October 13, 2023

Neighbors, 

Happy Fall! I hope you’re taking advantage of all the wonderful opportunities the Commonwealth has to celebrate the changing seasons. 

For example, check out the fall foliage report from the Virginia Department of Forestry if you want to see changing leaf colors. Also see the pick-your-own apple orchards on Virginia Tourism’s website if you are looking to pick apples.

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

  • Voting Information

  • Sales Tax Holiday

  • Community Updates

    • Dedication of Monaco Field & Resolution Delivery 

    • Visit to Hayfield Secondary School 

    • Gunston Hall's Riverside Garden Grand Opening 

    • 32BJ Rally

    • 2 Twenty Charity Walk

  • Legislative Updates

    • Grand Opening of the New General Assembly Building

    • Update About the Federal 340B Drug Pricing Program

    • Reminder about the 2024 House and Senate Page Program

  • Mason Neck State Park - Public Comments

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


Voting Information

Early voting for the November general election is under way! Thanks to laws that we passed in the last few years, we now have 45 days of no excuse, early voting in Virginia.

The deadline to register to vote in Virginia is next Monday, October 16. To register to vote or confirm your registration status, see the Department of Elections’ website. If you are not registered by then, you can still vote a provisional ballot on Election Day.

Once registered, you can vote early at any of the following locations in Fairfax County:

  • Fairfax County Government Center

12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax 22035

Conference Rooms 2/3

  • Mt. Vernon Governmental Center

2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, 22306

  • North County Governmental Center

1801 Cameron Glen Drive Reston, 20190

Additional early voting sites will open between October 26 and November 4. Click here to see early voting times and to learn more about voting early.

Sales Tax Holiday

Mark your calendar! The Virginia sales tax holiday will be from Friday, October 20 – Sunday, October 22. School supplies, clothing, hurricane and emergency supplies, energy-efficient goods that weekend will not be charged the sales tax. Learn more on Virginia Tax’s website.

Community Updates

Dedication of Monaco Field & Resolution Delivery 

West Springfield Little League recently dedicated Monaco Field in memory of Johnny Monaco, who served on the West Springfield Little League Board and coached over 700 kids in 41 years. I was honored to present a resolution to Johnny’s family to commemorate his steadfast commitment to our youth and community.

2 Twenty Club’s Charity Walk at Burke Lake Park

I had a wonderful time helping to kick off the 2 Twenty Club’s annual Charity Walk at Burke Lake Park recently. The 2 Twenty Club gives back to our community by encouraging members to give two hours of volunteer time and $20 each month to children and families in need, including providing much needed food assistance and gift cards to vulnerable families at  elementary schools in our community. Thank you to my constituent and club president, Sook Moon, for inviting me.

Visit to Hayfield Secondary School

I enjoyed visiting Mr. Zywiol’s government class at Hayfield Secondary School to talk with students about my work in the state legislature. Thanks for having me!

Gunston Hall's Riverside Garden Grand Opening Celebration

It was exciting to visit Gunston Hall for the ribbon cutting ceremony for their newly restored Riverside Gardens. Gunston Hall is a historic treasure and well worth a visit!

32BJ Rally with Cleaners

I was proud to join SEIU 32BJ members from across Northern Virginia to call for increased wages and a fair contract for workers who help keep our businesses clear.  workers. I was pleased to see that union members were able to reach an agreement, avoid a strike, and will be receiving raises in the next three years.

Legislative Updates

Grand Opening of the New General Assembly Building

Yesterday, after seven years of construction, we cut the ribbon on the new 414,000 square feet, 14 story General Assembly building.  

The new building features large committee and subcommittee rooms, offices, and state-of-the-art technology. I’m most excited about how the space will make it easier for you and other members of the public to participate in the legislative process. 

I hope to see you in the new building during session! You can learn more about the new building from the House Clerk’s office’s press release.

Update on the Federal 340B Drug Pricing Program

It was my honor to join the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for a panel discussion on the federal 340B Drug Pricing program. 

The 340B Drug Pricing Program helps safety-net nonprofit hospitals save money by purchasing prescription drugs at a discount, with a goal of ensuring these hospitals have additional resources to increase services for low-income patients. 

During the 2023 legislative session, I introduced a bill to require Virginia hospitals participating in the federal 340B program to report how they are investing the savings from the program into the local community. That bill did not pass, but I’m dedicated to ensuring that these low-income communities get the resources they need from this important program.

Last year, the New York Times published a stunning expose on a Richmond hospital system’s abuse of the 340B program. We must do better for our fellow Virginians and ensure this program works as intended. The US Senate has announced it will investigate this hospital’s practices.

2024 House and Senate Page Program

A reminder that the applications are open for the 2024 House and Senate Page Programs! The Page Programs, open to 13 and 14 year olds, provide an immersive educational opportunity to experience first hand how the Virginia General Assembly operates while we are in session. 

Applications for the House Page Program are due Monday, October 16, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. You can find the House Page Program application here.

Applications for the Senate Page Program are due Friday, October 20, 2023, at 5:00 pm. You can find the Senate Page Program application here.

If you live in our district, please reach out to me if you apply!

Mason Neck State Park - Public Comments

In 2021, the General Assembly approved $1.5 million in state funding to connect Mason Neck State Park to the public water supply. This appropriation was a result of a budget amendment that Senator Scott Surovell and I introduced. The park is currently connected to well water with a pump that occasionally fails and that does not allow for emergency water services.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service recently completed a draft environmental assessment for the water main installation and are accepting public comments. You can view the draft environmental assessment here. 

Comments must be submitted by October 26, 2023, and you can submit your comments by emailing potomacriverrefuges@fws.gov or mailing to Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex, 14050 Dawson Beach Road, Woodbridge, VA 22191.