ballot be mailed to you is June 6. Voters in the City of Richmond will vote in Democratic nomination contests for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, City Treasurer and Sheriff, or in Republican nomination contests for Governor and Lieutenant Governor. In Chesterfield County, voters will participate in Democratic or Republican nomination contests for Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

This year’s General Election Day is November 7, 2017. I will be seeking re-election to the House of Delegates. On the ballot this day will be elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor,  Attorney General and House of Delegate candidates in both Richmond and Chesterfield. Richmond voters will also select a City Treasurer, Sheriff and Commonwealth Attorney.

There will be a Spring Cleaning event at 6807 Midlothian TurnpikeSaturday, May 6, hosted by the Richmond Clean City Commission. Shredding machines will be on hand to accept up to 5 boxes or bags of personal documents; electronics recycling will be available. Containers of pesticides, herbicides or oil-based paints will be accepted for proper disposal. Additionally, old curbside recycling bins that have been cleaned will be collected for use in the schools.

As we enter spring and summer months, there are many opportunities for engaging in seasonal activities. The City of Richmond Parks and Recreation Department’s Spring and Summer Program Guide is available at this link. The Program Guide provides information on a wide variety of activities that are taking place including recreation youth sports leagues, aquatics, dance classes, and youth summer camps. At this link, you can register for any of the Parks and Recreation Department activities in Richmond. 

The Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation Summer Program Guide is available at this link and provides information on camps and activities that are taking place. Chesterfield County provides both adult and youth programs for residents.

There are 3 inviting farmer’s markets in the 69th District:BirdHouse, on Tuesdays from 3 to 6:30pm at 1507 Grayland Avenue, South of the James, from 8am to noon on Saturdays at New Kent and 42nd Streets, and Carytown Market, on Sundays from 11am to 3pm at 3201 West Cary Street.

Beginning June 12th, my office will be located in the Pocahontas Building at the southwest corner of Capitol Square at Bank and 10th Streets. The current General Assembly Building, will be demolished over the course of the next year due to health and safety concerns. A new General Assembly office building, welcoming for citizens and functional for legislative representatives and staff, will open in January 2021. A special sub-committee of Rules, on which I serve, is overseeing rebuilding plans and process.

While the legislature is in session for only a few months, I am available to meet with constituents throughout the year. I welcome visitors, including students, to my office; and can meet with community members in their local district locations. It is a privilege to serve you in the House of Delegates. Please never hesitate to contact me if I can be helpful with a state agency or with legislative information. My e-mail address is delegate.carr@betsycarr.org and my office phone number is 804-698-1069.

Sincerely,

Betsy

End of Session Update

I’m pleased to provide you with an update from the 2017 Virginia General Assembly session. The House of Delegates and State Senate met January 13 to February 25 and considered 4,735 bills on a wide range of topics, over 800 of which were sent to the Governor for signature.

During this year’s session, I introduced a variety of legislation which passed. House Bill 1931 will allow for the full implementation of Richmond’s upcoming Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system by granting Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) the ability to enforce the collection of transit fees. House Bill 1936 aims to address blighted and derelict properties by allowing a locality to transfer the responsibilities involved in managing a land bank to a group such as a non-profit organization that is separate from the locality. The bill’s goal is to help redevelop and sell properties so that they may return to the tax rolls of various localities. Provisions in House Bill 2006 prevent fraud in the use of assistance animals in multi-unit dwellings. House Bill 1933 outlines the process for candidate withdrawal from an election to ensure that voters have current information on Election Day.

Additionally, I put forward legislation to codify a process for the restoration of civil rights (House Resolution 650) and to establish a nonpartisan commission for redistricting (House Resolution 651). These resolutions, as well as all other introduced resolutions on the related topics failed to pass in the General Assembly this year.

I served on the conference committees for House Bill 2386 and Senate Bill 854 which provide installment payment plans for those having difficulty paying court fees. As long as payments continue according to the designated plan, a driver's license will not be suspended.

Each year passing a balanced budget is the legislature’s most important work: it reflects priorities for use of taxpayer money. This year the great challenge was addressing our Commonwealth’s $1.25 billion shortfall from the 2016 passed budget. The House and Senate passed an amended budget February 25. It will go to the Governor and, after his amendments or line item vetoes, it will undergo a final vote during the Reconvene Session, April 5.

The budget sent to the Governor will provide for a 3% pay raise for state employees and a 2% pay raise for state-supported local employees and college faculty. Additionally, the budget funds the state’s share of a 2% pay raise for teachers while sending 35% of all Lottery of Virginia proceeds to local school divisions without restrictions. For example, a school division can spend the money on salary increases, technology infrastructure, or payments to the Virginia Retirement System depending on its needs.

Additionally, the budget provides for a $6,793 salary increase for all Virginia State Troopers and an entry level salary increase as well. These necessary increases support the important role that our state troopers have in our Commonwealth and allow the agency to increase trooper recruitment efforts. The Virginia Capitol Police, the oldest police force in the United States, will also receive salary increases.

The Library of Virginia, which faced significant budget cuts, operating hour reductions, and layoffs at the end of 2016 will have those cuts and reductions restored with an increase of $600,000 to the Library’s budget. I co-patroned the budget amendment to restore library funding.

Another important focus of the budget was addressing mental health and substance abuse in our Commonwealth. The budget will increase services for individuals with mental illness and expand services for 3,000 individuals with incomes at or below 100% of the poverty line. The budget also allows for same day mental health treatment services to be expanded at Community Service Board locations across the Commonwealth. Additional funding for substance abuse treatment was included in the budget, with $5 million for supportive housing for individuals in recovery and $1 million for opioid detoxification services.

The budget provides $5.5 million for community employment and training programs including work force training and $2 million to support employment service organizations. An additional $2 million will provide a 2.5% increase in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding throughout the state. More complete budget information is discussed here.

Delegate Delores McQuinn’s legislation that I co-patroned will grant $100,000 to the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities at UVA to identify the history of formerly enslaved African Americans in Virginia and determine ways to preserve the history so that it may be used for educational and cultural purposes.

Additional legislation in this year's session that attracted general interest included the regulation of the short term lodging industry, the rights of LGBT citizens, women’s healthcare, and redistricting reform.

The Housing Commission, on which I serve, has studied the short term lodging industry for the past year. Senate Bill 1578 passed this session. This bill allows, but does not mandate, any locality to adopt an ordinance which regulates short term rentals such as AirBnB. The legislation will not affect the current status of short-term rentals in Richmond unless the city adopts an ordinance establishing a registry. Similarly, it will allow Chesterfield to adopt a regulatory framework if the county so chooses.

Many constituents contacted me this session regarding the rights of our LGBT citizens. I was pleased to support initiatives that worked to expand rights. I co-patroned a bill by Senator Jennifer Wexton which, although it was unsuccessful, would have made discrimination against members of the LGBT community in housing illegal. A bill similar to North Carolina’s controversial ‘bathroom bill,’ failed.

Last week, the members of the House Democratic Caucus were able to sustain Governor McAuliffe’s veto of House Bill 2264, which would have cut funding to Planned Parenthood across Virginia. Many constituents contacted me in opposition to this bill; Planned Parenthood makes affordable crucial services for many women who would not otherwise have access to health care.

Redistricting reform was a major discussion topic this legislative session thanks to the work of many constituents and the advocacy group OneVirginia2021. Although all bills aimed at redistricting reform failed this session, it is my hope that this critical issue will eventually be addressed by the General Assembly. Continued efforts by constituents to contact their legislators did make an impact this year by putting the issue directly before the legislators and ensuring that each legislator knew how important this issue is to their constituents. Additionally, ProgressVA’s filming of committee deliberation and votes increased transparency throughout the session.

My resolution to recognize the centennial of women’s suffrage and the Nineteenth Amendment was combined with another resolution which establishes a task force facilitated by the Virginia Historical Society for the purpose of commemorating this significant anniversary.

A Richmond Times-Dispatch article discusses 25 reasons why the General Assembly was important here.

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) assists our veterans with a wide variety of services. These include housing and homelessness services, legal assistance, and both short and long-term care concerns. The complete DVS veteran’s resource guide, is available on the DVS website. Our office is also able to assist with issues affecting our veterans and help connect to necessary services.

