Weekly Column: Battling the Coronavirus - Efforts Must Be Expanded

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of May 11, 2020.

Battling the Coronavirus - Efforts Must Be Expanded

It has been four months since the Centers for Disease Control confirmed the first case of coronavirus disease, called COVID-19, in the United States.  As of May 11, over 800 Virginians have died, 3,200 hospitalized and over 25,000 Virginians have tested positive for this virus.  Only about 1.7% of Virginians or 147,000 have been tested.  Our hospitalization rate has continued to climb with over 1,500 people currently in the hospital.  The rate of infection has slowed, but this virus has hit our community very unevenly.

                While nearly every Virginia locality has seen infections, infections have mostly been concentrated.  While Northern Virginia has the highest raw number of infections, outbreaks on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, Shenandoah Valley and Northern Neck are proportionally more severe than they are here.  Several of our prisons, local jails and juvenile detention facilities have experienced outbreaks and four inmates being held for non-violent offenses have died. 

Disproportionate Impacts

                The Hispanic community has been disproportionately, adversely affected. Neighborhood Health operates a clinic on U.S. 1 on Beacon Hill.  Although only 50% of their patients are Latino, 90% of their positive tests have been Latinos and 74% of those tested lack health insurance.  The Northern Virginia zip codes with the highest concentrations of positive tests also have largest numbers of Latino residents including the U.S. 1 Corridor, Manassas, Herndon, and Bailey’s Crossroads.  

Weekly Column: Week #4 - Important Bills Are Moving

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, Springfield Connection, The Prince William Times, The Fort Hunt Herald, and Potomac Local in the week of January 17, 2020.

Important Bills Are Moving

In the fourth week of our historic General Assembly session, both the Senate and the House of Delegates voted to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment after a 50 year battle.  Our Clerks transmitted the ratifications to the Archivist of the United States of America and now the battle moves to Congress and the courts.  

We had a lengthy debate in the Senate on repealing unnecessary restrictions on women’s access to reproductive health, including requiring an intrusive, medically-unnecessary ultrasound before seeking an abortion and rules designed to make abortion clinics extremely expensive to construct.  The Senate voted 20-20 and the Lieutenant Governor broke the tie to approve the measure.  

On Tuesday, the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee passed my legislation to eviscerate predatory lending in Virginia.  The bill provides a 36% interest rate cap with monthly fees that result in annual percentage Interest rates (APR’s) of 50-110%, depending on the length of the loan.  The longer the loan, the smaller the rate.  The bill would prohibit the 267% loans currently allowed at title lenders, businesses that have exploded along U.S. 1 and online loans currently made at rates exceeding 400%.  I expect a tough Senate floor fight. The House has already passed similar legislation.

Weekly Column: My Committees and Legislative Agenda Part II

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, The Mt. Vernon Voice and The Potomac-Stafford Local in the week of January 17, 2016.

My Committees and Legislative Agenda Part II
Last week, the 2016 General Assembly gaveled into action and I became your State Senator for Virginia’s 36th District.

New Committees
The Rules Committee assigned me to three committees. (1)  The Local Government Committee considers legislation addressing land use, zoning and local government.  (2) The Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee has jurisdiction over the safety net programs, prisons, alcoholic beverage regulation and childcare.  (3) The General Laws and Technology Committee examines bills affecting homeowners associations, gambling, professional occupation regulation, procurement and the Freedom of Information Act.  Each of these has jurisdiction over issues  critical to the quality of life in our area. 

Weekly Column: Children’s Issues Dominate First Hispanic Town Hall

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette and The Mt. Vernon Voice in the week of August 18, 2014.

Children’s Issues Dominate First Hispanic Town Hall

On Saturday, August 16, 2014, I held my third town hall meeting of the year and my first ever Hispanic Community Town Hall.  I was also joined by the first Democratic elected Latino State Delegate - Alfonso Lopez - who represents South Arlington and Bailey's Crossroads.  

The Hispanic population has grown from less than one percent in Virginia in the 1970s to 8.6% today.  Here in our area, there was virtually no Hispanic population when I was a kid.  Today, the Hispanic population is the largest minority demographic in the 44th District.  One in four people who lives in the 44th District is Hispanic.

Hispanic Housing Discrimination Alive and Well in Northern Virginia

The Equal Rights Center has just come out with a disturbing report entitled Precaucion: Obstacles for Latinos in the Virginia Rental Housing Market, that should concern everyone. 

After conducting study with live prospective renters, they found that landlords routinely discriminate against Hispanics prospective renters in Northern Virginia.  Given that 24% of the population of the 44th District is Hispanic, this is an issue that should be of special concern to anyone living in our area. 

Here's how it worked:

• The study conducted 106 matched pair (one Hispanic and one white going to the same property) tests in areas where Hispanic populations lived in close proximity to predominantly white populations. 
• The tested landlords required at least 25 units. 
• The Hispanic pairs gave had the same personal and financial profiles. 
• The Hispanic pair went first to ensure they'd receive more favorable information (e.g. before a unit was rented)
• They both visited the same day and frequently saw the saw property agent
• Everyone was lawfully present in the United States
• They conducted the study in the City of Fairfax, Henrico & Richmond, Loudoun, Prince William, Manassas, Roanoke County, and the Northern Shenandoah Valley (Augusta, Culpepper, Frederick, Rockingham), and Virginia Beach.

In 58 of 106 tests, the Hispanic pair was discriminated against.  Here were the specific findings: