2025 General Assembly Week Five Newsletter!
Crossing Over
~ Week Five In Review ~
Monday and Tuesday were long days on the House Floor as we wrapped up our work on bills that originated in the House. House bills are now being heard and acted on by our colleagues in the Senate, while we in the House are hearing and acting on Senate bills. Twelve of my fifteen introduced bills are now up for consideration in the Virginia Senate. For a full summary of the legislation I am carrying this session, please visit the Legislative Information System website!
Tuesday was Crossover Day and marked the official halfway point of the 2025 General Assembly Session. Six of my 15 bills were up for final passage as part of the Crossover marathon. A staggering total of 618 House Bills made it across to the Senate this year, and 444 Senate Bills are now before the House (source: VPAP). In this next leg of the legislative process, we must all now present our bills before the committees in the other Chamber for action across the hall.
On Wednesday, I loved getting to visit with Dranesville District School Board Member Robyn Lady and Sully District School Board Member Seema Dixit! They were in town for the Virginia Association of Counties lobby day. We talked about Fairfax County Public Schools’ 2025 legislative priorities, with an emphasis on the urgent need for state investment in public school workforce and infrastructure – especially for our special education students.
Also on Wednesday, Delegate Adele McClure and I paid a visit to the House Pages as representatives of the Virginia Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus. This is one of my favorite things to do every year. The House Page Program is a wonderful part of Virginia’s legislative tradition that focuses on civics education, the lawmaking process, and leadership development. 13- and 14-year-olds from across Virginia can apply for the opportunity to spend a legislative session in Richmond as a Page. I cannot recommend this program highly enough. Please contact my office at delishin@house.virginia.gov for more information about the 2026 program.
Thursday was another long day on the House Floor as we took action on the House budget. I was especially pleased to vote to advance a budget that included:
Tax relief for working families: The House budget includes a one-time rebate of $200 for individuals and $400 for joint filers as well as an adjustment to Virginia’s standard deduction which serves to reduce Virginians’ tax liability.
Investing in public education: The House budget includes $773.8 million in additional state support for public education, including a bonus for our hardworking teachers. Additionally, the House budget eliminates the support cap, recognizing that for too long our teachers have been stretched far too thin in the absence of adequate support staff in our schools, ranging from administrators to counselors and beyond.
Housing affordability: The House budget makes significant investments to help Virginians achieve homeownership and increase the supply of affordable housing in the Commonwealth through investments in the Virginia Housing Trust Fund and the Virginia Housing Opportunity Tax Credit and a new grant program that supports first-time homebuyers.
On Thursday afternoon, I presented my first bill to the Senate. HB 2341 was up before the Senate Public Education Subcommittee. I have heard from constituents and members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community from across Virginia about the lack of language-accessible and culturally appropriate mental health resources in our schools. HB 2341 is a critical step towards supporting our students. The Senate Public Education Subcommittee recommended reporting the bill on a vote of 3-2.
On Friday, I got a very special return visit from one of our wonderful 2023 House Pages! It was great to catch up with Susitna and hear about the debate competition she will be competing in this weekend – and how her participation in the Page Program has inspired her to pursue further opportunities for civic engagement and public speaking.
~ Emerging Themes of the 2025 General Assembly Session ~
Momnibus: Over the last several months, I have been proud to partner with many of my colleagues on the “Momnibus” – a package of legislation focusing on improving maternal health outcomes, especially for women of color and for women in rural areas of the Commonwealth. This expansive package of bills includes access to contraception, expanded care options to include doulas and midwives, increased coverage for pregnancy care (including my bill, HB 2083, which establishes a new special enrollment period for pregnancy), and family friendly economic policies like paid family and medical leave.
Casino: I have heard from hundreds of constituents and from thousands of folks across Fairfax who are adamantly opposed to the proposal of building a casino in Tysons. I share many of the concerns that have been raised, ranging from traffic congestion to land use issues. National security experts have raised concerns about the proximity of a casino to many of our nation’s most sensitive national security organizations and over 20,000 federal workers with security clearances. In every other Virginia locality that has been granted the authority to conduct a referendum on this topic, the request for that authority has come from local government – but the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has put forward no such request. For all of these reasons, and more, I will continue to oppose the proposal if it should come before me in the House.
No matter the time of year, my staff and I are available to assist you!
Please call my office at 804-698-1008 or email delishin@house.virginia.gov anytime to schedule a visit to my office in the General Assembly Building, #1115. My door is always open. My entire team - Chief of Staff Kristina, Administrative Assistant Becky, Legislative Aide Noor, and Legislative Interns Deston and Nick are ready to assist you however we can. We are grateful for the honor of serving you and our district.
You can follow me on X, Facebook, and Instagram for updates from the Capitol. I remain grateful to the voters of the 8th District and for their trust in me, and can’t wait to keep delivering for the people of our great Commonwealth.