Weekly Column: Important Bills Are Moving in the State Legislature

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 29, 2023.  

Important Bills Are Moving in the State Legislature

After three weeks into this General Assembly session, many of my bills are moving through committees or have been approved by the Senate and sent to the House of Delegates.

Stronger Consumer Protections

               The regulation of monopoly utilities is one of the most complex topics for crafting good policy.  Virginia’s two investor-owned utilities, Dominion Power and Appalachian Power, have combined revenues of nearly $20 billion from their customers.  That is nearly half the state’s $43.5 billion in General Fund revenues, but unfortunately, the legislature invests very little time supervising this spending by Virginia’s residents and businesses. 

Weekly Column: Bills Starting to Move Along

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 22, 2023.   

              The second week of the General Assembly is in the books and I am carrying thirty-one bills and over a dozen budget amendments.  Several saw movement this week. 

               Earlier this year, it was discovered that a guidance counselor was working in Glasgow Middle School two years after having been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor.  It is not clear whether the Chesterfield County Sheriff failed to notify Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) or whether FCPS failed to take action after receiving notice.  His employment was discovered after he was charged with solicitation a second time and discovered at that time.

Weekly Column: The 2023 General Assembly Has Started Its Work

The following is my column that will appear in this week's Mt. Vernon Gazette in the week of January 15, 2023.   

The 2023 General Assembly Has Started Its Work

The first week of the General Assembly session is in the books. We spent most of it getting organized. 

On the day before the session started, we learned that Virginia Beach voters had elected Virginia Beach Councilman Aaron Rouse to the state Senate in a special election to replace now-Congresswoman Jen Kiggans.  That changed the party composition of the Senate to 22 Democrats and 18 Republicans.  Senator-elect Rouse will be sworn in this week after his election is certified and he will be a welcome addition.