NEWSLETTER

January 23, 2024

 

Neighbors, 

Nearly 2,300 bills have been introduced in the House of Delegates and state Senate this year, and we have begun debating legislation. You are able to watch Committee and Subcommittee meetings in real time; see the schedule of meetings at this link. 

In this newsletter, I’ve included information about the following:

  • Upcoming Town Halls

    • South County Town Hall with Senator Surovell and Delegate Henson

    • Session Town Hall

  • Community Updates

  • Legislative Updates

    • Committee Assignments

    • My Legislative Agenda

    • Staying Engaged During Session

  • Transportation Updates

    • Winter Weather Reminders

As always, let me know if you have questions or need assistance by calling my office at (804) 698-1018 or emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov. 

 

Best, Kathy

 

Kathy KL Tran

Delegate


Upcoming Town Halls


South County Town Hall with Senator Surovell and Delegate Henson

I hope to see you at an in-person Town Hall that I am having with Senator Scott Surovell and Delegate Rozia Henson on Saturday, January 27 at 10:00am!




Virtual Legislative Town Hall

I hope you’ll join me at a virtual Legislative Town Hall on Tuesday, 1/30 at 7:00pm. I’ll be giving an update on my policy agenda and other major legislation that we are debating in the General Assembly. Click here to register!








Community Updates

Thank you to the Laurel Hill Community Association HOA for inviting me to give a legislative update at your recent annual meeting!

I enjoyed meeting with my constituent Emily and other members of the Fairfax Federation of Teachers to discuss the importance of increasing funding for public schools. 

Thanks to my constituent Ameenah and members of the National Federation of the Blind for sharing their legislative agenda, including support for my House Bill 1355 to increase the availability of accessible technology.

It was wonderful to see my constituent Commander Gaddis and members of the Springfield American Legion Post 176 and the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations. Thank you for advocating for my House Joint Resolution 45 to provide equitable tax relief to surviving spouses whose military spouse was killed in the line of duty!

I joined CASA advocates at their rally for better health care, resources, and language access for New Americans. I am partnering with CASA to pass “Cover All Kids,” a bill to establish health care coverage for Virginia youth regardless of their immigration status.

I had a wonderful time speaking with advocates from the Hamkae Center about their work on behalf of Virginia’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

My team and I also met with constituents and advocates with the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, Appalachian Voices, Citizens Defense League, Fairfax Firefighters IAFF Local 2068, Inova Hospital System, Liberal Gun Club in Virginia, Marijuana Justice, MOVE Chamber, New Virginia Majority, Shenandoah University’s physical therapy students, University of Virginia Health System, Virginia ACCSES, Virginia Community Health Worker Association,  Virginia Dental Compact, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Virginia Poverty Law Center, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and Virginia Young Democrats.

Legislative Updates

Committee Assignments

The Speaker of the House of Delegates has the sole responsibility of appointing delegates to House Committees. We received our final appointments, and I will be serving in the following roles:

  • Vice Chair of the Committee on Health and Human Services and Chair of the Social Services Subcommittee and Member of the Health Professions Subcommittee

  • Member of the Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee and Chair of the Natural Resources Subcommittee

  • Member of the Finance Committee and Member of Subcommittee #1, which focuses on state tax policy

  • Member of the Rules Committee 

I was proud to gavel in the first meeting of the Social Services Subcommittee for the legislative session — This Subcommittee considers legislation related to Virginia’s Medicaid program, provision of social services, and similar topics

My Legislative Agenda

I am proud to work with constituents, advocates, and stakeholders to introduce legislation to build a more just, equitable, and welcoming Virginia. 

I’ve summarized the bills and budget requests that I have introduced below, and I hope you click through to learn more about each one.


EXPANDING HEALTH CARE 

I introduced the following in order to expand affordable health care to vulnerable individuals:

  • House Bill 970 Cover All Kids — This bill provides health care to vulnerable kids by creating a Medicaid-like program for about 13,000 children in Virginia, regardless of their immigration status.

  • House Bill 971 Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice — This bill codifies a pandemic-era rule that allows nurse practitioners to practice autonomously after two years of supervision, helping to fill health care provider gaps in Virginia.

  • House Bill 995 Refugee Physician Licensure —This bill creates a pathway for immigrants and refugees living in Virginia who are internationally-trained physicians to obtain their medical license in the Commonwealth, enabling them to reach their full career potential while meeting health care needs in underserved communities.

  • House Bill 982 Medicaid Coverage for Hearing Aids — Untreated hearing loss profoundly affects quality of life and may lead to cognitive decline. This bill addresses this issue by providing Medicaid coverage for hearing aids for adults.

  • House Bill 1060 Long Term Care Insurance — People purchase long-term care insurance to reduce financial uncertainty and ensure they have health care when they are older. However, these insurance premiums have risen dramatically in recent years, affecting people’s ability to afford coverage. This bill requires insurance companies to notify their policyholders if they request a rate increase and for the State Corporation Commission to consider input from policyholders. 

  • Budget Amendment Item 271 #9h Mary Marshall Scholarship Program — This budget request helps address our significant nursing shortage by expanding eligibility for the Mary Marshall Scholarship Program for nursing students to include humanitarian parolees.

STRENGTHENING PUBLIC SCHOOLS

To improve physical safety and mental health support for students at our public K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, I sponsored: 

  • House Bill 980 Support for College Students Who Have Been Hazed — Every student deserves to be safe and not ostracized for speaking up against abuse. This bill ensures that students who report being hazed get referred to ongoing mental and behavioral health supports.

  • House Bill 1543 Quick-Build Traffic Calming Work Group — Pedestrian deaths are on the rise in Northern Virginia. This bill directs the Virginia Department of Transportation to assess how to implement quick-build traffic calming projects in school zones to improve safety for kids, teachers, and other pedestrians walking to school.

  • Budget Amendment Item 442 #5h Rolling Road Light Funding Budget Amendment — This request allows the Virginia Department of Transportation and Fairfax County to fund a traffic light at Rolling Road and Grisby to create a safe crossing point for West Springfield High School students.

  • Budget Amendment Item 117 #16h Asian American History Model Curriculum and Resources — This request provides resources to the Virginia Department of Education to create a model curriculum, tools, and resources to teach Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history as part of the History and Social Science Standards of Learning and supporting programing for AAPI History Month.

  • Budget Amendment Item 125 #23h Additional English Learner Teachers — This request, made in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools, increases the number of English Language Learner (ELL) teachers to meet the needs of our students. 

LIFTING UP WORKING FAMILIES 

I am committed to lifting up working families, from ensuring they have targeted tax relief to  expanding opportunities for collective bargaining to addressing the affordable child care crisis. I’m proud to introduce:

  • House Bill 969 Child Tax Credit — This bill provides targeted relief to working families and addresses child poverty for an estimated 1.3 million Virginian kids by establishing a state child tax credit.

  • House Bill 984 Head Start Centers in Community Colleges — This bill requires the Virginia Department of Education and Virginia Community College System to provide recommendations on expanding the availability of Head Start programs at community colleges — ensuring working students will have access to affordable, high quality child care programs for their kids.

  • House Bill 992 Coordinating Workforce Services, VIEW & SNAP E&T Programs — This bill helps make sure participants in the Virginia Initiative for Education and Work (VIEW) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) E & T programs have seamless connection to employment and training services. 

  • House Bill 1001 Expanding Collective Bargaining — Workers deserve a seat at the decision-making table. But right now, only a fraction of Virginia public workers have the right to negotiate. This bill would expand the right of state employees to collectively bargain for better pay, benefits, and working conditions.

  • House Bill 1261 Unemployment Overcompensation Protections — This bill alleviates an immensely stressful situation affecting many Virginians by giving the Virginia Employment Commission the permanent authority to waive overpayment of unemployment benefits when the overpayments were made through no fault of the individual.

ENSURING FAIR AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Housing has become increasingly expensive and complex housing contracts and fees have exacerbated the situation. To help families navigate, I introduced:

  • House Bill 1487 Language Access in Housing — This bill requires the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to translate model rental agreements and other rental forms in top languages spoken in Virginia and to make them available on its website so that all tenants, regardless of their language abilities, understand their rental agreement.

  • House Bill 993 Rental Fees Ban — This bill prohibits landlords from requiring  tenants to pay fees in order to pay their rent or to obtain normal maintenance or repair of their unit, helping to end predatory rental fees.


BUILDING A MORE WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE VIRGINIA

Virginia’s diversity is our strength, and to help build a welcoming and inclusive Commonwealth, I have sponsored:

  • House Bill 1355 Accessible Technology — Technology is ubiquitous in how we perform our jobs, access government services, and learn in school. This bill updates Virginia’s Information Technology Access Act by requiring state agencies, local governments, institutions of higher education, and local school districts to ensure their information and communication technologies are accessible to all persons with a disability.

  • House Bill 1186 Disability Access at Virginia State Parks — From the Blue Ridge to Mason Neck, Virginia has the most beautiful state parks in the country. This bill establishes a pilot program that provides all-terrain wheelchairs at our state parks so that more Virginians can enjoy them. 

  • Budget Amendment Item 111 #2h Create the New Americans Navigator Program — Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and this request is to create a program to help immigrant business owners start and grow their businesses, including by providing assistance in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Korean.

