“Sine die” is the language that marks the end of the regular session of the Virginia General Assembly. The term, originating from Latin, means “without fixing a day for future action or meeting,” and it is the customary phrase uttered by the Clerks of the Senate, and House of Delegates at the conclusion of the annual legislative session.

The term Sine die refers to the fact that the General Assembly is not scheduled to meet again until next year. The exception being, of course, the single day next month — April 17th — that we will reconvene to act on vetoes and amendments from the governor on legislation that we passed during our 60-day session.

While the words Sine die represent a finish line for this year’s session, it marks the beginning of the final chapter of the legislative process. All told, Governor Youngkin received 1,046 bills from the General Assembly this year. As of this writing, he has vetoed eight bills, amended 12, and signed 52 bills into law. The governor must act on all legislation by midnight on April 8th, which is 30 days after adjournment of the General Assembly.

I was encouraged to see the governor’s signature of HB 174 carried by Delegate Rozia Henson, Jr., (D-Woodbridge), which codifies the legal right to marriage between two consenting adults in Virginia, regardless of the sex, gender, or race of the parties. I introduced SB 101, the identical Senate version of the legislation, which received bipartisan support in both the Senate and House of Delegates and which awaits gubernatorial action.

Much will be speculated in the coming weeks about Governor Youngkin’s potential actions on individual bills, and on the state budget. At a hastily-convened press conference outside the Capitol last week, the governor announced his displeasure with the budget passed by the General Assembly. The governor’s chief complaints include: (1) removal from the budget of the proposal to sell state-backed bonds to finance the relocation of two professional sports teams to Alexandria; (2) prohibiting the governor’s effort to repeal Virginia’s corporate polluter tax, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI); and (3) the blocking of the governor’s fiscally irresponsible tax-giveaways to the wealthiest Virginians.

The governor’s vetoes thus far present an unfortunate preview of the actions he could take on bills that await his consideration. In particular, I can only express concern and bewilderment with the governor’s veto of SB 47, carried by Senator Barbara Favola (D-Arlington), and HB 46, carried by Delegate Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-Alexandria), which would better protect family members of individuals who are temporarily prohibited from possessing firearms because they are subject to a protective order or have been convicted of an assault and battery of a family or household member. I hope that the governor will heed the voices of the vast majority of Virginians and not stand in the way of additional state-level protections against gun violence in the coming weeks.

I look forward to updating you on the status of the budget and more than 1,000 bills, including 16 of mine, as we advance toward the April 8th deadline for the governor to act on legislation.

It is my continued honor to serve the residents of the 39th Senate District.

We’re in the final week of the 2024 General Assembly session and we still have much work to do. As of this writing, 785 bills have passed both chambers and are on their way to Governor Youngkin’s desk, while 306 bills await final action by the legislature.

Between now and the legislature’s scheduled adjournment, Sine Die, on Saturday March 9th, the General Assembly must also complete work on the budget that will set Virginia state expenditures for the remainder of this year and the next two fiscal years.

My priorities for Virginia’s budget remain steadfast, including reversing the $300 million cut to public education that was contained in Governor Youngkin’s introduced budget, and increasing our investments in K-12 public education. New funding for Metro is also at the top of my priority list; I encourage the Senate and House budget conferees to provide Metro with needed funding to prevent it from entering a death spiral.

Another issue related to ongoing deliberations over the state budget is Governor Youngkin’s proposal for Potomac Yard. As I have said before, I believe that the Commonwealth’s budget is not the appropriate legislative vehicle to consider the creation of a state authority that would issue bonds to pay for a proposed sports arena for the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals.

I will continue to advocate these and other priorities to the budget conferees and I look forward to seeing them embraced in the final compromise agreement when it is released later this week. Under rules adopted by both the Senate and the House of Delegates, the budget must be finalized in time to provide legislators with at least 48 hours to review the compromise prior to their voting on it.

​Once the General Assembly votes on the budget, it will be transmitted to the governor. In addition to the ability to sign, amend, or veto individual bills, Virginia governors may take similar action on the state budget bills after they are passed by the General Assembly. In fact, past governors have in some instances proposed extensive amendments to the budget after it reaches his desk – actions that are either approved or rejected by the General Assembly when we return to Richmond for Reconvened Session scheduled for April 17, 2024.

​It is my continued honor to serve the residents of the 39th Senate District.

