Happy New Year. 2019 is sure shaping up to be an exciting year and I’m eager to get to work during the upcoming General Assembly This year’s session begins on Jan. 9. The Senate Democratic caucus stands at 18 with a special election to fill Congresswoman-elect Jennifer Wexton’s seat occurring […]

December is a particularly busy month that is packed with holiday celebrations and a number of meetings for members of the General Assembly. Engaged constituents reach out to share their concerns and/or support for potential legislation and funding matters. Many of the interim study groups and commissions are wrapping up […]

I am at a loss for words trying to address the crisis this nation is facing. Bombs being sent to elected officials, including former presidents, people being gunned down in their sacred place of worship… enough! Let this country come together in peace. Stop the now daily experience of violence […]

In an attempt to keep you informed about matters affecting our Commonwealth, I intended to use this space exclusively to let you know what we are doing in higher education. I will get to that shortly. However, I believe the confirmation process from across the Potomac is worth noting as […]

The academic year has begun for the 1.2 million public school students across the Commonwealth. As many of you know, classes resumed in our region before Labor Day. By now, many school districts have adopted a calendar that starts before the holiday. As a reminder, state law remains the same […]

Summer is in full swing and unfortunately rain, storms, flooding, and hazardous road conditions have plagued the region. We even saw evidence of a tornado touch down on July 24 at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. I am thankful that we are still a month away from […]

July 1 marked the start of Virginia’s fiscal year and the date that non-emergency legislation became law. This week is also the commemoration of the founding of our Nation. The Fourth of July is a day of celebration marked by parades, festivities, and fireworks. We celebrate the freedoms and the […]

On May 30, the General Assembly passed a bipartisan budget bill that included Medicaid expansion for hundreds of thousands of Virginians in need of access to healthcare. This was a long-overdue legislative action, and helps lift the burden from those who often have to decide between managing a chronic illness […]

The most essential responsibility entrusted to state legislators is to be good stewards of public funds. State funds to operate government come from the citizens and should be prudently spent on infrastructure and other core services that enhance our quality of life. This past March, the General Assembly dropped the […]

Since adjourning, my colleagues have used this column space to highlight some of the work of the General Assembly. I want to talk about the missed opportunity of not having a budget. The regular session adjourned with the two Republican-led chambers (both the House and Senate) at an impasse over […]