The Torian Report: General Assembly Session Update Week 4

This week both the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia have been working tirelessly to ensure they have each considered all of their own legislation before the deadline on Tuesday, February 5th. This deadline is commonly referred to as “Crossover” which marks the beginning of work hearing the legislation that passed the other house.

On Wednesday, I have the honor of introducing the Presidents of Norfolk State University, Virginia Union University, and Virginia State University on the House floor. Highlighting the advancements and leaders that Virginia’s historically black colleges and universities have seen walk through their halls. 

State Budget Progress

This week, to ensure a thorough review of budget priorities, the House Appropriations Committee held three meetings this week as usual. While the committee has continued to hear bills, we have also been hard at work crafting the budget. At the same time, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee (SFAC) has been developing its own budget bill, incorporating amendment requests from Senate members.

On Sunday, February 2nd, the House Appropriations Committee will presented the House budget at 1:00 PM, followed by the SFAC’s presentation of the Senate budget at 3:00 PM.

Once finalized, the budgets will be available online. You can access them by clicking HERE.

To learn more about the SFAC, click HERE. 

Legislative Progress

HB2358 – On Thursday, January 30, house bill 2358 passed the House of Delegates with an 88-Y to 7-N vote. This bill establishes the Current and Mature Semiconductor Technology Grant Fund to support semiconductor development in Virginia.

HB2359 –  My house bill 2359 was unanimously passed by the House on Tuesday, January 28. This legislation authorizes the issuance of up to $206,085,243 in bonds for revenue-producing capital projects at James Madison University and The College of William and Mary.

HB2729 – Last week, my house bill 2361 was incorporated into Delegate Patrick Hope’s house bill 2729, which also absorbed Delegate Green’s house bill 2249. On January 31, house bill 2729 was reported out of the Appropriations Committee unanimously. This legislation ensures all new judicial appointments for Virginia’s court system this year. 

Conversations and Collaboration

This week provided many opportunities for engagement with organizations and groups dedicated to shaping the future of Virginia. My staff and I had the privilege of meeting with the Deltas, the Hemophilia Association, President Rowe (W&M), President Hemphill (ODU), Superintendent Wins (VMI), President Danilowicz (Radford U), the Virginia Education Association (VEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU)the Virginia Spaceport Authority, and representatives from HealthCare for All. These conversations reinforced the importance of collaboration when addressing key issues facing our communities.

In addition to these meetings, we remained focused on legislative work. The General Laws Committee convened on Tuesday and Thursday, with the ABC gaming subcommittee meeting on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Rules Committee held its first meeting of the 2025 legislative session. 

I appreciate the engagement from all who took the time to meet with us and look forward to continuing these essential conversations.

Constituent Corner

This week, we had the opportunity to meet with students from Radford University who grew up in Prince William County, hearing firsthand about their experiences and perspectives. Our office also met with the PWC School Board and representatives from Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). NOVA continues to be a vital institution for students in PWC, providing accessible, high-quality education and workforce opportunities that have a lasting impact on our community.

As we continue our work, I want to share an update regarding this newsletter. Soon my office will be transitioning to a new method of sharing this newsletter and you will receive it from a different email. Please keep an eye out to ensure you don’t miss future updates.

I look forward to continuing these important conversations and keeping you updated along the way.

In every session, I can offer commending resolutions to honor residents for their outstanding contributions to our community. If you would like to recommend someone, please send your nominations to delltorian@house.virginia.gov. Your submission must include the nominee’s full name and a description of their contributions. 

If you have any questions or comments about the General Assembly Session or would like to contact my office directly with input or feedback on legislation, please find my office information below.