With the last two weeks of session finally upon us in Richmond, the Senate and House are hard at work. More than 400 bills have passed through both chambers, and more than 700 are still under consideration. In the waning days of the session, the bills passed by the Senate and House will be transmitted to Governor Youngkin. 

The governor has provided little in the way of a preview of what legislative actions he may take, including whether he will sign, amend, or veto bills that would increase the minimum wage, and better protect communities from gun violence. Like most Virginians, I hope Governor Youngkin will allow these important bills to become law this year. 

As part of the legislative process, the Governor of Virginia can take four actions on bills that reach their desk: 

• Sign: Legislation that is signed into law by the governor will go into effect on the next July 1st, unless otherwise provided for in the bill. 

• Veto: When a governor vetoes a bill, it is transmitted back to the legislative chamber in which it was introduced. That chamber, whether the Senate or the House, may vote to approve, or reject, a veto from the governor by a simple majority vote in both chambers. At least two-thirds of the members elected to a given chamber can vote to enact a bill notwithstanding a veto from a governor (a.k.a., an override of the veto). In the Senate, this requires at least 27 Senators; in the House, at least 67 votes are required. Because of the high threshold voting requirement, and the near evenly-divided General Assembly, overrides of gubernatorial vetoes are rare in recent Virginia history. 

• Amend: If a governor wants to change legislation that has reached his desk, they can propose an amendment to that bill. If they so choose, the bill is then transmitted back to the legislative chamber in which it was introduced. That chamber, whether the Senate or the House, may vote to approve or reject the proposed amendment from the governor by a simple majority vote. If the amendment is rejected, the House and Senate can also vote to pass the underlying legislation notwithstanding the objection, or amendment, of the governor. Such an action requires approval of at least two-thirds of the members elected to each legislative chamber, akin to a veto override. 

• Take No Action: Though historically rare, the Governor of Virginia need not sign a bill in order for it to become law. As a matter of fact, any bill sent to the governor’s desk will become law if it is not acted on. 

As the work of the 2024 session continues towards its end point, please keep in mind that the final step in the process is the governor, who must take action — or take no action — on all bills within 30 days of adjournment of the General Assembly. The General Assembly will then reconvene on April 17th to vote on any vetoes and amendments proposed by Governor Youngkin. I look forward to updating you further on these and other bills as we move toward the end of the legislative session. 

It is my continued honor to serve the residents of the 39th Senate District.

Last November, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced his proposal to relocate the Washington Wizards NBA team and the Washington Capitals NHL team from DC across the river to a to be constructed two billion dollar arena to be built in the City of Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood. There is no question that the arena and entertainment district proposal, which also includes a separate 3,000 capacity concert venue, is a unique opportunity for Alexandria to diversify its tax base.

The House of Delegates version of the bill, HB 1514, sponsored by Delegate Luke Torian of Prince William was recommended on 17-3 vote by the House of Delegates Appropriations Committee for the consideration of the full House.

The Senate cognate of that bill, SB 718, sponsored by Senator Scott Surovell of Mount Vernon was not docketed for a hearing before this Tuesday’s crossover deadline for all bills to pass in their house of origin. Senator Louise Lucas, chair of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee reasoned that the bill put too much risk on the Commonwealth, possibly leaving taxpayers on the hook for the bonds issued for financing. Lucas also pointed out that the project’s proposed financing was not viable without the public bond issuance. She also said it would be atypical and precedent-setting to use the Commonwealth’s contingent moral obligation debt to fund a private economic development project.

Even though the bill has not yet been considered by the traditional pre-crossover deadline, the House version of the bill could advance and be considered by the Senate—and the Senate rules do allow for the governor to send down another bill at any time. The project was also included in the governor’s proposed budget.

In my opinion, it is critical we don’t rush to approve a project that would impact generations of Virginians without answers to important questions. Three components must be in any bill I could consider supporting. First, the protection of the communities that would be most directly impacted--including a deep investment in affordable housing to avoid driving out families who live in nearby neighborhoods. Second, Northern Virginians need a real commitment from the Commonwealth to the long-term health of the Metro system. And third, I need confidence that the project would include meaningful and binding agreements to create good-paying jobs, in construction, service and hospitality through Project Labor and Labor Peace Agreements.

