FROM: Delegate Kathy Tran

SUBJECT: Newsletter 10/6/22 

October 6, 2022

Neighbors, 

Today I announced that I am seeking re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates in the new 18th district!

My husband, Matt, and I are proud to raise our five kids in this community and we cherish the bonds we have formed with our neighbors. I am honored to already represent so many residents of the 18th district since 2017 and I look forward to meeting and earning the support of new voters.

The election in 2023 will take place under the new lines drawn by the Virginia Supreme Court. You can see your current and future districts here.

As I’ve discussed in previous newsletters, I will remain the delegate for the 42nd district until the next election, and I look forward to continuing to represent all of my constituents until then.

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

  • Virginia Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus Leadership Election

  • Legislative Updates 

    • Public Comment Period on Virginia Public School 2022 Model Policies

    • Tax Rebates 

    • Senate and House Page Programs

  • Community Updates

    • Congratulations to Hillary Clawson, former president of the Mason Neck Citizen Association 

    • National Public Lands Day

    • CASA Welcome Center Groundbreaking

  • Community Resources

    • Affordable Broadband - Cox’s Connect2Compete program for students 

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 

Virginia Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus Leadership Election

I’m extremely honored and excited to announce that I’ve been elected the new Chair of the Virginia Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus. The previous chair, Delegate Mark Keam, resigned from the House of Delegates to join the Biden administration, and I appreciate his leadership in co-founding this caucus.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are Virginia’s fastest growing minority population and make up nearly 10 percent of the Commonwealth’s population. I look forward to continuing to partner with state legislators and community leaders to advocate for AAPI Virginians.

Legislative Updates

Public Comment Period on Virginia Public School 2022 Model Policies 

On September 16, Governor Youngkin issued revised model transgender policies for Virginia public schools. 

Recognizing that LGBTQ youth are disproportionately at risk for self-harm, the General Assembly passed bipartisan legislation in 2020 that instructed the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to develop model, evidenced-based policies for school boards to address the treatment of transgender students. 

The revised policies are a significant departure from the previous policy. You can find more information on the original policy and the revised policy on VDOE’s website. 

VDOE opened a 30 day public comment period on the revised policies. I encourage you to submit your feedback here.

Tax Rebates 

As I mentioned in the last newsletter, the Department of Taxation has started sending out tax rebates of $250 for individual filers and $500 for joint filers. These tax rebates are part of the biennial budget that the General Assembly passed this summer.

If you haven’t filed your 2021 taxes yet, please know that all Virginia taxpayers who file by November 1 will be eligible to receive the tax rebate. The rebates will be issued in the order that taxpayers filed. If you received your state tax refund by direct deposit, your rebate will also be deposited. Otherwise, you will receive the refund by mail as a paper check.

To learn more about the rebates, click here. To check the status of your rebate, click here. 

House and Senate Page Program

Applications are open for the House and Senate Page Program - If you live in our district, please reach out to me if you apply! 

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 state Senate Page Program are due October 17 and more information is here. Applications for the House of Delegates Page Program are due October 31 and you can access this application here.

Community Events

Congratulations to Hillary Clawson, former president of the Mason Neck Citizen Association 

I provided a legislative update at the annual meeting of the Mason Neck Citizens Association and was delighted to present a resolution to my constituent and friend, Hillary Clawson, for her service as the past president of the Association. We are so grateful to Hillary for her leadership and commitment to strengthening our community and preserving the natural beauty of Mason Neck!

National Public Lands Day

My kids and I celebrated National Public Lands Day at Mason Neck State Park when we joined volunteers across the state to help to clean up our parks. It is a good reminder that we can all appreciate our parks while being good stewards of our natural treasures.

CASA Welcome Center Groundbreaking 

I joined legislators and community leaders for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new CASA Welcome Center in Prince William County, a project long in the making. Through this center, CASA will provide vital services and support to immigrants in northern Virginia.

Affordable Broadband for Students

Cox’s Connect2Compete program for students 

Having access to reliable high-speed internet is a key part of academic equity in today’s classroom. 

Cox’s flagship program, Connect2Compete (C2C), is designed to provide low-income household that have school-aged children with affordable broadband service. Virginia families who are eligible for any government assistance program are eligible for C2C. Eligible families can find more information here. 

Additionally, there are other affordability programs, such as Connect Assist for non-student households, more information can be found here.