June 4th Newsletter
I hope that you had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend and found time to remember our military service members who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country. This Memorial Day also may have been something closer to the “normal” start of summer as more and more people now are vaccinated and returning to the routines that we never again should take for granted.
Another sign that things are getting back to normal is that it is time for another election cycle in Virginia: we have primary elections this Tuesday, June 8th. Please see below for more details on early voting this weekend and on Election Day.
And I am very excited about the return of in-person events where I have the opportunity to meet and interact with constituents. The first of those events is tomorrow, June 5th, when we will be participating in Clean the Bay Day at 10:00 am at Huguenot Flatwater along the James River. Please see below for details about the event and join us!
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
Richmond and Henrico Health Department Set Goal of 70% Vaccination Rate by July 4
This week, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney echoed President Biden’s goal of having 70% of all U.S. adults vaccinated against COVID-19 by July 4th. Richmond and Henrico Health Department (RHHD) have been working over the past year to administer the vaccine to as many Virginia residents as possible. While RHHD previously focused on mass vaccination events to increase initial distribution, this summer our local health officials will prioritize outreach at smaller community-oriented locations, such as churches and grocery stores.
This strategy will make it easier than ever for individuals to receive the vaccine, as the department will be establishing vaccination locations in neighborhoods where fewer vaccinated individuals live. RHHD will release forms for businesses and community organizations that are interested in coordinating on-site vaccination events.
Public health officials are optimistic that we will reach this 70% goal by July 4th. Across the Commonwealth, over 67% of the adult population has been vaccinated with at least one dose, however in Richmond, only 51% of adults have received one dose. To reach this goal we need our entire community to work together to protect ourselves and our community from COVID-19. If you have not been vaccinated, please visit vaccinate.virginia.gov to see more information and schedule an appointment. If you are a Richmond/Henrico resident and would like to speak with someone about the vaccine over the phone, please call the RHHD hotline at (804) 205-3501. You can see more information on Virginia’s vaccination progress online on the Department of Health website.
Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created a new Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to help families and households struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, virtual classrooms, and so much more.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.
A household is eligible if a member of the household meets one of the criteria below:
Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, or Lifeline;
Is approved to receive benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision in the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year;
Has received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
Has experienced a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020, and the household had a total income in 2020 at or below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income or COVID-19 program.
Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan. See more information online at https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit. There are three ways for eligible households to apply:
Contact a participating broadband provider directly to learn about their application process. If you are unable to apply through them directly, you will have to apply using option 2 or 3 below, and then contact a participating provider to select an eligible plan.
Go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org to apply online and to find participating providers near you. After you apply, you will have to contact a participating provider to select an eligible plan.
Call 833-511-0311 for a mail-in application or print a copy, and return it along with copies of documents showing proof of eligibility to: Emergency Broadband Support Center, P.O. Box 7081 London, KY 40742
Pride Month
June is Pride Month! This is a time where we celebrate and promote the equality and increased visibility of individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. I am proud to stand with the LGTBQ community as an ally and an advocate, and I will continue to fight for the equality and dignity of all Virginians, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. While our work is far from over, I would like to highlight some of the progress we have made over the past two years. This legislation would not have been possible without the work of countless pro-equality advocates, and I look forward to continuing this vital work together.
The Virginia Values Act (SB868) — Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public and private employment, public accommodations, and access to credit. The legislation also extends important protections to Virginians on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, and status as a veteran. The passage of this bill made history, as Virginia became the first southern state to enact comprehensive protections for the LGBTQ community against discrimination in housing, employment, public spaces, and credit applications.
Banning Conversion Therapy on Minors (HB386/SB245) — Virginia has the honor of being the first southern state, and the 20th state in the country, to ban conversion therapy on minors by licensed professionals.
Protecting LGBTQ Youth in Schools (HB145/SB161) — Ensures that public schools provide an equal learning environment to transgender and non-binary students.
