April 10, 2024

Neighbors, 

I hope that you and your family were able to witness the solar eclipse — My kids and I traveled to Sky Meadows State Park to see it and had such a memorable experience!

 

In this newsletter, I’ve included information about the following:

  • Town Halls

    • 4th Annual Earth Day Town Hall

    • Legislative Town Hall

  • Community Updates

    • Shooting in West Springfield

    • White House Easter Egg Roll

    • The Arc's “A Life Like Yours” Benefit Breakfast & Program

    • Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom

  • Legislative Updates

    • Board of Workforce Development

    • Reconvene Session

    • Budget Update

    • My Bills That Were Passed By The General Assembly

As always, let me know if you have questions or need assistance by calling my office at (804) 698-1018 or emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov. 

 

Best, Kathy

 

Kathy KL Tran

Delegate


Town Halls


4th Annual Earth Day Town Hall

I hope you will join me for my 4th annual Earth Day Town Hall! I’ll be speaking virtually with guests from the Southern Environmental Law Center, Our Virginia Outdoors, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Everyone is invited — register below!

 

Delegate Kathy Tran’s

4th Annual Earth Day Town Hall

Wednesday, April 24 at 7:00pm

Register here: https://bit.ly/2024TranEarthDayTownHall


Legislative Town Hall

On Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00pm, I will be giving an update on the 2024 legislative session, including the Reconvene/Veto Session and status of biennial budget. Hope to see you then!

 

Delegate Kathy Tran’s

Post-Reconvene Town Hall

Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00pm

Register here: https://bit.ly/PostReconveneTownHall 


Community Updates


Shooting in West Springfield

 

Like many of you, I was devastated to learn about the shooting at a preschool in our community recently. My heart hurts for the teachers who were shot, and the kids, families, and staff forever impacted by gun violence. We cannot let this become the norm — I remain committed to addressing gun violence and supporting policies that will effectively do so.


White House Easter Egg Roll

My kids and I had an egg-traordinary time at the White House Easter Egg Roll! If you celebrated, I hope you had a wonderful Easter!


The Arc's “A Life Like Yours” Benefit Breakfast & Program

Thanks to my constituents Toby and Lindsay for inviting me to join them at The Arc of Northern Virginia “A Life Like Yours” Benefit Breakfast! I am so thankful for the work The Arc does for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — and was so excited to support them!


Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom

I had a lot of fun time celebrating “Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom” recently with my daughter’s class. We read “Logan’s Greenhouse” and made our own greenhouses. Some of her seeds have sprouted and we can’t wait to see how much they will grow!

 

Legislative Update


Board of Workforce Development

 

I am honored to be appointed to the Virginia Board of Workforce Development (VBWD) by the Speaker of the House of Delegates. I previously served on the VBWD from 2020 to 2022.

The VBWD advises the General Assembly and Governor on policies and strategies to meet Virginia’s workforce development needs. The Board assists with coordination of workforce development services, including between Virginia’s community colleges, higher education institutions, the Department of Labor, and other occupational training institutions.

I look forward to drawing from my former experience as a civil servant at the US Department of Labor as a member of the VBWD. You can learn more about the Board here.


Reconvene Session

 

The Governor had until April 8 to veto, propose amendments to, or sign bills into law. Out of more than 1,000 bills passed by the General Assembly, the Governor has vetoed 153 bills, signed 778 bills into law, and made amendments to 117 bills.

The legislature will reconvene on April 17, to consider the Governor’s vetoes and amendments. Similar to Congress, two-thirds of the General Assembly must vote to override the Governor’s veto. For amendments, a majority of the General Assembly can accept or reject the changes.

You can review all the bills the Governor has vetoed here, the bills that have been signed into law here, and the bills that have proposed amendments here. 


Biennial Budget Update

 

On April 8, Governor Youngkin announced he is proposing more than 230 amendments to the budget that was passed on a bipartisan vote in the General Assembly. The legislature will consider these amendments in the upcoming Reconvene Session on April 17. 

The Governor’s amendments were posted late last night, and my staff and I are assessing them. You can view the Governor’s amendments here.


My Bills That Were Passed By The General Assembly

 

I am so proud that 14 of my bills passed by the House of Delegates and state Senate! April 8 was the deadline for the Governor to act on bills passed through the General Assembly. I have described the action he took on my bills below.


Expanding Health Care

  • House Bill 971 helps address our health care workforce shortage by lowering the number of years that a nurse practitioner must work under supervision by a physician before being able to practice autonomously. This bill passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 98-1 and unanimously in the state Senate, and it was signed it into law. I appreciate collaborating with the Virginia Council of Nurse Practitioners, Medical Society of Virginia, and AARP.

  • House Bill 995 creates a pathway for immigrants and refugees living in Virginia who are internationally-trained physicians to obtain their medical licenses in the Commonwealth, enabling them to reach their full career potential while meeting health care needs in underserved communities. This bill passed unanimously from the House of Delegates and the state Senate, and it was signed into law. Thank you to the Refugee Physician Advocacy Coalition (RPA), Medical Society of Virginia, Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and Church World Service for your support. To learn more, you can read coverage about my bill from PRX’s The World.

