April 1st Newsletter
With the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments playing their final four games this weekend, I am using a sports metaphor to describe the 2022 legislative session: we are going into overtime. As described below in more detail, the Governor has called us back into session on April 4th to address the biennial budget and several outstanding bills that currently are in conference committees. There are significant differences in the competing House and Senate budget amendments, and the Governor has indicated that he has additional recommendations for our consideration. Under any of these proposals, Virginia will invest record spending in our schools, teachers, and public employees while improving healthcare and our transportation system. Virginians also will see significant tax relief. The budget conferees’ ability to reach a consensus will determine how long the special session lasts and whether we will have a single, double, or triple overtime period.
My staff who assists in writing these newsletters will be out of the office next week, so we will not send a newsletter on Friday, April 8th. I will keep you updated on the latest news from the special session on my Twitter and Facebook pages.
If you have any questions or need assistance with a state agency, please contact my office at delrwillett@house.virginia.gov or phone at 804-698-1073, and a member of my staff will be happy to assist you. I also will continue to keep you informed with relevant, accurate information via Twitter, Facebook, and my website. Please stay well and stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Rodney
New Information
Special Session Convenes on Monday, April 4th
Last week, Governor Youngkin issued a proclamation calling on the members of the General Assembly to convene for a special legislative session to finish outstanding legislation, including the state budget, from the 2022 regular session. Before we adjourned from the regular session on March 12th, all outstanding legislation was rolled into the upcoming special session to allow lawmakers more time to reach an agreement.
You can see information on legislation that will be considered during the upcoming special session online on Virginia’s Legislative Information System (LIS). While the Governor has the authority to call a special session, he cannot dictate the legislation we address or the time/duration of the session. When we convene on Monday we will pass a joint procedural resolution dictating the scope of the special session, which may include memorial/commending resolutions, the election of judges, and appointments subject to General Assembly confirmation. In recent special sessions, the joint resolution has also included language allowing the General Assembly to adjourn from time to time until reconvened with at least 48 hours of notice from the Speaker of the House or Senate Rules Chair.
Lawmakers signaled this week that a budget agreement will not be reached by this Monday. Senate finance leaders are meeting with committee staff next Wednesday and Thursday to develop potential alternatives to bridging the $3 billion gap between the current House and Senate budgets. It is likely that the special session will last for at least one week, if not longer, to allow enough time to work on the remaining legislation. I will keep you updated with the latest news from the special session through my newsletter, as well as on my Twitter and Facebook pages.
April 14th Town Hall with Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg
Please join me and Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg for a Virtual Town Hall on Thursday, April 14th at 7:30 pm. This event is open to the public and free to attend. Please RSVP online at bit.ly/414townhall to receive a Zoom link before the event.
We will recap the 2022 Regular Session, answer any questions you may have, and give you an update on the special session. I always enjoy getting to know members of our community, and hearing feedback from constituents is essential to my ability to represent this district. I hope to see you there!
FDA Authorizes Second Booster Dose of Two COVID-19 Vaccines for Older and Immunocompromised Individuals
On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for individuals 50 and older and certain immunocompromised individuals. This action will now make a second booster dose of these vaccines available to other populations at higher risk for severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Emerging evidence suggests that a second booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine improves protection against severe COVID-19 and is not associated with new safety concerns.
The agency amended the emergency use authorizations as follows:
A second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered to individuals 50 years of age and older at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine.
A second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered to individuals 12 years of age and older with certain kinds of immunocompromise at least 4 months after receipt of a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. These are people who have undergone solid organ transplantation, or who are living with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise.
A second booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine may be administered at least 4 months after the first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine to individuals 18 years of age and older with the same certain kinds of immunocompromise.
On Wednesday evening, the CDC announced updated recommendations to encourage certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received an initial booster dose at least 4 months ago to be eligible for another mRNA booster to increase their protection against severe disease from COVID-19.
Data continue to show the importance of vaccination and booster doses to protect individuals both from infection and severe outcomes of COVID-19. For adults and adolescents eligible for a first booster dose, these shots are safe and provide substantial benefits. During the recent Omicron surge, those who were boosted were 21-times less likely to die from COVID-19 compared to those who were unvaccinated, and 7-times less likely to be hospitalized. CDC continues to recommend that all eligible adults, adolescents, and children 5 and older be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, which includes getting an initial booster when eligible. See more information on this announcement online here.
Dennis Bickmeier to Lead Henrico’s New Sports and Entertainment Authority
Dennis Bickmeier has been appointed to lead a new authority that will oversee Henrico County’s sports tourism program and manage its private-public facilities, including an indoor events center under construction at Virginia Center Commons.