The Commonwealth of Virginia and the Office of the Governor make appointments of citizens to serve on a wide variety of boards and commissions. On the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website, you can read more about the available appointments and check to see if you or someone you know that is interested may qualify to serve.

The James River Association provides an interesting river expedition experience for students during the summer months. Information about these river adventures can be found on the James River Association website.

The Carillon, Virginia’s Official Memorial to World War I, is located in Byrd Park at the south end of the Boulevard in the 69th District. On April 6, 2017, at 11:45 A.M., the Virginia World War I and World War II Commemoration Commission will host a special commemorative program there to mark the 100th Anniversary of the United States entry into World War I. The program is free and open to the public; information is available at this link.

During the summer, the legislative offices of the General Assembly will relocate. The General Assembly Building at the corner of 9th and Broad Streets in Richmond will be demolished due to growing health and safety concerns. For the next four years, legislative offices will be in the Pocahontas Building, located at the corner of 10th and Bank Streets in Richmond. My phone number and e-mail address will remain the same; my new office address will be available in June.

While the legislature is in session for only a few months, I am available to meet with constituents throughout the year. It is a privilege to serve you in the House of Delegates. Please never hesitate to contact me if I can be helpful with a state agency or with legislative information. My e-mail address is delegate.carr@betsycarr.org and my office phone number is 804-698-1069.

Fall 2016 Legislative and Community Update

Dear Friend,
 
As we enjoy cooler fall temperatures, I would like to provide you with an update from the Capitol, as well as important information regarding the 2016 election and community events.
 
The 2016 General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8thfor President and Vice-President of the United States. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. To find the name and address of your polling precinct, please click on this link. Remember that you will need a photo ID to vote. Additionally, citizens in the City of Richmond will vote to elect a new mayor, members of City Council and the School Board and, with parts of Chesterfield and other places, for a new member of Congress to represent Virignia's 4th Congressional District.
 
The deadline to request an absentee ballot be sent to you is Tuesday, November 1 at 5pm. To request one electronically, please visit this link, and click on “Apply online for a Virginia absentee ballot”. Once you have provided your information, an absentee ballot will be mailed to your address. The deadline to vote absentee by appearing in person is Saturday, November 5 at 5pm. If you are in Richmond, you may vote absentee at City Hall. If you are in Chesterfield, you may absentee at the General Registrar’s office, located at 9848 Lori Road, 23832.
 
Two commissions of which I am a member have been meeting since the end of the 2016 legislative session to work on legislative and government concerns.
 
The Speaker’s Commission on Employee Retirement Security and Pension Reform focuses on our state employees and is studying the most responsible ways to address public sector retirement benefits. I am a member of the Work Force Work Group, and we have focused on factors which influence the state workforce’s ability to keep pace with private sector jobs concerning pay and benefits, as well as ways to enhance recruitment and retention of state employees. In general, the “bench” for middle management among state employees is not deep. In some agencies more than half of the “institutional knowledge” will be retiring soon. State workers are involved with important work that has far-reaching impact; their mission is attractive for those who want to be involved in meaningful work. The next generation of workers wants their jobs to involve performance feedback and mentoring that focuses on overall personal and professional development.
 
Recent meetings of the Virginia Housing Commission have focused on the regulation of the short-term residential lodging industry and platforms such as AirBnB. We have also examined issues concerning common-interest communities, which are developments consisting of individually owned units but also requiring the maintenance of common areas, such as in a condominium complex. The commission has also reviewed research that looks at the impact of housing on regional economies.
 
The House Appropriations Committee Public Safety Subcommittee and Senate Finance Committee Public Safety Subcommittee met jointly at the Bon Air Juvenile Detention Center in early October. Committee members toured the site with recent changes made to the juvenile justice system model in mind and discussed the facility’s capital improvement needs. Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Mr. Andrew Block, addressed the joint committee on the need to design and build a new facility to best address the most pressing concerns related to safety and recidivism among those in DJJ care. Currently, juvenile justice facilities are designed similar to adult prisons. The new model focuses less on long term detention and more on short term rehabilitation. Additionally, Col. Steve Flaherty discussed technology capital needs of the Virginia State Police. The Virginia State Police operate a system known as STARS, a statewide radio system that allows troopers and dispatch officers to communicate effectively no matter where they may be. This system also operates all communication from state police patrol cars. As technology changes and advances, upgrades to the communication system used by our first responders are essential.
 
At the House Appropriations Committee’s October meeting, agenda subjects included presentations on state revenue, trade, and economic development. Secretary of Finance Ric Brown provided an economic overview for the month of September. Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore briefed the committee on the Virginia International Trade Corporation (VITC). VITC will create international trade development programs with strict performance measures and will provide services to businesses across our Commonwealth looking to expand their reach. Additionally, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), which shares similar business and trade growth goals as VITC, briefed the committee on the reorganization and structure of the partnership. While VITC works to expand trade opportunities in international markets, the VEDP provides site selection and business expansion or relocation services to private sector companies who decide to locate or expand their business in Virginia. It is important to continue encouraging companies to locate their businesses here as a way to expand access to good paying jobs. Both the VITC and VEDP play an important role in this process.   
 
The Department of Planning and Budget also briefed the committee on the Governor’s proposed actions to address the budget shortfall. The Governor’s proposed savings plan includes forgoing raises to state employees, withdrawing from the revenue stabilization fund, applying additional lottery revenue to public education, and applying savings from executive branch agency spending from the prior year. While it is difficult for the state to face a shortfall, the situation could be much worse and underscores the continuing need for investment in jobs that will pay above average wages.
 
The Carillon Neighborhood Historic District recently held an unveiling ceremony for an historic marker located at the entrance to the Carillon neighborhood. The Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the National Register of Historic Places recognized the Carillon Neighborhood Historic District for its long-standing commitment to social history and for serving as a model for racial integration in both the City of Richmond and our Commonwealth. Many long time neighbors, some of whom were members of the neighborhood’s first civic association when it began in 1968, joined together to celebrate the unveiling and shared emotional stories of how the neighborhood has impacted their lives.
 
The Lumpkin’s Jail Site ground-breaking and development ceremony took place in Shockoe Bottom on October 10, the anniversary of Gabriel’s Rebellion in 1800. Known for its work on the celebrated Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., the architectural group SmithGroupJJR will lead the development. The Slave Trail Commission, chaired by Delegate Delores McQuinn, has long envisioned that the project in Shockoe will involve community input from across the city for the full, finalized plans before the construction begins. The area, in addition to being a center for the country’s slave trade, was the center of the city’s history from its beginning. 
 
Attorney General Mark Herring, as part of his program that focuses on the safe disposal of prescription medication, recently sponsored a drug take-back event. At the event, citizens brought unused or old prescription medication that they no longer needed to a central site where it was properly disposed. The Attorney General’s office and the City of Richmond Police Department plan to have additional, similar events in the future to limit prescription drug abuse in our communities and protect children from accessing the medication. If you were unable to participate in the drug take-back event, you can visit this link which contains tips on how to safely dispose of prescription drugs in your home.
 
Important events and celebrations continue in our community and business life, even with the predominance of election season activities. For instance, in our district, there have been notable happenings for business and economic development in South Richmond. Roanoke Cement Company was awarded the OSHA SHARP certification, signifying that it is a model safety work site. The opening of Clopton Siteworks promises to bring new small business activity and jobs to the space of a long dormant former Philip Morris tobacco warehouse in the Jefferson Davis corridor, adjacent to Manchester. Tricycle Gardens, in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture, has initiated an urban agriculture certificate program. In our Commonwealth’s cultural life, at the Library of Virginia’s Literary Awards Celebration, Poet Nikki Giovanni received the Literary Lifetime Achievement Award and Richmonder Carole Weinstein was awarded the Library’s first ever Honorary Patron of Letters Degree.
 
Veterans Day, November 11, will be marked by ceremonies at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond, at 10 a.m. and at the Historic 1917 Courthouse at 2 p.m. in Chesterfield.
 
