March 26, 2024

Neighbors, 

 

Happy Spring! Thank you so much to everyone who connected with me to share your priorities throughout the 2024 legislative session. Between email, phone calls, and office visits, I heard from over a thousand constituents – I am so grateful to represent such a thoughtful and engaged community!

 

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

  • Town Hall

  • Community Updates

    • Acting for Young People Commending Resolution

    • Temple B’nai Shalom’s Visit to the Capitol

    • Chesapeake Bay Foundation Celebration

  • Legislative Updates

  • Budget Updates

    • General Assembly Budget Proposal

    • My Funding Requests

  • Transportation Updates

    • Fairfax Connector

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


Town Hall

Thanks so much to everyone who joined me and Delegate Laura Jane Cohen for our joint virtual Post-Session Town Hall on March 13. I appreciated the opportunity to give highlights from session and an update on the budget, as well as answer your questions. 


Community Updates

Acting for Young People Commending Resolution

Acting for Young People (AYPF), a program through George Mason University, has instilled a love of performing arts in countless youth in Fairfax County for more than 25 years. I was honored to present Mary Lechter a resolution to commend AYPF’s contributions to our community.

 

Temple B’nai Shalom’s Visit to the Capitol

I had a wonderful time welcoming youth from Temple B’nai Shalom to the Virginia Capitol and sharing highlights from this legislative session with them. 

Chesapeake Bay Foundation Celebration

I enjoyed joining Senator Scott Surovell, Senator Russet Perry, and Delegate Alfonso Lopez to celebrate the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s leadership in restoring and preserving the Bay.


Legislative Updates

The 2024 legislative session ended on Saturday, March 9. During the 60 day session, the House of Delegates and state Senate considered almost 2,400 pieces of legislation and passed nearly 1,100 bills.

Bills that passed the General Assembly are now with Governor Youngkin for his action. He can either sign the bills into law, veto the bills, recommend amendments to the General Assembly, or let the bills take effect without his signature. 

Under the Virginia Constitution, the Governor has seven days to act on bills that are conveyed to him while we are still in session. On March 1, the General Assembly sent 84 bills to the Governor for his consideration. Governor Youngkin had until March 8 to take action, and he signed 64 of them into law, vetoed 8 bills, and recommended changes to 12 of them. 

The Governor has until April 8 to take action on about 1,000 remaining bills that passed the General Assembly.

The General Assembly will reconvene on April 17 to consider bills the Governor has vetoed or proposed amendments.

You can track bills that the Governor has vetoed here; bills that have been signed into law here; and bills that he has proposed amendments here.


Highlight of Bills that Have Been Vetoed To Date

  • House Bill 46 and Senate Bill 47 would have allowed someone who is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of a protective order or a criminal domestic violence conviction to transfer their firearm to a person who may lawfully own the firearm. These bills passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support.

  • House Bill 833 would have removed regulations that allow for the denial of custody of a child because a person has possessed or consumed a legally authorized substance. This bill passed with bipartisan support in the General Assembly.

  • House Bill 110 would have repealed the Virginia law banning compensation for companies that connect surrogates with families trying to have children. This bill passed the General Assembly on a party-line vote.

  • House Bill 455 would have reduced the penalty for possession of a residue from a controlled substance, less than one gram, from a Class 5 felony to a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support.

  •  House Bill 651 would have studied the creation of a cyber civilian corps. This bill passed the General Assembly with wide bipartisan support.

  • House Bill 776 would have allowed lawfully-admitted individuals who have lived in the United States for at least 60 months and applied for citizenship to serve in law enforcement. The bill passed the Senate on a party-line vote and the House with bipartisan support.

  • House Bill 972 would have required courts to tell defendants about any immigration consequences if they are  convicted and banned the court from inquiring about a defendant’s immigration status unless otherwise admissible. The bill passed the legislature on party-line votes.

  • House Bill 1167 would have allowed local governments to prohibit the sale of English Ivy, which is an invasive species. This bill passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support.

  • Senate Bill 69 would have allowed recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to serve as chiefs of police. The bill passed the House with bipartisan support and the Senate on a party-line vote.

  • Senate Bill 235 would have prevented Virginia law from being used to censor or ban books from school libraries. This bill passed with bipartisan support in the House of Delegates and state Senate.

  • Senate Bill 606 would have required the Virginia Commissioner of Elections to re-enroll Virginia in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), which is an interstate program to ensure that voter rolls are reliable and updated. This bill passed on a party-line vote in the House and Senate.

  • Senate Bill 143 would have required at least two qualified staff on all trains. The bill passed the House of Delegates and state Senate on a party-line vote.


Highlight of Bills that have been Signed Into Law To Date

These bills have been signed into law and will take effect on July 1, 2024, unless otherwise noted:

  • House Bill 48 and Senate Bill 46 ban legacy admissions at Virginia colleges and universities. These bills passed the General Assembly unanimously.

  • House Bill 156 and Senate Bill 638 increases the age from 70 to 73 at which a person is exempt from jury duty by request. These bills passed the General Assembly unanimously.

  • House Bill 1336 and Senate Bill 568 allow crisis stabilization facilities to keep schedule II through VI controlled substances onsite for necessary stabilization treatment. These bills passed the General Assembly unanimously.

  • House Bill 174 affirms that same-sex marriage is legal in Virginia and that no one is discriminated against on their race, gender, or sex. The bill passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support.

  • House Bill 194 expands the Virginia Military Parents Equal Protection Act to members of the Space Force. The bill passed the General Assembly unanimously.

