Over the past few weeks, we’ve had a lot going on. Although the General Assembly has gaveled out of the 2021 Veto Session, our work continues.
Vaccination Station
On April 1st, Governor Ralph Northam came to First Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dumfries to attend a pop-up mass vaccination clinic. Nearly 2,000 residents took advantage of the opportunity to come to a safe and convenient vaccination site close to home.
Thank you to the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Prince William County Chapter Inc. for organizing this event, and to Governor Northam for sending Virginia National Guard members and authorizing the use of other state resources that contributed to the success of this event.
VirginiaSaves Signed
On April 15th, Governor Ralph signed my bill, HB 2174, which creates the VirginiaSaves program. VirginiaSaves is a state-facilitated, optional, transferable IRA savings program that helps workers save for retirement.
Virginia is a leader in expanding this kind of savings program. The VirginiaSaves program will build on the success of the Virginia529 college savings plan, which is widely available to families in the Commonwealth. Recently, the VirginiaSaves program was covered nationally in the Wall Street Journal and in the Virginian-Pilot.
First Minority Business Commission Meeting – Ever
On April 19th, I chaired the first-ever Minority Business Commission Meeting. The Commission was established by the 2020 Virginia Acts of Assembly to focus on the impact of existing statutes and proposed legislation on minority businesses.
For years, I have worked with minority businesses on contracting, procurement, and best practices to expand and promote wealth building in our communities. The Commission’s work will continue with additional meetings and annual reports. You can view the Commission’s work here, and review the presentation materials and view a recording of our meeting here.
May Minimum Wage Movement
Today, May 1st, the minimum wage in Virginia will increase to $9.50 an hour from its current level of $7.25. This is just the first step in Virginia’s plan to finally increase the minimum wage to a livable wage for a full time employee. The next step increase will be to $11.00 an hour on January 1st 2022. I strongly support increasing the minimum wage to the full $15.00 per hour, which will be considered during the next General Assembly session.
Coming Attractions: Roundtable on Education
Our 2021 Education Roundtable is rapidly approaching: Tune in on May 10th at 7:00 p.m. We will be sending out a Facebook invitation with a Zoom link soon. Check that space and save the date for a discussion with Sen. Scott Surovell and School Board Member Justin Wilk. The link to our Facebook page is here. The short URL is: https://fb.me/e/B3SEBTFY
Early Voting Has Started – And Continues
Prince William County residents who would like to vote early for the June 8th Democratic Primary Election have three locations to choose from. Attention: This year, early voting will not be available at the Caton Hill Road DMV location.
Early Voting:
• Dr. A. J. Ferlazzo Building, 15941 Donald Curtis Dr., Woodbridge, VA 22191.
• Prince William County Board of Elections, 9250 Lee Ave., Suite 1, Manassas, VA 20110.
• Haymarket Gainesville Community Library, 14870 Lightnet Rd., Haymarket, VA 20169.
These locations are open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
More information is available at Prince William County Votes.
How to Get In Touch
Please contact our office if you have questions or concerns. Feel free to reach out to us directly at the district office; our email is info@delegatetorian.com and the telephone number is 703-785-2224.