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Feb. 13, 2023
Week 5, Crossover
Last week, the General Assembly reached crossover day – the halfway point of the 2023 Session. The House has passed 598 bills, and the Senate has passed 515. From this point forward, each chamber can only consider the bills that have passed the other chamber. That being the case, I wanted to take a minute to update you on what we’ve been working on in the House of Delegates, and what we’re doing to keep our promise to you and every Virginian to build a better education for our children, more secure communities for our families, and a brighter future for every Virginian.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns – please do not hesitate to contact us using the following information:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 540-280-0778
Mail: PO Box 366, Fairfield, VA 23350
Check Out My Introduced Bills Here!
Here is whats happening:
Budget
One of the biggest tasks we face each session is working out how our Commonwealth will spend your tax dollars in the form of the biennial budget and budget amendments. And while that process is only halfway done at this point, I’m proud to say that our version of the budget reflects the priorities you told us you wanted addressed when you sent us to Richmond.
Our budget sends our schools an additional $514 million over the two-year biennium, giving teachers a net raise of 12 percent. It funds innovative lab schools, and puts millions of dollars forward for additional school resource officers.
We put millions of dollars into public safety measures, and make landmark investments in behavioral health programs to stop tragedies before they happen. And we do all of this while cutting taxes, balancing the budget, and putting our Commonwealth on a course for future growth.
Education
First, I want to address some news stories that are floating around saying our local schools will be getting less money than they were promised from Richmond. That is unequivocally false.
While the Department of Education did make a mistake calculating the money that will flow back to our schools, the House and Governor Youngkin are taking action to send more, not less, money back to our schools.
When voters went to the polls in 2021, they sent a loud and resounding message: parents expect better results from our public schools, and they want more input in what their children learn.
We heard that message loud and clear, and have passed a set of bills that put more resources into schools to combat learning loss, raise standards, and ensure that teachers have the authority to keep control of their classrooms.
Some of our Democrat colleagues don’t see learning loss as the true emergency that it is. I sincerely hope that when our package of education legislation arrives in the Senate, they will recognize the dire need to get our students more help as soon as possible.
Our legislation also puts parents back in charge of their children’s education. We voted to let parents have the final word on whether or not their kids can check out explicit materials from the school library, and other bills focused on school safety that put more resource officers in schools that need them most.
With higher standards, more resources, and a commitment to innovation, our caucus has kept our promise to parents to give our students an educational foundation that will allow them to reach their full potential in life.
Public Safety
Public safety is one of the biggest concerns Virginians want addressed. They’re tired of being scared of criminals in their neighborhoods, and want to be able to let their children play outside without fear.
During their two years in control of the General Assembly, Democrats acted as if police were the enemy and criminals were victims, while the real victims of crime were ignored. Predictably, violent crime in our cities skyrocketed. Our House Republican team has sent a strong message to the Commonwealth this session. We’ve told police that we have their back and will ensure they have the tools needed to do their jobs.
We told criminals that if they break the law and hurt their fellow Virginians, they’re going to prison for a long time. And we told the public that we heard them, and we’re going to keep working until every Virginian can be safe in their own neighborhoods.
Second Amendment
With Democrats in charge of the Senate, making true progress on expanding our Second Amendment rights is difficult. With redistricting, some Democrats who were at one time favorable to gun rights are no longer answerable to Second Amendment voters.
Let me be completely clear – no ban on any firearms will pass while there is a Republican majority in the House of Delegates. We’re also working hard to roll back some of the Democratic overreaction of years past, by allowing state employees to keep firearms in their locked cars, and by letting concealed carry permit holders carry on Capitol Square again.
As for our friends across the aisle, a blind squirrel sometimes finds a nut. Democrats brought forward a bill regarding firearms that we can support, and for which I was proud to vote. HB 2387 creates a $300 tax credit for purchasing a gun safe in an effort to get gun owners to store their firearms safely.
The credit is limited though, so if you’re inclined to buy a new gun safe, don’t dawdle after it becomes law!
Behavioral Health
It’s clear to anyone who watches the news on a regular basis that Virginia has a major problem with behavioral health. Far too many people who could have been helped with the right resources become violent and harm others, like we saw at the University of Virginia and at a Walmart in Chesapeake.
Led by Governor Youngkin, we’re taking big steps to save these lives. Our budget contains $250 million to help get people the help they need when they need it. We’re also working to create new crisis centers, crisis response units that come to the troubled individual, and major reforms to our temporary detention system.
