Crossover is here, the day by which all legislation passed in the Senate now moves to the House of Delegates.   While Virginia is beginning to thaw in the wake of these Winter storms, things are beginning to heat up here in Richmond.  As you know, the most important item on the General Assembly’s agenda this session is closing the four billion dollar budget gap which will mean making serious sacrifices.  This session will no doubt be very contentious among members of both chambers.  My office hears your concerns through phone calls and e-mails, and while it is unlikely that many programs will be spared due to the Governor’s proposals, I am confident the Senate will do everything in its power to ensure that these cuts are the most minimal and that the reductions will eventually be restored. 

While Virginia is certain to see an increase in unemployment due to budget cuts, I and members of the General Assembly are also working on fiscally-neutral legislation that would continue to maintain public safety, provide for elders and the disabled, and protect couples from abuse.

In our last newsletter, I mentioned a few bills I am carrying that would serve those in the 39th District as well as all Virginians. Below is where those bills currently stand in the legislature.

• SB 208 will protect all couples from physical abuse. Virginia remains one of the few states that do not extend protective orders to those in dating relationships; this bill would do just that. This bill has been referred to the Crime Commission and will be heard next year.
• SB 229 will build on a precedent set to protect drivers on Virginia’s highways and will require all passengers regardless of their age to wear a seatbelt while driving. This bill, I am pleased to say, passed the Senate and will go onto the House.
• SJ 97 would give localities the authority to determine how they will grant property tax relief for citizens 65 and older as well as for the disabled by amending the Constitution of Virginia. This bill passed the Senate unanimously.

Below are a couple of others bill I am also proud to be carrying:

• SB 735 is a bill that was inspired by a student at George Mason University who serves in the North Carolina National Guard and was denied in-state tuition because he was stationed in North Carolina and paid taxes there despite being a Virginia taxpayer, licensed driver, and resident. This bill will provide in-state tuition for anyone who met the requirements for in-state tuition before being called to active duty in the National Guard of another state. This bill passed its first reading in the Senate.
• SB 209 deals with the International Baccalaureate program that is offered in many of Virginia’s high schools. This bill would require public universities to grant undergraduate credit(s) to entering freshman students who have completed one or more IB or Advanced Placement (AP) courses. This bill also passed its first reading in the Senate.

All of these bills have something in common. While this year’s budget cuts are at the center of this year’s session, the bills I am carrying are a reminder that there is much we can do that does not affect the budget that still serve southern Fairfax, Prince William, and ultimately, all of Virginia better. I believe these bills are not only the right thing to do, but can provide protection for drivers, comfort to all couples, benefits to elders and the disabled who need them as well as to students who earn them. It is the least state government can do during these very difficult times. While the budget crisis Virginia faces seems relentless, I can absolutely assure you that Virginia will prosper again.