December 11th Newsletter

Written By Rodney Willett

I have summarized below the additional COVID related restrictions that Governor Northam announced on Thursday and will take effect on Monday. Although most of Virginia is faring better than many other states, testing positivity rates are surging in several areas and there are troubling infection spikes all around us. Even with vaccine distribution about to begin in Virginia, we remain many months away from widespread vaccinations. 

At this point, the Governor and our health officials may sound like nagging parents in continuing to remind us to wear a mask and socially distance. Yet, there are still too many Virginians who are not heeding those warnings and following the critical health protocols. If you know someone who has any doubt about the importance of wearing a mask, please encourage them to watch this video from COVID intensive care unit nurse Emily Egan from Southwest Virginia. The Governor showed Emily’s video during his press conference and quoted her plea from the end of the clip:

"If you could stop just one case by wearing a mask or staying home when you didn't have to go out, it would help us so much. If everyone did that for one person I think we could stop this."(Watch Video)

As we try to find a light of hope during the darkness of the pandemic, many people have begun the celebration of the Hanukkah - the Festival of Lights - Happy Hanukkah! Earlier this week, I was honored to join a panel of area legislators as part of the 2020 legislative reception of the Jewish Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond. This was a virtual gathering, but I still felt the passion of the JCRC members as they shared their legislative priorities.

I will continue to keep you informed with relevant, accurate information via Twitter, Facebook, and my website. Please email my office at delrwillett@house.virginia.gov or call us at 804-698-1173 if you have any questions or need assistance. 

Sincerely,

Rodney

New Information

New COVID-19 Mitigation Measures

In a press conference yesterday afternoon, Governor Northam announced that Virginia will implement additional COVID-19 restrictions to mitigate the spread of the virus. Rates of COVID-19 have been increasing across the country and in Virginia.   Wednesday the Department of Health reported 4,398 new cases — a record high for daily cases. As cases remain high and flu season continues, it is crucial that we act quickly to mitigate the spread of the virus and prevent the overcrowding of our hospital system:

  • Modified Stay at Home Order: All individuals in Virginia must remain at their place of residence between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Exceptions include obtaining food and goods, traveling to and from work, and seeking medical attention.

  • Universal mask requirement: All Virginians aged five and over are required to wear face coverings in indoor settings shared with others and when outdoors within six feet of another person.

  • Reduction in social gatherings: All social gatherings must be limited to 10 individuals, down from the current cap of 25 people. Social gatherings include, but are not limited to, parties, celebrations, or other social events, regardless of whether they occur indoors or outdoors. This does not apply to religious services, employment settings, or educational settings. Restaurants and retail stores are already governed by strict social distancing requirements and are not included in this limit.

  • Continued limits on dining establishments: Virginia restaurants are currently governed by strict social distancing and sanitization requirements, which remain in place. The on-site sale, consumption, and possession of alcohol remain prohibited after 10:00 p.m. in any restaurant, dining establishment, food court, brewery, microbrewery, distillery, winery, or tasting room. All restaurants, dining establishments, food courts, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, and tasting rooms must close by midnight.

  • Teleworking: Employees who can telework are strongly encouraged to do so.

You can read the Governor’s announcement online here, and read the full text of Executive Order 72 online here.

Upcoming Events

As we get closer to the 2021 legislative session this January. I am working to meet with a variety of constituent groups to hear more about the challenges they have faced over the past year and the support they need from the General Assembly moving forward. I want to thank all who attended our roundtable conversations with health care workers and educators last week, It was wonderful to speak with you and hear your perspective on this challenging year.

I am holding another roundtable next Monday, December 14th from 4:30 - 5:30 pm with Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg for small business leaders in the Richmond/Henrico area. If you are interested in attending this event please RSVP online here. If you would like to set up a roundtable with another constituent group please contact my Chief of Staff, Colleen Grady, at colleen@rodwillett.com. 

Henrico/Richmond COVID Testing and Flu Immunizations

The Henrico and Richmond health districts are planning the following COVID-19 testing events and offering flu vaccinations in the coming days and weeks. Registration is recommended for COVID-19 testing events; call (804) 205-3501 to register. Officials from the district are encouraging citizens to avoid traveling or gathering with people from outside their households for the holidays. However, if you are planning on traveling or gathering with other family or friends, please get tested and get a flu vaccination to help mitigate the spread of these viruses.

