March 26th Newsletter
When I ran for office in the summer of 2019, gun violence prevention was one of the key issues of my campaign. After the tragic shooting in Virginia Beach, the legislature held a 90-minute Special Session that would not allow a single vote to be cast. But Virginians were ready to see meaningful gun violence prevention measures that would reduce the risk of another devastating mass shooting.
In the 2020 Legislative Session, we delivered on our promise to Virginia voters by passing seven key gun violence prevention laws. We eliminated loopholes in our universal background checks, required gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms, instituted a one gun per month limit, allowed localities to establish gun buyback programs, and strengthened our protective orders to prevent individuals who are a risk to themselves or others from possessing a firearm.
Over the course of the past year, mass shootings rose nearly 50% compared to 2019. According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, gun violence killed nearly 20,000 Americans, more than any other year in the past two decades. While the tragedy of mass shootings sparked significant public conversations on gun safety, the majority of these deaths are from everyday violence in underserved communities and suicides by a firearm.
The COVID-19 pandemic has isolated many individuals, leading to a significant worsening of mental health issues. Now more than ever we must get people the support that they need to weather the challenges of the pandemic. We must also unequivocally denounce the violence and bigotry that lead to the shootings in Atlanta and Boulder and stand in support with our AAPI community and all those who have been personally impacted by these tragedies.
The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) has established a call center to offer support to anyone struggling with their mental health during this challenging time. If you need help, please know that you are not alone and there are resources available to help you. Call or text 877-349-6428, 7 days a week to be connected with a trained counselor.
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
Easing of COVID-19 Mitigation Measures
In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Governor Northam announced that as COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to rise in Virginia, certain sports and entertainment venues may operate with additional capacity and indoor and outdoor gathering limits that will increase starting Thursday, April 1. The Governor amended Executive Order Seventy-Two with the next steps of the “Forward Virginia” plan to safely and gradually ease public health restrictions while mitigating the spread of the virus.
It is important to note that the lifting of restrictions is only possible because vaccination rates have increased and rates of COVID-19 infection have fallen. While lifting certain restrictions will allow Virginians to attend graduations, sporting events, entertainment venues, and social gatherings, we must remain vigilant and reduce the risk of COVID-19 through wearing masks, frequent hand washing, and maintaining 6 feet of space between other individuals when possible.
The Commonwealth will maintain a Safer at Home strategy with continued mitigation strategies like physical distancing, teleworking, and universal mask requirements. Key changes in the Fourth Amended Executive Order Seventy-Two include:
Social gatherings: The maximum number of individuals permitted in a social gathering will increase to 50 people for indoor settings and 100 people for outdoor settings. Social gatherings are currently limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
Entertainment venues: All indoor and outdoor entertainment and public amusement venues must continue to operate at 30 percent capacity. Indoor venues must operate at 30 percent capacity or with a maximum of 500 people, an increase from the current cap of 250 people. Outdoor venues must operate at 30 percent capacity, with no specific cap on the number of attendees. These venues were previously limited to 30 percent capacity or up to 1,000 attendees, whichever was fewer.
Recreational sporting events: The number of spectators allowed at recreational sporting events will increase from 25 to 100 people per field or 30 percent capacity, whichever is less for indoor settings, and from 250 to 500 people per field or 30 percent capacity, whichever is less for outdoor settings.
In-person graduation and commencement events: Last week, Governor Northam issued preliminary guidance on safe in-person graduations and commencements, which included a cap of 5,000 people or 30 percent of the venue capacity for outdoor events, whichever is less. Events held indoors may have up to 500 people, or 30 percent of the venue capacity, whichever is less. Attendees must wear masks and follow other guidelines and safety protocols to ensure proper distancing.
Virginia has now administered more than 3.1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and is currently giving approximately 50,000 shots per day. Virginians are strongly encouraged to make sure that they are pre-registered at vaccinate.virginia.gov or by calling 877-VAX-IN-VA to ensure that the Virginia Department of Health has all the relevant information to reach out when individuals are eligible to schedule vaccination appointments.
State and Federal Tax Deadline Extended to May 17
Last Monday, Governor Northam announced that he is directing the Department of Taxation to extend the individual income tax filing and payment deadline in Virginia from Saturday, May 1, 2021 to Monday, May, 17, 2021. This extension aligns Virginia with the recent announcement from the United States Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service that federal income tax filings and payments would be extended from Thursday, April 15, 2021 to Monday, May 17, 2021.
This deadline extension affects only individual income taxes and does not apply to estimated payments. Individuals who owe taxes will need to make payments by Monday, May 17, 2021 to avoid penalties. While interest may still accrue beyond the original deadline, legislation to address this issue will be considered at April’s reconvened session.
