2025 End of Session Update
A message to my constituents:
2025 marks halfway of the four years I’ve been elected to serve on your behalf in the Virginia Senate. Each day I continue to feel the significant weight of the privilege to serve as I did on the first which is why I believe it's important to provide you with an update on the work I’ve been doing on your behalf. As a freshman in the Virginia Senate I’ve been entrusted with great responsibility to serve on seven committees allowing me to affect policies in nearly every category that directly impacts the communities I represent. A complete list can be found here. I’ve successfully passed 23 pieces of legislation between 2024-2025 and directly obtained nearly $17m in funding in direct alignment with the needs of our district.
Below are categories of notable legislation signed into law and a complete listing of all of my bills can be found here:2024 or2025.
Education Support
While each of the 8 school divisions in SD-13 are unique with their own needs, the teacher shortage has affected our schools and students equally. That’s why I’ve focused on making sure our students consistently have an educator they’re familiar with in the classroom and that we continue to make progress towards increasing teacher compensation. In 2024, we passed SB 484, which established the Community Builders Pilot Program for the purpose of reducing youth involvement in behaviors that lead to gun violence and SB1230 which extended from 90 to 180 teaching days the maximum period of time during one school year for which a school board may employ a long-term substitute.
Additionally, I carried SB1236 which aimed to remove the Recession-era cap on the number of support staff positions that the state would fund within our local schools. While that legislation itself did not pass, the underlying policy was included in the final budget as passed by the General Assembly and resulted in nearly $223m in additional state funds for local school districts across the Commonwealth, including over $16m here in the 13th District. These dollars help fund reading intervention specialists, custodians, nurses, librarians, teaching assistants and other key supplemental staff members within our schools.
Health & Maternal Care
America has among the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world and that rate continues to increase affecting Virginia mothers equally. Data shows that the use of doulas can considerably lower rates of death during or after childbirth. This session we ensure doulas can stay with mothers throughout the process, without barriers, providing essential support with SB1384. We also provide additional care during the postpartum period with SB1418, which ensures Medicaid will cover two additional postpartum doula visits. These visits provide vital emotional and physical support to new moms during a crucial time.
Cancer research and treatment are critical to improving lives, and Virginia has the potential to lead the way. This is why I introduced SB1379 to create a new initiative to coordinate efforts across five public health institutions, forming a cancer research consortium made up of 8 members. With this collaboration, we can move forward more efficiently in the fight against cancer. I’ll push for the support and funding this initiative needs to succeed.
Housing
No matter what part of the district I’m in, families are hurting from inadequate housing conditions. In 2024 and 2025 there were two bills I passed. SB1267, increases penalties for landlords who don’t follow zoning regulations in multi-residential areas. By raising these fines, we’re giving landlords a stronger incentive to maintain safe, livable conditions for their tenants. This is about making sure people have the right to a decent place to live, and I’ll continue to push for policies that hold landlords accountable.
Also, the tenants' rights bill SB1221 strengthens protections for people in public housing, addressing issues like rent calculations, eviction procedures, and unlawful maintenance charges. These protections are especially important for vulnerable individuals, and I’ll keep working to make sure their rights are respected.
Since before the pandemic, families have been concerned with their utilities being disconnected during critical times of need. After several years of attempting to pass protections, in 2024, SB480 was signed into law. With this legislation utilities cannot be disconnected during extreme weather conditions or declared states of emergency. Additionally, this bill mandates utilities must provide notice of non-payment prior to disconnection using at least one of several methods, including mail, email, text message, phone call, or door hanger.
Community-Well Being
Under current law, the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services has developed stringent qualification criteria for parents seeking payment as caregivers to their children that make consumer directed care by the parent, known as the legally responsible individual, or LRI, much less accessible for Virginia families. In 2024, I carried SB488 removing the burdensome regulation that prevented parents from receiving compensation as caretakers for their developmental disability waiver recipient children.
In addition, the safety and care of our loved ones in nursing homes and long-term care facilities is something we can’t overlook. SB1383 gives the Commissioner new tools to make sure these facilities are properly regulated and safe. By strengthening oversight, we can improve the quality of care for those who depend on these services. I’ll fight for the resources we need to make this happen.
Economic Growth
Virginia’s manufacturing and research development sectors are key to our economic success, and SB1231 (2025) makes sure we’re offering competitive incentives to grow these industries. By expanding the Virginia Investment Performance Grants, we’re making sure Virginia remains a leader in business growth while also ensuring that communities that need jobs the most aren’t left behind. I’ll keep advocating for policies that support these critical industries and the people they employ.
Addressing Federal Action
Relative to the federal government I am proud of our bold action to prepare for what's to come. Despite President Trump's anxiety-ridden 100 days (marked on April 30), the following are intended to protect Virginians from federal action. To include:
The Senate and House established bi-partisan committees to assess the impact of federal workforce and funding deductions.
Both bodies adopted changes to the 2024 Special Session I rules to allow us to consider future legislative actions to address federal action on our budget and the services we offer.
And, the final budget sets aside $900 million from the state budget as a contingency to address any budget shortfalls, in addition to our constitutionally mandated reserve deposit.
In closing, a recent op-ed U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, writes, “…the most striking feature of the Virginia flag is our motto: sic semper tyrannis. While most states have positive or affirming mottos – in fact, all 49 other than Virginia do – the Commonwealth of Virginia stands alone in departure from that trend. Our motto is a rebuke: Thus be it ever to tyrants.” While Senator Kaine shared these sentiments as part of the commemoration of Virginia’s role in the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution, and Independence of the United States in the Commonwealth of Virginia, they come at a critical time for all of us regardless. There is something special about Virginia, and in this moment where President Trump in many ways is targeting his policies and approaches to executing his decisions like a tyrant–and affecting thousands of Virginians while doing so, we have an obligation to stand up and stand firm, just as we always have. As so many of you tell me on a daily basis how concerned you are about the policies being mandated at the federal level, I hope you will remember the fabric that Virginia is made of–both good and bad–and how in this moment we can stand together against tyranny, those who seek to further divide us and destroy all that we’ve worked for.
Thank you again allowing me the honor to be your voice in the Virginia Senate.