It is hard to believe that only one week is left of the 2023 legislative session. I am excited to share that two of my bills have passed unanimously through both chambers of the General Assembly! HB2080 creates a special license plate to honor women veterans. HB2077 requires all attorneys who assist veterans with VA-related claims and appeals processes to provide a written disclosure informing all clients of the free services provided by the Department of Veterans Services for service members, veterans, and their families. These bills will now make their way to the Governor who will sign them into laws. See a full list of my bills HERE.
One of the 11 bills that I introduced this year has passed the House and is now up for consideration in the Senate. HB2224 directs the Department of Health and the Department of General Services to convene a work group to evaluate the current funding model for the Commonwealth's newborn screening program. The goal of this work study is to find an alternative funding model to alleviate the cost burden of newborn screening for low-income families and health care providers, ensuring that all babies receive this critical test. I hope this important bill will pass in the Senate.
As a member of the minority party in the House, I am disappointed but not surprised that all 3 of my gun bills were killed in committee. Only one gun safety bill successfully passed the House this session: HB 2387. This bill from Delegate Lopez establishes a refundable income tax credit for individuals who purchase one or more firearm safety devices.
This weekend, I am participating in a virtual Veterans and Military Families Town Hall hosted by Delegate Kathy Tran. The town hall will be held via Zoom on Saturday, February 18th at 11:00 a.m. If you would like to join us, register here.
Next week I am hosting another roundtable for women veterans here in Richmond. Women veterans are invited to join us at the Virginia War Memorial on Thursday, February 23rd at 6:00 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to speak directly to local elected officials about your specific needs and concerns as a woman veteran in the Commonwealth! This event is open to women only. RSVP here.
As always, please reach out to me with any questions or concerns you might have. During the legislative session, I can be reached in my Richmond office at 804-698-1034 or [email protected].
Sincerely,
Delegate Kathleen Murph
VA-34
15th Annual Capitol Square Basketball Classic
The Annual Capitol Square Basketball Classic celebrated its 15th year this Monday. The highly anticipated basketball game is a bi-partisan competition between the Virginia Senate, House, lobbyists, and the Governor’s office. The game takes place at the VCU Siegel Center as a fundraiser for the VCU Massey Cancer Center. This year, we raised a grand total of $60,188 for cancer research! Once again, Governor Youngkin’s team beat the lobbyists, and the House team beat the Senate 39-26! The House pages brought so much spirit and won the “Best Pages” competition after cheering and performing a dance at halftime. It was a very fun and exciting night, and a successful fundraiser for a great cause.
Team House pre-game huddle!
Summer Job Fair for High School Students
The McLean Citizens Association, with support from McLean, Langley, and Marshall High Schools, is hosting a summer job fair on Saturday, March 18th from 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. at the McLean Community Center (Community Hall, 1234 Ingleside Avenue, McLean, VA 22101).
Information for Employers: With a tight labor market, this is your opportunity to recruit very capable high school students. If you have paid summer opportunities and would like to participate in the Job Fair, contact Mary Barnes, McLean High Career Center Specialist, at [email protected]. Space is limited and there are only a few employer opportunities available. If you have already signed up, you are all set. Event details will be sent out to participating employers in early March.
Information for High School Student Applicants: No signup required - just walk in. It is recommended for students to bring copies of their resume to leave with potential employers. Students will have the opportunity to fill out applications on the spot! If you have questions regarding this event, please contact e-y_committee@mcleancitizens.
Community Meetings on Fentanyl Dangers
Loudoun County Public Schools has launched a series of public information sessions to warn parents and students of the dangers of using opioids like fentanyl. Fentanyl is now the primary cause of overdose deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The sessions come after recent news of drug overdoses in nearby school divisions. They will feature school division staff members and substance use or mental health specialists from within the community as well as law enforcement representatives. There will also be information on how to recognize an opioid overdose, how to treat it and treatment programs. Learn more here.
The following information sessions will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, February 21 - Loudoun County High School
- Tuesday, February 28 - Independence High School
- Tuesday, March 7 - Woodgrove High School
- Thursday, March 23 - Broad Run High School