After the election, members of the House and Senate will begin work on legislation for the 2017 Legislative Session of the General Assembly which will convene on January 11, and I will be busy preparing bills to introduce. As always, I am available to meet with constituents now, during the legislative session, and throughout the year. Please feel free to call my office at 804-698-1069 or e-mail me at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org if I can be of assistance to you. Knowing your thoughts and concerns helps me to best represent you.

Summer 2016 Update

Dear Friend,
 
As the summer continues, I am pleased to provide you with an update from the Capitol and important community information.
 
The new fiscal year for our Commonwealth began July 1, 2016, and marked the start date for newly passed legislation and the biennial budget. There were numerous changes to Virginia’s laws including strengthening ethics regulations, increasing penalties on unlicensed child care providers, and expanding access to background checks for firearms purchased at gun shows. Additionally, for bike safety, drivers must wait for a reasonable time before opening a parked car door into the traffic lane. The Division of Legislative Services provides an in-depth overview of new and modified laws in their publication, In Due Course. The Richmond Times-Dispatch also provides a very useful overview of legislative changes.
 
The legislative session was successful in passing important initiatives. A new bond package will strengthen research at our universities, expand and enhance the Port of Virginia and improve our state parks. Additionally, an important investment was made to expand workforce development credential programs at our community colleges.
 
A priority for our Commonwealth continues to be expansion of the new Virginia economy. The unemployment rate throughout the state is 3.7%. However, creation of good-paying jobs and expanding workforce training in existing and emerging fields is important. For example, in cybersecurity, thousands of jobs that pay over $80,000 a year are unfilled due to a lack of available qualified workers. 

Increasing the number of available jobs that pay above average salaries in our Commonwealth is critical to our overall financial health. This is especially true as the Commonwealth now faces a budget shortfall of $266.3 million. This shortfall, caused by declining payroll withholdings and sales tax revenue, has forced the Commonwealth to reforecast anticipated revenues on which the passed budget was based. This means that the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees must re-estimate what the state’s revenue will be by September 1. The shortfall could cause a delay in the pay raises for state employees that were included in the passed budget.
 
Governor McAuliffe’s historic April Restoration of Rights Order continues to be implemented. To check if you or someone you know are eligible for rights restoration, please provide your information at this link.

The new Commission on Employee Retirement Security and Pension Reform, to which the Speaker appointed me, held its first meeting on July 11. The Commission’s task is to study and make recommendations to the General Assembly about the current state of compensation and retirement plans offered to state and local employees, including school teachers. A Commission workgroup focusing on the state workforce will explore ways to help recruit and retain top talent in our government.
 
I continue to serve as a member of the Housing Commission. Work group sessions recently have focused on short-term lodging platforms such as AirBnB, service animal regulations, and property owner associations.
 
On June 20 and 21, the House Appropriations Committee traveled to the Eastern Shore of Virginia for a tour. The Committee visited various sites that are important to the Commonwealth’s economic, education and recreation interests. A few of the sites included Kiptopeke State Park, a beautiful park with pristine bay beaches, the Virginia Tech Hampton Roads Agricultural Research & Extension Center in Norfolk, the UVA Coastal Research Center, a clam and oyster nursery, and the NASA Space Facility on Wallops Island. Committee members gained a better understanding of these important sites and programs. The Eastern Shore is home to some of the Commonwealth’s emerging and growing businesses.
 
As we look toward the 2017 session, the Page Program in the House of Delegates will begin accepting applications on August 1. The Page program provides a unique opportunity for 13 and 14 year olds in Virginia. The House of Delegates’ Pages work to assist the Delegates and staff during the legislative session of the General Assembly each year. The tasks include running errands, assisting staff with mailings, and working on the House floor daily. The program is competitive and requires an endorsement from the Page’s Delegate. More information on the House Page Program, including living arrangements, work hours, and training is available at this link. Additionally, please feel free to contact my office at 804-698-1169 for more information on this program. The application deadline is October 17.
 
Election Day for 2016 is Tuesday, November 8. Along with the presidential election, citizens in the City of Richmond will also elect a new mayor, members of City Council, and members of the School Board. Citizens in Chesterfield County and the City of Richmond will elect a congressman. The deadline to register to vote or update your voting information in time for the November election is Monday, October 17. To register to vote in the Commonwealth or to find more information, please visit this website.
 
Governor McAuliffe recently announced that citizens of Virginia who are visiting the DMV will now be able to electronically register to vote on the keypads in all 74 DMV locations across the Commonwealth. Additionally, you are now able to update your information, such as your address, with the DMV and the Department of Elections online using this link. At the Richmond Central Customer Service Center, 2300 West Broad Street, citizens may now sign up for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Pre-Check to save time when traveling through airports. 
 
The 2017 Legislative Session of the Virginia General Assembly will begin on January 11, 2017. Members of the House and Senate will begin filing legislation during the summer and throughout the fall. As always, I am available to meet with constituents now, during the legislative session, and throughout the year. Please feel free to call my office at 804-698-1069 or e-mail me atdelegate.carr@betsycarr.org if I can be of assistance to you. Knowing your thoughts and concerns helps me to best represent you.
 
Sincerely,

 
Betsy B. Carr

May 2016 Update

Dear Friend,
 
I am pleased to provide you with a legislative update from the General Assembly, as well as some pertinent community information.
 
When the General Assembly adjourned March 11, it had passed a balanced biennium budget, considered 2,352 bills, of which it passed 889, and appointed judges. On April 20, it met for its annual re-convene session to consider Governor McAuliffe’s vetoes and amendments to legislation. The Governor said that he vetoed legislation which prevented the growth of the state’s New Economy and the ability to bring new businesses and jobs to Virginia. The General Assembly did not override any of the Governor’s 32 vetoes and accepted many of his amendments to legislation. A full summary of those vetoes and amendments are available at this link. Highlights of passed legislation concerning areas such as education, business, courts, health, housing, and transportation are available here.
 
On April 22, Governor McAuliffe issued an historic Grant Order to restore the civil rights, including the right to vote, to more than 200,000 Virginians, who are former felons and who have completed the terms of their sentences. “Virginians who have served their time and reentered society should do so as full citizens of our Commonwealth and country,” said the Governor.“Too often in both our distant and recent history, politicians have used their authority to restrict peoples’ ability to participate in our democracy. Today we are reversing that disturbing trend and restoring the rights of more than 200,000 of our fellow Virginians who work, raise families and pay taxes in every corner of our Commonwealth.”
 
The Constitution of Virginia gives the Governor the sole authority to restore civil rights to citizens. Those with restored rights are now eligible to vote. Members of our community who wish to check if their rights have been restored under this order can do so by clicking this link and entering the required information. If an error message is received, please call (804) 786-2441 and provide your information.
 
At our recent meeting of the Appropriations Committee May 16, Finance Secretary Ric Brown reported a recent shortfall in expected state revenues. If this trend continues, projected spending may need to be revised; adjustments in the passed budget may be necessary to accommodate the re-forecasted revenues.
 
The budget contained significant increases in K-12 and higher education, including a 2% increase in 2017 for elementary and secondary education teachers and support staff. Money from the state lottery fund is directed to local school divisions, which they can use with limited state involvement on initiatives or projects important locally. The funding increase amounts to approximately $36.6 million in 2017 and $157 million in 2018.
 
Other education measures of note included establishing the New Economy Workforce Credential Grant Program (House Bill 66) which I co-patroned. By providing funding to public institutions of higher education that offer non-credit programs, it aims to put more skilled workers in the state’s labor force. After this work-force training, students can then obtain certificates or credentials in a field where they attain gainful employment. The Commonwealth will provide $12.5 million over the next two years to fund this program.
 
Governor’s schools, of particular interest in our area where there are many Maggie Walker students, received 2.5% increased funding in the approved budget.
 
Additionally, the budget increases the amount of state funding to schools that offer a breakfast program to their students.
 
The budget included money to fully fund a program known as “STEM Learning through the Arts” in both Richmond and Chesterfield Public Schools. The arts are important to our vibrant city and region, and are a valuable addition to education and tourism. Our area is home to many artists and energizing creative activity.
 
