Happy April! If you celebrate Easter, I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating with your family and friends.
Last month, we concluded the 2024 General Assembly legislative session on March 9th. I am grateful to be back home and available to directly address your inquiries and concerns here in Prince William County. I encourage everyone to enjoy the incredible springtime warmth with friends and loved ones.
Virginia Families First Tour
Last week, President Pro Tempore, Senator Louise Lucas, and I embarked on a three-day “Virginia Families First” tour across the Commonwealth. During these days, we made eight stops, showcasing key investments in the bipartisan budget passed by Virginia’s General Assembly on March 9th. Our bipartisan budget allocated significant funding for rural healthcare, public and higher education, infrastructure, etc.
We kicked off the tour in Hampton Roads alongside many legislators from the region at the Mustard Seed Place, a brand-new local community space focused on uplifting women-owned businesses and supporting like-minded entrepreneurs and professionals. During our stop in Hampton Roads, we highlighted some of the support the “Virginia Families First” budget included for Hampton Roads, such as providing the city of Norfolk with $22 million for Coastal Risk Storm Management projects to combat the damaging effects of global warming and $3.8 million for the Army Corp of Engineers cleanup project.
To learn more about the Mustard Seed Place, click HERE.
We left Hampton and headed to Williamsburg, where Sen. Lucas and I visited the Eastern State Psychiatric Hospital. During this stop, we saw firsthand how mental health funding translated into vital, quality care for Virginians.
Day 2 began in the heart of Virginia at the State Capitol, where we continued to discuss our forward-looking budget. Afterwards we brought our message back home to Prince William County. At the Edward L. Kelly Leadership Center, members of the General Assembly, Prince William Board of County Supervisors, Prince William County School Board, and local educators participated in a roundtable discussion on the historic impact this budget will have on public education.
We closed the day with a visit to George Mason University, where we heard from faculty and students about the crucial role funding higher education plays in keeping Virginia’s public universities affordable and accessible. We then toured Mason’s Innovation Exchange, The Mix, which included several tools, technology, and machines open for students to collaborate and research their ideas.
Our final day, March 27th, was dedicated to rural health and infrastructure funding in our budget. We started at South Roanoke Nursing Home, where Delegate Sam Rasoul joined us. We discussed the $80 million invested into nursing home staff pay, the $745.2 million to fully fund the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance forecasts, and $30.5 million to combat the opioid epidemic in our Commonwealth.
For the last two stops we traveled to Abingdon and heard from Johnston Memorial Hospital leadership about the issues the facility is facing and how it has impacted the community. Next, we visited the Appalachian Highlands Community Dental Center where over 8,000 patients were served in 2023 by a small staff of only 7 dental residents. These invaluable dentists provide affordable oral health care to people who need it the most in Southwest Virginia.
To learn more about the Appalachian Highlands Community Dental Center, click HERE.
Overall, Sen. Lucas and I are proud to champion a budget that provides historic investments for Virginia and its residents. We hope that during our successful journey across the Commonwealth, our colleagues, as well as the Governor, understand that our budget is for the best for Virginia’s families.
My Legislation
Since the General Assembly’s adjournment, Governor Youngkin has communicated his action to the House of Delegates and the Senate on 623 bills.
I am proud to share among those actions the Governor has signed three of my bills into law:
- House Bill 711 authorizes the issuance of bonds up to $124,285,000 for revenue-producing capital projects at James Madison University, Virginia State University, and The College of William and Mary in Virginia.
- House Bill 712 modifies the requirements for the six-year financial plan to ensure a structural balance between projected revenues and expenditures for the six-year period.
- House Bill 713 will require public institutions of higher education to develop and implement policies requiring a campus safety and emergency preparedness training program.
- House Bill 715 updates the six-year capital outlay plan for projects to be funded entirely or partially from general fund-supported resources.
In less than two weeks, the House and Senate will return to Richmond again to gavel in for the Reconvene Session. During this time, we will consider and vote on the Governor’s amendments and vetoes to legislation passed earlier this year.
To view actions the Governor has taken on bills passed by the General Assembly, please click HERE.
2024 Tax Day
We are swiftly approaching the deadline to file your federal taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), on Monday, April 15th. Please gather all necessary documents and ensure your submission is on time to avoid any penalties or late fees. Let’s make sure to fulfill our tax obligations responsibly and punctually.
For more information, please click HERE.
For your state taxes, you do have a little more time to file them with the Virginia Department of Taxation. Individual filings are due on Wednesday, May 1st.
For more information, please click HERE.
2024 Summer Camps
Registration for the 2024 Summer Camps offered by the Prince William County – Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department is now open. Programming includes specialty camps from arts and sports to full-day traditional-style summer camps with popular weekly themes for ages 3-17 at 14 locations throughout Prince William County. If you and your kids are interested in participating, please click the link to learn more about the fantastic summer opportunities, https://www.pwcva.gov/department/childrens-programs/summer-camps.
Community Clean Up
In the spirit of Spring Cleaning, Prince William County is hosting three Dumpster Days events in April. These events provide residents and business owners within the county the chance to manage waste. I encourage you to use the free dumpsters to dispose of unwanted items or waste and participate in volunteer local cleanups.
For more information, please click HERE.
Join the Town of Dumfries for their Spring Cleanup event this Saturday, April 6th. The event is valid for service hours, includes a 3D model demonstration and a storm drain marking opportunity, and is open to anyone.
Check-in starts at 9:00 AM at 17757 Main Street, Dumfries, Virginia 22026.
To sign up, please click HERE.
How to Get in Touch
Don’t hesitate to contact our office if you have questions or concerns. Feel free to contact us directly at the district office; our email is info@delegatetorian.com, and our telephone number is 703-785-2224.