The governor’s transportation report released from the Kimley Horn firm contains a number of potential improvements--most of which have merit. Unfortunately, the report, just like the governor's introduced budget released in December, includes zero commitment to long-term funding of the Metro system. Unfortunately, the only commitment the governor has mustered is one to consider budget amendments for short-term Metro funding. The report predicts that Metro could in the future support 50% of the arena traffic to Potomac Yard. Unfortunately, this could never be achieved unless Metro receives long-term, sustainable funding from the Commonwealth.

As I said, for this proposal to win my vote, it must do three things. First, enhance the community's quality of life experience, not harm it. Second, provide good-paying jobs and careers. And third, the project must fit hand-in-glove with a long-term transportation vision for our thriving but traffic-choked region. I prefer that consideration of this proposal not be rushed because it is clear to me that adequate answers have not yet been provided to fundamental questions.

For my part, as long as the Potomac Yard proposal is alive, I’ll keep pushing for answers on transportation, affordable housing, and worker protections.

It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District.

My legislative email address is [email protected].

As we near the midpoint of the session, I wanted to update you on one of my major priorities: finding solutions for immediate, and long-term funding for Metro. 

With 32 Virginia rail stations and 31 bus lines on our side of the Potomac, Metro plays a vital role in the Commonwealth's economy and serves as a critical component of Northern Virginia's transit network. The entire system generates $1.5 billion in annual revenue from personal income and sales taxes, which goes to support programs and services across the Commonwealth. 

Metro is funded by a complex arrangement of federal, state and local sources spread across the capital and operating budgets. The capital budget, which is used mainly to keep existing stations, tracks and buses in a state of good repair, is funded by federal sources, state and local funds from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, including funding secured by legislation signed into law in Virginia in 2018. The operating budget, which is used to keep the buses and trains running, is funded by fare revenue and other sources (like advertising), federal pandemic relief funds, and state tax dollars from Virginia, Maryland, and the District. In Virginia, the local governments in Northern Virginia are responsible for paying Metro and they use a mixture of funds from the regional gas tax, state aid, and other local sources to meet this obligation. 

In 2018, we came together with the rest of the DMV region and secured $500 million a year in capital funding for Metro, which included $154.5 million from Virginia, $167 million from Maryland, and $178.5 million from the District of Columbia.. This capital funding has been crucial in ramping up repairs to stations, tunnels, and bridges. It has also been vital to the completion of the Yellow Line Bridge Tunnel Rehabilitation project, as well as the rebuilding of 11 Metrorail station platforms in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax County.

Unfortunately, the legislative compromise reached in 2018 placed a 3% annual growth cap on how much Metro could ask Virginia’s local governments to contribute in operating assistance. Without further action by the General Assembly to lift that 3% cap, along with a significant cash infusion, Metro will be forced to make severe service cuts to close the budget deficit, which would be devastating for Northern Virginia. This would mean the closure of the 10 lowest-ridership stations across the system, and service cutbacks like the closing of stations at 10:00 pm. For Metrobus, this would eliminate 67 of 135 routes; and 41 of the remaining 68 routes would see reduced service.

Metro has dug deep and found additional, one time and recurring savings to help close the gap, but regional partners need to do their part. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), where I serve as a Commissioner, put forward recommendations on Metro funding, accountability and reform, and is studying options for long-term dedicated funding. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) has also brought together staff and elected officials from across the region to find short and long-term solutions.

I am disappointed that Governor Youngkin did not include any additional funding for Metro in his proposed Fiscal Year 2025 - 2026 budget. If we can’t solve this budget gap, we won’t have a working Metro system to serve the new Potomac Yard-VT station — and the governor’s proposed new arena for the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards. I want to extend my appreciation to Sen. David Marsden and Del. Mark Sickles for their proposed amendments to the state budget that would address the operating cap and provide additional state aid to Metro, which would be matched by Northern Virginia local governments. Because these solutions are short-term, I have also introduced SJ 28 to study and develop long-term sustainable funding solutions for Metro and other Northern Virginia transit systems.

​It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District.

My legislative email address is [email protected].

During the summer and fall, I heard from constituents who believe that there= should be stiffer penalties for those who hurt household pets. We have seen examples of this in our community.

Last summer, someone left sausages with fish hooks on Duke Street in Alexandria outside for animals to eat. Thankfully, no pets were harmed in this instance, but experts said that if an animal were to have eaten one of the sausages, it could have caused severe injury. But because no pet was hurt, the assailant could only be charged with a misdemeanor under current law. In another instance, in the Del Ray neighborhood, a man was annoyed by his neighbor’s dog barking, so he combined rat poison with meat and threw it into his neighbor’s yard.

