As the dust settles on the 2024 General Assembly Session, and as we await the Governor’s actions on the whopping 1,098 bills that have landed on his desk, I wanted to take some time this week to dive into some of the issues that I heard about the most from constituents and that could have an impact on the 8th District.

That’s it! We have officially adjourned sine die. The votes have been cast; the bills have been sent to the Governor’s desk. The ball is now in his court as we await his actions.

I will share my reflections on all of that (and more!) in next week’s newsletter. For now, I would like to focus on updating you on where my bills landed, plus some updates on issues that I was hearing the most about from friends and neighbors in the 8th House district.

As we close out week eight of the General Assembly, we are in the home stretch with just one more week to go. I apologize for not sending out a newsletter last week–I came down with the flu and it took me a few days to get back on my feet. But fret not, this week’s newsletter is jam-packed with updates covering the last two weeks!

The mid-point of each legislative session brings both crossover and a welcome dose of festivity to the Virginia House of Delegates with the arrival of Valentine's Day. While the pace in the General Assembly Building is extraordinarily hectic at crossover, it is always sweet to find the corridors adorned with decorations, flowers, and tasty treats in observance of this holiday. I hope you also had an enjoyable Valentine's Day and took a moment away from your routine to celebrate. I am always grateful for the cheerful pause during an otherwise intense time in Richmond!

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.

Happy February! To kick off this week’s newsletter, I wanted to share some links to the Fairfax County Public Library and the Fairfax County Park Authority – they have some great programming this month in celebration of Black History Month.

As unseasonably warm weather arrives, legislative activity is intensifying quickly here in Richmond. I am pleased to provide some updates on the progress of my introduced bills through subcommittees this week as they advance through the legislative process.

With the first full week of the 2024 General Assembly Session behind us, I wanted to provide you with some updates from Richmond and information about the work the General Assembly has undertaken thus far.

With the first week of the 2024 Session officially behind us, I wanted to send you some information about the General Assembly and updates from the past few days. We kicked off on Wednesday, January 10th and will be in session for 60 days, as it is a budget year. I am thrilled to be back in Richmond and especially happy to be in the new General Assembly Building, which is not only beautiful but also welcoming and accessible. I am proud to have joined my colleagues in electing the first Black Speaker of the House of Delegates, Delegate Don Scott, and I look forward to all that the new Democratic House Majority will accomplish under his leadership.