Week Five of the General Assembly Session
This past week of the legislative session has seen a flurry of activity, with many bills advancing through committees and to the House floor, in the final days before crossover. [Crossover is the day when all of the House bills that have been passed will get sent to the Senate for their consideration.] In past years, we’ve been on the floor till 9p or 10p before crossover, and I expect this year to be similar. I would not be surprised if we were on the floor till very late on Monday, possibly even Tuesday, to make sure we can see final passage of the remaining house bills.
Legislative Progress
HB 1342, my legislation to improve access to Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners for student victims of sexual violence, passed unanimously out of the Higher Education subcommittee and full Education committee this week. This progress is incredibly heartening, as the issue remains urgent based on data from Virginia universities' annually mandated Cleary Reports on campus crime. In 2022 alone, multiple schools reported alarming numbers of rapes, from 9 cases at GMU and JMU, 17 at UVA, 18 at CNU, 19 at Tech, and 20 at VCU.
Over the past few months, I worked closely with a student to research current policies across Virginia campuses. This bill represents an important first step to ensure survivors statewide can receive trauma-informed care from a SAFE nurse. As universities continue working to prevent these incidents, they must also provide proper treatment and services when they regrettably occur. I am proud to have partnered on this legislation with such a dedicated young advocate, whose diligent efforts helped propel this bill forward. Passage of HB 1342 is a strong testament to our shared commitment to supporting survivors.
Wednesday was an especially productive day, with nine of my bills up for second reading on the House floor. In total, eleven of my bills passed the House this week! A personal record!
HB 912: requiring the net profits made from jail commissaries and telecommunications services to be reinvested into educational, recreational, and rehabilitative programs;
HB 914: establishing an opportunity for towns to enact a historic district tax credit for the maintenance and repair of historic buildings, like those in wonderful downtown Herndon;
HB 917: creating oversight to the predatory practice of real estate wholesaling by bringing it within the purview of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation;
HB 926: expanding protections for victims of nonconsensual pornography;
HB 939: extending from 40 feet to 100 feet the perimeter around a polling place where firearms are prohibited;
HB 940: adding a notification requirement when a polling location has changed or been closed;
HB 942: prohibiting police stations and sheriffs’ offices from being used as polling place;
HB 943: adding elections officials and workers to the list of people eligible to opt into the protected voter list;
HB 1263: abolishing juvenile fines and fees in criminal cases;
HB 1264: giving judges discretion over whether or not to impose fines and fees on juveniles in traffic violations; and
HJ 42: establishing April 15 as Nepali American Heritage Day!
Other Legislation
I am thrilled to share that SB 675, the bill to establish a new casino in Tysons Corner, has effectively been stopped in its tracks for this year. This outcome aligns with our community's vocal and vehement resistance, which I am confident will continue should similar legislation arise again. We’ve heard from thousands of our neighbors and constituents who oppose the imposition of such a project without any community input or support.
Other big strides this week include the passage of HB 238, which would expand healthcare coverage by requiring insurance to cover colorectal cancer screening, HB 501, which would improve accessibility of public school evacuation plans for students with mobility impairments, HB 597, which would enable localities to better regulate the living conditions that landlords must provide for tenants, and HB 612, which would ensure that incarcerated individuals can enter into payment plans for fines and fees related to their convictions.
Meetings
I was so happy to have had the opportunity to introduce advocates from the Arc of Northern Virginia on the House floor! It was an extra special treat to get to see Mark Albert, who serves as the Board Chair for the Arc of NoVA, his daughter Cassie, Conner Cummings, and others. They are an amazing organization fighting for accessibility & dignity for Virginians living with disabilities. I am grateful to have worked closely with their team over the years and am a proud supporter of their work. Thank you, Arc of NoVA!
The Medical Society of Virginia's lobby day also happened this week, and several physicians and physicians' assistants stopped by my office. It was great to hear from them about the issues affecting their community along with their legislative priorities for session.
Unsurprising to anyone who knows me, one of my favorite days of session is PETA Day! On my way to caucus, I got to catch up with Daphna who serves as PETA’s SVP of Cruelty Investigations and meet some of their adoptable dogs, like Medina, a sweet 6 month old heeler mix. We became instant friends! For the sake of my marriage, I decided against bringing her home that day…
One of the highlights for my husband Peter during the legislative session is the annual "Better Halves" event, when the spouses and partners of General Assembly members are welcomed to Richmond for a morning program and luncheon at the Governor's Mansion hosted by the First Lady. Peter always appreciates the opportunity on this special day to connect with other partners from across the Commonwealth. This year, he particularly enjoyed becoming better acquainted with Speaker Scott's esteemed wife, Dr. Mellanda Colson Scott. While my favorite day might be PETA Day, Peter looks forward to the camaraderie and conversations at Better Halves each session.
Tax Aid
As warmer weather approaches, unfortunately, so does tax filing season. If you earned less than $64,000 in the past fiscal year, you may qualify for Fairfax County’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to help you avoid tax preparation fees and maximize your tax returns. Walk-ins are welcome, contact DFSVITA@FairfaxCounty.gov or call 703-533-5320 for more info. The Herndon Neighborhood Resource Center at 1086 Elden St. is open Thursdays: 6 to 8 p.m.; Saturdays: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Check the above link for more locations.
If you’re a senior looking for guidance on filing your taxes, the Herndon AARP TaxAide Program will be at the Herndon Fortnightly Library on Mondays from 4pm – 8pm and Saturdays from 10am – 2pm. Make an appointment two weeks in advance to guarantee someone will be able to offer help!
VAAPIC Town Hall
I hope you’ll consider joining my VAAPIC colleagues and me for a special Crossover Town Hall next Saturday, February 17 at 10am! More information is on the graphic below. Please be sure to register at this link.
It is always wonderful to get a visit from you! Please call my office at 804-698-1008 or email delishin@house.virginia.gov anytime to schedule a visit to my new office in the General Assembly Building, #1115. My door is always open. My entire team - Chief of Staff Kristina, Administrative Assistant Becky, Legislative Interns Mrudula and Carolyn, and Legislative Aide Noor - is ready to assist you however we can. We are grateful for the honor of serving you and our district.
I look forward to continuing to keep you updated on our work in Richmond. Thank you for trusting me to represent the priorities of our community and Commonwealth.