Thankfully, the dog’s owner noticed the poisoned meat before the dog did and reported the incident. The perpetrator was arrested and charged with a class 1 misdemeanor for the offense despite the clear intent to cause harm to his neighbor's dog. That’s why I introduced Senate Bill 369 to increase the penalty for harming a companion animal.

Under current Virginia law, it is a Class 5 felony for any person to maliciously wound a farm animal, which is punishable by up to 10 years in jail or a fine of up to $2,500.

My bill would add household pets to that category, making the malicious wounding of a companion animal also punishable by a Class 5 felony. Current law provides a Class 1 misdemeanor for a first offense, which includes up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $2,500. SB 369 has received unanimous approval by two Senate committees and the full Senate before it moves to the House of Delegates for its consideration.

On other legislation related to animal welfare, Senator Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) introduced Senate Bill 11. This bill would allow a judge to ban someone convicted of felony cruelty to animals from possessing animals for life, and ban a person convicted of misdemeanor cruelty to animals from possessing animals for a period of up to five years. Senators Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon) and Bill Stanley (R-Franklin) have also introduced Senate Bill 93, which would give any locality in the Commonwealth the authority to establish an animal cruelty registry on their website or their local police department’s website.

This year there are not one but two pages from the 39th Senate District. Sydney Robasson and Jada Ashun are stellar students at Francis C. Hammond Middle School and are very impressive young women both in and out of the classroom. Both Jada and Sydney were amazing applicants. I am thankful that there was room in the Senate Page Class of 2024 so that both Jada and Sydney could participate. During the legislative session, Senate Pages are tasked with helping visitors find meeting rooms, taking recycling from member’s offices, delivering items to the Senate Chamber, and many other administrative tasks. I am very proud of both Jada and Sydney and their work this session.

It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District. My legislative email address is [email protected]. You can also reach us at our new Richmond phone number 804-698-7539.

Last Wednesday, I took the gavel of the Public Safety Subcommittee for the first time. Over the course of the next month, the Senate Finance Committee will be working to report the Senate’s Budget to the full body for its consideration.

Under the leadership of Democrats in the General Assembly, over the last four years, minimum salaries for state level public safety officers increased $10,769 on average for entry level positions and $19,918 on average for the highest ranked positions. This includes correctional staff at the Department of Corrections (DOC) and Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Virginia State Police (VSP) officers, and also deputy sheriffs and regional jails officers. 

Between 2021 and 2023, we also provided significant bonuses for law enforcement and public safety officers. That included $4,000 for DOC and DJJ correctional staff, and $3,000 for deputy sheriffs and regional jail officers. We also provided $5,000 bonuses for VSP officers, as well as up to $2,000 for relocation expenses, and bonuses of between 2.0 and 8.0 percent of an officer’s salary. All of these were in addition to normal bonuses provided by agencies within their existing operating budgets.

As the new Chairman of the Public Safety Subcommittee of Senate Finance, I look forward to continuing that track record of investment to keep Virginia communities safe.

This past Sunday, I hosted a Town Hall at Alexandria City High School along with Delegates Charniele Herring, Alfonso Lopez, and Adele McClure. Special thanks to Virginia public radio journalist Michael Lee Pope for moderating our discussion.

We fielded numerous questions about the proposal to relocate the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards to an arena in Potomac Yard, including project financing, the potential transportation impact along the Rt. 1 Corridor, and other quality-of-life issues. For more information about the proposed arena project, please visit www.MonumentalALX.com.

In addition to discussing the Monumental proposal, we answered questions on an array of other topics, including the proposal to build a casino on the Silver Line Metro corridor in Fairfax County, gun violence prevention, and abortion access.

Thank you again to everyone who came out; for those who are still looking to provide community input, you are still able to fill out my constituent survey, which can be found at adamebbin.com/survey.

It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District.

My legislative email address is [email protected].

You can also reach us at our new Richmond phone number 804-698-7539.

Virginia’s legal gaming landscape has shifted rapidly over the past five years. In decades past, legal gambling was limited to the Virginia Lottery, authorized in the early 1990s through a statewide referendum. Prior to five years ago, the only other legal form of wagering in Virginia was charitable bingo and “pull-tab” machines. Charitable gaming provides a sizable portion of funding for many of Virginia’s nonprofit organizations, and is regulated by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. 

