The Torian Report: General Assembly Session Update Week 5

This past week has been bustling with committee hearings as bills make their way to the House floor before crossover on Tuesday, February 13. The Appropriations Committee finished all our legislation on Friday in support of our preparation to release our version of the budget on Sunday, February 18.

I was surprised by Senator Jennifer Carrol Foy, Delegate Candi Mundon King, and Delegate Briana Sewell, who provided points of personal privilege on their respective chamber floors, honoring my retirement after 28 years as Pastor of First Mount Zion Baptist church. This is a new and exciting time for me and my family, and I am thankful for my colleagues in the General Assembly.

Delegate Candi Mundon King and Delegate Briana Sewell providing Points of Personal Privilege for Delegate Torian’s recent retirement from First Mount Zion Baptist Church

My Legislation

This week, I presented my bill (House Bill 713) to the Education Committee, which passed unanimously. On Thursday, the bill passed the full House and is now awaiting action in the Senate. This bill will require public institutions of higher education to develop and implement policies requiring that a campus safety and emergency preparedness training program be completed by all students by the last day of the first academic term and reviewed biennially by each returning student at such institution.

Delegate Torian presenting HB713 to the House Committee on Education

On Friday, my bill (House Bill 1514) was passed out of the House Appropriations Committee on a vote of 19-3. This bill would create the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority for the purpose of developing a new sports arena and surrounding multi-use district at Potomac Yard.

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women

I hosted the National Coalition of 100 Black Women this week for their annual lobby day. Chapters from Prince William, Richmond, and Northern Virginia came to Richmond and heard from numerous General Assembly members and the Governor’s Administration, including the Secretary of Health and Human Resources John Little, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera, Speaker Don Scott, Minority Leader Todd Gilbert, and Senate Finance and Appropriations Chair L. Louise Lucas. While in Richmond, they advocated for gun violence prevention, affordable housing solutions, and mental health resources.

Delegate Torian welcoming the NCBW100 to the House of Delegates for their Lobby Day

Speaker Don Scott, Del. Cliff Hayes, Del. Michelle Maldonado, and Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra met with the Coalition to speak on historic nature of having the first African American speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates

Senate Finance and Appropriations Chair L. Louise Lucas discussed the importance of the state budget

House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert met with the Coalition to speak on the importance of bi-partisanship in the General Assembly

Delegate Luke Torian with members of the Prince William, Northern Virginia, and Richmond Chapters of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women

Constituent Corner

This week, my team and I met with Mayor Philip Jones of Newport News, Virginia Forever, Freedom Virginia, Rocket Labs, Virginia Space Grant Consortium, the Virginia Spaceport Authority, and the Virginia Sheriff Association, to name a few of the fabulous groups that stopped by this week.

Delegate Luke Torian meeting with members of the James Madison University Student Government Association

If you have any questions or comments about the General Assembly Session, please get in touch with my office at info@delegatetorian.com or 703-785-2224.