Establishing an LGBTQ+ Advisory Board to the Governor (HB2130) — The new LGBTQ+ Advisory Board will consist of 26 members who will advise the Governor on issues regarding the economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the Commonwealth and the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia – particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Update Virginia’s Law to Reflect Marriage Equality (HJ582/SJ270) — In the 2020 session, we repealed the statutory ban on same-sex marriages and unions, however, Virginia still has an unenforceable amendment in our state constitution that prohibits same-sex marriages. This year, we took the first step to remove this amendment from our constitution. In order to completely remove the amendment, we must pass the same version of these resolutions during two General Assembly sessions, separated by an election year. After the 2021 November elections, we plan to pass HJ582/SJ270 again in the 2022 legislative session. Then, the removal of the amendment will be sent to Virginia voters in a ballot referendum.
Upcoming Primaries — Next Tuesday, June 8th
Next Tuesday, June 8th, is Election Day in Virginia. Voters will have the opportunity to vote for the Democratic nominees for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General, as well as nominees for House of Delegate seats for both parties. Not all House candidates have primaries, so please visit the Henrico Department of Elections Website to see a sample ballot for your voting district.
You may vote early in person at your local registrar’s office on Friday, June 4th, from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, and on Saturday, June 5th, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. To vote in person on election day, visit your precinct location with a valid form of identification between 6:00 am - 7:00 pm. For more information on how to vote, please visit iwillvote.com. Visit the Department of Elections website to verify your registration information, and if you have any questions please contact my office at delrwillett@house.virginia.gov. I hope to see you at the polls!
Clean the Bay Day
Please join me tomorrow, Saturday, June 5th, to celebrate Clean the Bay Day! This annual event organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation encourages Virginians to pick up litter and trash along river banks to keep our waterways clean. As a part of the Clean the Bay Day, Governor Northam issued Executive Directive Seventeen, which sets pollution reduction targets for lands within the Chesapeake Bay watershed that are owned by state agencies and public institutions of higher education. Stormwater runoff is one of the most harmful sources of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay, and I am thrilled that this issue is a priority for our state agencies and public institutions.
I will be participating in Clean the Bay Day tomorrow at 10:00 am at Huguenot Flatwater along the James River. I encourage you all to join me for a morning of volunteering to protect our water system for years to come. Street parking is available, but limited, so I encourage you to carpool to the site when possible. My team will bring trash bags and other supplies. Please RSVP so that we know that you will be joining us!
Saturday, June 5th 10:00 am
Huguenot Flatwater
8600 Southhampton Rd, Richmond VA 23235
RSVP online
Gun Violence Awareness Day
June 1st was Gun Violence Awareness Day in Virginia, an annual day of remembrance established in 2020 by HJ10 sponsored by Del. Kaye Kory. More than 1,000 Virginians lose their lives every year due to gun violence. In our community, this issue has been especially prevalent, as Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney recently declared gun violence a public health crisis.
This week also marked the two-year anniversary of the 2019 mass shooting in Virginia Beach that took the lives of 12 people at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center. This week my thoughts are with the victims and family members lost to gun violence, and I am committed to fighting for a Commonwealth where all residents can live without fear of gun violence. While our work is far from over, I would like to highlight a few measures we have taken in the General Assembly to help keep our communities safe.
HB2 — Enforces universal background checks on gun sales, eliminating existing loopholes. Background checks exist in 20 states, lowering homicide and suicide rates. 91 percent of Virginians support universal background checks.
HB9 — Requires gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms within 48 hours to law enforcement and penalizes those who fail to do so with a $250 fine. This bill intends to alert law enforcement promptly in order to assist with efforts to find a stolen firearm and keep it from entering the criminal market. Too many guns flow out of Virginia into other states and onto their streets, disproportionately affecting communities of color in urban settings.
HB674 — Grants judicial officers the authority to issue an emergency Substantial Risk Protective Order prohibiting a person deemed a risk to themselves or others from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm for the duration of the order. These temporary orders expire after 14 days (although a judge, after a hearing, may then enter a longer-term protective order if one is necessary), allowing the individual time to seek the mental health help they need.
HB 812 —Reinstates the one-gun-per-month limit on the number of handguns an individual may purchase unless they are a licensed firearms dealer. This law would help law enforcement decrease the number of handguns being redirected to the unregulated market.
HB1083 — Recklessly leaving loaded, unsecured firearms around minors under the age of 18 where individuals are at risk of death or injury is classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Preventing young people from accessing firearms protects not only that child or family but the entire community.
