August 5th Newsletter

Written By Rodney Willett

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I am very fortunate to have welcomed Julia Billingsley as my new legislative assistant. Although she is just starting with my office, Julia is no stranger to Virginia government and our legislative process having served in the offices of a Lieutenant Governor and a state senator and most recently as the policy director for Virginia21. 

To help you get to know Julia better, we have included a mini-interview with her:

Fast facts - tell us about yourself:

My name is Julia, and I use she/her pronouns. Originally from Highland County, VA, I’m a Virginia Tech alumna going on my fifth year living in the Richmond area. I love pets and have a gray and white cat named Emory.

How did you end up in the Richmond area and what do you enjoy about living here?

I first spent two summers living with my grandmother in eastern Henrico during a summer fellowship in college and starting my first job post-grad. Immediately I fell in love with the local charms of the area— exploring the James via trails and river rocks, catching live tunes by local musicians, and sampling the fun food scene.

Why did you pursue a career in government and politics?

We all have unique ways of caring for people and the planet, and this is my route. Environmental conservation and affordable healthcare (particularly mental healthcare access) top my list of community concerns, and I appreciate Delegate Willett’s strong leadership in these regards and beyond.

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

New Legislation Signed by Governor Youngkin

When the General Assembly adjourned the regular session in mid-March, around four dozen bills were left in limbo to revisit at a later date – an “overtime” of sorts for bills that had not received a vote. We approved almost half of those bills during June’s special session when we came back to adopt the budget, and Governor Youngkin has signed 20 bills into law as of yesterday’s acting deadline.The remaining active bills from the 2022 session await a final hearing when legislators return to Richmond next month – but more on that later. Here are some highlights of the just signed legislation:

  • HB 103: Teachers and other eligible educators will receive an income tax deduction up to $500 on qualifying expenses for books, classroom supplies, and other materials used in teaching for purchases made in the taxable years 2022-2024.

  • HB 349: Foster care youth and those in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice who age out may receive housing support provided by their local social services department for a period up to six months after turning 18 and before age 21.

  • HB 563 / SB 473: The School Construction Fund and Program will award grants to local school boards for building, renovating, or expanding public schools. This law also mandates that state agencies assist each school board in determining the relative age and amount of maintenance reserve funds needed to restore each school building.

  • HB 1128 / SB 528: Veterans over the age of 55 will qualify for an income tax deduction on retirement pay and other military benefits received by them and any surviving spouses.

 

2023 House of Delegates Election Update + Midterms Reminder

It now appears all but certain that the next House of Delegates election will be held in November 2023 after a federal judge dismissed the remaining attempt to conduct new elections this fall. The basis of the ongoing case challenged the constitutionality of Virginia’s 2021 elections that followed outdated maps due to the state’s delayed redistricting process. The new maps were not finished on time in part due to the late arrival of 2020 U.S. Census data gathered during the first year of the pandemic. The judge ruled on Monday that the plaintiffs in the case do not have standing to sue the state and concluded that the federal courts lack the authority to order a new election. This means state elections are slated to be held on our normal two-year cycle next fall with all General Assembly seats on the ballot. 

But please note that there still is a General Election this year on November 8, 2022 with candidates running for U.S. House of Representatives in the newly drawn districts. Voters can use VPAP’s Redistricting tool to look up their address to confirm the new district and check out the Department of Elections to see who will be on your ballot and register to vote or update an existing registration by the October 17th deadline. 

 

State Tax Holiday

Virginia’s annual State Tax Holiday is this weekend, August 5-7. During the three day tax holiday qualifying school supplies, clothing, footwear, hurricane and emergency preparedness items, and more (listed below) may be purchased without paying sales tax. Click each link for a detailed list of qualifying items that are eligible for exemption in each category. The tax holiday begins at 12:01 AM this Friday and ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday.

