NEWSLETTER
GREETINGS FROM RICHMOND
Greetings!
We are coming up on our final week of this legislative session. Both chambers have finished most of their committee work, and now we are focusing on reconciling bills that are similar in intent but differ in specific language or policies. We do this through conference committees, where a smaller group of legislators negotiate a final bill that must then pass both chambers.
It is an honor to represent our community in the House of Delegates. Please see below for updates from my past week in Richmond. If I can be of any assistance, please email me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov or call (804) 698-1042.
Cheers, Kathy
Legislative Updates
Revenue Bills
All “Revenue” bills or those affecting taxes, fees, or fines had to pass both Chambers and start the conference process by 11:59pm on Wednesday, February 26. However, the process of waiting for each chamber to vote on the remaining Revenue bills and assign conference committees, as needed, took longer, and we ended up extending our deadline until early morning Thursday, February 27. The House completed our work and adjourned at 1:21am — we may have set a new record!
Budget Bills
A conference committee is negotiating a final budget proposal for the 2020-2022 Biennial Budget proposal.
I previously mentioned that the House budget proposal includes $2.6 million funding for staff and infrastructure upgrades to Mason Neck State Park, which is located in the 42nd District. WJLA News recently highlighted my requests for the Park, and you can see the story here. I look forward to working with my colleagues to include this funding in the final budget proposal and appreciate working with Friends of Mason Neck State Park on this important issue.
Six of my bills passed the Senate this week and are now on their way to Governor Northam to be signed into law:
House Bill 1179: This bill will allow refugees and Special Immigrant Visa holders to be eligible for in-state tuition immediately after resettling in Virginia.
House Bill 1205: This bill ensures Virginians receive notification if harmful substances are released into our public waters.
House Bill 1222: This bill will allow individuals living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities to use certain expired IDs when getting their documents notarized.
House Bill 1226: This bill will prohibit the VCU Health System Authority and UVA Medical Center, Virginia’s public hospitals, from aggressively collecting medical debt unless reasonable efforts have been made to determine if the patient is eligible for Medicaid or financial assistance.
House Bill 1701: This bill will expand access to telemedicine by requiring the Virginia Department of Health Professions to pursue reciprocal medical licensing agreements with states that border Virginia, and the Virginia Board of Medicine to expedite the licensing applications for certain medical professionals from bordering states.
House Bill 1208: This bill would require school boards to develop processes to help students obtain bus passes if they have family members with medical conditions that make it harder for the students to receive transportation to school.
As my bills advanced through the legislative process, I continued to have bill hearings in the Senate. My following bills will start the conference committee process:
House Bill 1201: This bill will allow localities to include criteria in their Invitations to Bid for public works projects.
House Bill 1209: This bill will establish an Office of New Americans to assist with immigrant integration and establish an Advisory Board for New Americans.
House Bill 1211: This bill will allow all Virginians, regardless of immigration status, to obtain a standard driver’s license if they’ve demonstrated they know the rules of the road and meet all DMV requirements.
House Bill 1220: This bill will provide the Department of Taxation with the option of waiving interest in certain cases and will require the Department of Taxation to notify a taxpayer that has filed an amended federal tax return form how much they owe in interest for unpaid state taxes.
Coronavirus Information
The novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is a serious public health concern and Virginia’s state government is working with the federal government to respond. Please be sure to stay informed by visiting the Virginia Department of Health website, www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus, and the Center for Disease Control website, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
Constituent meetings
If you belong to a homeowners association, community group, or neighborhood huddle and would like me to provide a legislative update at a future meeting, please email me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov.