Last week, Delegate Plum provided an excellent recap of the legislative session we just completed. As a follow up, I'd like to provide a snapshot of an average day, although no two days were ever the same.
I typically arrived at the General Assembly building before the rest of the staff arrived to study for the upcoming day.
People traveled from all corners of Virginia to share their concerns and perspectives in morning and afternoon receptions. One memorable example: Brain injury services advocates came and brought a human brain for us to see as we discussed the plight of people living with brain injuries. Another day, Volkswagen and Audi representatives gave me a ride on the highway in a self-driving car.
The bulk of work vetting bills happened in committee meetings. Over 3,000 bills were introduced. I serve on Counties, Cities, & Towns and Privileges & Elections, which fit my background well because I worked in local government for years. Especially on the CC&T committee, members worked well in a bipartisan manner. We considered concerns from simple town charter changes to the complex proffer bill that will change the way we consider local land use. On P&E, our outcomes were typically more partisan as we considered changes to the Virginia Constitution and voting rights.
Daily at noon, Session began, starting with the Morning Hour, where members made speeches with no limit on what could be addressed. Some representatives focused on Governor McAuliffe’s economic achievements. Members gave powerful personal speeches relating to legislation under consideration. Delegate Rasoul, a Muslim, spoke beautifully about his concerns relating to prejudice faced by minorities. Delegate Miller, a former policeman, gave a 15 minute speech to justify bringing back the electric chair, recounting a grizzly murder so graphically, that the young Pages were removed from the gallery. I spoke for women’s equality, an issue close to my heart.
Following morning hour, we considered bills passed out of committee. The pace often moved at lightning speed. When the Speaker asked, “Shall the bill be passed?” there were only seconds to cast your vote and you’d better have made a decision. It was imperative to be prepared, as we might consider as many as 50 bills in one day that would affect the lives of Virginians. Debate sometimes felt personal on the most controversial bills, as Delegate Plum discussed in last week’s article.
Throughout the day, constituents, stakeholders and groups wished to meet individually, and I made it a priority to listen and work to find consensus to solve the problems presented. Working with Republicans and Democrats, we passed the biennium budget, brought back money for our schools, provided raises for our teachers, made compromises on I-66 and gun legislation. With my colleagues, I’ve never worked harder. We fought some painful battles, built new working relationships and learned an enormous amount. I look forward to continuing to serve our community in the 86th District. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the oldest governing body in North America.
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