However, in 2018, Virginia expanded gaming when the General Assembly legalized wagering on “Historical Horse Racing” (HHR) machines at the Colonial Downs racetrack in New Kent County and six other sites, including the Town of Dumfries in Northern Virginia. The satellite locations required local approval though a local referendum before they could move forward. The HHR machines are overseen by the Virginia Racing Commission. 

In 2020, the General Assembly passed legislation that authorized gambling on most professional sporting events, overseen by the Virginia Lottery. Sports betting is available online, on a cell phone, or at a Virginia-based casino and other certain locations. 

In addition, the General Assembly - in 2020 - legalized casino gaming (overseen by the Virginia Lottery) at up to five locations pending approval in a local referendum. They include Portsmouth, Bristol, Norfolk, Danville, and Richmond. Since 2020, four of those cities have passed the required referendum and opened a casino. However, Richmond voters defeated a referendum to approve a casino two times in a span of three years. 

Three of the major gaming issues in 2024 are the potential legalization of “gray machines” (or “skill games”), the possible addition of casinos in Northern Virginia and Petersburg, and the legalization of slot machine-like Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs) in restaurants around the state. 

As I wrote in the Richmond Times-Dispatch this past fall, I am not a fan of gray machines, primarily because they are often encountered in nontraditional gaming environments, like convenience stores where families might shop for everyday items, or restaurants. This contrasts with destination-oriented gaming sites like a casino, where a consumer has made a conscious decision to seek out gambling. For several years, the machines operated in a “gray area” that was not explicitly legal. 

In my opinion, gray machines don’t serve the consumer interests of Virginia’s gambling public. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the bill to legalize gray machines does not contain a system that the Commonwealth could verify or audit to ensure that the Department of Taxation and the small business owners where the machines are located get their fair share of the proceeds. I am also concerned that some proposals to legalize gray machines do not contain protections to dissuade wagering by underage Virginians. 

I also expect that bills to establish casinos in the Tysons area of Northern Virginia, along with a conference center, and in the City of Petersburg, will generate much attention. As Chairman of the General Laws and Technology Committee, I have appointed a Gaming Subcommittee so that the numerous, and complex gambling bills can be compared and considered, with the exception of one bill that was considered by the Commerce and Labor Committee. 

I also serve on the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Feasibility of Establishing a Virginia Gaming Commission to provide a more unified governance of the various forms of gambling in Virginia. As described above, the current landscape for Virginia gaming involves the Virginia Racing Commission, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Virginia Lottery. I believe that one single entity overseeing what is now a regulatory patchwork would better serve the public. 

This Sunday, January 21st, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, at Alexandria City High School, please join me and Delegates Charniele Herring, Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Alfonso Lopez, and Adele McClure for a 39th Senate District Town Hall. The event will be moderated by Virginia public radio reporter Michael Lee Pope, who will pose questions pre-submitted online or at the event. If you would like to RSVP, or pre-submit a question, visit www.adamebbin.com/townhallrsvp 

You can stay on top of General Assembly events through the Virginia Legislative Information System (LIS) website. On that site, you can find many helpful links, including:
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• All legislation introduced, including the bills that I am putting forward;
• You can find listings of all members of the General Assembly, as well as the committees that hear legislation, and the regularly-updated meetings calendar that lists when committee meetings and other events are taking place;
• You can find a live feed of the State Senate, and any meetings of Senate committees here, as well as archived footage of recent State Senate hearings and floor proceedings.

My new legislative email address is [email protected]. You can also reach us at our new Richmond phone number 804-698-7539. 

It is my continued honor to represent the people of the 39th Senate District. 

​Thank you, 

State Senators are limited to introducing 21 pieces of legislation this session, so I am hard at  work putting the final touches on my package of bills for 2024. As you may have seen, I have already introduced one amendment to the Virginia Constitution, as well as four pieces of legislation, including one that I am carrying with my friend and newly-elected fellow Senator, Schuyler VanVallkenburg.

• SJ 11: This proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution would finally remove the stain on our foundational document that prohibits marriage equality, replacing the prohibition with the affirmative right to marry for two consenting adults.
  
• SB 101: Would prohibit someone who provides marriage licenses in Virginia from  refusing to issue a marriage license based on the sexual orientation or race of the of the two parties to the marriage.
  
• SB 100: Would prohibit so-called “ghost guns”.
  
