We have now adjourned “Sine Die” from the country’s shortest legislative session, having considered thousands of bills in a matter of just over six weeks.
I am proud of the work our General Assembly has done to expand our economy, address the cost of living, provide a world class education to our children, protect our rights, and keep our communities safe. The Governor has until the end of March to act on our bills, which can be anything from signing a bill into law, to recommending changes to the bill, to vetoing it.
I wanted to share some of the legislation that our office authored and is headed to the governor’s desk. House Bill 1957 aims to improve the quality of our Standards of Learning Tests by having them align to our curriculum while also changing schedules so that less instruction time is lost to testing. You can read a good summary of our bill here. We also passed House Bill 2618, which ensures the air in our public schools is safe for students and staff by establishing commonsense standards for testing indoor air quality and publishing the results for communities and parents to see.
Meanwhile, House Bill 1794 is a good government bill that combines state and local primaries with federal primaries on Presidential Election years. Currently, we end up having primaries in both March and June of Presidential Election years, which puts strain on our registrars and racks up significant and unnecessary costs for taxpayers. In a similar vein, House Bill 1798 scrambles the Egg Board and other agricultural commodity boards to align membership with new agriculture production areas, many of which have shifted as a result of climate change and other factors.
Over the past six years, I’ve worked every year to pass a bill that provides access to infertility coverage for families looking to have children who face medical barriers. I am excited that after all these years, we are closer than we have ever been with the bipartisan passage of House Bill 1609, which directs the Health Insurance Reform Commission to review inclusion of infertility treatment in the mandatory coverages of our Essential Health Benefits List.
We also continued our work to protect our communities from the scourge of gun violence. My House Bill 1607 would prohibit the purchase, sale and transfer of assault weapons and possession or trade in high capacity magazines. House Bill 1608 would establish standards of responsible conduct for those engaged in the manufacture and sale of firearms and ensure those who act irresponsibly and harm our communities could be held liable. Finally, House Bill 1797 would ensure that we are not required to recognize Concealed Carry Permits from states that do not meet Virginia’s criteria for training and safety.
Finally, I am proud of the work we have done to help protect and create middle class jobs and grow our economy. After years of service disruptions of critical bus routes such as the Fairfax Connector, House Bill 2619 ensures that contracted transportation services are no longer a race to the bottom on wages and brings employee compensation in line with what we pay public employees who serve in these roles. Meanwhile, the Virginia Decentralized Autonomous Organization Act, House Bill 1796, passed with bipartisan support and ensures Virginia is at the forefront of the digital economy by allowing new types of businesses to form in Virginia and for consumers and investors to have access to our excellent regulatory protections.
Over the coming weeks, I will be working with the Governor’s team to push forward on this legislation. If you have questions or ideas on any of this work, please feel free to contact us!
Resources
Fairfax County Help for Affected Workers The county has a variety of resources available for federal employees, contractors and anyone else affected by Federal Workforce Actions. Visit here for more info.
In the News
Our work on House Bill 1654, a bill to require human trafficking awareness training for the owners of short-term rentals, did not pass this session, but it has been getting press this week and we plan to bring it back with improvements next session:
Henrico Citizen, February 18, 2025 and Williamsburg Yorktown Daily, February 19, 2025: I sponsored House Bill 1654, and Sen. Angelia Williams, D-Norfolk, introduced Senate Bill 985. The bills did not pass this year, but we will be working with the stakeholders on technical aspects that include getting the language right, and maybe adding accountability measures. Making sure that owners of short-term rentals are aware of the issues is critically important to making sure we combat human trafficking.
Local Events
Fried Chicken & Champagne – A Champagne Devaux Wine Dinner February 27, 2025 6:30 pm Trummer’s Restaurant, 7134 Main Street, Clifton, VA
Enjoy a unique dining experience that will include a family-style southern dinner with Champagnes of Devaux. The seats are limited and reservations are required so please visit their site for more information and to book your spot.
Musical Mardi Gras with Parisian Organist Laurent Jochum March 2nd, 2025 4:00 PM St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church, 6720 Union Mill Rd, Clifton, VA
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear organist Laurent Jochum perform a program featuring works by J.S. Back, Mons Leidvin Takle, César Franck, and more. For more information, visit here.
Announcements
Applications Open for The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership
The Sorensen Insitute for Political Leadership is seeking civic-minded students from across Virginia to apply to the 2025 High School Leaders Program (HSLP)! The HSLP is a two-summer program designed for Virginia high school students who have a passion for public service and leadership. The HSLP curriculum covers the foundations of public policy and effective civic engagement, while connecting students with peers of different backgrounds and philosophies from around the state. Admitted students live on Grounds at the University of Virginia, attend field trips, and networks with current leaders in Virginia’s public, private, and non-profit sectors. The online application for the 2025 HSLP is open through Monday, March 17, 2025, and materials are due by Friday, March 21, 2025. To learn more or refer a candidate, visit here or contact Sorensen’s Community Relations and Program Recruiting Assistant, Samuel Barndt at srb6dp@virginia.edu.
Nominations Needed!!!!!!
One of the best parts about serving in the General Assembly is being able to honor individuals, groups and organizations in the 10th district that deserve recognition with a Commending or Memorial Resolution. Know a person who has given back to the community, a group engaged in an activity worthy of noting, a small business doing a great job, or a team that has excelled either on the field or off? Tell us about it! We can also honor significant anniversaries both for couples and institutions, as well as remember those that have passed. Email us all the details at deldhelmer@house.virginia.gov and a member of my staff will be in touch.
On-Going Resources
Affected by Federal Downsizing?
Fairfax County is offering a list of resources and services to help anyone recently affected by the recent federal downsizing efforts. Please follow this link to their website to find job listings, business development, retirement, and mental health resources.
Unemployment Assistance
Many individuals have reached out to our office regarding troubles with the Virginia Employment Commission. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, whether it be from the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) or elsewhere, our office is happy to help. Please email our office at DelDHelmer@house.virginia.gov.
Affordable Broadband for Students
Cox internet program: Connect2Compete (C2C), designed to provide low-income households with school-aged children with affordable broadband service. Virginia families that participate in any government assistance program are eligible for C2C—and can subscribe to speeds up to 100 Mbps download for just $9.95/month. You can learn more about the program here: www.cox.com/digitalequity
Fighting to Keep Life Affordable
If you or someone you know needs assistance, I have provided resources below that may be helpful. In addition, you may always reach out to our office by email at DelDHelmer@house.virginia.gov – and we will work to connect you with community partners.
General resources:
Commonhelp: https://www.commonhelp.virginia.gov/
FCPS Family Services: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/familyservices/
PWC Mutual Aid: Prince William County Mutual Aid’s Resources and Services Request Page is available to those living in the region, as well as those from Fairfax County. You can also contact them directly at pwcmutualaid@gmail.com, or find more information about the organization on their Facebook page.
Food resources:
Food for Others: https://foodforothers.org/
Western Fairfax Christian Ministries: https://wfcmva.org/; provides food and rent assistance to community members.
FACETS: http://facetscares.org/; This program serves hot meals to unhoused individuals in the Fairfax Circle area. Roughly 100 meals are cooked and served once a month.
Labor resources:
The Centreville Labor Resource Center: http://centrevilleimmigrationforum.org/centreville-labor-resource-center/
The Virginia Career Works: https://vcwnorthern.com/fa-booking/
Rent and housing resources:
Cornerstones: https://www.cornerstonesva.org/
To find the cheapest fuel prices, you can visit this website, which allows you to compare gas prices in your area.