  • House Bill 1060 requires long-term insurance companies to notify their policyholders if they request the State Corporation Commission to increase their rates and that the agency must consider the impact on policyholders when reviewing requests for rate increases. This issue was first brought to me by my constituent Jeff and was supported by the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and AARP. This bill passed the House of Delegates by a 59-39 vote and unanimously in the state Senate, and it was signed into law.

Strengthening Public Schools

  • House Bill 980 ensures students who report being hazed are notified about mental and behavioral health services on their college campuses, and it passed the House of Delegates by a 60-38 vote and unanimously from the state Senate, and it was signed into law. Thanks to my constituent Kalynne, Love Like Adam Foundation, and Virginia Education Association for their support.

Lifting Up Working Families

  • House Bill 992 connects participants in the Virginia Initiative for Education and Work (VIEW) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training Program to employment and training services. This bill passed the House of Delegates on a vote of 51-49 and the state Senate unanimously. I collaborated on this legislation with Voices for Virginia’s Children and the Virginia Poverty Law Center. The Governor proposed amendments to this bill, and we will be debating them during the Reconvene Session.

  • House Bill 1261 gives the Virginia Employment Commission permanent authority to waive overpayment of unemployment benefits when the overpayments were made through no fault of the individual. Thanks to the Virginia Poverty Law Center and Legal Aid Justice Center for supporting this bill. This bill passed the House of Delegates on a 49-47 vote and the state Senate on a 25-14 vote. The Governor did not take action on this bill by the deadline so it will become law without his signature.

Ensuring Fair And Affordable Housing

  • House Bill 993 prohibits landlords from requiring tenants to pay fees to obtain normal maintenance or to pay rent if a no-fee option is not available. This bill passed on a 51-49 vote in the House of Delegates and 22-18 vote in the state Senate. I am grateful to my constituent Susan for bringing this issue to me and for the opportunity to partner with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, New Virginia Majority, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Legal Aid Justice Center, Virginia NAACP, and Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia. The Governor proposed amendments to this bill, and we will be debating them during the upcoming Reconvene Session.

  • House Bill 1487 requires the state to publish translations of model rental forms in top languages other than English that are spoken in Virginia so that all tenants, regardless of their language abilities, understand their rental terms. I worked on this bill with the Virginia Poverty Law Center, New Virginia Majority, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Legal Aid Justice Center, Virginia NAACP, and Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia. This bill passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 58-40 and the state Senate by a vote of 21-18, and it was signed into law.

Building A More Welcoming And Inclusive Virginia

  • House Bill 1186 establishes a pilot program that provides all-terrain wheelchairs at our state parks and passed the House of Delegates and state Senate unanimously, and it was signed into law. Thanks to the Friends of Mason Neck State Park, Virginia Conservation Network, Virginia Association for Parks, disAbility Law Center of Virginia, and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for working with me.


Honoring Our Veterans And Military Families

  • House Joint Resolution 45 gives Virginia voters the opportunity to amend the Constitution of Virginia to provide equitable tax relief to surviving spouses of service members who were killed in the line of duty. This legislation passed unanimously from the House of Delegates and state Senate and does not require approval by the Governor. The issue will now go before Virginia voters on the November ballot. Many thanks to my constituents Traci and Edie, as well as the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations, for their tireless advocacy. 

Protecting Our Environment And Wildlife

  • House Bill 985 bans toxic asphalt sealants in Virginia. It passed the House of Delegates by a 78-21 vote and by a 23-15 vote in the state Senate. The Governor did not take action on this bill by the deadline, so it will become law without his signature. I appreciate the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Virginia League of Conservation Voters, James River Association, Potomac Conservancy, and the Virginia Conservation Network for their partnership. You can read coverage of my efforts in WUSA9 and the Richmond Times Dispatch. 

  •  House Bill 1531 creates a civil penalty for anyone in the Commonwealth who uses bullhooks or a similar device to hurt or intimidate elephants. This bill passed with bipartisan support in the House of Delegates (63-36) and state Senate (29-11), and it was signed into law. I am grateful for the support of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Virginia Federation of Humane Societies, Virginia Animal Control Association, Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. You can learn more about my efforts in the Fairfax Connection.

Expanding Voting Rights

  • House Bill 989 requires the Department of Elections to translate and publish key voting information in Virginia’s most widely spoken languages other than English. This bill passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 88-11 and passed the state Senate unanimously, and it was signed into law. I am grateful for the support of New Virginia Majority and the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia.

Other Bills

  • House Bill 986 allows notaries to charge up to $10 for notarizing hard copy documents. My constituent Daniel had asked me to help, as these fees have remained unchanged since 2005. This bill unanimously passed the House of Delegates and state Senate, and it was signed into law. Many thanks to the Virginia Association of Notaries for their support.