NEWSLETTER

JUNE 11, 2020

Neighbors,

Tele-Town Hall Tonight at 6:30pm with Special Guest Cassidy Rasnick, Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade!

I hope you can join my tele-town hall tonight at 6:30pm. Delegates Mark Sickles, Paul Krizek, and I will provide legislative updates and information regarding our state’s response to COVID-19. 

We will also be joined by special guest, Cassidy Rasnick, Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade, to discuss Phase II of re-opening our economy, which starts tomorrow. Submit your questions now!

You can participate in the conversation with the following information: Dial-in (605) 472-5239 | Access Code 811044 | Submit questions here. 

Updates

Below is an update on COVID-19 and other state matters from Governor Northam, state agencies, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and Fairfax County Public Schools. As always, please contact me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov or at (804) 698-1042.

Best, Kathy

Updates from Governor Northam and State Agencies

Phase II of Re-Opening our Economy

  • Northern Virginia will enter Phase II of re-opening our economy on June 12. Governor Northam indicated our region will be in Phase II for a minimum of two weeks. He will continue to evaluate all relevant data when determining when we begin Phase III. 

  • For more information on Phase II requirements for businesses and religious institutions, see Executive Order 65/Order of Public Health Emergency Six here.

Re-opening of Institutions of Higher Education

  • The State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) provided a summary of upcoming guidance for public and private colleges and universities to re-open campus and offer in-person instruction. Below is a summary for your information; more details will be provided by SCHEV:

    • Public and private institutions of higher education must follow guidelines established by the Forward Virginia Blueprint, the state’s guidance for re-opening the economy, as well as public health guidelines from the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health. This includes following guidance on enhanced social and physical distancing, health and hygiene procedures, and cleaning and disinfecting measures.

    • To reopen, institutions and their surrounding communities must meet certain public health conditions including positive trends in public health data and adequate surge capacity. 

    • Students, staff, and faculty should expect smaller or hybrid learning (mixture of online and in person classes), staggered schedules, spread out residential life, non-traditional food service, and new ways for hosting large scale events like athletics and performance arts. Loop

    • Colleges and universities must submit comprehensive plans to SCHEV to address how they will limit the spread of COVID-19. Plans must include policies regarding:

  • repopulation of campus

  • monitoring health conditions to detect infection

  • containment to limit the spread of disease

  • shutdown procedures, if needed

Emergency Funding for Virginia Schools

  • Virginia will be receiving $66.8 million through the federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund. These funds will be used to expand distance learning opportunities, increase services for students disproportionately impacted by the loss of class time due to COVID-19, and provide financial assistance for university students and institutions impacted by the pandemic. You can see the announcement here.  

Healthcare Workforce and Access to Healthcare

  • To ensure Virginia has an adequate healthcare workforce to respond to the pandemic, the Governor has extended Executive Order 57. EO 57 allows certain out-of-state healthcare professionals to provide telehealth to Virginians; provides flexibility for nurse practitioners and physician assistants to practice; and expands the availability of telehealth. You can see the amended EO 57 here.

  • Governor Northam also extended EO 58, which provides certain flexibilities to ensure Medicaid and Family Access to Medical Insurance Security members are able to access services more easily. Amended EO 58 is available here.

May 2020 Revenue Report 

  • The May 2020 Revenue Report shows a 20.6 percent decrease in total General Fund revenue compared to May 2019. The decrease is largely due to the postponement of individual tax payments to June 1st and the effect of COVID-19 on payroll withholdings and retail sales, and it is slightly better than anticipated. The full revenue report is available here.  

  • As I shared previously, after the Governor’s team has reforecasted expected revenue for through fiscal year 2022, the General Assembly we have a special legislative session to finalize the budget for the 2021-2022 biennial budget. 

Updates from the Speaker of the House of Delegates

 Reforming our Criminal Justice System 

  • House of Delegates Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn has announced that during the special legislative session to address the biennial budget, the House of Delegates will also consider legislation to address racial inequities in our criminal justice system. I look forward to this important and much needed work.

Updates from Fairfax County Public Schools

Planning to Re-Open Fairfax County Public Schools

  • August 25th will be the first day of the 2020-2021 school year for FCPS.  

  • Superintendent Scott Brabrand shared a timeline of how FCPS will be developing a plan for in-person instruction to resume in the fall. The message can be found here.  

  • More details regarding FCPS’ plan to return to school can be found here.  Below is a summary of key dates and potential approaches for your information. 

  • On June 15 and June 23, Superintendent Braband will present to the FCPS School Board options for instruction for the 2020-2021 school year. The meetings will be virtually streamed and can be viewed here. 

  • On June 18th, FCPS will hold a virtual public hearing regarding plans to re-open schools at 6:30 pm. You can request to speak at the hearing here. 

  • FCPS families and staff should be on the look out for a survey regarding the various return to school options! You can also send us your thoughts to FCPS at ReturntoSchool@fcps.edu.

  • By the end of June, FCPS families will be notified of the decision on Return to School.

  • Three approaches are being considered for the start of the school year: 

  • Virtual start - All instruction will be delivered online. 

  • Social distancing - Several strategies being considered  include: Allowing students in school buildings following health guidelines. Possibly having varying schedules such as alternating schedules or half-school days. Possibly prioritizing in-person instruction for students who need it most (ie. students with disabilities, ESL students, or students in PreK through 2nd grade). 

  • Online learning by need - Students with documented medical needs may opt to enroll in full-time online learning. This may be offered to other students on a space-available basis. This may be implemented in conjunction with either of the other scenarios. 

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.