Week 2 Recap of the 2025 General Assembly Session

January 24, 2025

Week two of the 2025 General Assembly Session has been incredibly busy! I met with a wide array of constituent and advocacy groups to discuss policies that serve the best interest of Virginians in my district and beyond. I also presented more of my bills in committee hearings, and many of them are moving forward with bipartisan support.

I am excited to share that two of my bills passed the House of Delegates this week and will now make their way to the Senate for further consideration:

HB1886 removes the imposition of paying court fees as a required condition for deferred dismissal. Deferred dismissals are a way to give defendants (typically first-time offenders) a second chance by allowing them to complete certain court-ordered conditions instead of receiving a conviction. However, some judges will enter a guilty conviction instead of dismissing if the defendant has not paid off their court costs. This bill would still require the costs to be paid but would prevent conviction solely based on inability to pay court fees if all other conditions are met. This bill passed the House on a vote of 53 to 44.

HB2074 is a road safety bill that ensures tow truck professionals and road construction workers have the proper authority to use portable messaging signs (VMS) on the back of vehicles. These signs can display arrows or safety messages to warn drivers of dangerous situations along the roadway. VMS are essential for protecting roadside incidents and service personnel like AAA Roadside Tow and Emergency Rescue members. This bill passed the House unanimously!

Please continue reading for a detailed status update on my other bills and budget amendments that have progressed through the legislative process this week.

Legislative Update

On Monday, I presented HB1771 to the House Appropriations Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee. This crucial piece of legislation creates the Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program, which incentivizes employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees by providing matching state funds. I am grateful for the members of the public who came out to voice their support for this bill! Together, we can make child care more affordable and accessible for our working families. HB1771 passed unanimously out of the full Appropriations Committee and will head to the House floor next week.

On Thursday, I presented HB1867 to the General Laws Subcommittee on Housing and Consumer Protection. This bill requires landlords to give 60 days’ notice if they decide not to renew a tenant’s lease. It is extremely difficult to find rental housing, pack up belongings, and move to a new building – and nearly impossible to do on short notice. This bill passed the subcommittee unanimously and will now move on to the full committee.

Also on Thursday, I presented two bills to the Public Safety Subcommittee on Firearms:

HB1869 closes the “dating partner loophole.” Virginia law currently prohibits individuals convicted of assault and battery against a family or household member from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm. However, this firearm prohibition does not extend to dating partners. My bill seeks to disarm those who commit intimate partner violence, regardless of marital status, as a matter of public safety and public health to reduce overall homicide rates in the Commonwealth.
HB2064 requires licensed firearm dealers to provide a locking device when selling or transferring a firearm. It also mandates dealers to include a written warning that guns should be locked and kept away from children, and that failing to do so may result in civil and criminal liability. As a responsible gun owner, I know that firearm locks are crucial for preventing children from accessing firearms.

Both gun safety bills passed the Firearms Subcommittee and the full Public Safety Committee.

Lastly, today I presented HB1617 to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. This bill waives fees for homeless youth to obtain vital documents such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and state ID cards. These records are necessary for accessing education, training, employment, food, housing, and other supportive programs. This bill passed the subcommittee unanimously and will be considered by the full committee next week.

Additional Progress Updates

HB1614: Increases Medicaid coverage for postpartum doula visits from 4 to 6 visits and extends eligibility from 6 months to 12 months. This bill passed the Health and Human Services Committee unanimously, and the House will vote on it next week.
HB1623: Expands and makes permanent the Eviction Diversion Court Program, allowing any locality to participate. This bill passed unanimously and heads to the House floor next week.
HB1625: Ensures farmworkers and temporary foreign workers are included in Virginia’s minimum wage law. This bill successfully made its way through committee and will be voted on in the House next week.

📌 Click here to see a growing list of bills I’ve signed on to support.
📌 Click here to see the bills I’m partnering on as Chief Co-Patron.

If there’s a bill you’d like me to support, please let me know!

Budget Amendments

On Monday, the Appropriations Committee allowed each member to present up to three budget amendments that are not attached to specific bills. I presented the following budget amendments:

Increase the annual appropriation to the Virginia Eviction Reduction Program (VERP) by $3.15 million. VERP provides funding to local and regional eviction prevention programs that can be used to pay any cost or debt putting a household at risk of eviction, including (and especially) past due rent.
Restore $7.5M in funding to the School-Based Mental Health Integration Program. Aside from this program, there is no other source of direct funding for mental health services in schools.
Direct the Department of Medical Assistance Services to develop a 1115 demonstration waiver covering a housing benefit targeted to Medicaid beneficiaries with serious mental illness who need intensive, ongoing support to obtain and maintain stable housing. Funding is needed for consultants to develop the benefit, write the waiver application, and conduct a rate study.

Hamkae Center Advocacy Day Panel

I had the opportunity to speak with members of the Hamkae Center during their annual advocacy day. This community-based organization advances Asian Americans toward social, economic, and racial justice in Virginia. I joined Delegates Kathy Tran and JJ Singh on a panel discussing critical legislation affecting the AAPI community. I truly enjoyed meeting this incredible group!

Floor Introduction: Virginia Farmworker Advocacy Network

I had the honor of introducing the Virginia Farmworker Advocacy Network on the House floor this week. These advocates traveled from all over the Commonwealth to bring awareness to minimum wage and heat stress protections for farmworkers.

🔗 Watch the full introduction here

Black Maternal Health Advocacy Day

On Wednesday, I was invited by Birth in Color to speak with maternal healthcare providers and advocates on Black Maternal Health Advocacy Day. I shared my experiences as a new mom and discussed Virginia’s “Momnibus” package, which includes HB1614 and HB1771, supporting maternal healthcare access. I’m grateful to Birth in Color for their leadership in this effort.