• SB 99: Would prohibit the carrying of an assault weapon in public.
  
• SB 44: Would increase penalties on a parent if they leave a loaded firearm around a child and the child uses the firearm to commit violence.

I have also filed several pieces of additional legislation, including bills that would:

• Increase penalties for removing or altering serial numbers on firearms.
  
• Establish a retail market for safe cannabis use for adults 21 and older.
  
• Create penalties for the killing or maiming of a companion animal.
  
• Extend the deadline for the City of Alexandria to complete its investments in replacing its combined sewer overflow system, due to supply chain delays.
  
• Strengthen the unemployment system by requiring the Virginia Employment Commission to provide claimants copies of employer responses to agency fact-finding and inquiries.
  
• Require more timely and detailed responses from employers to the Virginia Employment Commission regarding employee separation.
  
• Require the posting of the illegal gaming tip line in establishments licensed by Virginia Lottery. (1-833-889-2300).
  
• Prohibit landlords from charging tenants for so-called “junk fees,” such as the cost of repairing equipment that is owned by the landlord.
  
• Ban unscrupulous companies from trapping homeowners into advance sales contracts to list their home for sales for many years in advance, under penalty of increased costs on the homeowner.

​I will co-host a Town Hall meeting with the rest of the 39th Senate District delegation to the General Assembly on Sunday, January 21st, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Alexandria City High School. Along with Delegates Charniele Herring, Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Alfonso  Lopez, and Adele McClure, I will be responding to your questions, and listening for good ideas.

On Monday evening, earlier this week, I participated in a virtual town hall hosted by the Del Ray Citizens Association, to hear questions from the Alexandria community about the proposal for relocating the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals from the District to Potomac Yard. For those who participated, and patiently waited while we negotiated technical difficulties, I thank you. If you missed the opportunity to participate, either because of your schedule, or due to technical difficulties, you can view the meeting in its entirety online by clicking here, which you can also find on the Del Ray Citizens Association YouTube channel.

It is clear that public-private sports/entertainment proposals do not always work out well for taxpayers and local communities; that’s why every proposal must be thoroughly vetted by elected leaders and the public, and tested with hard questions. To that end, I will continue to urge the Youngkin Administration to respond to important questions I have heard from the community about the proposal for Potomac Yard.

Last year, thanks to the leadership of Senate Democrats, Virginia partially lifted the Great  Recession-era cap on state funding for public school support staff. Because of that change, the  Commonwealth now will pay its share for 3,670 additional support staff for the 2023-24 school year.

For localities in the 39th Senate District, that investment includes:
​

• 46 additional state-supported staff in Alexandria,
• 81 additional state-supported staff in Arlington,
• and 517 additional state-supported staff in Fairfax County.

Public school support positions, like as guidance counselors, teacher assistants, and school nurses, are fundamentally critical to the success of Virginia’s children. Virginia needs to maintain its expanded support for them, and continue the effort to pay them what they deserve. Many students have barriers to learning, and they require support beyond what some of the best public school teachers could provide. That’s why public school support staff play  such an important role in helping Virginia’s students overcome their challenges, and gain an education that will help them uplift themselves and their communities.

In reaction to the Great Recession, an arbitrary cap was imposed on the number of public school support staff the state would pay for; this action reduced state support by hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Since the cap was established in 2009, support staff decreased by 3,630 positions across the state; while at the same time, Virginia’s public school enrollment increased by more than 16,000 students.

When lawmakers, led by Senate Democrats, pressed Governor Youngkin to agree to partially  lifting the Great Recession-era staff support cap, that represented a significant policy victory that  was years in the making. This means that the Commonwealth will finally pay its share of the costs for 3,670 additional support staff for the 2023-2024 school year.

Virginia’s legislative research arm – JLARC – just last summer estimated that the state is underfunding the public education system by as much as $ 4 billion per year. The report concluded that Virginia spends less per public school student than our neighboring states of Kentucky, Maryland, and West Virginia.

During this next legislative session, which begins on Wednesday, January 10th, legislators must take into account the demonstrated need for more K-12 public education funding, not less.

As a senior member of the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, I will fight to protect these hard-won investments in public education in the Commonwealth, and expand them where we can afford.

Unfortunately, Governor Youngkin’s proposed 2024-2026 state budget would invest less in Virginia’s public education system, not more. That is unacceptable.

​Thank you,