I was most pleased with the budget language that included necessary repairs to the Carillon, located in Byrd Park and which is the Commonwealth’s official memorial to World War I. The centennial of the United States’ entry into WWI is 2017. Budget language formed the Virginia World War I and World War II Commemoration Commission. A signature event is planned for Armistice Day in November 2018 at the Carillon. The Commission through various events and outreach efforts, and working in conjunction with the National WWI Commission, will commemorate Virginia’s key contributions and citizen sacrifices in WWI. Known to historians as the Great War, it has become the forgotten war even though much of what is happening in the world today, from events and political maps in the mid-east to evolution in civil laws and rights began during WWI and its aftermath.
 
During the session, many constituents contacted me to advocate for the legislators’ confirmation of Justice Jane Roush, who Governor McAuliffe had appointed to the Virginia Supreme Court during recess appointments.  I voted with 37 colleagues for her appointment; she has been acknowledged as a very knowledgeable, broadly experienced and imminently qualified jurist. Her career accomplishments were undisputed, she was well-liked by her peers and respected by attorneys in the field and those who practiced before her court.  However, the legislative majority put forth Stephen McCullough’s name, and he was elected as the new Supreme Court Justice to serve a 12-year term.
 
Legislation to regulate the short-term residential lodging industry, mainly online platforms such as AirBnB and HomeAway drew much attention.  Creating regulation of this industry, which is one driven by technology use - namely the use of apps on smartphones - is complex.  It is similar to that involved in the regulatory framework of ride-sharing platforms such as Uber. Ultimately, the General Assembly assigned to the Virginia Housing Commission the study for the best way to regulate short-term residential lodging. As a member of the Commission’s work group on short-term rental, I look forward to continuing to learn more about the topic and proper regulation of this business model. Our next work group meeting is July 14.
 
Additionally, the Virginia Housing Commission moved legislation that will help localities address blighted, vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties by establishing land banks. The bi-partisan bill, for which I served as a chief co-patron, does not involve eminent domain, is an option based on a locality’s interest, and joins similar type measures initiated in other states across the nation.
 
A popular legislative initiative that encompassed several bills was the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Fund, or GO Virginia. The goal of the program is to allow localities to partner with one another in search of economic development projects that will benefit a local region. Recognizing the importance of this initiative, and working through governance issues, the Governor and legislative members reached consensus; the program will be delayed one year.
 
Protecting and supporting Virginia’s veterans was a priority during the 2016 legislative session. The General Assembly passed legislation that will help homeless veterans obtain ID cards and expand their access to important services. Additionally, there is continued focus on helping veterans obtain stable employment by connecting them with employers through the Virginia Values Veterans program. This program hosts events around our Commonwealth to encourage companies to hire Virginia’s veterans, and allow veterans to network with employers.
 
Additionally, construction of state buildings using bonds, including renovations on Capitol Square and juvenile justice facilities was incorporated in the budget.
 
For more information and detail regarding items that were discussed during the full regular session, the Richmond Times-Dispatch collected a list of 25 reasons the 2016 General Assembly session mattered.
 
The Virginia Public Access Project, a non-partisan organization focused on transparency, has released a data-driven review of the legislative session. If you are interested, using this link,  you can view a number of different graphs and charts that describe the overall outcome of legislation introduced during the session.
 
With the arrival of the warmer weather, Governor McAuliffe recently urged Virginians to prepare for mosquito season, due to concern about the Zika virus. Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Bill Hazel reiterated the importance of mosquito repellent use and removing areas of standing water. Dr. Hazel recommended that all citizens follow the precaution guidelines that are available here.
 
Listed below are a few events that may interest you.
 
On Saturday May 21, from 10 A.M to 2 P.M. the Clean City Commission will be hosting a Spring Cleaning Day. The event will be held at 6807 Midlothian Turnpike; visitors will be able to shred documents, recycle unused electronics, and turn in old curbside-recycling bins so they can be used in our schools.
 
May 29 is 529 College Savings Day across the United States. Here in Virginia, the Virginia 529 College Savings Plan can help families across our Commonwealth as they prepare to assist their loved ones in pursuing higher education. A 529 plan allows one to place money in a special savings account. When the money is removed from the account for use on higher education expenses, the earnings on the account are tax-free. You can find out more about the 529 College Savings Plan here.
 
Beginning June 11, the VMFA will feature an exhibit from internationally renowned and exciting contemporary painter Kehinde Wiley. His works have “challenged and complicated the tradition of European and American portraiture and brought issues of race, power and representation to the fore in our cultural conversation.” Along with his signature portraits of black men, viewers will be able to see new portraits of women, monumental sculpture and paintings in stained glass. To learn more about this upcoming exhibit, you can visit this website.
 
Please visit my website, new look, same address, www.betsycarr.org, for other community photos and information.
 
As we near Memorial Day, May 30, and honor those who gave their lives in service to our county, we appreciate all that their sacrifice continues to make possible for us in our daily lives. We benefit from a vibrant community, an ever more attractive city, opportunities to experience, among many other things, the outdoors and our river, farmer’s markets, community gatherings and participation in representative government.
 
Thank you for the privilege of serving you. I greatly appreciate being able to work for and with you.  If I can be of assistance to you or answer questions, please never hesitate to contact me (804-698-1069 ordelegate.carr@betsycarr.org). I enjoy having you call and visit me at my General Assembly Building office, Room 527. I am also available to meet with you in your neighborhood or community.

Sincerely,


Betsy B. Carr

Vote Today in the Presidential Primary

Dear Friend,
 
Here's a quick and friendly reminder that the polls are open today until 7:00 p.m.

Today is referred by many as Super Tuesday because 12 states are voting in the Presidential Primary. Virginia is one of those states and since we are an "open primary state," voters can choose to participate in either the Democratic or Republican primary contests. However, you cannot vote in both primaries.

To find your polling place and other important information, please visit the State Board of Elections website.

If you are elderly, disabled, or for another reason cannot enter the polling location without physical assistance, you are allowed to request curbside voting at your assigned polling precinct.

Be sure that you are registered and know where to vote by checking your registration statushere. If you have questions, please give us a call at 804-767-7530.

Finally, remember to bring your photo ID to the polls.

Acceptable forms of identification include:

Valid Virginia driver's license or ID card
Valid Virginia DMV issued Veteran's ID card
Valid United States Passport
Any Federal, Virginia state or Virginia local government-issued photo ID card
Any photo ID card issued by an employer in the ordinary course of business
A student ID issued by a Virginia institute of higher learning or a public or private high school.
Virginia Voter Photo ID card obtained through any local registrar's office. 

If you do not bring a photo ID, you will be required to vote a provisional ballot and will received instructions from the election officials on how to submit a copy of your identification so that your vote will be counted. More information on the provisional ballot process for voters who do not have their ID can be found here. 
 
Thank you for voting.

Sincerely,

Betsy B. Carr

Crossover Update

Dear Friend,

Having just passed Crossover, the midpoint of the 2016 Legislative Session, I would like to provide you with an update. Crossover signifies a time that bills must be passed in their house of origin, whether House or Senate, in order to then be considered in the other body. A bill must be passed in both the House and Senate before it can be signed into law or vetoed by the Governor.

Several subjects have generated ample debate and floor speeches in the House, including K-12 education, economic development, healthcare, the environment, gun safety, and issues of equality.  You may want to review bill summaries from the Richmond Times Dispatch here and the Virginia Pilot here.

If you are interested in learning more specific details about this session’s legislation, I encourage you to use the Legislative Information System (LIS) website: www.lis.virginia.gov. Here you can access information about all legislation, individual House and Senate members, committee agendas, the daily General Assembly calendar, and the proposed budget for the next biennium. The House and Senate normally convene every day at 12 noon to vote on legislation; if you are interested in viewing session virtually, you can do so at virginiageneralassembly.gov.

The subject of charter schools has generated much interest.  House Joint Resolution 1 moves the authority to establish a charter school from local school boards, which presently exists, to the State Board of Education. One delegate argued on the floor that he could support charter schools if his locality did not have to pay for charter school construction; his locality already has a difficult time identifying funding even for repairs and renovations. Delegates had to weigh the arguments of keeping the initiation of charter schools at local levels where there is more knowledge of specific need and funding availability versus the need for educational options. Analysis from The Commonwealth Institute provides a short overview of the status of both charter school and education funding initiatives as the budget process continues. The charter school resolution passed in the House with a narrow margin, and will be heard in the Senate. Meanwhile, a similar measure, which originated in the Senate was defeated there.

