Newsletter: General Assembly 2020 Session
It is hard to believe we are close to the end of January. I had a great week at the General Assembly with a busy schedule of constituent meetings, committee meetings, bill presentations, and the first House floor vote on one of my bills. I continue to hear from many of my constituents and I appreciate you staying in touch during Session.
Before I share updates on my legislative work, I want to take this opportunity to encourage your participation in the 2020 Census. The Census is right around the corner and it is essential for everyone in the 73rd district to be represented. The data collected through the census every 10 years informs how federal funding is distributed to localities so your participation is critical. In mid-March you should receive a letter from the U.S. Census Bureau with information on how to submit your Census response. Please keep an eye out for this important information!
I am excited to share updates on several of the bills that I am carrying. HB967, to expedite occupational and professional licenses for military spouses that was featured in last week’s newsletter, passed the full House on Monday! This bill is now going to move through the Senate in the next few weeks.
I have presented a number of other bills and budget amendments in committees over the last week.
HB375 passed the Education Committee. This helps protect our students from for-profit secondary institutions that force individuals into binding arbitration, and provides data and transparency around arbitration proceedings.
HB 376 passed the K-12 education subcommittee. This bill aims to collect, aggregate, and report data on the number of teacher and support staff vacancies in K-12 schools, and report the number of students who graduate from a teacher program from a 4 year institution. This will now move to Appropriations.
HB 621 which would allow localities to set up and monitor speed enforcement technology passed the motor vehicles subcommittee, and I am working with two other legislators with similar bills to get that incorporated into a larger bill.
As always, you can follow along at lis.virginia.gov and check on the budget and budget amendments at budget.lis.virginia.gov I hope this newsletter is useful to you, and please never hesitate to contact me and my office with any questions or comments.
Sincerely,
Rodney
By The Numbers:
There were 1733 bills introduced in the House of Delegates this Session. We are very busy working through this legislation before crossover in mid-February.
Thank you for continuing to stay in touch during Session. I have received more than 1000 emails and phone calls from constituents.
In The News:
Many of you know that I love photography and the Richmond Times Dispatch caught me capturing some photos during Session last week. You can see it here.
Staying In Touch:
I enjoy hearing from my constituents and have a number of channels through which you can reach me:
Email: delrwillett@house.virginia.gov
Phone: 804-698-1073
Office: Pocahontas Building,900 East Main Street, Office E313, Richmond, VA 23218
Stay up to date throughout the Session by signing up for this newsletter or following me on Facebook. Please forward this email to neighbors or friends in the 73rd and encourage them to sign up as well.
You can view all bills that have been introduced by visiting Virginia's bill tracking system, lis.virginia.gov.
You can watch the livestream of Session at: https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/chamber/chamberstream.php
Community News:
I mentioned at the top of this newsletter that the 2020 Census is just around the corner. If you or someone you know is looking to earn some extra income, the U.S. Census Bureau is hiring for temporary positions for the 2020 Census. Visit 2020census.gov/jobs if you are interested in learning more.
Virginia Humanities is the state humanities council that connects Virginians with their history and culture to bring us all a bit closer together. They are accepting applications for grants and encourage non-profit organizations to apply that are seeking funding to develop public humanities programs for audiences in Virginia.
The 2020 Virginia Governor’s Fellows Program is accepting applications through March 9th. This program offers a select group of outstanding and highly motivated individuals the opportunity to experience firsthand the administration of state government in the Commonwealth. The program is currently accepting applications from students who are attending a Virginia college or university. More information can be found here
The VCU Minority Political Leadership Institute is accepting applications through February 2nd. From the Dean and Director of the Institute, “For the past 15 years, the MPLI has been a hallmark leadership program designed to bring together participants from all parts of Virginia to learn about racial equity, leadership, presence, capacity building, and impactful collaboration.” You can learn more about the program and apply here.
There are nearly 300 state boards and commissions with members appointed by the Governor. Constituents who are interested in serving are encouraged to review the vacancy list and apply here.
