NEWSLETTER

AUGUST 26, 2020

Neighbors, 

Today is the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting many, but not all, women the right to vote. The 42nd District has a unique role in the historic fight for suffrage and equality. It was here, at the Lorton Workhouse, where Alice Paul and other suffragists were jailed and treated inhumanely for protesting at the White House.

Even now, our community has a role in the fight for equality. Just a few weeks ago, constituents organized an Empowerment of Black Women Rally at South County High School, located in the 42nd District. Black women and other women of color continue to face inequality in Virginia and our country, just as they did in the suffragist movement. While we commemorate this significant milestone, we must continue to push for equality for all women, including those who have been historically left behind by social movements.

And as we honor and stand on the shoulders of many who fought for enfranchisement, we must stay in the fight to protect our right to vote.

The second week of the 2020 Special Legislative Session is underway. The Virginia House of Delegates began committee hearings on the biennial budget and legislation regarding COVID-19 and criminal justice reform. I encourage you to stay engaged in our work. To better assist you, I have created a webpage with resources on how you can view committees, provide input, and more. You can find the page here: http://kathyfordelegate.com/staying-engaged

Below are updates regarding:

  • Special Legislative Session 

    • Legislative agenda update

  • COVID-19 Updates 

    • Extension on utility shutoff moratorium

    • COVIDWISE app

    • Executive Order regarding state-operated psychiatric hospitals

  • Additional State Updates

    • Progress for state-based health insurance market

As always, please let me know if I can be of assistance by calling my office at 804-698-1042 or by emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov. 

Best, Kathy

Delegate, 42nd District 

2020 Special Legislative Session

Legislative update

  • Today, my bill to amend Virginia’s current short-term compensation program so that we can be eligible for about $2.7 million in federal funding, passed unanimously from the House Committee on Labor and Commerce. The short-time compensation program allows employers who are experiencing a slowdown to keep workers on their payroll part time rather than laying them off. The affected workers would be able to supplement part of their income with unemployment insurance benefits. I am thankful to work with Governor Northam’s administration and the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis on this bill. 

COVID-19 updates

Extension on utility shutoff moratorium

  • The State Corporation Commission has announced the extension of the existing general moratorium on utility shutoffs from August 31 to September 16.

  • While the general moratorium will expire, utility customers who entered into extended payment plans as a result of the priovious SCC utility shutoff moratorium continue to be protected from service shutoffs if they remain current on their repayment plans or enter into individualized new repayment plans with their utility providers. 

  • This additional extension will give the General Assembly time to consider legislation regarding utility shutoffs in the current Special Session. 

COVIDWISE app

  • As a reminder, the Virginia Department of Health launched COVIDWISE, an app that can notify you of possible COVID-19 exposure. This is an important tool in our efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, and I encourage you to download the app. You can learn more about this voluntary program, it’s data privacy policies, and how to download it here. 

State-operated psychiatric hospitals

  • Governor Northam has issued Executive Order (EO) 70, which directs Virginia’s state hospitals to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Currently, state-operated psychiatric hospitals are at or exceeding their capacity, which makes mitigating the spread of COVID-19 difficult. 

  • Now, law enforcement will confirm that space is available at these hospitals before temporarily detaining someone experiencing a mental health crisis. Additionally, individuals will be screened for COVID-19 prior to being transferred to one of these facilities.

  • EO 70 also establishes new reporting requirements of Virginia’s psychiatric bed registry and expectations for state hospital discharge. 

  • You can see the Governor’s press release, which describes the EO 70 here and review EO 70 here.

Additional state updates

State-based health insurance market

  • During the 2020 Legislative Session, we passed a bill to establish a state-based health insurance exchange. This week, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved Virginia’s application to do so, starting during the open-enrollment period beginning in November. 

  • Establishing a state-based exchange will help Virginia expand access to healthcare and lower costs by providing targeted outreach, extending the time Virginians have to enroll in coverage, and more. You can see the announcement here.