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Membership
Through our Emgage Action Virginia chapter, we are here to provide you updates in real-time on our legislative priorities, engagement with the Virginia State Government regarding the initiatives most important to our community, advocacy efforts, as well as the most crucial legislation we’re tracking in Virginia.
We are here to be your one-stop shop to stay up-to-date on the multitude of legislative actions taking place in the Virginia government, while letting you know how you can stay politically engaged.
Protecting Voting Rights
Criminal Justice Reform
Supporting Small Businesses
Education Reform (School to Prison Pipeline)
Expand Healthcare Access
CRIMINAL JUSTICE:
SB 104: Ending Mandatory Minimums for most crimes
Last Action: On Feb. 25, 2023, this bill failed to proceed.
Summary: SB 104 eliminates of mandatory minimum sentences; modification of sentence to mandatory minimum term of confinement for felony offenses; report. Except for aggravated murder of a law-enforcement officer, eliminates all mandatory minimum sentences of confinement from the Code of Virginia. The bill directs the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to establish a work group to evaluate the feasibility of resentencing persons previously convicted of a felony offense that was punishable by a mandatory minimum term of confinement and to report its findings by November 1, 2022.
Primary Sponsors: Joe Morrissey (D)
ECONOMY:
HB 476: Create Retail Small Business Grant Program and Fund
Last Action: On Feb 15, 2022, bill left in House Commerce and Energy Committee. Bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Retail Small Business Grant Program and Fund. Establishes the Retail Small Business Grant Program and Fund to support existing Virginia small businesses, attract new businesses, increase the Commonwealth’s tax base, create new job opportunities for Virginia residents, and enhance commercial activity in Virginia. The bill provides that an eligible Virginia small business, defined in the bill, is eligible for grants of up to $50,000. The total amount of grants awarded in a fiscal year is capped at $10 million.
Primary Sponsors: Kat Murphy (D)
EDUCATION:
HB 583: Does not allow schools to exclude kids from activities due to their ability to pay for meals or school meal debt.
Last Action: On April 11, 2022, bill enacted by by Governor-Chapter 686 (effective 7/1/22).
Summary: Requires each school board to adopt policies that prohibit the school board or any school board employee from denying a student the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular school activity because the student cannot pay for a meal at school or owes a school meal debt.
Primary Sponsors: Danica Roem (D)
HB 1179: Establishes the 29-member Virginia Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous Education Advisory Board
Last Action: On Feb. 15, 2022, bill left in House Committee on Education. Bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Establishes the 29-member Virginia Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous Education Advisory Board as an advisory board in the executive branch of state government for the purpose of advising the Governor, his Cabinet members, and the General Assembly on the current ways that Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous history is described in the relevant Standards of Learning and associated curriculum frameworks; how that content is taught in classrooms; and strategies to develop Asian American and Pacific Islander history and social studies elective courses, Latino history and social studies elective courses, and Indigenous history and social studies elective courses.
Primary Sponsors: Nadarius Clark (D)
HEALTHCARE:
HB 1012: Comprehensive healthcare coverage program for ALL children
Last Action: On Feb. 15, 2022, bill left in House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee. Bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Comprehensive children’s health care coverage program. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (the Department) to establish a program to provide state-funded comprehensive health care coverage for individuals in the Commonwealth who (i) are under 19 years of age, (ii) are not covered under a group health plan or health insurance coverage, and (iii) but for their immigration status would be eligible for medical assistance services through the Commonwealth’s program
Primary Sponsors: Kathy Tran (D)
EDUCATION:
HB 37: Employment of at least one school resource officer in public middle and high school
Last Action: On Feb. 25, 2022, bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Requires each school board to enter into a collaborative agreement with the local law-enforcement agency to employ at least one school resource officer in each public middle and high school in the local school division and at least one school resource officer per five public elementary schools in the local school division, who is required to serve in each such elementary school on a rotating basis.
Primary Sponsors: Timothy Anderson (R)
HB 863: Local law enforcement; certain reports to school principals and division superintendents
Last Action: On Feb. 2, 2022, bill stricken from docket by Committee on Education (22-Y 0-N). Bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Requires local law-enforcement authorities to report in writing, and the principal or his designee and the division superintendent to receive each such report, on (i) any suspected offense, offense for which any charge has been filed, or offense that is subject to investigation, that was committed by a student enrolled at the school if the offense would be a felony if committed by an adult or would be a violation of the Drug Control Act and occurred on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity, or would be an adult misdemeanor involving certain enumerated incidents, and (ii) whether the student is released to the custody of his parent or, if 18 years of age or older, is released on bond. Current law does not require such reports to be in writing and only applies to student offenses but does not specify whether such reports are required to be made for student offenses that are suspected, charged, or subject to investigation.
