May 27th Newsletter

If you live in the Richmond area, you probably personally know at least one, if not, dozens of state employees because most state agencies are based here. You also are likely familiar with Governor Youngkin’s recently announced telework policy. State employees may telework one day a week with the approval of their agency head, a cabinet secretary must approve two days a week, and any request over two days requires approval directly from the Governor’s Chief of Staff.

Joining Delegate Schuyler Van Valkenburg, I recently co-authored an opinion piece in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, “State policy must offer flexibility to retain workforce” in which we criticized the policy for eliminating our agencies’ ability to offer flexible schedules to their employees — even when an employee has been teleworking since before the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to removing the discretion of agency leadership to manage the particular needs of their team, the policy also limits one of the main benefits that state employees cite in choosing to work for state government versus the private sector: an accommodating work schedule that allows for flexible hours and working from home. Workplace flexibility has become essential to families, particularly working parents who are struggling to afford the rising cost of childcare.

I also joined a group of a dozen area legislators in a letter to the Governor asking him to reinstate agency heads’ authority to approve their employees’ telework applications, regardless of the number of days requested. Agencies already have been feeling the pressures of attracting and retaining a top-notch state workforce in order to provide critical services to citizens. We need to do everything possible to support our state workforce and enable them to deliver those services to Virginians.

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention the devastating shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas that took the lives of 19 elementary school students and 2 adults. School shootings, although too common, are the most incomprehensible of all of the horrible gun violence incidents that we see. Schools should be sanctuaries for students, especially those who may live in less than ideal situations at home. My oldest son and daughter in law to be both recently taught in Texas public schools, so this tragedy has hit especially close to my heart. I am proud that the General Assembly passed 7 commonsense gun violence prevention measures in 2020, and that we have defended our progress despite losing Democratic control of the House and Governor’s Mansion last fall. It is beyond time for the Federal government to join us and take action to protect our children from this senseless violence.

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

House to Reconvene for 2022 Special Session I on Wednesday, June 1

On Monday, the Speaker of the House announced that the House will reconvene for a meeting of the 2022 Special Session I at 10:00 a.m. next Wednesday, June 1. We anticipate coming together to complete work on the two-state budget bills House Bill 29 and House Bill 30, in addition to any conference reports continued from the 2022 Regular Session that were carried over the Special Session in accordance with House Resolution 455.

Budget conferees comprised of representatives from the House and Senate money committees have worked to reach a compromise on spending differences between the House and Senate versions of the 2022-2024 biennial budget. The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis provides a helpful side-by-side breakdown of the differences between each budget that you can view online here. Both versions of the budget would provide tax relief for Virginians and record spending on education, however, there are still significant differences between the proposed plans. See below for highlights of some of the largest spending discrepancies:

State Income Tax Deduction — The House budget proposes doubling the standard deduction, which would result in a revenue loss of over $2 billion. The Senate has proposed studying this issue and the long term impact it would have on state revenues before taking action this year.
Grocery Tax — Virginia currently imposes a 1.5% tax on groceries and allows localities to impose an additional 1% tax for local spending items. Both parties agree that the grocery tax is regressive, and propose eliminating the state portion of the tax, however, they differ in their approach to the local 1% portion. This tax is a critical funding source for localities, and many have lobbied to maintain this local option. The House budget would eliminate both the state and local portions, and attempt to backfill local revenue, with an anticipated cost of over $1 billion.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) — Virginia currently provides an EITC equal to 20% of the taxpayer’s federal EITC, however it is not refundable, meaning that the credit amount is limited by an individual’s tax liability. The Senate version of the budget would make the EITC partially refundable at 15%, while the House budget would maintain the credit as nonrefundable. A refundable EITC would provide the greatest benefit to low income Virginians, particularly people of color.
Teacher Pay Raise — The Senate version of the budget would provide for 5% pay increases each fiscal year (2023 and 2024), while the House budget would provide for a 4% pay increase each year, with a 1% bonus each year for SOQ funded positions.
Education Spending for At-Risk Students — The Senate budget includes more funding for at-risk students, including additional funding for students from low-income backgrounds, more funding for early childhood education programs, and $22 million to increase the ratio of teachers to our students learning English. The House version of the budget favors larger tax cuts over investments in these programs.

You can see a detailed breakdown of all spending items for the House and Senate budgets online at https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/. Virginia law requires that the budget be available online for legislators to review no later than 10:00 am on May 30th to adhere to General Assembly rules requiring that legislators have 24 hours to review budget bills before voting.

