NEWSLETTER

JUNE 17, 2020

Neighbors,

Juneteenth takes place on June 19 and commemorates the day that the last slaves were freed in 1865, more than two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

This year, Governor Northam has granted all executive branch state employees a paid day off on Juneteenth. Nearly all states across the country recognize Juneteenth as a holiday or special day of observance, and the Governor announced he will support future legislation to make Juneteenth an official paid state holiday. I also would support such an effort - Juneteenth is an important celebration of freedom in our country’s history and a poignant reminder of the continued need to fight institutional racism against Black Americans.

Constituent Services

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is experiencing a surge in requests as their offices are re-opening, creating long-wait times for one-person services. My team and I have been helping constituents with their appointments with the DMV. If you are experiencing challenges making or confirming an appointment, or need to connect with the DMV on other issues, please reach out to me via email or by phone so we can assist you! 

As a reminder, I am available throughout the year to help with questions or issues with state agencies like the DMV, Department of Social Services, Virginia Employment Commission, and more. 

Updates

Below are COVID-19 and other updates from Governor Northam, state agencies, and Fairfax County Public Schools. As always, please let me know if I can be of assistance by calling my office 804-698-1042 or emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov.

Best, Kathy

Updates from Governor Northam and state agencies

Status of Moving into Phase III

  • The Governor announced Virginia will remain in Phase II of re-opening the economy as he continues to assess COVID-19 data. Additional details about Phase III is expected to be available later this week.

  • As a reminder, Governor Northam has indicated that Virginia must meet the following COVID-19 metrics before he will further ease restrictions: 

  • Downward trend of percentage of positive tests over 14 days 

  • Downward trend of COVID-19 hospitalizations over 14 days 

  • Increasing testing capacity 

  • Increasing contact tracing capacity

  • Enough hospital beds and intensive care capacity 

  • Increasing and sustainable supply of personal protective equipment

Data Sharing Platform to Combat COVID-19

  • Governor Northam announced that infrastructure from the Framework for Addiction Analysis and Community Transformation (FAACT), a cross-agency, cloud-based, dating-sharing and analytics platform, will be used to support the state’s response to COVID-19. 

  • FAACT data provides real-time information to make critical decisions, such as locating hospitals in need of supplies and medications, hospitals and regions that have available hospital beds and ventilators, and areas with the largest outbreaks of COVID-19. The full press release can be found here. 

DMV Customer Service Centers

  • The DMV is re-opening additional Select Partner Offices and Customer Service Centers near our community in the 42nd District.

  • You can complete vehicle transaction services at DMV Select Partner Offices. To confirm office hours and view any important messages before visiting a DMV select office, see here.

  • Today, June 17, the following DMV Select Office near us in the 42nd District will re-open:

  • The Springfield Select Office (6506 Loisdale Road, Suite 105, Springfield, VA 22150) 

  • You can obtain specific services in-person by appointment only at DMV Customer Service Centers. For more information, see www.dmvNOW.com/appt. 

  • On June 22, two additional DMV Customer Services Centers will re-open near the 42nd District:

  • Alexandria (2681 Mill Road, Alexandria, VA 22314)

  • Fairfax/Westfields (14950 Northridge Drive, Chantilly, VA 20151)

  • Support for Workers

  • As I shared previously, the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (VDOLI) worked on developing emergency safety regulations to protect the health of workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed regulations include ensuring employees observe physical distancing while on the job and during paid breaks on the employer’s property as well as requiring employers to notify all employees within 24 hours of learning that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. You can review the proposed regulations here. 

  • VDOL’s Safety and Health Codes Board is currently accepting public comments on this proposal through June 22. I encourage you to have your voice heard; you can submit your comments here. 

New Economic Development Program

  • The Governor announced $14.66 million in funding for the new Economic Resilience and Recovery Program (ERRP) to respond to the evolving economic challenges that Virginia faces due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

  • The ERRP was created through the restructuring of funding for the current Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) program. Each of the nine GO Virginia Regional Councils may apply for up to $1 million to support economic initiatives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The full release is here. 

  • Below is a summary of a project for the Northern Virginia region approved and funded by the ERRP:

  • $69,600 for the Back to Work Website and Information Program that will serve as a “one-stop shop” for businesses in the Northern Virginia region. This project is a partnership between the Back to Work Leadership Task Force, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance. The website will contain information regarding business continuity, recovery, worker training and retraining, and a webinar series focused on business solutions. 

Extension of Ban on Utility Service Cut-Offs 

  • The State Corporation Commission (SCC) extended its moratorium on service disconnections for customers who are unable to pay utility bills as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This moratorium will be in effect until August 31, 2020. 

  • Last week, I joined colleagues from the Virginia House of Delegates in requesting the SCC to extend this moratorium to help constituents in the 42nd District, and I am glad the SCC has decided to do so. You can see the full announcement here. 

Virginia Visual Artist Relief Program

  • The Governor and the Virginia Museum for Fine Arts announced a special program to support visual artists impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virginia Artist Relief Fellowship Program will award 40 visual artists each with a $5,000 grant. The application and eligibility requirements can be found at www.VMFA.museum.

Updates from Fairfax County Public Schools

Food Security

  • While the academic school year has ended, Fairfax County Public Schools announced it will continue its meal distribution program through August 30. As a reminder, the following schools in the 42nd District are sites for the meal distribution program; you can find additional information regarding food resources from FCPS here:

  • Ft. Belvoir Upper ES, 5980 Meeres Rd, Ft. Belvoir

  • Irving MS, 8100 Old Keene Mill Rd, Springfield

  • South County HS, 8700 Laurel Crest Drive, Lorton

FCPS Re-Opening Town Hall and Community Input

  • On June 18, the Fairfax County Public Schools Board will host a virtual public hearing to receive input regarding FCPS’ plans for Fall 2020. You can learn more about the virtual meeting here and submit your comments to returntoschool@fcps.edu. 

View my summary of the 2020 legislative session here.

View my previous e-newsletters here.

View my new COVID-19 resource page to see a summary of state actions, guidance, and resources here.