April Newsletter
I want to start this update with some exciting news: I am officially the Democratic nominee for House District 8 as we look ahead to this November’s election! I want to give a big, big thank you to everyone who helped me collect petition signatures to qualify for the ballot, hosted or attended events, contributed to our reelection campaign, or reached out with a kind word of encouragement. It all means so much to me and I am so grateful for your ongoing support. Thank you for being such an important part of Team Irene!
Now, we set our sights on November. We absolutely must defend and expand our majority in the Virginia House of Delegates, elect Abigail Spanberger to be the first woman Governor of Virginia, and support great Democrats up and down the ballot. There is so much at stake in this election: reproductive freedom, climate, workers' rights, education, health care and more. I will never stop fighting for a better Virginia. Thank you for being a partner in this fight!
Community Update
A huge thank you to everyone who was able to make it out on March 18th for my joint Town Hall with Senator Jennifer Boysko and Delegate Karen Keys-Gamarra! We had well over 100 engaged community members in attendance who asked great questions on issues ranging from state impacts of federal cuts and layoffs to Fairfax County water quality, casinos, and more.
I have very much enjoyed being out and about in the community over the past month, including opportunities to attend NextStop’s latest production, “Chicken and Biscuits” (a must see!), celebrating Eid with friends at the ADAMS Center, and hearing from members of northern Virginia’s Korean-American community.
As we settle into April, I would like to start this month’s newsletter by highlighting the resources available via the Fairfax County website, here, for those who might need some last minute assistance with tax preparation.
I am looking forward to more time spent in the community this month. If you are part of an organization or group that would like to hear more about the 2025 General Assembly Session, I would love to stop by an upcoming meeting if my calendar will allow it! Please reach out to my office at delishin@house.virginia.gov and we will see what we might be able to make work.
Legislative Update
Last week, on Wednesday, April 2nd, I was back in Richmond for the 2025 Reconvene Session. This is when the General Assembly returns to act on the Governor’s recommendations and vetoes.
The dust has largely settled on the 2025 General Assembly Session. I am very proud of what my team and I accomplished this session. Five of my bills have been signed into law:
HB 2083, Establishing pregnancy as a qualifying life event for the purpose of purchasing health insurance.
HB 2084, Directing the SCC to review existing customer classes and determine whether a new class is necessary to protect residential ratepayers given the energy demand of Virginia’s booming data center industry.
HB 2085, Requiring health insurance companies to disclose hidden fees in transactions with medical providers.
HB 2088, Expanding access to care for sexual assault survivors through teleforensic services.
HB 2742, Expanding testing to include fentanyl for patients presenting with overdose symptoms.
Three of my bills were vetoed by the Governor, and another two were amended in such a way as to drastically alter the underlying policy so I am anticipating that they will not go into effect this year either. Nevertheless, I will continue to work in the off-season to make progress on the policy proposals that I introduced this year that did not advance – from incentivizing the construction of energy efficient homes and putting protective guardrails around commercial electric vehicle charging stations to preserve fair competition to ensuring equitable access to mental health resources for our young people.of a loss of federal funding.
In The News
“Gov. Youngkin signs Malcolm's Law in honor of Virginia teen lost to fentanyl.” NBC4 Washington, 03/27/2025.
A Virginia mother who lost her son to fentanyl is trying to save others from the drug. A bill named after her son was just signed into law by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. “I want my son’s legacy to be measured in lives saved,” Thurraya Kent said. [...]
Since Malcolm’s passing, his mother has been fighting to prevent other families from going through this. She worked with State Del. Irene Shin on “Malcolm’s Law,” which requires hospitals in Virginia to test urine samples for fentanyl.
“Youngkin signs several maternal health bills, tweaks another on unconscious bias training.” Virginia Mercury, 03/27/2025.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed several bills aimed at improving maternal health in the commonwealth, building on promises both he and Democratic leadership made to support parents and health care workers. [...]
Bolstering emergency responses, Youngkin also signed House Bill 1904 by Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, which will allow midwives and nurse practitioners to be on 24-hour on-call duty rosters. The governor further approved House Bill 2753 by Del. Cliff Hayes, D-Chesapeake, which requires hospitals and outpatient birthing facilities to establish protocol for identifying and responding to obstetric emergencies. He also signed House Bill 2083 by Del. Irene Shin, D-Fairfax, which will establish a special enrollment period for qualified pregnant people on Virginia’s health insurance exchange.
Happening In Our Community
It is budget season in Fairfax County! Later this month, the Board of Supervisors will be holding two FY26 Budget Public Hearings. Dates and times are listed below and more information is available on the Fairfax County website, here.
Tuesday, April 22 at 4pm at the Fairfax County Government Center; and
Wednesday, April 23 at 3pm at the Fairfax County Government Center.
Meanwhile, the Town of Herndon will be holding two public hearings relating to the Town budget. Dates and times are listed below and more information is available on the Town of Herndon website, here.
Tuesday, April 8 at 7pm at the Herndon Council Chambers; and
Tuesday, April 22 at 7pm at the Herndon Council Chambers.
On Saturday, April 12, the Town of Herndon will host what is shaping up to be an extremely fun Aqua Egg Hunt! Kids will jump in the pool and search for floating and sinking eggs – a perfect opportunity to get some swim practice before summer with an Easter twist! More information here.
Earth Daze, Clean Fairfax's annual Earth Day celebration, is returning to Aslin Beer Company's Herndon taproom on Saturday, April 12! More information here.
For more Town of Herndon Easter fun, hop on over to Bready Park on Saturday, April 19 for Hoppy Egg Hunting featuring games, arts and crafts, music and more! More information here.
Mark your calendar, also, for the Thursday, May 1 kick-off of the Herndon Farmers Market! The market will run every Thursday from 8am-12pm starting on May 1 and running until October 30, 2025 on and around Lynn Street. More information here.
Get excited for Friday Night Live! Back for a 31st season, Friday Night Live! is a fantastic *free* concert series taking place every Friday night through the summer on the Herndon Town Green, kicking off on Friday, May 2. More information here. Hope to see you there!
Are you curious about becoming a foster parent? Hundreds of children in Fairfax County need a temporary loving home until they can safely return to their families. The Department of Family Resources (DFS) needs more foster parents, and information meetings are one of the ways they get to know prospective parents. Information meetings for prospective parents are by invitation only on the second Tuesday of each month. To attend a meeting first complete a short interest form. One of the DFS specialists will review your completed information and contact you within two business days. Visit Foster Care and Adoption Meetings for more information. More information here.
No matter the time of year, my staff and I are available to assist you!
My team is here to help! Please call my office at 804-698-1008 or email delishin@house.virginia.gov. My door is always open. My team and I 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.
Sincerely,