We cannot and will not accept that violence is the inevitable outcome of serious mental illness.
Life
When you sent me to Richmond, you voted for a Delegate who is unabashedly pro-life, and you elected a pro-life House Republican caucus – a caucus that reflects the values of the vast majority of Virginians.
House Republicans want to see fewer abortions, not more. It is unfortunate that Senate Democrats were unwilling to work with us to find consensus on a bill that has majority support of Virginians. Nonetheless, House Republicans were successful in advancing legislation that will ensure that infants who survive an abortion will receive medical care and a chance at life, and that women seeking an abortion do so with complete information about their choice.
I’m also proud to say that we defeated a measure from Democrats that would have enshrined elective abortion for any reason at any moment, even up until the moment of birth, in Virginia’s Constitution.
Energy
Access to affordable, reliable energy is critical to all Virginians. Without it, our economy suffers as businesses struggle, and families suffer, as they must choose between staying warm or paying other bills. If Virginia is to meet these goals and have a low-carbon energy future, nuclear power must be part of the equation.
Any policy that leaves Virginians freezing in the dark, either due to rolling blackouts or unaffordable energy prices, is a bad policy. The recent rolling blackouts in neighboring states are a reminder of why House Republicans are working to keep our grid reliable and prices affordable no matter the weather.
That legislation includes the foundation of Virginia’s Small Modular Reactor program Small modular reactors represent an unprecedented opportunity for our Commonwealth. The coalfields that were once the powerhouse of Virginia can and will be again, as they become the home of this cutting-edge industry
With these bills, Virginia will be well positioned to capitalize on this opportunity, and ensure that as other forms of renewable energy are deployed, reliability and affordability are put first.
Religious Freedom
One of the loudest and most angry complaints I’ve heard over the past two years is that former Gov. Ralph Northam was somehow able to use the COVID pandemic to keep churches closed. That wasn’t right, and eventually the courts overturned his blatant violation of religious freedom.
That’s why I’m proud that we passed legislation that will ensure that no future Governor can use his emergency powers to prevent Virginians from gathering in their churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, or other places of worship.
We also passed a bill that ensures that Virginians who have religious objections to vaccination won’t be in violation of the law if they refuse. While I’m a strong proponent of childhood vaccination myself, the state should never insert itself into someone’s private religious beliefs.
Protecting Girls Sports and Keeping Parents Informed
Another promise we made to our constituents is that Republicans would always stand up for the rights of parents when it comes to their children. And I’m proud to say we did that, passing legislation that would ensure that schools don’t keep secrets from parents. If a child tells a school official that they’re going to transition genders, parents must be informed.
Growing up is an emotional roller coaster for everyone. Add in confused feelings about sexual attraction, body image, and gender expression, and it can be emotional torment. Every child should get emotional support and guidance from someone they trust. But parents know their children better than anyone else. From birth, parents are there for the ups and downs, from the first words to college admissions and beyond.
We also passed legislation that will protect and preserve women’s sports for biological women, and create an “open” category. A human body that spends years soaked in natural steroids like testosterone will on average end up significantly bigger and stronger than one that doesn’t.
The athletic record books bear this out, just as they have for centuries. In track and field the women’s world record in 100 meters is about 9 percent slower than the men’s. In distances up to the marathon, it’s about 10 percent. In the long jump, it’s 16 percent shorter. In pole vault, where upper body strength is key, it’s nearly 20 percent less.
This legislation tells girls and young women that there’s a place for them in sports, and we will not stand by and let men dominate a protected female space.
With crossover behind us, the House now moves on to two remaining priorities: considering legislation sent to us by the Democratically-run Senate, and negotiating amendments to the existing two-year budget.
As these two processes move forward, rest assured that I will continue to stand for our shared common-sense conservative values, and I will always work to keep our promise to you – we will fight for better schools, safer communities, and a more prosperous Commonwealth.
As always, if my office may be of any assistance to you, please feel free to reach out at (540) 280-0778 or [email protected].
Visit us in Richmond!
If you would like to visit us in Richmond, please give us a call so we can arrange a time! We can also arrange gallery seating for groups of any size.
Again, thank you for the honor to serve our community. This has been a tremendous journey, and I am beyond blessed.
Please do not hesitate to contact us!
