August 4, 2021

Neighbors, 

Greetings from Richmond! It is great to be back in our historic Capitol for a special session of the Virginia General Assembly. The session is live streamed, and you can follow along here.

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In this newsletter, I have included information about:

  • Virginia Ranked as the Top State for Business

  • COVID-19 Response

    • Vaccination Opportunities

    • Eviction Moratorium

  • Legislative Updates

    • Special Legislative Session

  • Community Information

    • Mason Neck - Old Colchester Bridge Over Pohick Creek

  • Staffing Updates

    • Introducing My New Chief of Staff, Ben

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 


Virginia Ranked as the Best State for Business!

In case you missed it, CNBC named Virginia its best state for business! This is the fifth time Virginia has received this honor, more than any other state, and we are the only state to receive this distinction in back-to-back years.

CNBC cited our strong workforce, investments in education, and our dedication to inclusion as reasons for being named to the top spot. In my conversations with constituents across the district, I hear strong support for making sure that Virginia has the best schools and universities in the country, be able to attract good jobs, and continue to value our diversity. I’m proud that we’re doing the right thing, and CNBC has recognized that.

COVID-19 Response

Vaccination Opportunities 

Virginia is averaging about 1,100 new COVID-19 cases daily. Like many other parts of the country, our rise in cases is due to the delta variant. 

The Virginia Department of Health data shows that 65.2% of adults (18+) are fully vaccinated and 72.4% have at least one vaccination dose. If you have not already received your COVID-19 vaccine, you can find the nearest opportunity to get one here.


Eviction Moratorium

After the federal government’s eviction moratorium came to an end on July 31, the Biden administration announced they are placing a new ban on evictions in place until October 3 in areas “experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission.” This order is in response to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.

Currently, the CDC says Fairfax County is experiencing “substantial” levels of community transmission of COVID-19, meaning that this new ban on evictions applies to Fairfax County.

Prior to the eviction moratorium coming to an end, the Virginia General Assembly established a rent and mortgage relief program, and in Fairfax County, the County is operating the program for residents.

Fairfax County residents who need rent assistance should call Coordinated Services Planning at (703) 222-0880 from 8:00am — 4:30pm on Monday through Friday.

Virginians outside of Fairfax County that need rent relief should visit stayhomevirginia.com for help. 

Making sure that every Virginian has stable housing is incredibly important, particularly during these challenge times. Continuing to provide eviction protections is one of my priorities during the Special Legislative Session. 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Special Legislative Session

Virginia received more than $4 billion from the US Congress through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Governor Northam called the General Assembly into a special session to decide how to allocate the federal funds. 

House Bill 7001, the proposed budget, includes significant investments to strengthen health care and mental health services, support our small businesses that were hurt during the pandemic, help schools reopen safely including by upgrading their ventilation systems, assist Virginians facing evictions, and improve broadband.

I’m dedicated to ensuring that our federal stimulus money is spent in a prudent way that provides relief to Virginians and rebuilds our economy so that no worker is left behind. I look forward to sharing more information about the final budget that passes the General Assembly.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Mason Neck - Old Colchester Bridge Over Pohick Creek

The Virginia Department of Transportation now cautiously estimates that the Old Colchester Bridge over Pohick Creek will reopen at the end of day on August 6. The bridge has been replaced and inspected, and it has been deemed structurally safe to open.

Additionally, VDOT completed pavement markings today. However, guardrails need to be installed and VDOT is working with its contractor to complete this work. This issue has affected neighbors in Mason Neck, and I am staying in close contact with VDOT as all efforts are made to safely open this bridge as soon as possible.

STAFFING UPDATES
Introducing my new chief of staff, Ben

I’m excited to introduce you to my new Chief of Staff, Ben Hermerding! Ben is a graduate of the University of Mary Washington and previously served in the offices of Governors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam. Ben is an avid baker, biker, and tennis player. 


Please help me welcome Ben to our team - he stands ready to assist you with connecting to a state agency or other constituent services. You can reach Ben by calling our office at 804-698-1042 or emailing him via our office email at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov.