Dear Friends,

This week marks the last full week before Crossover, meaning that our committee dockets and floor calendars are getting longer and longer, as we work to finish the House’s business before we consider Senate legislation. It’s been a productive week, and I can’t wait to share all of the details with you!


HD-27 Office Hours  

On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, a military helicopter and an American Airlines jet collided, causing both aircraft to crash into the Potomac River. This tragedy is heartbreaking for our community as many neighbors, friends, and family were sadly lost. My office is actively in communication with emergency management officials to receive updates on recovery operations, as we await investigation findings. Our prayers continue to go out to everyone affected by this awful accident.


Honoring the Legacy of Senator Henry Marsh

On January 21, 2025, Senator Henry Marsh passed away at 91 years of age. The Senator leaves behind a vibrant legacy as a true trailblazer, civil rights lawyer, and public servant. Senator Marsh served as the first African-American mayor of Richmond in a time when vestiges of the Jim Crow South were deeply entrenched and Virginia was beginning the process of coming to terms with its racial legacy.

Henry Marsh was later elected to the Virginia State Senate and served there for 22 years. Senator Marsh was a pillar of strength in the General Assembly, working to build up the Commonwealth. His legacy of service is an example to all of us, as we continue his work to make Virginia an even better place.


Week Four Wrap-Up

Here are the current stats from the legislative session:

1893 bills are still pending
223 passed the General Assembly
435 have passed out of the House of Delegates
490 have passed out of the State Senate
617 have failed
64 have been incorporated into other bills

At the beginning of next week, both the House and Senate will have long sessions to complete the rest of their scheduled business. These two sessions will see the most legislation get through each chamber and mark the end of the first half of this year’s session.


Update on my Legislation and Budget Amendments

I am happy to report that my legislation is moving smoothly from subcommittee, to committee, to the House Floor. As of Friday, January 31, 2025, all of my bills have been reported favorably out of committee! Here are the stats for my legislative portfolio.

7 Bills are headed to the Senate!
6 Bills will be heard on the House floor next week.

If you are interested in looking at the legislative history and bill text of my proposals, you can view them on the Virginia Legislative Information System (LIS).

Gun Violence Prevention

House Bill 2055 and 2679: these bills direct schools to provide information to parents of a student found at risk for harming themselves or harming others, respectively, on the existing safe storage of firearms laws, as well as materials on suicide prevention and the safe storage of medications. These bills passed out of the Education Committee and are currently on the House floor.

Education

House Bill 1915: Clarifies that tenured teachers must give notice of non-continuation before the school year ends, while maintaining the school division’s authority over dismissal of tenured teachers with due process. This bill is headed to the Senate!

House Bill 1936: Directs the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to create an index of each teacher training to allow us to better understand the subject, frequency, and total hours we expect our educators to spend training. This bill is headed to the Senate!

House Bill 2032: This bill directs the VDOE to collect data on English language learners to ensure we direct adequate state funds for them, thereby lessening the tax burden on local residents and providing our students with the support they need to excel. This bill is headed to the Senate!

House Bill 2053: Empowers the VDOE to develop a rubric for each institution of higher education to utilize in conducting a self assessment to make sure their teacher preparation programs are in line with the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) This bill passed out of the Education Committee and is currently on the House floor.

Healthcare

House Bill 1945: Allows telehealth visits at schools that choose the option to offer it. A unanimous bipartisan recommendation of the Joint Commission on Healthcare, it improves access and reduces missed class time for families who may not have adequate broadband technology at home or nearby health providers. This bill is headed to the Senate!

Good Governance

House Bill 1913: Stipulates that a clerk of court will only assess one fee for recording a document, such as a mortgage. This bill is headed to the Senate!

House Bill 2056: Gives localities the option to expand early voting days and times, within the parameters already set by the General Assembly. This bill passed out of the Privileges and Elections Committee and is heading to the House floor.

House Bill 2553: This legislation amends the Code of Virginia to allow the advisory Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation (BPOR) to review, advise, and recommend on the regulation and potential deregulation of professions and occupations, as well as the budget overseen by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). This bill passed out of the full General Laws Committee and is headed to the House floor.