As always, I encourage you to reach out to my office to share your priorities for our biennial budget. Stay tuned for an update on the budget and Special Session in next week’s newsletter, I am hopeful that I will be able to report that a final compromise has been reached and that the bills are on their way to the Governor's desk.

Governor Youngkin Releases Education Report Finding Sliding Education Performance and Lowered Standards in Virginia

This week, Governor Youngkin released a new report from the Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction: Our Commitment to Virginians: High Expectations and Excellence for All Students. The report asserts that Virginia children, especially our students of color, are performing poorly on national assessments in reading and math and falling behind peers in other states. The chief concerns outlined in the report were pandemic-related learning loss and a so-called “Honesty Gap”, a term used to describe the discrepancy of student scores on state-level SOLs and the National Assessment of Educational Performance, NAEP.

The report compares the percentage of Virginia fourth and eighth-graders who passed math and reading SOLS in 2015, 2017, and 2019, with the percentage of Virginia fourth and eighth-graders who score “at or above proficient” on the NAEP in those same years. In each year that was analyzed, about 70% of Virginia students passed the SOL, but the percentage of students who scored “proficient” on the NAEP measured between 30 and 40 percent.

A Washington Post analysis of the report, however, suggests that its use of data is misleading and that Virginia students performed at least as well or better than students nationwide over the past several years. The report has also been criticized by the Virginia Education Association, which called the report “biased” and designed to advance a platform of defunding public education and expanding school choice through measures like vouchers.

Virginia public schools have long been regarded as some of the best in the nation. Our school system from K-12, to our community college system, and institutions of public higher education, attract businesses and families to make our Commonwealth their home. We should be vigilant in our efforts to maintain and improve our educational system, however, we cannot move forward in good faith if we cannot agree to the same standards of assessment and that investing in our schools and fully funding our Standards of Quality are the highest priorities. I am also deeply concerned that the Superintendent’s report claims that a past focus on equity has led to widened gaps in student achievement. That is a baseless claim that threatens the progress we have made toward more inclusive education for all students.

I am ready to work with anyone to improve education in Virginia and ensure our students and families have the resources they need to overcome the learning loss experienced by the COVID-19 pandemic. K-12 education should not be a hyperpolarized issue, and I am disappointed that this recent report seeks to undermine confidence in our school system by cherry-picking data and catastrophizing our current system.

Biden AdministrationAnnounces Americans Can Order Additional Free At-Home, Rapid COVID-⁠19 Tests at COVIDTests.gov

Last week, President Biden announced that COVIDTests.gov is now open for a third round of ordering. U.S. households are now able to order an additional eight free at-home tests at COVIDTests.gov—bringing the total number of free tests available to each household since the start of the program to 16. As the highly transmissible subvariants of Omicron drive a rise in cases in many parts of the country, free and accessible tests will help slow the spread of the virus.

People who have difficulty accessing the internet or need additional support placing an order can call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) to get help in English, Spanish, and more than 150 other languages—8am to midnight ET, 7 days a week. For more information, people can visit: https://www.covid.gov/tests/faq

COVID-19 testing is a critical tool to help mitigate the spread of the virus, which is why maintaining domestic testing capacity is an essential component of the President’s National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan.

Henrico Enters Medium Level of COVID-19 Community Spread - Up From Previous Weeks of Low Transmission

After weeks of having low COVID-19 community level, the CDC reported Henrico County and Richmond City as having moved to the medium COVID-19 community level. The CDC’s COVID-19 community level is a tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.

Based on CDC guidance for individuals who live in an area with medium COVID-19 community level, RHHD recommends everyone who lives, works, or spends time in Henrico County to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, improve ventilation in indoor spaces, and follow CDC recommendations for isolation or quarantine if sick or exposed. Because increasing case counts are observed across the entire region, RHHD recommends Richmond residents also take precautions. Individuals who are immunocompromised, at high risk for severe illness, or who spend time with high risk individuals should consider wearing a mask around others.

RHHD also continues to recommend everyone keep several at-home tests in their home in case those are needed. Individuals can request free tests at covidtests.gov, purchase a test at a pharmacy and submit a claim to their insurance, or pick up a free COVID-19 home test at some Richmond Public Library locations (Broad Rock, East End, Ginter Park, Main Library, and North Ave). RHHD is also increasing the availability of free COVID-19 PCR test events to meet a potential increased demand; visit rchd.com for more information on testing.

