2022 Session Week 5

Greetings from Richmond,  

This was a busy week in Richmond. We have officially wrapped up legislation that originated in the House and are officially on the other side of the Crossover. No new bills can be considered in either the House or the Senate. Now we begin to consider the bills passed by the Senate.

Several of my bills had companion bills in the Senate. This will make it easier for them to pass through both bodies. This session I was able to pass five bills through the House (they are listed below). While many more were proposed, not being in the majority impacted the number of bills they allowed to be heard. 

Considering that the Democrats lost the majority in the House, we knew there would be challenges to bills that we had passed in previous sessions. Gun safety measures were overturned, voting rights had limitations added, and there was a decided shift in priorities.   In spite of that, I am proud of the legislation I was able to pass and confident that it will pass through the Senate.

In total, the Democratic Caucus passed 200 bills that will now be heard by the Senate. The majority of these bills focus on education, healthcare, civil rights, criminal justice, and the economic issues facing all working families. You can find the the Democratic House Caucus press release on this legislation, here.

Once again Art Ability held its Annual Art Show with the help of Delegate Kaye Kory. This is their 7th year bringing the artwork of Virginians with special needs, disabilities and those who are serving time in prison as well as students at Northstar Academy to Richmond. Sponsors include the ARC, Art for the Journey, Zenaviv, Art on Wheels and L'Arche. Several of these artists have joined us to display and sell their artwork at the annual McLean Art Fest, including my friends Sophia Pineda, Lee Jaworek, and Connor Cummings.

Senator Jennifer Boysko and I with the amazing Lee Jaworek at the Art Ability Show

This week my staff surprised me with an early birthday present. They brought in Birthday Donuts to our morning Caucus meeting! While my birthday isn't until later this month, they wanted to provide a little levity to the session after the hard work we have been putting in and the challenges still ahead. The donuts were a wonderful surprise for the members of the Democratic Caucus and the staff that works so hard for the Commonwealth.

At our weekly meeting of the Veteran’s Caucus we were joined by a number of new members, all women! We have a number of newly elected Delegates who have served in the military as well as several who have decided to join me in the fight to support our Women Veterans. Last week we were also joined by Lt. Governor Sears who is also a veteran. I am pleased to have this additional support for the efforts I have been pushing forward on behalf of our women veterans.  I am putting together another Women Veterans Roundtable and will keep you posted on the details.

This week was wrapped up with the annual “Better Halves” reception at the Executive Mansion for the spouses of members of the General Assembly. The First Lady hosted and was joined by the Governor. I joined my husband for a short visit to the mansion before going out to a fun dinner with other members and their spouses. 

Upcoming Budget Report Meetings

The House Appropriations Committee will report Budget amendments to Governor Northam’s Introduced 2022 Budget on Sunday at 1:00 PM. I look forward to reviewing their suggestions. You can watch the House Appropriations Committee live stream, here. For additional information, you can visit the House Appropriations Committee webpage.

The Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee will also be meeting on Sunday to report the Budget. You can find  additional details for the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee here.

Please reach out to me if you have any concerns by email [email protected]   or call my District Phone number: (571) 766-6414.

Sincerely,

Delegate Kathleen Murphy
District-34

2022 Murphy Bill Updates:

HB431 - Qualified health plans; state-mandated health benefits This bill continues coverage for necessary medical formulas for those diagnosed with rare inherited metabolic disorders. HB431 passed the House floor unanimously. It will be heard in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on Monday. 

HB445 - Broadband Workgroup, This bill convenes a workgroup to evaluate how we expand broadband in new residential and commercial development in the Commonwealth. It will also be heard in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Monday. 

HB525 - Adam's Law - A bill that updates and strengthens hazing policies at higher education institutions passed through the House on a near-unanimous bipartisan vote. We now expect it to head to the Senate Education and Health Committee and I am hopeful this critical bill will pass.

HB993 - Unlawful Hazing This bill strengthens hazing penalties and holds those involved in hazing incidents accountable. This bill changes the penalty to a Class 5 felony when the hazing incident results in death or serious bodily injury to any person. The crime of hazing that does not result in death or serious bodily injury remains a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also allows for an affirmative defense for individuals who actively seek help or provide assistance during times of distress. This bill passed the House unanimously and will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday morning at 8:30AM.

HB1334 - Child abuse; valid complaint - This bill expands protection for victims of child abuse and neglect. It expands the definition of a valid complaint of child abuse to include the intimate partner of a parent of guardian. HB1334 passed the House unanimously and we expect it to be referred to the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee.