July 10, 2023

Neighbors, 

 

I hope you are having a wonderful summer!

 

On July 1, hundreds of new laws passed during this year’s legislative session and signed by Governor Youngkin went into effect – See below for an overview of these laws! In this newsletter, I’ve included information about the following:

  • Legislative Updates

    • New Laws

    • Budget Update

  • Solarize NoVA 2023 Kicks Off

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


LEGISLATIVE UPDATES 


New Laws

On July 1, more than 700 new laws took effect. These changes had passed the General Assembly during this year’s legislative session and were signed into law by Governor Youngkin. Unless a bill has a delayed effective date or is given an emergency clause to take effect right away, July 1 is the usual effective date for new laws.

 

One bill that I introduced and passed took effect:

  • House Bill 2211 helps clarify the process by which internationally trained nurses are tested and certified for work in Virginia. This will help fill our critical nursing workforce needs while tapping into the skills of immigrants and refugees. Thank you to Church World Services, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, Inova, HCA Hospitals, and Virginia Health Care Association for their support.

Below, I have included a brief overview of some of the laws that took effect on July 1:

  • House Bill 1592 and Senate Bill 1072 require schools to notify parents if their child was involved in a bullying incident within 24 hours. 

  • House Bill 1770 and Senate Bill 1265 will reduce electricity bills for Dominion customers by ending three current surcharges. Also increases the State Corporation Commission’s ability to regulate base electricity rates. 

  • House Bill 2487 and Senate Bill 887 requires that incarcerated people in solitary confinement are provided a minimum of four hours of programming or rehabilitation out of their cell. Also requires prisons to track of the reasons an incarcerated person was placed in solitary confinement.

  • House Bill 2294 and Senate Bill 903 set a limit of .3% Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to be allowed in hemp products or two milligrams per package, whichever is less, and establish a hemp product retail registration.

  • House Bill 2317 and Senate Bill 789 increase the daily jury duty allowance allowance from $30 to $50.

  • House Bill 1517 requires companies who offer a free trial with automatic fee-based subscription at the end of the trial period to send customers a notification before the free trial ends with an option to cancel.

  • House Bill 1702 requires landlords who rent more than four units to give tenants at least 60 days notice of plans to increase rents when the lease has an option to renew or automatically renews.

  • House Bill 1924 prohibits employers from paying new employees with disabilities less than the state minimum wage.

  • House Bill 2387 creates up to a $300 tax credit for purchasing gun safety devices like gun safes or trigger locks.

  • Senate Bill 855 prohibits the use of aftermarket blue headlights.

  • Senate Bill 982 requires vehicles to change lanes or reduce speed when passing a vehicle on the shoulder with hazards on.

If you are interested in learning more about these laws or other new laws, you can read In Due Course: Changes to Virginia’s Laws, an annual publication of the Division of Legislative Service. You can also review all of the laws passed during this year’s legislative session by visiting LIS, Virginia Legislative Information System.

 

Budget Update 

In 2022, the General Assembly passed a biennial budget that covers fiscal years 2022–2024. During the 2023 legislative session, the General Assembly had the opportunity to amend the biennial budget, including allocating the budget surplus, which is now at $4.6 billion. 

As I mentioned in previous newsletters, the General Assembly passed a small package of amendments to the budget, which included providing funding to close a deficit that Fairfax County Public Schools and other school districts across the Commonwealth unexpectedly had due to an accounting error by the Virginia Department of Education.  

However, the House of Delegates and state Senate were unable to reach agreement on how to fully allocate the budget surplus during the legislative session. While negotiations continued after the end of session, the House of Delegates and state Senate did not reach a compromise by the end of the Fiscal Year on June 30. 

Our state government is still able to operate since we passed the biennial budget in 2022 that includes the Fiscal Year beginning on July 1. I urge our House and Senate negotiators to continue discussions and reach a compromise that will allow us to improve mental health services, increase funding for our public schools, provide more affordable housing, and address road safety and infrastructure while providing targeted tax relief to Virginians.

You can read my summary of key differences in the House and state Senate proposals in my past newsletter here, and you can check out The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis’s comprehensive breakdown of the proposed budgets.


Solarize NoVA 2023
The Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) has kicked off its 2023 Solarize NoVA campaign to increase use of solar energy in Northern Virginia. Homeowners and businesses can connect with NVRC about its resources, including better understanding the solar capacity of the roof of your home or business, potential cost savings, and the environmental benefits. To learn more, visit NVRC’s Solarize NoVA website.