August 15, 2021

Neighbors,  

Lots of news to share! I’m back from Richmond — we have concluded our Special Legislative Session. We elected new judges to the Virginia Court of Appeals and the Governor just signed the budget passed by the General Assembly. Meanwhile, we have new Census data and the Old Colchester Bridge reopened. 

In this newsletter, I have included information about:

  • COVID-19 Response

    • COVID-19 Vaccine Booster To Be Available for Virginians Who Are Immunocompromised

    • Statewide Mask Mandate for K-12 Schools

  • New Census Data

  • Legislative Updates

    • Governor Signs the New Budget

    • Eight New Court of Appeals Judges

  • Community Updates

    • Virginia State Police Special Awards Ceremony

    • Mason Neck — Old Colchester Bridge Over Pohick Creek

As always, let me know if you have questions or need assistance by calling my office at (804) 698-1042 or emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov. 

Best,

Kathy

 

Kathy KL Tran

Delegate, 42nd District 

 

COVID-19 Response

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster To Be Available for Virginians Who Are Immunocompromised 

The Virginia Department of Health has announced that, starting August 14, Virginians who are moderately or severely immunocompromised will be able to obtain a booster shot of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. This aligns with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations. You can review the full VDH announcement here.  

You can see the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s consideration of individuals who are considered immunocompromised here. 

You can find a nearby vaccination location in Virginia here. 

Statewide Mask Mandate for K-12 Schools  

Governor Ralph Northam announced a new Public Health Emergency Order that requires masks indoors in Virginia’s K-12 schools, including for all students, teachers and staff, regardless of vaccination status. The order conforms school masking policies with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recently updated recommendations to include universal masking in K-12 schools.

During the 2021 Legislative Session, the General Assembly passed SB1303, which requires school districts to open 5 days per week for the 2021-2022 school year and to adhere to mitigation measures recommended by the CDC. Fairfax County Public Schools had already announced a universal masking policy for this coming school year.

Please note, the budget that the Governor just signed into law includes $500 million to improve ventilation and air quality in public schools by upgrading HVAC systems. COVID-19 risk is decreased with the better ventilation systems.

  

New Census Data

The US Census Bureau released 2020 data detailing Virginia’s population changes. Overall, the state’s population increased by 7.9 percent in the last decade, with the largest growth taking place in Northern Virginia. The Virginia Public Access Project has a visual showing which localities have gained and lost population.

The Census shows Fairfax County becoming increasingly diverse, with particular increases in the Asian American and Hispanic population. The County is now 20.4 percent and 17.3 percent, respectively. It also saw a notable increase in the Black community. Fairfax is also now majority-minority, joining Prince William County. 

The Virginia Redistricting Commission, created by the passage of the redistricting amendment to the Virginia Constitution in 2020, will use this data to draw new legislative maps. 

The Commission must submit to the General Assembly new state legislative maps within 45 days and new Congressional maps within 60 days. You can follow the Commission’s work here.


Legislative Updates
Governor Signs the New Budget

Governor Northam has signed the $3.2 billion budget that passed the Virginia House of Delegate and State Senate during the recent Special Legislative Session. The budget, HB7001, allocates funds that have been appropriated to Virginia under the federal American Rescue Plan. 

To help Virginia rebuild, we make important investments in our behavioral health system, public school system and college affordability, small business relief, and rent and mortgage assistance. You can find more information about the budget in my last newsletter.

 

Eight New Court of Appeals Judges

During the General Assembly’s Special Session, we elected eight new judges to the Virginia Court of Appeals. The election came after the General Assembly passed a bill during the 2021 Legislative Session to expand the court.  

Doing so guarantees appellate review of all civil and criminal decisions by the Court of Appeals for Virginians. This change brought Virginia into conformity with almost every other state in the country.

The election of these judges also makes the Court of Appeals the most diverse in its history — it now better reflects the racial, gender, practice area and geographical diversity of Virginia.


Community Updates 

Virginia State Police Special Awards Ceremony

It was my honor to attend a Special Awards Ceremony for the Virginia State Police Officers who helped secure the US Capitol during the January 6 insurrection. 

Seventy-one troopers, special agents and supervisors from the Fairfax Division of the Virginia State Police responded to a mayday assistance request from the Metropolitan Police Department of D.C. and US Capitol Police. 

Thank you to these brave men and women for their valiant response when our nation and democracy most needed them.


Mason Neck — Old Colchester Bridge Over Pohick Creek

Great news! On Thursday 8/12, the Virginia Department of Transportation re-opened the Old Colchester Bridge over Pohick Creek. This issue has affected neighbors in Mason Neck, and I’m grateful to the VDOT Bridge Maintenance team and everyone else involved for safely opening this thoroughfare as quickly as possible.

 

Pipe Replacement Along Fairfax Station Road

VDOT has informed me that, weather-permitting, they will be closing Fairfax Station Road (Route 660) between Colchester Road (Route 612) and Route 123 (Ox Road) to through traffic from 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 16 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19. They will be replacing stormwater pipes at the Moonpatterns Trail intersection.

If you need access to a property along Fairfax Station Road and Moonpatterns Trail, you will still have access — but Fairfax Station Road traffic will only be able to access Moonpatterns Trail via the Colchester Road side. Fairfax Station Road traffic will not be able to go beyond Moonpatterns Trail in either direction.

Through traffic can use the detour in the image below, via 612 (Colchester Road), 654 (Popes Head Road), and 123 (Ox Road).

You can get real-time traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511virginia.org, via the 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime. As always, I will continue to work with VDOT and closely monitor the repairs.