Bickmeier has served as president of Richmond Raceway since 2011, overseeing the 1,100-acre motorsports and multipurpose entertainment complex that hosts two premier NASCAR race weekends and more than 200 concerts, trade, and consumer shows, and other events per year. In 2018, the raceway, on Laburnum Avenue in eastern Henrico, completed $30 million in infield improvements, including a new safety building, garage, and media center.
Bickmeier previously held positions with Michigan International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Big West Conference, and several major league sports teams – the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim of the National Hockey League, and the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in journalism and sports administration and facility management, respectively, from Ohio University.
In addition to his work at Richmond Raceway, Bickmeier serves on the boards of directors for Richmond Region Tourism, the Henrico Education Foundation, and the Henrico Police Athletic League. He is active with the Retail Merchants Association, ChamberRVA, and the Henrico Career & Technical Center. A resident of Glen Allen, Bickmeier also has worked closely with Henrico throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with Richmond Raceway having served as a site for mass vaccinations and testing.
Construction is underway on Henrico’s 180,000-square-foot indoor sports and convocation center at Virginia Center Commons. Expected to open by September 2023, the facility will accommodate basketball and volleyball tournaments as well as high school graduations and other events. In December, the Board of Supervisors approved a $50 million agreement with the Rebkee Co. to cover all aspects of the facility’s construction.
The center will support a sports tourism program that has flourished over the past decade. The economic impact of tournaments held at Henrico’s athletic complexes, fields, and other sites jumped from $33.2 million in 2013 to $66.2 million in 2019. See more information on this announcement online here.
Henrico Public Schools Opens Applications for Virtual Academy
Henrico County Public Schools launched its first fully online K-12 school at the start of the 2021-22 school year: the Henrico Virtual Academy, or HVA. Students at the academy attend classes virtually with a mix of synchronous classes — learning online in a group with a teacher — and asynchronous, or independent learning. HVA is designed to offer learning alternatives for students who may benefit from the flexibility, individualized environment, and focus of virtual learning.
Families of K-12 students may apply for 2022-23 starting April 11 by going to the application page on the school’s website. Applications will be posted online here once available. See more information on HVA online here.
Henrico Teen Violence Prevention Survey for Middle and High School Youth
The Henrico Youth Violence Prevention Committee led by County Manager John Vithoulkas, Chief of Police Eric English, and Superintendent of Henrico County Public School Amy Cashwell, was formed in response to the increase in violent fights taking place in our schools and the uptick in crime stats involving youth. There are three subcommittees: Henrico County Public Schools, Judicial Solutions, and Community Organizations. The newly formed workgroup is focused on prevention strategies and activities that will have the best potential to prevent youth violence and its consequences for school-age youth.
In an effort to include student voices and collect student data to inform Henrico’s youth violence prevention work, the Committee has partnered with the Prevention and the Youth & Family Services units of Henrico Area Mental Health & Developmental Services to create a survey targeted to middle and high school students to get their feedback on the increase in violence taking place in our schools and communities.
Please share the survey link with middle and high school students and encourage them to take a few minutes to complete this survey as it will help County agencies, Henrico County Public Schools, and community organizations that are providing programs and services to youth in Henrico. The survey will be open until Friday, April 8, 2022: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TeenViolenceSurvey
Henrico Police Youth Academy Opens Application for Summer Program
This week, Henrico County Policy announced the return of the Youth Policy Academy this summer. The Henrico Youth Police Academy is designed to bolster the relationships between law enforcement and youth while exposing them to a possible future career in law enforcement. During this one-week academy, students will participate in both classroom instruction and practical exercises in which they assume the role of an officer. They will gain insight into the various situations police encounter and learn how and why officers respond to and handle these situations.
The Academy will be held from August 8th - 12th and will meet from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm each day at the Henrico County Police Training Facility. All Henrico residents aged 14-17 are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is April 29, 2022, at 4:00 pm. See more information on this program online here.
Photos from Community Events
This week I attend a Luncheon hosted by the League of Conservation Voters and Bike Walk RVA to discuss the planning and construction of the Fall Line Trail, a multiuse trail that will connect the Greater Richmond Area, coursing through seven localities: Ashland, Hanover, Henrico, Richmond, Chesterfield, Colonial Heights, and Petersburg.
With Delegate Betsy Carr and Cat Anthony, Executive Director of the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation.
I also had the opportunity to speak with 5th grade students at Tuckahoe Elementary School in the 73rd District for their Career Day celebrations. I spoke about my career in public service, as well as my work as an attorney and technology consultant.
Zooming into Tuckahoe Elementary School's Career Day