  • House Bill 225 and Senate Bill 22 authorizes Virginia to sign up for the Dentist and Dental Hygienist Compact, which would allow professional license reciprocity throughout participating states. Currently, Virginia is the fourth state to pass this law and the Compact will take effect when seven states sign on. These bills passed the General Assembly unanimously.

  • House Bill 477 and Senate Bill 50 extend the Virginia Eviction Diversion Pilot Program (VERP) until July 1, 2025. The program brings together local governments to try to prevent evictions and was set to expire on July 1, 2024. These bills passed the General Assembly unanimously and you can learn more about VERP here.

  • House Bill 517 designates the European honey bee as the official state pollinator of Virginia. This bill passed the General Assembly unanimously.

  • House Bill 1025 allows any deer, bear, turkey, or elk that appears to have been killed in a collision with a motor vehicle to be claimed by and awarded to any person. This bill passed the General Assembly unanimously.

  • House Bill 1109 and Senate Bill 205 allows toll companies to send invoices for unpaid tolls via certified mail before the Department of Motor Vehicles places a stop on the car registration for unpaid tolls. These bills passed the General Assembly unanimously.

  • House Bill 1429 and Senate Bill 483 clarifies that any farm equipment or machinery used in an indoor, commercial farm is not subject to the personal property tax. These bills passed the General Assembly unanimously.


Budget Update

General Assembly’s Budget Proposal

As I have mentioned in previous newsletters, this year, the General Assembly is required by the Virginia Constitution to pass a balanced biennial budget for the period of  July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026. 

The House of Delegates and state Senate agreed to a budget proposal, which passed both chambers on a bipartisan vote. 

I've highlighted some of the items from the General Assembly’s budget below, and you can see the full legislature’s budget proposal at this link. I would also recommend the budget summary by The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis.

As with other legislation passed during the session, the General Assembly’s budget proposal is with the Governor for his consideration. He may accept the budget as is, veto the budget entirely, or propose line amendments that will be considered when the legislature reconvenes on April 17.


Education and Child Care

  • An additional $2.5 billion in funding for public K-12, including extra funding for disadvantaged and low-income schools.

    • This increase includes an additional $140 million in funding to Fairfax County Public Schools.

      A three percent per year increase in teacher salaries with local government match.

  • $72.1 million for additional English Language Learner (ELL) teachers and to transition to a new, tiered staffing standard

  • $205.4 million to make higher education more accessible, including $40 million in support for Virginia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

  • $55.0 million for operating costs and financial aid at Virginia community colleges.

  • $527.8 million for early childhood care and education, which is an additional $116.7 million in funding. This funding will ensure that families do not lose access to early childhood programs due to the expiration of federal pandemic relief funds.

Expanding Healthcare

  • $30.5 million to address the opioid crisis, including $11 million for opioid reversal medication and test kits, $400,000 for fentanyl testing, and $100,000 for schools.

  • $1 million to create the new Prescription Drug Affordability Board.

  • $191.4 million for an additional 3,440 Priority One developmental disability (DD) waivers and a 3% rate increase for DD services each year.

  • $745.2 million to fully fund and adjust for updated forecasts for Medicaid and children’s health insurance.

  • $126 million for additional mental health services.

  • $40 million to increase staffing levels at nursing homes.

Environmental Protections

  • A requirement that Virginia rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an interstate carbon compact that reduces air pollution and invests in energy efficiency and flood resilience.

  • $100 million for the Community Flood Preparedness Fund to combat flooding across the Commonwealth.

  • $400 million to meet Chesapeake Bay improvement goals by improving wastewater treatment plants.

  • Requirement to move up the timeline for restaurants to stop using polystyrene takeout containers.

Wages and Housing

  • $79.5 million to support the increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

  • A three percent increase in state government worker pay per year.

  • $175 million for the Virginia Housing Trust Fund to create or protect affordable housing.

Transportation and Broadband Infrastructure

  • $149.5 million to address the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) budget gap and to improve services.

  • $101 million for toll relief for low-income for car drivers in the Hampton Roads area.

  • $70.0 million to widen Interstate 81 in Salem, and up to $175.0 million in surpluses for the 81 improvement program.

  • $30.0 million to fast track broadband expansion on American Rescue Plan Act-funded broadband infrastructure projects

Taxes

  • Modernizes our tax code by expanding the state sales tax to digital goods and services, which was championed by the Governor. Closing this loophole provides us with increased revenue to invest in our schools, access to health care, and opportunities for families.

  • For example, under current tax code, if you purchase a DVD from the store, it is subject to the state sales tax, but if you purchase the movie through a digital streaming service, it is not subject to the tax.

  • The budget also ensures everyone pays their fair share and Virginia families are not left holding the bill. It removes an exemption the Governor included for corporations.

My Funding Requests

 Two of my standalone budget amendments were included in the budget proposal:

  • $100,000 for Asian American History Model Curriculum and Resources — provides resources to the Virginia Department of Education to create 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.

  • $4 Million to Expand State Government Language Access — 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. 


Community Update


Fairfax Connector

Regular service has resumed on the Fairfax Connector after bus operators and maintenance workers represented by Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 689 and Transdev, the contractor that runs the Fairfax Connector, came to an agreement on a contract. 

I know many constituents depend on the Fairfax Connector, and I am very pleased that the essential workers have improved working conditions and service is available. The workers were on strike, working without a contract since December and seeking a guaranteed 40 hour work week, a fair retirement plan that allows them to save for the future, and an adequate sick leave policy that enables them to accrue and use sick leave.

During the strike, I led a group of Fairfax County legislators in pushing Transdev to negotiate in good faith to reach a fair agreement and resume services as soon as possible. You can read our letter on my website.