The second week of the legislative session has just wrapped up. This week, my colleagues and I have been busy hearing bills in both subcommittee and full committee as they make their way to the House floor for debate and a vote.
In this e-newsletter, I’ll cover some of the week’s highlights. I encourage you to also check out my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages for more information.
GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN’S ADDRESS
On Monday, Governor Youngkin delivered his ‘Address to the Joint Assembly’ to set forth his vision for this year’s legislative session. Governor Youngkin laid out a bold vision for Virginia. The path forward includes reform in education, lower taxes, supporting law enforcement, and more. His goal, and the goal of the Republican majority, is to make government work for the citizens.
Specifically, the Governor has proposed the following:
- Establish 20 new charter schools
- Prohibit the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools
- Suspend the gas tax increase
- Eliminate the grocery tax
- Cut income tax by doubling the standard deduction
- Eliminate the tax on the first $40,000 of military retirement pay
- End the dumping of raw sewage into the James River
I am excited to work with Governor Youngkin and the new Republican majority to move our state forward.
If you missed the Governor’s address, check it out below.
LEGISLATION UPDATE
This week I submitted HB 1296, a bill that will prohibit the personal use of campaign funds. Nearly all other states have laws which prevent the personal use of campaign funds, but Virginia lacks one. Without a law on the books, politicians have little oversight on what they spend campaign donations on. I think it is past time that Virginians can confidently say that their hard earned coin, which they donate for political causes, is actually being used to help win elections and not on the candidates own personal wants. This is the right thing to do.
You can track each of the bills I am carrying by visiting lis.virginia.gov.
OFFICE VISITORS
My team and I are now settled and welcoming visitors to our new office in the Pocahontas Building. If you’d like to make an appointment to meet with me, reach out at DelMCherry@house.virginia.gov or call my office at (804) 698-1066.
CONSTITUENT SURVEY
If you haven’t had a chance to take my legislative survey, I ask that you take a few moments to let me know your thoughts on several key issues that will come before the General Assembly. We’ll be taking the survey down early next week to calculate results, so don’t delay in sharing your views.
Click Here To Take The 2022 Survey
This survey is designed to be completed in 10 minutes or less. If there’s an issue important to you that isn’t included, please let me know.
IN THE NEWS
Here are a few news articles from this past week that may interest you:
- At-home COVID test website up and running. How to order free testing kits from the government
- Why a Republican legislator wants to make it easier for ex-offenders to vote
- Youngkin naming Carrie Roth, longtime Republican official, to lead troubled VEC
- Youngkin announces more school safety guidance Friday as 3 Richmond-area school districts are among those defying his mask order
I am always here to serve you. If I can assist you or your family in any way, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Mike Cherry