Gun safety has been another important subject.  Governor Terry McAuliffe and Speaker of the House William Howell reached a historic bipartisan compromise on this issue. The deal consisted of three parts. First, an agreement to allow for voluntary background checks on gun sales that occur at a gun show. Second, an agreement to prohibit a person that is subject to a protective order from possessing a gun during the duration of the protective order. Lastly, an agreement was reached to restore reciprocity agreements for concealed carry permits with all states that previously had their agreements severed. You can read more about the compromise, as well as the individual pieces of legislation, that when passed together will make up the deal, by clicking this link.

Issues involving the importance of conservation and preservation of our environment have drawn attention. There was an effort to increase the reporting and public notification requirements in situations where there has been an unlawful discharge of a substance into state waters (HB977). Additionally, the bill would have required the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to report the unlawful discharge to the news media. A bill involving the Clean Power Plan (HB2), which would require the DEQ to submit any plan to regulate carbon dioxide emissions to the General Assembly for its approval passed the House.

Several bills targeted equality for all citizens. One attempted to eliminate sexual orientation listed in nondiscrimination policies and another defined the use of public bathrooms. I opposed these two bills; they were defeated. However, another bill affirming discriminatory action based on sincerely held religious beliefs, which I opposed, passed.  

 I carried corrective and agency bills for the Treasury and Labor Departments (HB529 & HB691) and an expansion bill (HB1287) for Drive to Work, a local non-profit. Constitutional amendments concerning non-partisan redistricting (HJ92) and restoration of rights (HJ93) were not heard.

From my participation on the Housing Commission, I was able to chief co-patron Delegate Danny Marshall’s bill authorizing the establishment of land bank entities (HB268). Land banks operate across the United States and are a proven tool utilized by local governments to reduce the number of tax delinquent, and often vacant, blighted structures. Since the land bank is a government instrument, it enables the government to take a strategic and entrepreneurial approach to redevelopment. The land bank, in partnership with the local government, works to advance the priorities of the locality—whether those priorities be the development of more affordable housing or the redevelopment of aging commercial corridors. Establishment of a land bank is a local option and completely unrelated to eminent domain. This bill passed the House and is continuing to the Senate for consideration. A land bank entity could be helpful in the Richmond metropolitan area and the City supported the bill.

Additionally, I introduced legislation (HB693) that indexes the standard tax deduction for inflation. There has been no increase since 1989 for standard deduction single filers at all. A majority of filers claim the standard deduction, but get little of the total benefits, and the vast majority of the people claiming the standard deduction are low-income filers. This legislation did not pass; however there was bi-partisan agreement that it is a good idea, which the General Assembly could explore ways to finance.

Two other bills that have had strong community support were defeated: Workers Rejoining the Workforce (HB530), known colloquially as “Ban the Box” and expungement (HB 934). The first bill aimed at helping workers rejoin the workforce by removing the section pertaining to criminal history on public governmental job applications. Employers would still be able to determine a potential employee’s criminal history after an initial interview and deny employment. Citizens with criminal histories deserve a second chance at gaining employment and becoming contributing members of our society.

HB 934 would have allowed a person convicted of certain misdemeanors who has successfully completed probation to apply for expungement. One well informed constituent came to the General Assembly during a snow day to share his own story and testify on behalf of the bill. Viewers, including myself, were impressed with his compelling argument how expungement can help individuals with histories, such as his, to return to their communities as fully contributing and tax paying citizens.

For the second time, I introduced a bill (HB959) that would establish a Commission for the Commemoration of the Centennial of Women’s Right to Vote in the United States. After working across the aisle to ensure that the League of Women Voters was represented, the bill was combined withHB856 and passed out of the House. There is also a similar Senate bill (SB771).

My HB960 sought to restore a principle originally intended in our Virginia Constitution. The Constitution framers, like Thomas Jefferson, sought to have the collection of certain highway fines and fees go to the state Literary Fund, in order to separate any collectors of fines from the recipient agency of those fines. However, a number of years ago, the legislature allowed for local ordinances to be written concerning highways that were under both local and state jurisdiction, so that the localities could receive the collected fines rather than having them go to the Literary Fund.

Today, a number of localities depend on the income of the collected highway fines to help fund local law enforcement needs. Our dedicated and hardworking law enforcement officials should not have to prioritize whether to respond to a local “hold up” call at a convenience store or a call concerning domestic violence, or whether to man a local speed monitor.

HB 960 would have returned a more even balance to our system by sending 50% of the fines and fees to localities and 50% to the Literary Fund. The bill did not pass and sheriffs across the Commonwealth noted their opposition.

Developing and passing a budget is the most important work of the General Assembly each year. The budget that will be passed this session will lay out plans for how our Commonwealth will spend taxpayers’ money for 2017 and 2018 (HB30). In addition, there will be a vote on the “caboose” budget (HB29) which makes any amendments to planned expenditures for 2016.  The Appropriations Committee, of which I am a member, will meet on Sunday, February 21, to present amendments to the Governor’s introduced budget. K-12 education will be a priority as well assalary increases for state and state supported workers.

One budget amendment I submitted would benefit our community and has received interesting comment. It would set up a pilot program similar to Thad Williamson’s Community Wealth Building Program in the City of Richmond. This model encourages leaders to alleviate long-standing poverty and support economic development through collaboration in the areas of education, workforce training, housing, transportation, and health rather than operating in silos.

On January 30th, the General Assembly travelled to Williamsburg to meet in the Hall of the House of Burgesses for the 26th Commemorative Session. W. Taylor Reveley, III, President of the College of William and Mary, gave an eloquent, informative, and inspiring speech entitled, “In the Beginning, there was Virginia and Virginia Led…,” which is available to read here. Moments spent in the Hall of the House of Burgesses only come once every four years for the General Assembly. I am happy to have had the opportunity to participate twice now as Delegate. Each time I have been reminded of the deep privilege I have in serving the 69th District. It is always an honor to pay tribute to our nation’s greatest architects and experience a connection to those who helped build our great Commonwealth into what it is today.

I am so appreciative of each email, telephone call, letter, and office visit this session. I enjoy learning and hearing from you as it helps me to represent you in the best possible way. Please never hesitate to reach out to my office by calling 804-698-1169, e-mailing delegate.carr@betsycarr.org or stopping by my General Assembly office, room 527.
 
Sincerely,
 
Betsy B. Carr

Winter Storm Update

Dear Friend,
 
As you may know, the Commonwealth of Virginia is preparing for a major winter storm that will affect all portions of the state beginning as early as mid-morning on Friday, January 22nd. Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a State of Emergency and activated the Virginia National Guard effective8:00 a.m. Thursday.
 
It is possible that the storm will arrive in two parts. The storm system is expected to affect the Richmond metro area through the weekend with snow projected to end by Sunday evening. Additional snowfall after the storm’s initial arrival on Friday is possible.
 
In advance of the storm, have an emergency preparedness kit ready that includes items such as flashlights, drinking water, any needed medication, non-perishable food items as well as an emergency communication and evacuation plan.
 
For Friday, January 22, 2016, both Richmond City Public Schools and Chesterfield County Public Schools will be closed.
 
Be prepared for potential power outages. Charge your mobile devices including telephones and make certain your car's gas tank is full. If you have a generator, it is important that it is properly connected before use. Remember to never use a generator indoors.
 
Dominion Virginia Power recommends that you report or check the status of a power outage by calling 1-866-366-4357 or visiting www.dom.com/outages on your mobile device. It is important that Dominion Power be able to contact you. You can update your phone number with Dominion by calling 1-800-222-0401 or by visiting the www.dom.com and using your online account.
 
This storm will consist of not only snow, but high sustained and gusting winds. Dominion reminds citizens to remain at least 30 feet away from a downed power line. It is important to assume that the wires are live and pose a threat. Dial 9-1-1 immediately in the event of a downed power line in your area, or in case of any emergency.
 
