Newsletter: General Assembly 2020 Session
Since my last newsletter, we saw our first snowfall of the season in the 73rd district, albeit less than a dusting. We are in the final stretch of the 2020 General Assembly Session, with less than 2 weeks left before the Session concludes.
A lot of the focus over the last week has been on the budget. As a House, we reviewed and approved our budget proposal and now we move onto the work of reconciling with the Senate to produce a consolidated, final budget recommendation to the Governor. As a reminder, the budget is set every 2 years, so this work is critical for setting funding decisions through fiscal year 2022.
While I always wish there was more funding because there are so many areas of need across our Commonwealth, I’m pleased with the House budget that we submitted. Our budget creates strong investments in education, our workforce, and healthcare while also exercising fiscal responsibility by investing in our reserve funds. You can view a comparison of the Governor’s Budget, the House Budget, and the Senate Budget at this link.
Here are some highlights from the House budget proposal:
Gives our teachers a raise with a 2% increase in FY21 and a 2% raise in FY22.
Provides a $900 increase in per student funding for in each fiscal year ('21 and '22).
Provides more funding for schools with a higher percentage of low-income students. The proposal sets aside $70.1 million for additional resources, including lunches, school supplies, and books.
Continues the university tuition freeze through 2021.
Proposes an increase in the medical reimbursement rate to encourage community based mental health providers to participate. These services will include funding for outpatient treatment, mobile crisis units and veterans services.
Aims to improve maternal health outcomes by directing the Department of Health to adopt regulations governing the certification of doulas and creating a publicly available doula registry, requiring Medicaid Managed Care Organizations to cover midwifery services, and extending Medicaid coverage 12 months postpartum.
Adds $9.4 million for alternative options to address overcrowding at state-run hospitals.
Establishes a State Health Benefit Exchange to lower insurance costs by providing more options to Virginians for healthcare coverage.
Includes Medicaid waivers for Virginians with intellectual and developmental disabilities recommended by the Governor, and adds $125M to build and maintain capacity to deliver the services needed for these individuals.
Work continues on my bills moving through the Senate. Here is the latest bill matrix for bills that I am carrying:
By The Numbers:
I have received over 2100 emails and phone calls from constituents in the 73rd district.
The annual Bi-Partisan Capitol Classic Charity Basketball game for the VCU Massey Cancer Center was held last Thursday evening. I played for the House team, and we won the game 26-25, and we raised $31,000 for Massey Cancer Center!
In The News:
I am incredibly passionate about early childhood education and enjoyed this story on Virginia Public Media (VPM) radio earlier this week. It shares more about the improvements to early childhood education with the proposed budget, including implementing Department of Education standards for all publicly funded preschool programs.
This week is the Census Week of Action. Please take a look at the information here to find various events and learning opportunities related to the 2020 Census.
Beginning October 1st, anyone wishing to board a domestic flight or access a federal facility will need to have a REAL ID-compliant credential. Travelers can also use a passport or other federally accepted identification to fly domestically. Federal law requires an in-person application at DMV locations and I encourage you to do so now as it is expected that lines will get longer as we get closer to the October deadline. Before you head to your local DMV, check here to ensure that you have the proper documentation to take along with you.
Community News:
Remember to mark the Henrico Delegation Town Hall on your calendar for Wednesday, March 25 from 5:30-7 pm at the Faison Center’s Community Hall (5200 Fitzhugh Avenue). Please join me and other Henrico representatives that evening and share this event with your neighbors so that they can also attend. There is no need to sign up or RSVP, we will see you there!
2020 is the 100th anniversary of the AAA School Safety Patrol Program. The year-long celebration will include stories from former patrollers. If you were a patroller, AAA would be honored to hear your story. If you have a story you would like to share, do so here.
Black History Month is coming to an end, so if you haven’t yet had the opportunity to attend any of these events, I encourage you to check them out this week:
A list of Black History Month events can be found here.
Information on the Black History Month Historical Marker contest 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 continuing to hear from you throughout Session.
Sincerely,
Rodney Willett
