The General Assembly has officially reached the midpoint of our legislative session known as Crossover. It is this point in which each chamber must complete work on their own bills so that they may ‘crossover’ to the other chamber for consideration. With two weeks left in this session, the House will be busy to ensure we complete our work on time.
In this e-newsletter, I am providing an update on legislation impacting cell phones in schools and an update on the state budget.
Legislation Update
One of the more closely followed bills this legislation session deals with cell phones in the classroom. You may recall last summer when Governor Youngkin issued an executive order directing the Virginia Department of Education to issue guidelines for limiting cell phone usage in school. We know without a doubt that the biggest distraction in the classroom these days is the cell phone.
Legislation was brought forward this session to codify in state law the order from the Governor. I support efforts that empower school divisions to limit the use of cell phones by students during class. Unfortunately, the bill that came to the floor lacked the necessary enforcement mechanism. Take a look at a few of my thoughts in the below video from this week.
I voted in favor of HB 1961 despite my concerns. I am hopeful that as the legislative process continues we can find a way to include the necessary enforcement mechanisms that give this bill real teeth and ensure our students can learn uninterrupted.
Budget Update
One of the most important tasks of the General Assembly is adopting the state budget. As part of our work, the House debated the budget on Thursday. This budget bill would amend the current biennial budget that runs through 2026.
I voted against the budget for several key reasons.
First and foremost, the proposal did not do enough to ease the tax burden on working Virginians. While the budget does include an increase in the standard deduction and a one time rebate this fall, it failed to make any progress on cutting the car tax or ending taxes on tips. Our state coffers are full meaning we can easily cut more taxes while ensuring a balanced budget.
Secondly, I was disappointed to see certain mental health investments reduced. Recently, a pilot program in Southwest Virginia occurred in which special conservators of the peace (SCOPs) were involved in the ECO/TDO process instead of police officers and sheriff deputies. Its benefits are twofold–return law enforcement to communities and stop treating mental health crises as a crime. Governor Youngkin had proposed funds to take this program statewide, but that funding was significantly cut. Here’s what I had to say on the House floor about it:
The budget process will continue over the coming weeks as House and Senate negotiators work to reconcile differences between the two proposals. One final budget, known as the conference report, will be presented to the House and Senate for an up or down vote. That budget bill, assuming it passes, will then be sent to the Governor for his signature, veto, or amendments.
I will keep you up to date as the debate on the state budget continues.
Visitors to the Capitol
Despite the very busy legislative calendar this week, I was incredibly pleased to welcome students from Manchester High School to the Capitol for a visit. These students had an opportunity to tour the historic Capitol building designed by Thomas Jefferson and observe the House of Delegates in action.
In the News
Here’s a few news articles from the past week that you may find interesting:
- Richmond Times Dispatch: Few differences to negotiate as House, Senate adopt budgets
- AP: Virginia’s legislative session hits halftime, teeing up clash with Youngkin
- WTKR: Virginia lawmakers take up ‘Wild West’ money in politics laws
It remains an honor to represent our community in the House of Delegates. If I can assist you in any way, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Mike Cherry