In addition, take note of the non-emergency phone numbers for the City of Richmond Police Department, 804-646-5100, and the Chesterfield County Police Department, 804-748-1251, should you need assistance. For information on road conditions across all areas of our Commonwealth, you may visit 511virginia.org for a map of live updates from VDOT.  Citizens across our Commonwealth are encouraged to visit www.ReadyVirginia.gov for additional safety information.
 
If you must travel on the roads during or after the storm, be sure that your car has the following items: jumper cables, blankets, first aid kit, water, non-perishable food, cat litter or sand, a shovel, flash flights and batteries, ice scraper and your cell phone charger.
 
The Virginia State Police has all uniformed state police troopers ready to respond, and VDOT has prepared 13,000 pieces of equipment statewide as well as over 2,000 employees who will be working around the clock to ensure public safety.
 
Please remember to call 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency so that you can receive immediate assistance, and please stay safe throughout the duration of the storm by limiting travel.
 
Enjoy the snow and stay safe.
 
Sincerely,

Betsy B. Carr

Pre-Session January Update

Dear Friend,

As we begin 2016 and prepare for the Legislative Session, I would like to provide you with a brief summary of recent events at the Capitol as well as information on how to make the most of the legislative session.

The 2016 Legislative Session begins on Wednesday, January 13 and will last 60 days. During this “long session,” both the House and Senate must agree upon a budget for the next biennium, the Assembly's most important work. Throughout the 60-day period, the House and Senate will convene daily at 12 noon to vote on legislation. The gallery in each chamber is open to the public. Seeing the legislature at work is an informative experience for all citizens and visitors of the Commonwealth, and I encourage you to visit. However, if you are unable to witness Session in person, you can view the live stream daily by visiting virginiageneralassembly.gov.

If you have any legislation that you wish to follow or if you would like more information about legislators and committees in the General Assembly, Virginia’s Legislative Information System (LIS) is an excellent resource: http://lis.virginia.gov/.  I know some of you will be visiting legislative offices to lobby an issue, interest, or particular bill, and I look forward to seeing you.

If you have any concerns about legislation or questions about the process, please contact my office. You can e-mail me atdelegate.carr@betsycarr.org, call my office at 804-698-1069, or schedule an appointment. I very much appreciate and enjoy knowing how my constituents stand on issues of their concern. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

I invite each of you to complete my legislative survey. Doing so will provide me with helpful information on a wide variety of subjects important in the upcoming session. You can request a copy from my office or take the survey online here.
 
My own introduced bills will cover subjects including non-partisan redistricting, commemoration of the centennial of women’s suffrage, solvency for the Commonwealth’s Literary Fund, a depository for blighted commercial property, expungement of certain offenses, benefits for corrections and parole officers under the Line of Duty Act, formally incarcerated citizens rejoining the workforce, and the restoration of civil rights.
 
As a part of learning more about the state of our Commonwealth, in order to make the best policy and financial decisions, I attended the House Appropriations Committee retreat in Northern Virginia in November. Over the course of the retreat, we heard briefings on our Commonwealth’s economic and budget outlook as well as plans for higher education. The Committee toured the DuPont Fabros Technology Datacenter, which houses notable organizations like Facebook, listened to a presentation from Orbital ATK on the status of Virginia’s rocket launch pad on the Eastern Shore, and visited an innovative, entrepreneurial learning lab at George Mason University. I look forward to continue learning more as I serve on the House Appropriations Committee.
 
Governor McAuliffe released his budget proposal during a joint meeting of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees on December 17. The Governor advocates for a significant investment in economic development, K-12 education, veterans issues, and workforce training. I will be reviewing his budget carefully, but I share many of those priorities. 
 
In terms of economic and workforce development, the Governor is aggressively focusing on trade by allocating $3.65 million annually for international trade and export programs. The Port of Virginia is granted $350 million in bonds while Dulles International Airport is receiving $50 million in non-general funds.
 
Concurrently, The Port of Richmond, which I toured last month, is enjoying an upgrade to accommodate more traffic, which the Hampton Roads port is unable to handle efficiently. This will be a boon for jobs to the Richmond area.
 
Regarding K-12 education, the Governor proposed $429.8 million for rebenchmarking the Standards of Quality (SOQ) and $50 million in additional funding for at-risk students. He added 2,500 instructional positions, which would provide one new position in each elementary school beginning in fiscal year 2017 and two new positions at every middle and high school in 2018. This would cost $139 million. Also, the Governor proposes funding 90% of teacher retirement contribution rates in 2017 and 100% in 2018, as well as granting a 2% salary increase for teachers and all state-support education staff.
 
Veterans are proposed by the Governor to receive $7.8 million over the biennium for educational resources and workforce training. A pilot program is being funded to empower military combat medics and corpsmen to work in health care careers. Money is allotted to support four new staff members to operate the Virginia Values Veterans initiative.
 
Other notable components of Governor McAuliffe’s budget plan include a 2% pay raise for state employees, $11.4 million to address challenges in local jails for those with mental illness, $59 million for local water quality projects, and $140 million bond for parks.

You can find the Governor's full budget proposal here. 
 
As follow-up to last year’s legislation, I’m pleased to report that the national Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Safety recognized my successful work on House Bill 1500. It encouraged individuals or their loved ones to seek emergency services in the case of alcohol and drug overdoses so that proper medical services may be utilized to save lives.
 
For those of us interested in conservation and preservation, the Richmond Clean City Commission has a recycling event on Saturday, January 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 1710 Robin Hood Road. Electronics, outdated documents, and Christmas trees can be recycled.  
 
The Department of Historic Resources recently announced that eleven new sites have been added to the Virginia Landmarks Register including several in Richmond. One added location is the 69th district’s very own William Byrd Park. It contains 275 acres and dates back to 1874. The Byrd Park Court Historic District as well as the Carillon Neighborhood Historic District were also added to the Register. I am happy that these beautiful locales enjoyed by residents and visitors alike are being recognized and preserved for their historic contributions.
 
Governor McAuliffe and the Virginia Council on Women have announced the 5th annual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Essay Contest for high school junior and senior girls. The Council will award five $5,000 scholarships to female junior or senior high school students who will be pursuing a STEM career at an institution of higher education. At least 5 scholarships will be awarded across the state. To be eligible, a female Virginia resident must be enrolled as a junior or senior in high school and hold at least a 2.5 GPA.  Applications and guidelines are available online at: http://www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/council-on-women/. Entries are due February 8, 2016.  Scholarship awards will be presented at a reception at the Executive Mansion on April 20, 2016.
 
It is a wonderful and distinct privilege to serve you for another term in the General Assembly. I am available to meet with constituents during the legislative session and can be reached by telephone at 804-698-1069 or by e-mail at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org.
 
Finally, please note that my General Assembly office has moved to the fifth floor. We are now in room 527 near the 5th floor East Conference Room.
 
Thank you.

May you and your loved ones enjoy a fulfilling, healthy, and prosperous new year.

Sincerely,

Betsy B. Carr

September Update

Dear Friend,

As fall season activities get underway, I would like to provide you with a brief summary of recent events at the Capitol.

A special legislative session called by the Governor convened on Monday, August 17th to address the issue of court-ordered Congressional redistricting. The courts previously ruled that the 3rd Congressional District boundary lines were unconstitutional and assigned the legislature a September 1, 2015 deadline to redraw the districts and make them compliant with the law. Once the legislature reconvened, there was a controversy concerning the election of judges to the Supreme Court. Finally, the Senate voted to adjourn the special session on a 21-20 vote with Lt. Governor Northam breaking the tie. With the adjournment, completion of redistricting by the legislature was not possible by the September 1 deadline. This meant that the boundary lines of Virginia’s Congressional districts will now be redrawn by the courts, who have sinceappointed an outside panel to review the district lines. I appreciate hearing from many constituents about the important issue of redistricting. I will continue to advocate for nonpartisan redistricting, which is the way to avoid these kinds of problems. 

The deadline to register to vote for the November 3 election is October 13, 2015. If you are not yet registered, you can register here, at the Richmond Registrar's office located at 900 East Broad Street or at the Chesterfield Registrar's office located at 9848 Lori Road, 23832. Please call my office if you have any questions. 

