24th District June Newsletter

by | Oct 10, 2024 | Newsletter, Session 2024

I am committed to keeping my constituents up to date with the latest developments and initiatives that impact Virginia. May was a month of significant progress and excitement. With the arrival of summer, there is much to look forward to in June.

Budget and Special Session Update

On May 13th, my colleagues and I returned to Richmond for the General Assembly’s special session. Unlike the regular legislative session, a special session is called to deal with a specific issue or topic. This special session was called to reconsider Virginia’s biennium budget.

After multiple conversations, the Governor and House and Senate budget conferees reached an agreement and were able to come to Richmond for a one-day session to vote on the budget. The budget was passed by overwhelming majorities in both chambers and was signed by Governor Youngkin shortly afterward.

Delegate Luke Torian shaking hands with Governor Glenn Youngkin on May 13th, 2024, at the
ceremonial signing of HB6001 and HB6002 with Senate President Pro Tempore Louise Lucas,
Lt. Governor Winsome Sears, and many leaders from both the House of Delegates and Senate.

While we could not come to an agreement on the proposed digital tax plan or the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), this budget retains many of the priorities we passed in our final budget in March. It sets a new standard for investing in K-12 education and addresses the gaps in public schools. It allocates resources for salary increases for teachers and state employees while also prioritizing funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and toll relief in Hampton roads.

To learn more about what is included in the budget, please visit https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/bill/2024/2/HB6001/Chapter/

Also, I was pleased to see many advocates at the Capitol, including members of the Virginia Promise Partnership. These leaders continue to push for the quality childcare and education that Virginia’s children deserve.

Delegate Luke Torian with advocated from Virginia Promise Partnership

Happening In Richmond

Last Tuesday, May 28th, the House Appropriations Committee held a meeting in Richmond to view presentations from the Secretary of Finance Stephen E. Cummings, House Appropriations Committee staff, and Virginia Works Director Carrie Roth.

Revenue Update

Secretary Cummings provided the committee with the April economic revenue review and update, including results of year-to-date figures that outperformed expectations from the previous month. April’s outcomes, along with the first few weeks of May, indicate a strong trajectory for the final two months of the fiscal year.

Higher Education Update

House Appropriations staff’s presentation focused on recent reforms to the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP).

The VMSDEP presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the program, including a history of its policy and fiscal changes, an institutional-specific overview of the growing cost of waivers, how funds are distributed, and a multi-categorical comparison of the VMSDEP in the original program, current program, and reformed program to other waiver programs from other states.

VMSDEP is an initiative that provides educational benefits to spouses and children of qualifying veterans. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) manages the program and collaborates with the State Council for Higher Education (SCHEV) and Virginia’s public four-year colleges and universities.

This program has undergone several reforms since its establishment in 1930, including:

  • Eligibility expansion changes in the late 1970’s.
  • Reduction on citizen requirements in 1998.
  • Post 9/11 changes that were implemented from 2005 through 2014.
  • Several changes in 2022 included:
    • Expansion to include stepchildren of deceased military service members.
    • Allowed the Department of Veterans Services to consider waiving the domicile or physical presence requirement if that requirement was not met due to the military service member or surviving spouse being deceased before the VDS domicile requirement was met.
    • Eligibility expansion to include all service-related injuries.

Due to the program reform that has taken place over the years, VMSDEP experienced substantial growth in the number of waivers distributed to students: 1,400 waivers in 2019 to 8,300 waivers in 2024. Program costs have also increased: in 2019, the VMSDEP program cost approximately $12M and has grown to approximately $85M. The most recent changes to the VMSDEP program are a result of the new program language that was signed into law on May 15, 2024.

The major takeaways of the recent changes made to the VMSDEP program, which will begin to take effect in the 2025-2026 academic school year, include the following:

  • Students are required to be a Virginia resident or have domicile in Virginia.
  • Limit awards to the first undergraduate degree.
  • Students will complete a FAFSA.
  • Students must maintain satisfactory academic standings.
  • Establishes the proportional application of any gift aid (such as the Pell Grant).
    • The proportional application ensures that the combined VMSDEP waiver and other aid that is directed to tuition and mandatory fees does not exceed the total cost of tuition and mandatory fees.
    • This is a basic principle of other state financial aid programs where aid is limited to not exceed tuition and fees after applying other gift aid and expected family contribution (EFC).
    • If a student chooses to utilize other benefits that are dedicated to the payment of tuition and mandatory fees, those benefits will be applied against the VMSDEP waiver.
    • SCHEV will determine the proportional application of the estimated family contribution (EFC) equivalent.
  • The program will grandfather all existing students and any new students who formally committed to an institution of higher education by May 15, 2024.
  • The state provides $20M of GF annually to institutions to offset the cost of waivers.
  • The Department of Veterans Services will still manage the program.

Lastly, Governor Youngkin signed Executive Directive 7, establishing the

“Preserving Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program Task Force,” composed of multiple stakeholders from the Commonwealth and General Assembly. The task force will address the recent change to the program, provide recommendations, and minimize the impact on military and veteran families.

The Task Force will hold its first meeting on June 10th at the Virginia War Memorial from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. If you would like to participate in person or receive information about remote participation options, contact PreservingVMSDEP@governor.virginia.gov.

Virginia Works Update

The Appropriations Committee meeting concluded with an insightful update from Carrie Roth, Director of Virginia Works, on the transition of workforce development and advancement. Virginia Works equips Virginians with skills and enables employers to attract, grow, and retain employees.

To watch the committee meeting and view the presentation by all presenters, please visit hac.virginia.gov.

Virtual Town Hall

Please join me and my colleagues from the Prince William County General Assembly Delegation for a virtual town hall on June 4th at 7:00 PM. We will provide updates on the state budget and legislation that was passed this session.

We welcome your questions and thoughts regarding this year’s legislative legislative updates. If you are interested in asking questions, please submit them HERE.

To register for the town hall, please click HERE.

June Primaries

On June 18th, Virginia will conduct our primary elections to decide the official candidates for the upcoming general election in November. Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. All precincts will be open, and for more information on polling locations and candidates on the ballot, please visit Prince William County Votes.

Early Voting
To vote by mail, your last day to request a ballot is June 7th by 5:00 PM, and your ballot must be postmarked by June 18th. If you would like to vote early in person, you have until June 15th to vote at one of the three locations:

Prince William County residents may cast their vote early, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm on weekdays and 8:30 am – 5:00 pm on Sunday, June 2nd, Saturday, June 8th, and Saturday, June 15th, at any of the locations above.

To ensure your voice is heard in shaping the future of Prince William County, please cast a vote. Please click the resources below for helpful information for the upcoming primary:

Juneteenth

On June 19th, we celebrate Juneteenth, a pivotal moment in American
History marking the day the news that slavery had ended in the United States reached Galveston, Texas. Juneteenth is not only a celebration of freedom but a day of reflection, honoring Black abolitionists, educators, and civil rights advocates who fought tirelessly to shape our nation for the better.

There will be multiple events in Prince William County to celebrate
Juneteenth, including:

Pride

June is Pride Month, a time of celebration, reflection, and advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community. Throughout the month of June, we have many opportunities to come together to honor the history, achievements, and resilience of members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Below are community events that raise awareness, celebrate and support LGBTQIA+ rights:

To find more Pride Events near Prince William, please visit Equality Prince William’s website!

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.

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