COVID-19 Boosters Now Available for Richmond and Henrico Children Ages 5-11

Last week the CDC announced expanded eligibility of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to everyone 5 years of age and older. The CDC now recommends that children ages 5 through 11 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series. Children will be able to access appointments through pediatricians, pharmacies, and Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD).

Parents are encouraged to visit vax.rchd.com, call 804-205-3501, or check with their pediatrician or pharmacy to find an appointment. RHHD’s walk-in vaccine clinics will begin offering boosters to children next week. Children also qualify to receive their booster in their home through the Doses on Demand program which can be scheduled by calling 804-205-3501. See online here for the latest walk-up vaccination clinics in the Richmond area.

RHHD recommends everyone eligible for their first or second booster to get one. Everyone over the age of 5 can get their booster after completing their primary series. Adults ages 50 or over, people ages 12 years or older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, and people who got two doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are eligible to receive a second booster. Visit the CDC’s website for more information.

Henrico Schools Asks Families to Make Plans for Student Immunizations for 2022-2023 School Year

Henrico County Public Schools needs your help to keep students, schools, and our community safe. That includes making sure that students have the necessary immunizations to start the 2022-23 school year.

In 2021, the Commonwealth of Virginia modified the list of required immunizations for school-aged children. Those changes are reflected in the Virginia Department of Health’s comprehensive list of required immunizations. A link to the requirements is available under “Immunizations” at www.henricoschools.us/health-safety/.

Proof of all immunizations should be provided to the school or clinic before Aug. 29, the first day of the 2022-23 school year. For answers to questions about school immunizations, please contact the nurse at your student’s school. If you need help determining which school your child will attend, use the HCPS School Locator tool at www.henricoschools.us/school-locator/.

Join Me Friday, June 3rd for Clean the Bay Day with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Next week is the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s annual Clean the Bay Day. Over the past 33 years, this annual event has encouraged thousands of Virginians to descend on the rivers, streams, and beaches of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to remove harmful litter and debris. Clean the Bay Day has been a staple for Virginia's Chesapeake Bay community since its inception more than three decades ago. A true Virginian tradition, it is an annual opportunity for individuals, families, military installations, businesses, clubs, and civic and church groups to give back to their local waterways.

While the event is typically held on the first Saturday in June, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation has extended “Clean the Bay Day” into a week-long event to encourage as many people as possible to participate.

I hope that you will join me on Friday, June 3rd at 9:00 am to pick up litter and debris at Pony Pasture, a park along the James River that is frequented by many constituents of the 73rd. It is recommended that you wear comfortable walking shoes and gloves, although our team will have some supplies. Please RSVP to Colleen Grady at colleen@rodwillett.com if you plan to attend, or have any questions about the event.

WHAT: Chesapeake Bay Foundation Clean the Bay Day with Rodney Willett
WHERE: Pony Pasture, 7300 Riverside Drive, Richmond VA 23225
WHEN: Friday, June 3rd at 9:00 am

Community Events

Asian American Society of Central Virginia 24th Annual Asian American Celebration

Last week, I was thrilled to join leaders from across Virginia for the Asian American Society of Central Virginia’s 24th Annual Asian American Celebration. The event was held in the Greater Richmond Convention Center and featured cultural performances, delicious food, and a wide range of activities. It was such a pleasure to meet so many residents of Henrico and celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with such a diverse group of Asian Americans representing dozens of countries, cultures, and ethnicities.

*With Delegates Suhas Subramanyam, Schuyler VanValkenburg, and Senators Ghazala Hashmi and Jennifer McClellan at the AASoCV Annual Celebration.*

Governor Glenn Youngkin Ceremonially Signs Legislation to Support Virginia’s Military, Veteran Community and Proclamation Honoring Armed Forces Day

I was honored to join Governor Youngkin and my colleagues in the General Assembly for the ceremonial signing of several pieces of legislation from the 2022 General Assembly Session that supports our service members, veterans, and their families in Virginia. Included in the legislation was HB1203, a bill that I chief co-patroned, which will create a new position of Suicide Prevention Coordinator within the Department of Veterans Services. The position will build upon the work of the Department to support and closely coordinate effective mental health care services for military service members and veterans and their families. You can see a list of all legislation signed online here.

June 10th Newsletter

May 13th Newsletter