Beyond Crossover
We began the 2024 General Assembly session with legislators introducing 2,816 bills and resolutions. Moving at a rapid pace, committees have been meeting to deliberate these introduced policies, sometimes altering their initial concepts before advancing in the legislative process or sending the patron to continue their work in the interim for next session. February 13, was the deadline for the House and Senate to complete action on those bills in each respective body. Known as “crossover” only 1,341 bills survived and remained for us to act on over the next three weeks.
CROSSOVER UPDATE
We were no exception to the legislative process and while we began the session with a full agenda of 21 bills, we’ve since had bills pass, incorporated into other bills, and even failed to advance. We’ve also partnered with other legislators to collaborate on policies that also stand to benefit our district. The status of our agenda is as follows:
Education: Community Builders Violence Intervention Pilot Program (SB 484); Community Schools Planning and Implementation Grants (SB 608); Child Social Media Data Protection Act (SB 359) and At-Risk-School Funding (SB 105).
Healthcare: Recognizing Black Maternal Health Week (SJ 23) and DMAS LRI Modifications (SB 488).
Worker Protections: Overtime for Domestic Workers (SB 494)
Community Development & Housing: Enforcement of Landlords by Localities (SB 479); Derelict and Blight Property Tax Enforcement (SB 477) and Vacant Building Registration (SB 48)
Consumer Protections: Utility Disconnection Restrictions (SB 480)
Environmental: Comprehensive Plans for Healthy Communities Strategy (SB 595) and Electric Vehicle Charging Station Fund (SB 45)
Good Governance: Localities in Fiscal Distress, APA Action (SB 645); JLARC Study for Rural Cabinet Secretary (SJ 21) and Artificial Intelligence Regulations and Commission ( SB 487).
Economic Development: Property Tax Exemption for Indoor Farming Equipment (SB 483) and Casino Host Cities (SB 628)
While the following bills were put off for the year I look forward to fighting further for these during the 2025 session once we’ve had an opportunity to make recommended changes:
Criminal Justice Reform: Abolition of Fines and Fees for Juvenile Offenders (SB 481); Expungement and Sealing of Juvenile Court Records (SB 482) and Failure to Appear Reform (SB 643).
BUDGET OVERVIEW
On Sunday, February 18, the Senate and House released their respective budget proposals. In addition to our legislation, the budget is the strongest indicator of our values and priorities for our communities and families. For starters, the Senate budget removes Governor Youngkin’s regressive income and sales tax proposals that would have burdened working Virginians while rewarding billionaires. This course correction allowed the Senate budget to structure their big investments towards education–both K-12 and Higher Education–to ensure our schools are modernized, our teachers see salary increases and funding to improve the overall quality and operations of our schools. In addition, 1.2 billion is proposed to fund our medicaid program, state employee raises and nearly 130 million will support mental health resources.
There has been a lot of discussion regarding the proposed arena, but the Senate budget does not include a funding proposal for this. It does however also include funding to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, state rental assistance program funding, increases for safer communities program and PFAS monitoring system funding.
Furthermore, the following budget amendments of ours were included:
Maintain Eligibility for Hate Crime Grants - Opens Grant Funding to Nonprofits and Institutions combating hate crimes within the community.
VSP - Body-worn cameras -This amendment provides $6.2 million GF the first year to provide body-worn cameras to Virginia State Police officers. This amount is estimated to cover 1,200 body-worn cameras.
Community Schools Grant Fund + Staff to Implement SB 608 to support community schools through grants to school divisions to support the development and implementation of community schools initiatives- $1.5m
Commission on Local Government Staff to Implement SB 645 which would create a framework by which the Commonwealth can step in to ensure a fiscally distressed locality is able to receive the support it needs to regain its footing financially with targeted management assistance from the State government.
Establish the Commission on Artificial Intelligence + Staff to implement SB 487 which provides both protection for individuals within the Commonwealth while allowing for the benefits and advantages of Artificial Intelligence to flourish- $444k
Flexibility for ARPA Dollars for South Central Wastewater Authority –This amendment provides the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) the flexibility to apply previously authorized ARPA funds to nutrient reduction and other treatment facility improvements that DEQ would otherwise find acceptable or critical uses.
Community Builders Youth Violence Prevention Program for SB484 - $400k to establish the Community Builders Pilot Program for the purpose of reducing youth involvement in behaviors that lead to gun violence and increasing community engagement among public school students in Roanoke City Public Schools and Petersburg City Public Schools.
LAUNCH OF BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH CAUCUS
On Valentine’s Day, for the love of Black mothers–I proudly joined co-chairs Sen. Angelia Williams Graves, Dels. Candi Mundon King and Delores McQuinn for the launch of the Black Maternal Health Caucus. Since 2018 I’ve worked with members like Del. Marcia Price to combat the maternal mortality crisis in our Commonwealth, with policy reforms, funding and advocacy. But data shows we are still experiencing unacceptable rates of infant and maternal mortality. Our caucus will build on previous efforts with increased collaboration between policymakers, physicians, providers and advocates. Together it is our goal to work towards a future where every mother can look forward to childbirth with hope and excitement and not fear.
LEGISLATIVE VISITS
One of the greatest highlights of the session is advocates, constituents and local leaders visiting us at the General Assembly. Recently, we had the pleasure of the above visits.
TWO FINAL WEEKS
With only two final weeks remaining in the 2024 Session not only are the final decisions we make on policy measures critical but our negotiations to bring the two versions of the budget into one final proposal. I invite you to continue to contact our office with any questions or positions you have on matters before us by email senatoraird@senate.virginia.gov or by phone at 804-698-7513. For additional resources, you may also visit my website at lashrecseaird.com.
