March 31, 2023

Neighbors, 

Today, we close-out Women’s History Month. I enjoyed celebrating the accomplishments of women throughout Virginia by participating in a listening session with Senator Tim Kaine and Asian American and Pacific Islander women from Northern Virginia as well as a virtual meeting hosted by Network Virginia with other members of the Virginia General Assembly and grassroots activists throughout the Commonwealth.

Today is also International Transgender Day of Visibility. Across the country, there have been numerous efforts to curb the rights of transgender people. I stood with EqualityVA, Virginia ACLU, and other advocates to celebrate defeating 12 anti-trans bills in the Virginia General Assembly during this session and highlight the importance of supporting LGBTQ+ youth, who have disproportionately higher rates of mental illness, self-harm, and suicide ideation. Trans people deserve to live with dignity, and I will always stand with them in fighting for equality.

To all of our Fairfax County Public Schools families, I hope you have a wonderful and safe Spring Break! In this newsletter, I’ve included information about the following:

  • Town Halls

    • Post-Session Town Hall

    • 3rd Annual Earth Day Town Hall

  • Community Updates

    • Virginia Association for Parks’ Legislator of the Year

    • Civics with Keene Mill 4th Graders

    • Eagle Scout Court of Honor

    • Climate Equity Policy Fellows

    • Commendation for Retired Officer Sung Lee

    • Crosspointe Homeowners Association Annual Meeting

    • Agriculture in the Classroom

  • Legislative Updates

    • My Legislation

    • Governor’s Vetoed and Amended Legislation

    • Virginia History and Social Studies Curriculum Public Comment

  • Lake Accotink Public Comment

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

Town Halls

Post-Session Town Hall

Delegate Kathy Tran’s Virtual Post-Session 

Town Hall on April 13 at 7:00pm

https://bit.ly/PostSessionTranTownHall 

Join me for a virtual town hall to discuss the 2023 legislative session! I will be talking about major legislative changes, the budget, and taking your questions.

3rd Annual Earth Day Town Hall

Delegate Kathy Tran’s 3rd Annual 

Earth Day Town Hall

April 19 at 7pm

https://bit.ly/earth_day_townhall 


I hope to see you at my 3rd annual Earth Day Town Hall! I’ll be joined by special guests to discuss environmental justice, energy regulation reform, and state parks in the Commonwealth.


Community Updates

Virginia Association for Parks’ Legislator of the Year

I am so honored to be named the Virginia Association for Parks’ 2023 Legislator of the Year. Our parks are treasures that enrich our lives with beauty, peace, adventure, wildlife, history and natural resources. This year, I introduced House Bill 2453 to create a pilot program for all-terrain power wheelchairs at our state parks. While the bill did not pass, I will continue to advocate to make our parks accessible to all.

Civics with Keene Mill 4th Graders

Thank you to Keene Mill Elementary School for inviting me to join my son Quinn and all of the 4th grade classes to share my work in the House of Delegates and talk about Virginia state government. The Kangas were so engaged and knowledgeable! Check out the quiz I made to test them — how many questions can you answer?

Eagle Scout Court of Honor

Congratulations to Boy Scout Troop 1140’s newest Eagle Scouts: Haris, Rouben, John, and my constituent, Daniel. It was a pleasure to attend their Honor Court and celebrate their achievements in scouting!

Climate Equity Policy Fellows

I met with the Climate Equity Working Group and Equity Fund’s Climate Equity Policy Fellows to share my experience in the House of Delegates and tips for effective advocacy. The fellows are working with local organizations across the country, including two in Virginia, to address climate change and advocate for a just transition from fossil fuels.

Commendation for Retired Officer Sung Lee

I gave a commendation to retired Fairfax County Police Officer Sung Lee, who was the school resource officer at Washington Irving Middle School for 16 years. He was known for his humility, strong work ethic, and collaborative approach. Congratulations on your retirement and thank you for your service and all you have done to help our students, Officer Lee!


Crosspointe Homeowners Association Annual Meeting

It is always great to join the residents of the Crosspointe Homeowners Association for their annual meeting. We discussed road safety, redistricting, and the recent legislative session.

Agriculture in the Classroom

I had so much fun celebrating “Agriculture in the Classroom” with my daughter Elise and her kindergartener classmates. We read “I Love Strawberries”; discussed how plants need sunshine, soil, and water to grow; and planted tomato seeds. We can’t wait for them to sprout. Many thanks to the Virginia Farm Bureau for organizing resources to support this educational week in the Commonwealth!

Legislative Updates

My Legislation

Governor Youngkin signed my bill, House Bill 2211, into law. This bill will help fill our critical nursing workforce needs by tapping into the skills and experiences of immigrants and refugees living in Virginia. During the legislative session, I had an opportunity to speak with refugees who are living in Virginia about how this bill would impact their lives. Many thanks to Church World Services, Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, Virginia Health Care Association, INOVA Hospital, and HCA Hospital for supporting this legislation!


Governor’s Vetoed and Amended Legislation

Tuesday evening was the deadline for Governor Youngkin to take action on the legislation that the General Assembly passed during this year’s session. The Constitution of Virginia gives the governor three options: sign, veto, or recommend changes to legislation. 

You can see a complete list of bills that Governor Youngkin approved here and his amendments here.

The governor vetoed three pieces of legislation, which you can find here. In order to override the governor’s veto, these bills would have to have the support of two-thirds of each body of the General Assembly. The vetoed bills were:

  • HB 1536 edits the Grievance Procedure Manual at the Department of Human Resource Management to require the Office of Equal Employment and Dispute Resolution to issue a written decision when someone at the Department of Corrections or Department of Juvenile Justice is not compliant with that manual.

  • SB 1051 allows a public utility company or broadband provider to park their vehicles on private property without the consent of a property owner, as long as they are not blocking the entrance or exit of the property.

  • SB 1085 requires the State Police to study vehicle noise in the Commonwealth and provide their findings to the General Assembly.

The General Assembly will be meeting on April 12 for our reconvene session to consider the governor’s vetoes and recommended amendments.

Virginia History and Social Studies Curriculum Public Comment

I spoke at the Virginia Board of Education’s public hearing at Mount Vernon Estate on the latest draft history and social studies curriculum standards. Knowing our complete history, how it has shaped our country, and how its legacy affects us is key to helping our kids embrace the opportunities and address the challenges we face now. You can hear my comments on my Facebook page.


Lake Accotink Public Comment

I have heard from many neighbors about Fairfax County’s proposal on the future of Lake Accotink. Recently, county staff made the recommendation that the lake not be dredged because of community and environmental impacts and costs. Supervisor James Walkinshaw is collecting public comments on this proposal through April 1; to provide comments, follow this link. To learn more about the project, click here.