Supporting our Veterans

House Bill 2736: This bill extends the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program to military spouses. This bill passed out of the full General Laws Committee and is headed to the House Floor.

Budget Amendments

124 #37h: $30,000 to assist in the construction of handicap access improvement at Meadowland ES. Although the county has earmarked funding for improvements at Meadowland, they will not become available until FY 2029. With an allocation from the state, the county could move the project to an earlier date and those earmarked county funds could still go to improve accessibility, beyond just ramps and curb cuts at the bus lot.

331 #22h: $100,000 to help fund Anna Sudha Community Kitchens, who work to support our community through free meals and professional training. Anna Sudha Community Kitchens is a non-profit organization of 300 volunteers (including disabled and special needs volunteers) addressing food insecurity in an innovative way. Anna Sudha Community Kitchens currently operates at a deficit funded personally by the founder, since its inception.


Budget Sunday

On Sunday, February 2nd, the Money Committees of the General Assembly (House Appropriations and Senate Finance & Appropriations) will publish their versions of the amended budget. The amendments are meant to address community needs that were not addressed in the initial biennial budget or new opportunities that have only recently presented themselves.

Following both chambers passing their version of the amended budget, conferees will be selected to create a unified conference report. Negotiations regarding the budget will continue as the Governor and General Assembly work to create the final budget for this biennium.


Photos from Session  

In Subcommittee, Committee, and on the Floor!

This week I had 5 bills move on to the Senate!
Grateful to be doing the people’s work with this crew!

UVA Law State Policy Clinic

I want to thank Madhavi and Roland, two UVA Law School students participating in their State and Local Government Clinic. Their efforts bore fruit as the bills they worked on have reached the House floor!

 Loudoun County Public Schools

It’s always a pleasure to speak with Loudoun County Public Schools and our School Board representatives!

Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington

I was happy to speak with the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)! We had an important discussion about combatting antisemitism and regional issues facing Northern Virginia!

Resources to take part in the Legislative Session

Are you interested in watching the hearing for a bill you are particularly passionate about? Are you looking for a way to give testimony for bills that support or oppose? Are you wondering what’s in the state’s budget? The General Assembly has these services and more to allow you to participate and view the entire General Assembly Session!

Virginia Legislative Information System (LIS)

The Virginia Legislative Information System tracks bills from their introduction to their passage! You are able to create lists of bills that interest you through the lobbyist in a box feature, look through the calendar to find when important bills are being heard, and see the overall stats of this session

Virginia General Assembly Website

The General Assembly website streams every floor session, committee, and subcommittee meeting, gives a detailed explanation on how a bill becomes a law in Virginia, and showcases the history of the General Assembly and the Capitol Building. If you are interested in watching meetings of the General Assembly or learning more about our legislative process, you can find it on the link below.


How My Office Can Help You

Navigating state agencies can be confusing and difficult at times. As your delegate, I can help you communicate with state agencies such as the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC), Departments of Taxation, Social Services, Transportation, and more! I can also submit inquiries with those agencies on your behalf and help you engage with the state agency you need. There are limits to what I can do, however. For example, I am unable to expedite cases or force state agencies to favor your inquiry, provide legal advice or recommend a specific attorney, intervene with judicial issues, overturn decisions, or be involved with matters involving private businesses. 


Whether you want to bring an issue to my attention, need my office’s assistance, or want to invite me to a community event, please reach out! If there is any way I can assist you, please let me know here: https://atoosareaser.com/help/.


Come Visit Me In Richmond!

If you or your group are coming to Richmond to speak to legislators, see the floor session, or stop in for a day trip, come by my office! My staff and I would enjoy speaking with you about ideas for improving our community and addressing concerns facing our region!

With session resuming this week, the best ways to get in contact with my office is through the district email (DelAReaser@house.virginia.gov) and the phone number for the Richmond office ((804) 698-1027).

Yours in Service, 

Atoosa Reaser (she/her)
Virginia House of Delegates 
District 27 (Eastern Loudoun)
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