Primary Sponsors: David Reid (R)
CRIMINAL JUSTICE:
SB 104: Ending Mandatory Minimums for most crimes
Last Action: On Feb. 25, 2023, this bill failed to proceed.
Summary: SB 104 eliminates of mandatory minimum sentences; modification of sentence to mandatory minimum term of confinement for felony offenses; report. Except for aggravated murder of a law-enforcement officer, eliminates all mandatory minimum sentences of confinement from the Code of Virginia. The bill directs the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to establish a work group to evaluate the feasibility of resentencing persons previously convicted of a felony offense that was punishable by a mandatory minimum term of confinement and to report its findings by November 1, 2022.
Primary Sponsors: Joe Morrissey (D)
ECONOMY:
HB 476: Create Retail Small Business Grant Program and Fund
Last Action: On Feb 15, 2022, bill left in House Commerce and Energy Committee. Bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Retail Small Business Grant Program and Fund. Establishes the Retail Small Business Grant Program and Fund to support existing Virginia small businesses, attract new businesses, increase the Commonwealth’s tax base, create new job opportunities for Virginia residents, and enhance commercial activity in Virginia. The bill provides that an eligible Virginia small business, defined in the bill, is eligible for grants of up to $50,000. The total amount of grants awarded in a fiscal year is capped at $10 million.
Primary Sponsors: Kat Murphy (D)
EDUCATION:
HB 583: Does not allow schools to exclude kids from activities due to their ability to pay for meals or school meal debt.
Last Action: On April 11, 2022, bill enacted by by Governor-Chapter 686 (effective 7/1/22).
Summary: Requires each school board to adopt policies that prohibit the school board or any school board employee from denying a student the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular school activity because the student cannot pay for a meal at school or owes a school meal debt.
Primary Sponsors: Danica Roem (D)
HB 1179: Establishes the 29-member Virginia Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous Education Advisory Board
Last Action: On Feb. 15, 2022, bill left in House Committee on Education. Bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Establishes the 29-member Virginia Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous Education Advisory Board as an advisory board in the executive branch of state government for the purpose of advising the Governor, his Cabinet members, and the General Assembly on the current ways that Asian American, Pacific Islander, Latino, and Indigenous history is described in the relevant Standards of Learning and associated curriculum frameworks; how that content is taught in classrooms; and strategies to develop Asian American and Pacific Islander history and social studies elective courses, Latino history and social studies elective courses, and Indigenous history and social studies elective courses.
Primary Sponsors: Nadarius Clark (D)
HEALTHCARE:
HB 1012: Comprehensive healthcare coverage program for ALL children
Last Action: On Feb. 15, 2022, bill left in House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee. Bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Comprehensive children’s health care coverage program. Directs the Department of Medical Assistance Services (the Department) to establish a program to provide state-funded comprehensive health care coverage for individuals in the Commonwealth who (i) are under 19 years of age, (ii) are not covered under a group health plan or health insurance coverage, and (iii) but for their immigration status would be eligible for medical assistance services through the Commonwealth’s program
Primary Sponsors: Kathy Tran (D)
EDUCATION:
HB 37: Employment of at least one school resource officer in public middle and high school
Last Action: On Feb. 25, 2022, bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Requires each school board to enter into a collaborative agreement with the local law-enforcement agency to employ at least one school resource officer in each public middle and high school in the local school division and at least one school resource officer per five public elementary schools in the local school division, who is required to serve in each such elementary school on a rotating basis.
Primary Sponsors: Timothy Anderson (R)
HB 863: Local law enforcement; certain reports to school principals and division superintendents
Last Action: On Feb. 2, 2022, bill stricken from docket by Committee on Education (22-Y 0-N). Bill failed to proceed.
Summary: Requires local law-enforcement authorities to report in writing, and the principal or his designee and the division superintendent to receive each such report, on (i) any suspected offense, offense for which any charge has been filed, or offense that is subject to investigation, that was committed by a student enrolled at the school if the offense would be a felony if committed by an adult or would be a violation of the Drug Control Act and occurred on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity, or would be an adult misdemeanor involving certain enumerated incidents, and (ii) whether the student is released to the custody of his parent or, if 18 years of age or older, is released on bond. Current law does not require such reports to be in writing and only applies to student offenses but does not specify whether such reports are required to be made for student offenses that are suspected, charged, or subject to investigation.
Primary Sponsors: David Reid (R)