Additionally, as the 2016 Legislative Session approaches, I encourage interested 13 and 14-year olds to consider applying to be a House of Delegates Page. Serving as a House Page is a wonderful opportunity that allows young people to learn first hand how our state government works. The application deadline is October 19, 2015. A recommendation letter from a member of the House of Delegates is required. Please contact my office at 804-698-1069 if you have questions. 

As of July 1, new laws have taken effect in our Commonwealth. House Bill 1500, which I introduced to combat the number of drug overdoses in our Commonwealth went into effect. This law, written to save lives, encourages individuals to call 9-1-1 if they or a loved one is experiencing an overdose. The reporter of the overdose will not be penalized if he or she stays at the scene, identifies him/herself, and cooperates with law enforcement. This important change can save lives.

There are also new transportation related laws. When passing a stopped trash collection truck, the driver must slow to 10 mph below the posted speed and move 2 feet to the left of the vehicle. Additionally, law enforcement officials will now be required to obtain a search warrant if they wish to use an unmanned aircraft.

Legislation allowing for a taxpayer to receive a tax refund by check went into effect. I supported this legislation and introduced bills on this subject in previous legislative sessions. 

House Bill 1499 states a woman may now breastfeed in a public place where she is lawfully present. A large community effort surrounding this initiative, as well as more information about the law and rights of breastfeeding women, can be found at RVA Breastfeeds.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I recently attended a Joint Meeting of the House Appropriations, House Finance and Senate Finance Committees. Governor McAuliffe and Secretary of Finance Ric Brown addressed the meeting regarding the status of Virginia’s economy and budget priorities for the 2016 Legislative Session. The Governor indicates that his upcoming budget proposal will include an emphasis on public education and building a New Virginia Economy that addresses the effects of federal sequestration.

The Commonwealth of Virginia recorded a $549.6 million revenue surplus for Fiscal Year 2015, driven largely by a resurgence in individual income tax collections and sales tax collections. However, the surplus money is already obligated by law meaning that it cannot be spent on legislative initiatives. The Commonwealth must make a payment to the Revenue Stabilization Fund (also known as the Rainy Day Fund) after borrowing from the fund last year to combat a shortfall. A payment to the Water Quality Initiative Fund is also required by Virginia law.

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency released its Clean Power Plan, which aims to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants and shift focus to renewable resources. I appreciate hearing from many constituents on this subject and support the Clean Power Plan as well.

There have been renewed efforts for gun safety since two journalists were murdered on live television at Smith Mountain Lake. Alison Parker and Adam Ward were loved by family, friends and coworkers. Subsequently, Governor McAuliffe has recently spoken out regarding expanding universal background checks for the purchase of firearms, legislation which I support.

Beginning September 19, the UCI Road World Cycling Championships will be coming to Richmond. This exciting event will be broadcast on international television and 67 different countries will be sending their top athletes to compete on the championship course in Richmond. This is the first time that the championships will be held in the United States since 1986, this world-class event is expected to attract more than 300,000 spectators. The race course will impact traffic flow in the downtown area. To learn more information about the bike race, opportunities to be involved and information regarding traffic, detours and road conditions, you can visit the UCI Road World Cycling Championships website.

Last month, The Virginia World War I Centennial Committee met at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton. The committee heard about various commemorative efforts around the state as well as important education initiatives concerning "the Great War", 1914-1918, as it was known at the time. The Carillon, located in Byrd Park at the south end of the Boulevard, is the official Virginia memorial to World War I. Virginia played an important role in nation's fight to help make democracy safe in the world. 

Heading into the fall and winter seasons, there are many upcoming opportunities to volunteer in our community. September 11 through October 12 has been designated as a “Day to Serve.” Governor McAuliffe and the First Lady are encouraging Virginians to participate and make 2015 the best year for volunteerism in the Commonwealth. You can find out more information about “Day to Serve” here.

HandsOn Greater Richmond is also hosting their annual HandsOn Day of Service on Saturday, October 17th. This is one of the biggest days of service in the Richmond area with over 1,000 volunteers contributing their time and effort to beautifying and enriching our community. To find a volunteer opportunity that suits you, visit HandsOn Greater Richmond. 

Thank you for the honor of serving you in the General Assembly. Please continue to contact me for any legislative or constituent concerns, at 804-698-1069 (my office) or delegate.carr@betsycarr.org. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely,

 
Betsy B. Carr

June Update

Dear Friend,
 
Tuesday, June 9 is an election day. Please remember to exercise your important right as a citizen and vote in this primary. All state senators and delegates are up for election in November. In preparation, several precincts of the 69th district will be voting for their senators in the Tuesday primary; all precincts will be voting in the House of Delegates race.  You can find out who is on your ballot here. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
 
In-person absentee voting can be accomplished through Saturday, June 6 at the Office of the General Registrar, 900 E. Broad St., Room 105. For Chesterfield residents, the Office of the General Registrar is located at 9848 Lori Road in Court Square. If you would like any additional information from my campaign office, please call us at 804-767-7530 or e-mail at info@betsycarr.org.
 
Elections matter; every vote is important. The General Assembly passes laws that effect our lives every day.
 
It is my privilege to serve you and provide you with a legislative update.
 
The General Assembly reconvened April 15th to consider the Governor’s vetoes and amendments to legislation that passed during the Session, which ended in late February.
 
The governor vetoed 17 bills and those vetoes were sustained by the General Assembly so those bills will not become law. You can read more about each of the vetoes and amendments here.
 
While the Governor was successful in upholding his vetoes, several of his amendments were more controversial. In a bipartisan effort, the General Assembly rejected the Governor’s amendments relating to law enforcement’s use of drones to collect information on citizens without a warrant. Other amendments relating to law enforcement’s use of license plate readers (LPR) elicited bipartisan concern. The Governor proposed allowing law enforcement to keep information obtained from LPRs for 60 days, while the General Assembly fought to shorten the timeframe to seven days. While it is important to provide law enforcement officials with the tools that they need to ensure public safety, I support limiting the use license plate readers and protecting Virginians’ right to privacy in our technological 21st century world. Ultimately, the Governor vetoed the legislation limiting law enforcement’s use of license plate readers for data collection, which means that the current law that only allows data pertinent to a criminal investigation to be retained without any specifications regarding the timeframe or other boundaries remains the law.

Additionally, during the April session, the General Assembly was tasked with settling the ethics reform bill. With unanimous votes in both Houses, the General Assembly passed the ethics bill applying to state and local officials. It will go into effect on January 1, 2016. The Governor’s top priority amendment was accepted, which adds an annual aggregate $100 cap on gifts to state and local officials from people seeking to influence the government.

Unfortunately, the Governor’s amendment to close the loophole that would allow legislators to accept free travel to ALEC conferences without disclosure or other limits was rejected by the General Assembly.

Since the General Assembly concluded on April 17th, I have been engaged in the community at civic meetings and events as well as with continuing General Assembly business. I was appointed to two commissions: the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules and the Housing Commission. I look forward to working as a member of these commissions and to representing the 69th district in these groups.
 
The House Appropriations Committee is instrumental in the General Assembly’s most important work: deciding how to spend taxpayer dollars. I was pleased and honored to be appointed to that committee. On our recent House Appropriations Capital Outlay tour we visited several educational, health, and recreational facilities, which serve Virginians andreceive state funds. Over four days we saw Christopher Newport University, Old Dominion University, Eastern Virginia Medical School, the Port of Virginia, Virginia State University, Virginia Center for Behavioral Rehabilitation, Longwood College, the Carilion Research Center/Virginia Tech, Virginia Military Institute, Western State Hospital, the Frontier Culture Museum University of Virginia, Lake Anna State Park and University of Mary Washington. Along the way, we heard additional presentations from the College of William and Mary, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Norfolk State University, Virginia Tech, James Madison University, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
 
This was the first such Appropriations Committee tour in a number of years. The information we learned will be extremely helpful as we make decisions about spending priorities to best benefit citizens of the Commonwealth for the immediate and long-range future.

Thank you for the honor of serving you in the General Assembly. I look forward to hearing from you and continuing to work for you. My door is always open. For any legislative or constituent concerns, you can contact my legislative office at 804-698-1069 or delegate.carr@betsycarr.org.