 

HCPS Back-to-School Kickoff

The first day of school for Henrico County Public Schools will be Monday, August 29th this year, a week earlier than previous years. Glen Allen High School will host the annual Back-to-School Kickoff event on Friday, August 19th from 4 to 6:30 PM for families to enjoy music, food trucks, games and more along with the chance to register for school and talk with HCPS leaders. Shuttle services are provided and will run every 15 minutes starting at 3:45 PM from Henrico, Highland Springs, and Varina high schools. Parents are encouraged to reserve a seat at: https://tinyurl.com/BacktoSchoolShuttle 

 

Virginia 529 Programs

Virginia529 is a state agency that aims to make higher education more attainable and affordable via its tax-advantaged 529 education savings accounts and other college-access initiatives. In recent years, the General Assembly has expanded Virginia529’s mission to include helping Virginians with disabilities save through ABLE accounts, and most recently, helping Virginians without access to workplace retirement savings options save through the RetirePath Virginia program, set to launch in 2023. I was fortunate to be able to meet with Virginia529 staff recently where they shared updates on all of these programs. 

To learn more about each savings program, read more below and visit the web pages for additional information.

Virginia529/Invest529:

For more than 25 years, Virginia529 has helped millions of families and individuals plan and save for education expenses through its highly rated, tax-advantaged programs, Invest529 and CollegeAmerica. With account owners in every state, Virginia529 manages more than $85 billion in assets (as of June 30, 2022), making it the largest 529 plan in the country. Learn more and start your savings at Virginia529.com.

ABLEnow:

Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) programs allow individuals with disabilities to save for today’s needs or invest for tomorrow in a simple, affordable and tax-advantaged account that won’t impact certain disability benefits. The Virginia-sponsored ABLE savings program, ABLEnow, is administered by Virginia529. Learn more and start your savings at ABLEnow.com.

RetirePath Virginia:

Virginia529’s newest savings program, RetirePath Virginia, will give eligible employers across the Commonwealth a simple way to help their employees save for retirement at work. RetirePath Virginia accounts will be flexible, portable, and easy for savers to use. A pilot program is scheduled to begin in early 2023 and phased employer registration will start by July 1, 2023. Learn more and subscribe to program updates at RetirePathVA.com. 

 

Governor Youngkin Announces Affordable and Special Needs Housing Loans

Last Friday, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced more than $27 million in Affordable and Special Needs Housing (ASNH) loans for 34 projects across the Commonwealth, 10 of which were awarded in the Richmond metro area including eight in the City of Richmond and two in Chesterfield County.

ASNH loans are administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and offer a streamlined application process by combining state and federal resources. One of the main funding sources, the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, is provided by the General Assembly to support financing for housing construction projects that create or preserve affordable housing units, reduce the cost of affordable housing and increase homeownership

The press release noted that the recommended projects will create and preserve 1,990 total units for low-income and extremely low-income households, including 137 permanent supportive housing,1,588 new construction units, and 16 units for sale as homeownership opportunities.

Affordable and Special Needs Housing loans are awarded through a competitive process. To learn more about the ASNH program, visit www.dhcd.virginia.gov/asnh.

 

Community Events 

Technology and Innovation Caucus Meeting

The Virginia Blockchain Council hosted the Technology and Innovation Caucus on July 22nd.  Thank you to the council for our blockchain discussion and tour of a crypto currency mining facility!

I am pictured here with fellow Technology and Innovation Caucus members Delegates Karen Greenhalgh and Anne Tata.

Mary Ann Bergeron Hall of Fame Award Induction

It was a pleasure to join the Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services Board in honoring Nita Grigol and the late George Hettrick, recipients of the Mary Ann Bergeron Hall of Fame Award. They have given so much to our community, and I was inspired to hear stories of their service.

I am pictured here with Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg and Nita Grigol

Staples Mill Publix Tour

I enjoyed visiting the Publix location in Glen Allen and meeting the store associates. Thank you to the manager, Sean Barker, and his team for the warm welcome!

Family Time

I was able to join my daughter Nora in Montana to do some fly fishing. She is a pro, I am a novice but it was great to be out there with her.

Rodney Willett
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