NEWSLETTER: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2020 SPECIAL SESSION
For the 2020 election, I voted early today via the in-person absentee option available at the Henrico County Government Center. Someone asked me “so, what excuse are you using to vote early absentee?” My response: “I am voting early because that is more convenient for me - that is all the excuse that I need.” Recent changes in Virginia law, explained below, have made no-excuse early absentee voting available, providing more voting options and flexibility. How and when you vote is your decision!
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
Voting Information
I am proud that so many Henrico voters have joined me in casting their ballots early this year, either by mail or in-person absentee to make sure their vote is counted while limiting the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus. Data from the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) and the Virginia Department of Elections shows that over 59,000 voters in Henrico already have voted or requested their absentee ballots!
Image Source: Virginia Public Access Project
If you or someone you know is not yet registered to vote, the deadline to do so for the November election is Tuesday, October 13 at 5:00 pm. You can check your registration status and polling location online via the Department of Elections Citizen Portal.
Thanks to legislation that the General Assembly passed this year, you do not need an excuse to vote absentee. There are three different ways to cast your ballot this year:
Absentee In-Person — To vote absentee in-person, simply visit your local county registrar’s office with a valid form of photo I.D. from now until October 31st. You can see more information on voting absentee in-person in Henrico County online here.
Absentee By-Mail — To vote absentee by mail, you must first submit an application for an absentee ballot. You can apply online on the Virginia Department of Elections website or apply by mail by filling out this form and mailing it to your local registrar. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Friday, October 23rd. If you plan to vote by absentee by-mail, I encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. If you already have applied, you can check the status of your ballot online via the Department of Elections Citizen Portal.
In-Person On Election Day — As always, you can vote in person on election day, November 3rd, at your normal polling location from 6:00 am - 7:00 pm. You can check your registration status and polling location online via the Department of Elections Citizen Portal.
General Assembly Special Session
We were called into Special Session with the mandate to close a $2.8 billion revenue shortfall while tackling the economic and public health demands of the pandemic, as well as to make overdue reforms to Virginia’s police and criminal justice system. This week the House passed our version of the biennium budget that provides relief from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic while protecting our Commonwealth’s AAA bond rating and reputation for fiscal responsibility. We also have funded a number of criminal justice reforms.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit our Commonwealth, we knew that we would need to make difficult decisions to provide relief to the millions of Virginians suffering from the pandemic while also addressing our revenue shortfall. All of these decisions are still temporary and short-term, triggered by the COVID-19 recession. The regular session in January 2021 will present another opportunity for us to reassess the economic climate and make further strides toward achieving our priorities.
Once the Senate passes their version of the budget bill, representatives from each chamber will meet to reconcile the two bills. You can read a full version of the House budget online here, and here are a few highlights from our House budget:
Restores $95.2M in K-12 funding for FY 2021 reduced as a result of the sales tax reforecast.
Directs Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) dollars toward safe school re-opening and virtual learning and provides flexibility to local school divisions as they adapt to new methods of instruction.
Directs $150 million CRF dollars toward Personal Protective Equipment, $60 million toward child care provider stabilization, and a total of $33.2 million toward short-term child care.
Directs $28 million to fund police and criminal justice reform legislation approved by the House, including creating the Marcus Alert system; implementing automatic expungement; increasing earned sentence credits; and updating and strengthening various law enforcement conduct and training standards. The budget also restores funding to the Pretrial and Post-Incarceration Services program.
Restores partial funding to alleviate pressure on our state mental health facilities and provides some additional support for children’s mental health services through the Virginia Mental Health Access Program.
Directs $56 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) to personal care attendants in the form of hazard pay.
Continues nursing home payments of an additional $20/day per patient to stabilize an industry under extreme stress.
Eliminates the “40 quarter” barrier to eligibility for Medicaid coverage for legal permanent residents through contingent appropriations.
Extends FAMIS MOMS health insurance coverage through 12 months postpartum.
Although I wish that we could have fully funded the priorities of our budget before the COVID-19 pandemic, including historic support for early childhood education, health care, and mental health care, I am proud that the House has passed a budget that meets the challenges of this moment in a fiscally responsible manner. I look forward to working with my colleagues throughout the regular session this January to find innovative solutions to provide additional relief for Virginians suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Data Portal
This week, Governor Northam announced that the Virginian Open Data Portal now includes more than a dozen new COVID-19 datasets from the Virginia Department of Health. The Open Data Portal was first launched in 2014 by Governor Terry McAuliffe to provide centralized access to data across state agencies and create a platform where Virginians can interpret, analyze, and transform the data into actionable intelligence.
In a statement announcing the addition of the new COVID-19 data sets, Governor Northam said “Our goal is to harness data to promote efficiency, increase transparency, and develop innovative solutions to the challenges we face. This expansion of the Virginia Open Data Portal will make the data driving our decisions available to all Virginians and empower people across the Commonwealth to engage in our ongoing COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.” You can visit the Virginia Open Data Portal online to access all COVID-19 data sets.
The 2020 Virtual Virginia Datathon, which began yesterday, October 1st, will bring together state agencies, students, localities, non-profits, and private sector businesses to leverage this data to develop innovative solutions that seek to address challenges created by the pandemic. This annual event, held virtually this year, is a two-day statewide competition where teams of innovators use state data and other open data sources to create applications with the support of subject matter experts from the community. In previous years, Datathon participants have tackled issues from workforce innovation, to equity in education, to the opioid and addiction crisis. Team presentations and awards will be live-streamed via the Library of Virginia YouTube channel, beginning at 2:00 pm today, October 2nd.
Mental Health and COVID-19
Tomorrow, Saturday, October 3rd, is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Annual “Out of the Darkness Walk.” This annual event works to raise awareness on suicide and depression, raise money for research and education for suicide protection, and provide assistance and a safe outlet for survivors of suicide. If you would like to donate in support of the AFSP Out of the Darkness Walk, you can do so online here.
Although we will not be able to walk together in person this year, I want to encourage everyone to take the time to check in with their friends and family who may be struggling with their mental health. A recent survey from the Center for Disease Control found that 40% of U.S. adults have struggled with mental health or substance use as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you or someone you know is struggling with the added stress and grief brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, please know that you are not alone and that there are resources available to help during this challenging time.
BeWellVA is a collaboration amongst seven Community Service Boards (CSBs) that serves as a resource for individuals and families to access publicly funded services for behavioral health and intellectual disabilities. The BeWellVa.com website also offers active-duty military and veterans information and connections to mental healthcare, suicide prevention programs, and other resources. If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call their hotline 1-800-273-TALK for immediate help.
The Virginia Department of Behavioral Services and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management have created a “warmline” to provide mental health care support for Virginians struggling with feelings of isolation, stress, or grief due to COVID-19. Call or text 877-349-5428 to speak with trained staff. For more information, visit vacopes.com
ArtTober Is Here!
ArtTober, the annual month-long celebration of arts and culture in the greater Richmond metro area sponsored by Cultureworks, has begun! This year, the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance (RPAA) and CultureWorks have partnered together to bring a unique and interactive art experience to the greater Richmond community. #ArtsHuntRVA is a brand new scavenger hunt experience open all month and is a great opportunity to get outside and explore the arts and culture in our community. The scavenger hunt is free for all to participate. See more information and register for the event online here.
