Newsletter: General Assembly 2020 Session

Written By Rodney Willett

February is here and there are many updates to share with you since last week’s newsletter. It has been a busy week! The pace and volume of bills that we are reviewing continues to increase as we move towards crossover on February 11th (crossover is the day by which the House and Senate must complete action on their legislation before sending passed bills to the other body).

Within the last week we passed many important bills in the House, but I specifically wanted to call out those that had faced years, if not decades, of opposition and previously saw the same fate year after year: defeat. Here are some of those accomplishments:

And so much more. It is remarkable to reflect on the progress that we have made on these critical issues since Session started less than a month ago. I look forward to the remainder of Session and working on legislation to prevent surprise medical billing, reducing the student to counselor ratio, increasing educator salaries, and making progress on our mental health system.

Specific to the bills that I am carrying, I am happy to share that HB 375, which was featured in last week’s newsletter, passed the full House last week!

HB 98, which would have introduced a State Folk Song by constituent Susan Greenbaum, unfortunately did not make it out of subcommittee. I still encourage you to listen to the song Susan wrote that honors the beauty in our Commonwealth.

Below is a bill matrix of my legislation that explains where all my bills are in the committee process. 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.

By The Numbers:

I have received over 1300 emails and phone calls from constituents in the 73rd district.

In The News:

February is Black History Month and each day this month, members of the Black Caucus are highlighting various contributions of African Americans in the Commonwealth and across the nation during the House Session. Throughout history, stories of incredible African Americans have frequently been ignored and silenced and I am grateful that we are taking this moment to hear more of these stories.

Throughout February, Virginia museums and historical sites will be hosting free public events to tell stories of accomplishments and contributions by African Americans. A list of such events can be found here.

Governor Northam launched a Black History Month Historical Marker Contest. The contest encourages schools to feature a different African American historical marker each day of February, provides teachers with resources to guide history discussions, promotes Black History Month events around the Commonwealth, and initiates a competition for students to submit ideas for new historical markers to the Virginia Department of Historical Resources. More information on this contest can be found here.

Community News:

In last week’s edition, I reminded you that the 2020 Census is just around the corner and your participation is vital. In addition, 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.

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.

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 and Twitter. 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

It is an honor to represent you in the Virginia House of Delegates and I look forward to hearing from you throughout Session.

Sincerely,

Rodney Willett

Rodney Willett
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Newsletter: General Assembly 2020 Session
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