Sincerely,

 
Betsy B. Carr

End of Session Update

Dear Friend,
 
It is a privilege to serve you and to provide a brief summary from our recent General Assembly Session, which ended February 27.
 
The countless calls, e-mails, and letters received from constituents and supporters, like you, throughout session are always greatly appreciated. Hearing your concerns and information is very important because it helps me to best represent you and the 69th district.
 
Each year, the vote on the budget is the most important one cast by legislators because it demonstrates the spending priorities for our Commonwealth. This year House Bill 1400 amends the state’s budget for the second portion of a two-year cycle. The $35 billion represents general fund dollars, taxpayer money that is allocated largely to education, health, and public safety. It provides much needed pay raises for state workers, teachers, and state police and maintains level funding to K-12 public education.
 
The budget increases teacher retirement funds by $190 million and provides a significant payment for the Rainy Day Fund to anticipate future shortfalls. It invests in expanded health care and increases TANF benefits for families. There is money to fund school breakfast pilot programs at elementary schools where free and reduced lunch eligibility exceeds 45%. There is more money in the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to help recruit more companies to Virginia.
 
Although Medicaid expansion was not included in this budget, along with other worthy investments, I voted for it because it includes important items that should be adequately funded this year. The budget was ready a record two-days early, before the vote occurred, allowing time for adequate examination. As a final product, it represents much time and hard work from finance leaders in House and Senate as well as important priorities of Governor McAuliffe.
 
Now the Governor will review the budget bill and offer any amendments at the Reconvene session of the General Assembly on April 15th.
 
Concerning my own legislative efforts, I introduced legislation for the second year aimed at reducing the number of drug and alcohol-related overdose deaths in our Commonwealth. HB 1500 encourages individuals to contact 9-1-1 or emergency medical services in the event that they or a loved one is experiencing a drug overdose. When I introduced this bill in 2014, it failed to pass subcommittee. After receiving substantial feedback from the Courts of Justice subcommittee, I worked over the past year with many stakeholders, such as public health officials, physicians, law enforcement, Commonwealth Attorneys, the Attorney General’s Office, community members, and the ACLU, to develop legislation that addresses everyone’s concerns. The bill passed both houses and will become law. Hopefully, it will increase calls to 9-1-1, save lives, and decrease overdose-related deaths.
 
For the past three years, due to numerous constituents, certified public accountants, and other concerned citizens, I have introduced legislation to allow the default method of payment for individual income tax refunds to be by check rather than by deposit or debit card. This year, my legislation,HB1346, was incorporated into Delegate Ware’s successful HB1286, which will become law. The passed bill will allow for an individual to select payment to be made by check, direct deposit, or debit card.
 
Continuing with a priority of ensuring that our Fourth Amendment right is secure in the 21st century, I introduced HB1348, which became a part of Delegate Marshall’s HB1408 and will become law. This bill requires law enforcement to obtain a warrant in order to intercept or obtain information from telecommunications, such as cellphones, or in order to access a person’s real-time locational data. Colloquially, this is referred to as “stingray” or “cell site simulators” or “ISMI catchers.”
 
“Stingrays” are often used to combat crime by tracking down suspected criminals. However, when utilized, the data of nearby bystanders is collected too. In order to protect our right to privacy, transparency and reform should be incorporated as technology evolves.
 
At the recommendation of a constituent, I introduced a successful bill,HB1345, which expands the list of items eligible for exemption during the Energy Star and WaterSense Sale Tax Holiday. Under current law, only fluorescent light bulbs are exempt; however, this bill updates the Code in keeping up with current technology by allowing both compact fluorescent (CFLs) and light emitting diode (LED) light bulbs that meet the Energy Star program requirements.
 
The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote in the United States. Commemorating how far our country and Commonwealth has come in terms of equal rights and opportunities for all people is important. Many younger citizens are unfamiliar with the hard work and sacrifices that took place to ensure that women would be allowed to cast their vote in public elections. HB2281 would have established the Commission for the Commemoration of the Centennial of Women's Right to Vote. It enjoyed the support of the League of Women Voters, many community groups, and Virginia history academicians.
 
While the bill successfully passed the House, it ultimately failed to become law due to a last minute deal brokered between Senate and House Rules committee leaders. It was agreed that two of three bills related to commission in conference would pass, but unfortunately, my  bill was not one of the two chosen. I will re-introduce the bill again next year, hopefully, with a successful outcome. Since it took 41 years for the 19th Amendment to pass originally, it may not be surprising that this commemorating bill may take two years to pass.

Other legislation that I introduced but was not passed by the General Assembly related to non-partisan redistricting (HJ624 and HJ706), codifying the restoration of rights process (HJ604), supporting productive reentry after someone has paid their debt to society (HB1680), and creating a model policy for the use of body cameras on law enforcement (HB2280). These issues are important as they embody principles of fairness, transparency, and equal opportunities for all people.

Other legislation I sponsored and co-sponsored is listed here.
 
During this session, among several key issues addressed were ethics reform, Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) reform, transportation funding, and campus sexual assaults.
 
Ethics reform legislation (HB2070) imposes an annual $100 cap on gifts, which includes travel, entertainment, sports outings, and dining. An ethics advisory panel is created to oversee mandatory disclosures of legislators and address questions or issues that officials may have in terms of appropriate actions. The panel does not have the authority to investigate or enforce. All disclosures will be filed electronically to insure transparency.
 
The General Assembly passed legislation (SB1032 & HB1776) to turn the ABC Board into an independent authority beginning on July 1, 2018 to allow time for the transition. The new authority will be required to submit a six-year operating plan as well as annual accounting and proposed procurement and personnel policies to the Governor and General Assembly.  The General Assembly will also continue to use the profits generated from ABC to support the general fund budget.
 
During the 2013 legislative session, the General Assembly passed significant reforms for our transportation system and funding mechanisms. This year, due to inadequate funding streams, a transportation omnibus bill (HB1887) was passed to address the budgetary holes in the transit capital funding. This bill would allot $40 million annually from highways and freight rail to transit and would change the way that VDOT uses a formula to distribute funding for highway construction by giving localities increased opportunities for road funding.
 
Due to recent high-profile sexual assaults on college campuses, many legislators tried to address the issue through legislation related to reporting of sexual assaults. After much debate and input from community stakeholders, the final bills passed attempt to protect the sexual assault victim and also prevent the next occurrence. 
 
On the environmental front, SB1349 caught the attention of local advocates. Senator Wagner’s bill SB1349 freezes the base electric rates for Dominion Virginia Power, and also stops the State Corporation Commission (SCC) from conducting two-year reviews to determine how much profit the company made. In an effort to compromise, amendments were added to allow Dominion to expand their solar energy in Virginia and require the company to offer energy assistance programs for low-income, disabled, and elderly costumers. Proponents of the bill stated that the legislation would provide stability as a final ruling is awaited from the Environmental Protection Agency to determine whether Virginia will be required to reduce its carbon emissions or close coal plants.  Even though the main reason the bill was introduced was to maintain stable rates, I voted against the bill after hearing constituents’ concerns and opposition. However, it successfully passed.
 
You can learn more about legislation passed during this session here. Governor McAuliffe has thirty days to sign or veto the legislation passed by the General Assembly. Any legislation he does not sign, veto, or amend will automatically become law. 
 
As tax preparation season is underway, those who make less than $60,000 annually are most likely eligible for free access to name-brand tax preparation software products to prepare and file their taxes. The Free File program comes at no cost to the government, as it is a public-private partnership between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the tax preparation software companies.  To find out more information or begin using Free File, visit the Virginia Department of Taxation’s website.
 
Thank you for the privilege of serving you in the General Assembly. Please feel free to contact my office at 804-698-1169 or e-mail me at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org if you have any questions or concerns. 

Sincerely,
 
Betsy

Legislative Office

Delegate Betsy B. Carr
General Assembly Building, Suite 1110
201 North 9th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

804.698.1078 (phone)
delegate.carr@betsycarr.org

Campaign Address

Carr for Delegate
Post Office Box 14625
Richmond, Virginia 23221
info@betsycarr.org

Mailing Address

The Honorable Betsy B. Carr
Post Office Box 406
Richmond, Virginia 23218