NEWSLETTER

JULY 17, 2020

Neighbors,

While we are experiencing a rise in positive COVID-19 cases in other parts of Virginia, the Virginia Department of Health’s data shows us to be holding steady in Northern Virginia. It is imperative that we continue to practice social distancing and wear face coverings to continue to curb the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Thanks so much for all you are doing to help keep us safe.

Thank you to everyone who joined my tele-town hall this week with Delegates Vivian Watts, Mark Sickles, and Paul Krizek. We enjoyed answering your questions and providing legislative updates. 

My Next Tele-Town Hall: 

Criminal Justice Tele-Town Hall, 7/22 at 6:30pm

***Please note: the correct date of next week’s tele-town hall is Wednesday, July 22***

Dial-in (605) 472-5239 | Access Code 811044 |  Submit Questions here 

I will be joined by the following guests:

Charniele Herring, Chair of the Virginia Crime Commission and Delegate, 46th House District

Steve Descano, Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney 

Marlon Dubuisson, Young Adult Committee Chair, Fairfax NAACP, 42nd District Resident

Updates

Below are updates regarding:

Protections for tenants from Attorney General Mark Herring

Joint public hearings on criminal justice reform from the House of Delegates

Date for the Special Legislative Session

As always, please let me know if I can be of assistance by calling my office 804-698-1042 or by emailing me at DelKTran@house.virginia.gov.

Best, Kathy

Delegate, 42nd District 

Protections for Tenants

  • I have heard from constituents concerned about possibly being evicted during the pandemic, and I joined other members of the House of Delegates to ask Attorney General Mark Herring for an official opinion regarding protections available to tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

  • The Attorney General issued his opinion this week on protections available through federal and state law. Below is a summary of his opinion, which you can find here. 

Federal Protections

  • The federal Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act protects tenants living in certain properties subsidized or backed by the United States government until August 26, 2020. These include properties that:

  • Participate in federal assistance programs;

  • Are subject to a federally backed mortgage loan;

  • Are subject to a multi-family federally backed mortgage loan.

State Protections

  • House Bill 340, which passed the General Assembly this year and has been signed into law, provides tenants with a 60-day deferral on an eviction if you demonstrate that you have lost wages as a result of the current public health pandemic. 

  • The Attorney General’s opinion is that any Virginian who is sued for their rent payment during the State of Emergency will be protected with a 60 day continuance if they show written proof that the pandemic has impacted their income. 

Legislative Action and Executive Authority

  • There are additional actions that the General Assembly and Governor Northam can take to further protect tenants. The General Assembly can take such action when in a legislative session to give localities additional authority to limit evictions. The Governor can also take action through Executive Order.

Joint Public Hearings on Criminal Justice Reform

  • As I mentioned, the Speaker of the House of Delegates has asked the House Committees on Public Safety and Courts of Justice to host joint public hearings on criminal justice reform. These hearings will inform the upcoming Special Legislative Session in August as well as the 2021 Legislative Session. 

  • The dates for the hearings are:

    • July 22 from 10am-1pm

    • July 29 from 10am-1pm

    • August 6 from 10am-1pm

  • For more information on submitting comments or participating in the hearings, please see http://bit.ly/vahousecalendar.

Announced Date for August Special Session

  • Governor Northam has announced that he will be calling back the General Assembly to Richmond on August 18 to work on finalizing our biennial budget and to address criminal justice system reforms. 

 

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.