Week 4 Recap of the 2025 General Assembly Session

February 7, 2025

I have received many calls and emails over the past two weeks regarding the current administration’s reckless efforts to reduce the federal workforce and freeze federal funding. These steps not only raise serious legal and constitutional concerns, but they also imperil Virginia’s economy.

Virginia is home to 145,000 federal civilian employees and even more federal contractors. Many are my constituents. We all rely on strong partnerships with federal agencies to provide critical services.

I want you to know that Democrats in the General Assembly are taking this seriously and planning accordingly.

That’s why Speaker Don Scott held a press conference to announce the formation of an Emergency Committee on the Impacts of Federal Workforce and Funding Reductions.

This 12-member committee will include people from both sides of the aisle and will serve as a direct response to the rightful outrage and legitimate concerns you’ve shared with us. Working together, it will evaluate the impact of these damaging cuts and develop solutions to safeguard Virginia’s economic future.

I am confident that this committee will be able to deliver thoughtful and effective solutions we can act on in the General Assembly.

As this work continues, please know that I will also continue to advocate for you and for communities all across the Commonwealth. We’re all in this together.

If you have been personally impacted by the federal workforce cuts and need help with filing a claim for unemployment benefits, please reach out to my office. My staff and I will gladly assist you during this difficult time.

CONTACT MY OFFICE

Legislative Update

Happy Crossover! This week marked the halfway point of the 2025 legislative session. During “Crossover,” all of the bills that passed the House are sent to the Senate for further consideration, and vice versa.

I am pleased to announce that 13 of my bills and one resolution have successfully passed the House and are now being heard in Senate committees:

HB1614: Increases the number of postpartum doula visits covered by Medicaid from 4 to 6, and extends the period of time to utilize these services from 6 months to 12 months.
HB1617: Waives fees for homeless youth related to obtaining vital documents, such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and state ID cards.
HB1623: Expands and makes permanent the Eviction Diversion Court Program within the General District Court.
HB1625: Ensures that farmworkers and temporary foreign workers are included in Virginia’s minimum wage law.
HB1771: Creates the Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program, incentivizing employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees.
HB1867: Requires landlords to give 60 days’ notice if they decide not to renew a tenant’s lease.
HB1869: Closes the “dating partner loophole” to extend firearm prohibitions to dating partners convicted of assault.
HB1886: Ensures that a court cannot enter a conviction solely due to unpaid court costs if a person has met all other conditions.
HB2064: Requires firearm dealers to provide a locking device when selling or transferring a firearm.
HB2074: Allows tow truck professionals and road construction workers to use portable messaging signs for roadway safety.
HB2515: Requires full disclosure of mandatory fees in advertised prices for goods and services.
HB2557: Clarifies that unlicensed property managers can sign leases and documents under supervision of a licensed broker.
HB2721: Updates the Washington Commanders’ special license plate to reflect the team’s new name and logo.
HJR466: Designates May as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Awareness Month.

These critical bills are the result of collaborative efforts with constituents, advocates, and policy experts to ensure that we adequately address the most pressing issues faced by Virginians. I am so grateful to everyone who supported our work thus far, and I am hopeful that the Senate will vote favorably for these bills in the coming weeks.

House Budget Proposal

Full House Budget Details

Yesterday, the House voted on budget amendments approved by the Appropriations Committee. I’m proud to have secured $25 million to provide matching funds to private sector employers who contribute to the cost of child care for their employees. I requested this budget amendment to fund the Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program, which is created by my bill HB1771.

Here are some of the major items included in the final House budget proposal:

Tax Relief

Provides $1.1 billion for immediate and ongoing tax relief to Virginia’s hard-working citizens.
Reduces tax liability for all Virginians by adjusting the standard deduction to $8,750 for individuals and $17,500 for joint filers (an increase from $8,500 and $17,000, respectively).

Support for Virginia’s Workforce

Increases the minimum wage to $13.50 an hour on January 1, 2026 (which will ultimately be raised to $15 an hour on January 1, 2027).
Creates a Paid Family Medical Leave Program to allow Virginia’s workers to take time off after the birth of a child or to care for a loved one.

Public Education

Provides $773.8 million in state support for our public education system, in addition to the historic $2.6 billion increase provided last session.
Includes a 10% increase in Special Education funding to support instructional aides and other special education needs.

Affordable Housing

Invests $15 million in a new grant program that provides first-time homebuyers with resources up to $10,000 to offset the cost of home purchases.
Increases funding for the Virginia Eviction Reduction Program, bringing the total to $4 million. I am proud to have introduced and secured funding for this program for the second year in a row.

Healthcare/Behavioral Health

Provides $687.2 million to fully fund increases in the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) forecasts.
Adds $8.7 million to hire support coordinators at Community Services Boards to ensure individuals on the Developmental Disability (DD) waiver get access to services, and to help with the increased caseload due to the significant addition of DD waiver slots this biennium.

Office Staff Shoutout

I wanted to take a quick moment to recognize the hard work my incredible staff do behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly during the legislative session. I am grateful for their dedication to serving House District 2 and our constituents. Shoutout to my amazing team!

Chief of Staff: Madison McCabe

Session Aide: Owen Kathcart

VCU Intern: Lisa Vanwey

VSU Intern: Yousif Omer

Pictured from left to right: Yousif, Owen, Delegate McClure, Madison, and Lisa

Black History Month Spotlight: Dorothy Height

Dr. Dorothy Irene Height, known as the “Godmother of the Civil Rights Movement,” dedicated her life to racial and gender equality. She played a crucial role in the 1963 March on Washington and served as president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) for 40 years. Her contributions earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Born in 1912 in Richmond, Virginia, and raised in Pennsylvania, Height became a powerful advocate for justice early in her life. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from New York University and later joined the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), where she served as president for 40 years.

Height worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Whitney Young, A. Philip Randolph, and other civil rights leaders playing a crucial role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington. Despite being a key strategist, she was often overlooked due to gender biases within the movement. However, that never stopped her from advocating for policies that uplifted Black women and families, fighting for desegregation, voting rights, and economic justice.

Her contributions earned her numerous accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Dr. Height’s unwavering commitment to equality continues to inspire generations of activists and community leaders, including myself.

Upcoming Events

Feel the Heritage Festival

Date: Saturday, February 22nd, 12–5 p.m.
Location: Charles Drew Community Center
Details: Arlington’s 31st annual Feel the Heritage Festival welcomes hundreds yearly to learn about Arlington’s historically African-American neighborhoods while enjoying live entertainment, delicious food, and dozens of vendors.
Learn more here

Mary McLeod Bethune: A History

Date: Thursday, February 27th at 6:30 p.m.
Location: Arlington Public Library
Details: Join the Arlington Public Library for a conversation with Dr. Noliwe Rooks on “A Passionate Mind in Relentless Pursuit: The Vision of Mary McLeod Bethune.” Dr. Rooks will discuss the life and legacy of one of America’s towering educators, a woman who dared to center the progress of Black women and girls in the larger struggle for political and social liberation.
Register here

It’s hard to believe that there are only two weeks remaining of the 2025 legislative session. We have been making a great deal of progress down in Richmond, and I look forward to providing you with additional updates as bills begin to pass out of the General Assembly next week.

Have a great weekend!

Yours in Action,

Delegate Adele McClure (HD-2)