COVID Testing:

  • December 14th, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
    Diversity Richmond
    1407 Sherwood Ave, Richmond, VA 23220

  • December 15th, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.
    Eastern Henrico Health Department
    1400 N Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23223
    Drive Through Only

  • December 17th, 2:00 pm - 4:00pm
    Second Baptist Church
    3300 Broad Rock Blvd, Richmond, VA 23224
    Drive Through Only

  • December 18th, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
    Regency Square Parking Deck
    1420 N Parham Rd, Richmond, VA 23229
    Drive Through Only 

Flu Immunizations:

Every weekday in December except for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the districts will offer flu vaccinations from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm at the Richmond City Health District, 400 East Cary Street in Richmond. Those who visit for a flu vaccination should bring their insurance ID cards if they have one. There is no cost to patients with or without insurance. For more information on COVID-19 testing or flu immunizations visit https://henrico.us/health/. 

Rent/Mortgage Assistance and Housing Support

The statewide moratorium on evictions enacted through the 2020 special session budget will remain in effect until December 31st.  The budget also included measures to reduce potential evictions. Starting January 1st, 2021, the budget requires landlords and tenants to work together to access rent assistance, including through the Virginia Rent and Mortgage Relief Program, before proceeding with an eviction.

The Rent and Mortgage Relief Program (RMRP) is supported by CARES Act funding and is designed to support and ensure housing stability across the Commonwealth during the coronavirus pandemic. Depending on the availability of funds and household needs, the RMRP may provide financial assistance for rent or mortgage payments for eligible households. The Governor expanded the RMRP this September to allow landlords to apply for aid on behalf of their tenants. 

In addition to housing protections in the budget, we passed legislation during the special session to prevent additional evictions. The Virginia Residential Landlord &Tenant Act (HB5064) requires landlords who own four rental dwelling units to serve notice to a tenant of the total amount due and offer a payment plan under which the tenant must pay the total amount due in equal monthly installments over a period of the lesser of six months or the time remaining under the rental agreement. The bill also requires landlords to wait 14 days after the nonpayment of rent to serve written notice to a tenant; the previous time requirement was only 5 days. The provisions of this bill will remain in effect until July 1, 2021.

If you are struggling to pay your rent or mortgage and facing eviction, please apply to the Rent and Mortgage Relief Program online here. If you are in need of shelter or immediate housing support, please call the Richmond area homeless crisis line at 804-972-0813.

DMV Driver’s Privilege Cards

Starting on January 2nd, 2021, undocumented immigrants will be able to apply for a driver privilege card (DPC) through the DMV. This new card was created and implemented through the passage of HB1211 in the 2020 legislative session last spring. A driver privilege card is a driving credential for individuals who are non-US citizens and cannot meet Virginia’s legal presence requirements, making them ineligible to receive a standard or REAL ID-compliant driver's license in Virginia.

You may be eligible to obtain a driver privilege card if you meet the following requirements:

  • You are a non-US citizen who is a resident of Virginia

  • You have reported income from Virginia sources or are claimed as a dependent on a tax return filed in Virginia in the past 12 months

  • Your driving privilege is not currently suspended or revoked in Virginia or any other state.

A driver privilege card is not REAL ID-compliant and, as such, may not be used as identification to board a flight or enter a secure federal facility. Driver privilege card applicants are not eligible for a commercial driver’s license or identification card. You can see more information on eligibility and the application process online at www.dmvNOW.com/dpc.

Rebuild Virginia Fund

This week Governor Northam announced that the Rebuild Virginia Fund has distributed $100 million in grants to  2,500 Virginia businesses and nonprofits whose normal operations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. All available funding has now been awarded, so the program is unable to provide more grants unless additional funding is made available by the federal government through a new relief package. 

Approximately $50 million was awarded to women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses. More than 45 percent of the funding was awarded to 997 small businesses and nonprofits located in low-income and economically disadvantaged communities, and businesses with less than $2 million in annual revenue received 91 percent of the program’s funding. To date, Rebuild VA has received 15,700 applications and the average grant award was $35,636. To see more information on the Rebuild Virginia Fund, please visit https://www.governor.virginia.gov/rebuildva/.

HIV/AIDS Awareness Month

December is national HIV/AIDS awareness month. Like many people who are immunocompromised, this has been a very challenging year for people living with HIV/AIDS. Data from the Virginia Department of Health 2019 HIV Surveillance Annual Report shows that while new cases of HIV are declining in Virginia, there are still hundreds of new cases every year and over 24,000 people living with HIV or AIDS in the Commonwealth.

If you or someone you know is in need of care, the following organizations provide free or low-cost testing and care services:

Rodney Willett
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