There are a number of ways to pay including online, directly from a bank account, check or money order, and credit or debit card, both of which incur an additional fee. The Department of Taxation recommends electronic filing, which is easy, secure and free to use, and requesting direct deposit if a refund is expected.
Richmond and Henrico Health District Call Center for 65+ COVID-19 Vaccinations
Seniors who live in the City of Richmond or Henrico County will no longer have to wait for an email or phone call to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. The Richmond and Henrico Health District (RHHD) has set up a call center to schedule residents age 65+ for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. If you are over 65 and a resident of Richmond City or Henrico County, please call (804) 205-3501 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday to schedule an appointment.
The call center was introduced to help increase vaccination rates for our most vulnerable senior residents. RHHD has called or emailed almost every senior that pre-registered to be vaccinated but wanted to create a system that was quicker and easier to use in hopes of increasing vaccination rates.
You can see more information on the COVID-19 vaccine in Richmond and Henrico online here. If you are under 65, please pre-register online here. If you experience any difficulties or have questions on our vaccine distribution, please email my office at delrwillett@house.virginia.gov, and a member of my staff will be happy to assist you.
Phase 1C COVID-19 Vaccinations
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has announced the start of the transition to Phase 1C of vaccinations at some local health districts, with plans for all communities across Virginia to be able to open to this group of essential workers within weeks. The decision to move from one phase to the next is made in coordination with local and state health officials and is dependent upon a variety of factors.
Before moving to 1C, local health departments must have made strong efforts to reach all those eligible in 1A and 1B populations, particularly communities that have been disproportionately impacted, such as communities of color. Local health departments also must consider whether demand for vaccines has decreased among 1a and 1b populations. Overlap of vaccination of groups may occur to ensure people in each phase are vaccinated as quickly and efficiently as possible.
All communities are expected to move into Phase 1c by mid-April. Anyone over age 16 who lives or works in Virginia will be eligible for a vaccine in Phase 2, which is expected to begin by May 1. Anyone who wants a vaccine should pre-register for an appointment by visiting https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/ or by calling 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682) from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., seven days a week. Representatives are available in English and Spanish, and translation is available in any of more than 100 languages. TTY dial 7-1-1.
Those who have pre-registered should check the list at vaccinate.virginia.gov or by calling the call center to ensure their information is accurate. Incomplete or inaccurate information could result in you not being contacted for an appointment. If you are pre-registered, make sure you are checking your email and answering your phone because it could be an invitation to schedule your appointment.
Governor Announces New Service to Assist Virginia Students Applying for Financial Aid
Governor Ralph Northam today announced the launch of a new free advising service to assist Virginia students and families applying for financial aid and to help to address the COVID-19 related decline in completion rates of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Governor Northam also set forth a long-term goal for every eligible student in Virginia to complete a FAFSA application each year.
The Virginia College Access Network (VirginiaCAN) and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) have partnered on a statewide effort to offer free, one-on-one FAFSA completion assistance. From March 22 through June 30, 2021, students and families can go to virginiacan.org/fafsa to schedule a virtual meeting and connect with an advisor who can answer questions and walk them through filling out the FAFSA application.
The partnership was created to address the disproportionate effects of the pandemic on low-income and underrepresented students in the class of 2021 and 2020. Five college access organizations have banded together to offer one-on-one FAFSA assistance from March 15th – June 30th. Sign up for an appointment online here and you will be connected with an access provider from Access College Foundation, ECMC’s The College Places, Great Aspirations Scholarship Program (GRASP), the Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA), or the Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC).
Appointments will generally be one hour. As you register, you will be asked to provide some basic information such as name, email address, and high school. Prior to your appointment, you will receive an email detailing important information and documents to have on hand for your online meeting. Please note: these appointments are ONLY for assistance filling out the FAFSA form, and are ONLY for current high school seniors (class of 2021), or class of 2020 high school seniors.
Krispy Kreme Free Doughnuts For COVID-19 Vaccinations
In case you needed another reason to pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine, Krispy Kreme has announced that they will give free doughnuts to anyone with proof of vaccination, all year long. Starting Monday, March 29, any customer with a valid COVID-19 vaccination card will receive a free Original Glazed doughnut at participating locations nationwide. Any customers who have received at least one of the two shots of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine qualify for the promotion.
Pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine online at https://vaccinate.virginia.gov/. If you have already registered please check online here or by calling the call center 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682) to ensure your information is accurate. Incomplete or inaccurate information could result in you not being contacted for an appointment.