  • Budget Amendment Item 267 #7h Expanding State Government Language Access — This budget request provides funds to ensure that our state government resources are available to every Virginian, including those who do not speak English, speak limited English, or have a disability affecting communication abilities. 


HONORING OUR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES

Our military families and veterans sacrifice to keep our communities safe. I have introduced legislation to honor their service:

  • House Joint Resolution 45 Surviving Spouses Constitutional Amendment — This bill amends the Constitution of Virginia to provide surviving spouses of service members who were killed in the line of duty with equitable tax relief. Note: This resolution is being considered for second passage. If it passes, then this issue will be on the ballot in November 2024 as a voter referendum.

  • Budget Amendment Item 140 #3h Troops to Teachers Budget Amendment This budget amendment funds the Troops to Teachers program at the College of William and Mary to help military service members prepare to teach in K-12 schools, thereby helping veterans transition successfully to the civilian workforce while filling our teacher gaps.

PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

In order to protect our air, water, plants, and wildlife for future generations, I introduced:

  • House Bill 985 Ban High-PAH Sealants — Clean, safe water is essential to public health and the wellbeing of our environment and wildlife. This bill prohibits the sale and use of pavement sealants with high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which increase cancer risk, particularly in young children.

  • House Bill 1531 Banning Bullhooks — Cruelty to animals is unacceptable. This bill creates a costly civil penalty for anyone in the Commonwealth who uses bullhooks or a similar device to hurt or intimidate elephants, who are intelligent and complex animals.

  • Budget Amendment Item 355 #3h Assist Workers in Fossil Fuel Industries with Job Training — We must ensure that no worker is left behind in our transition to green energy. This request adds a new priority category for workers from fossil fuel industries for employment services under the federal Workforce Innovations and Opportunities Act programs.

EXPANDING VOTING RIGHTS

Voting is fundamental to our democracy, and I’m proud to introduce legislation to expand access to the ballot box:

  • House Bill 989 Department of Elections Translations — Having accurate election information enables us to exercise our right to vote. This bill requires Virginia’s Department of Elections to translate and publish key voting information in the most widely spoken languages in Virginia, ensuring that Virginians are not disenfranchised by language barriers. 

OTHER BILLS

  • House Bill 986 Increase Allowed Notary Fees — Given inflation, one of my constituents explained that it is more difficult than ever for notaries to make ends meet. This bill increases for the first time since 2005 the amount that notaries may choose to charge for their services.

Staying Engaged During Session

We have a brand new beautiful, state-of-the-art General Assembly Building and I hope to be able to welcome you to Richmond. 

However, if you are unable to visit in person, I’ve highlighted some tips and resources on how you can stay engaged below and on my website. 


My Newsletter and Town Halls

Sign-up for my electronic newsletter to learn about my work in Richmond on behalf of our community and to share key issues that are being considered in the General Assembly. 

I also host or participate in town halls and hope you will be able to join us. You can learn about my town halls through my newsletter or via my social media.

You can subscribe to my newsletter here.


Providing Input to Legislation

Your input is important to me. You can call my office at 804-698-1018 or email me at delktran@house.virginia.gov with your feedback or to schedule an appointment to meet with my team. You can also write to me at P.O. Box 2731, Springfield, Virginia 22152.


Tracking Legislation

You can keep track of the things we do in Richmond using the resources below:

  • View all of the bills that have been introduced for the 2024 General Assembly Session on the Legislative Information Services homepage.

  • Watch the live floor session, live committee meetings, and archives of previous meetings.

  • Find the agenda for each committee meeting on the committee’s homepage.

  • Each agenda will identify the bills that have been “docketed” or will be heard during the committee meeting.

  • Sign-up to provide public comments or submit written comments for committee hearings.

Transportation Updates

Winter Weather Reminders

I enjoyed seeing my constituent Zach as he visited the Capitol before returning to George Mason to continue his studies.

Thanks to Scott, the Director of Gunston Hall, for coming to visit. We discussed the importance of ensuring that our museums and cultural institutions have the funding they need to tell our history.

 

We also met with the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, Friends of Mason Neck State Park, Justice Forward Virginia, Medical Society of Virginia, Moms Demand Action, Southern Environmental Law Center, Virginia Association for Biological Farming, Virginia Association of Counties, Virginia Conservation Network, and Virginia Golf Course Superintendents Association.


Transportation Updates


Winter Storm Preparation


I hope you kept warm and safe during the recent snow storm. As we prepare for winter weather in the coming weeks, please check out inclement weather resources on my website. 

In the event of two or more inches of snow, you can watch a live map of VDOT’s snowplows