This legislative session was not one where we saw any major progressive victories. The republicans, at the behest of the Youngkin Administration, remain hellbent on importing extremist Floridian ideologies and keeping fringe issues at the center of Virginia politics through lies and ridiculous appeals to emotion – they even shot down bills that should be considered non-controversial, solely because they were carried by a Democrat.
The legislators that took the Virginia Justice Democrats pledge in 2021 showed up to push progressive ideas and legislation to ensure that everyday Virginians are protected across the Commonwealth.
Delegate Sam Rasoul
HB2189 – Requires industrial and commercial users of PFAS chemicals to test wastewater prior to processing items
In other words… creates standards so corporations can’t dump poisonous chemicals into our water supply unchecked.
Why it’s important: Environmental regulations surrounding clean water are critical to the health and wellness of all our communities. Water contaminants are most likely to negatively impact economically disadvantaged communities – we need to create standards to ensure access to clean water for all.
Status: Passed and Signed into Law
HB1567 – Directs the Department Health to work with organizations and stakeholders to identify ways to reduce maternal and infant mortality
Why it’s important: Infant and maternal mortality disproportionately impact people of color, predominantly the Black community and people in rural areas. Having organizations and the state government assess where we can reduce and mitigate harm, the better steps we can take towards equity in medical treatment.
Status: Passed and Signed into Law
HB1566 – Requires the Commonwealth to compensate public school teachers that is at or above the national average of teacher pay to retain highly qualified teachers
Why it’s important: Virginia has become one of a few states to be at the forefront of the national conversation on public education. In the extreme-right’s most recent attempt to defund public schools and funnel that money towards private and charter schools (many of them with an agenda).
This bill sought to repair the damage that’s been done by these extremists by paying Virginia public school teachers at least the national average for teacher pay to keep Virginia public schools the best in the nation.
Status: Died in subcommittee
Delegate Elizabeth Guzman
HB2153 – Allows equal opportunity for Virginians to apply for and obtain a Certification of Disability
Why it’s important: Disability justice is an often missing piece in the collective conversation around justice. Allowing all Virginians, regardless of employment status, the ability to apply for and obtain a Certification of Disability is critically necessary in better understanding the needs of the disability community.
Status: Passed and Signed into Law
HB2143 – Establishes a student loan repayment program fund for teachers, up to $5,000
Why it’s important: This program would establish a grant program for teachers that would help them pay back their student loans, up to $5,000. Similarly to HB1566, this program would help retain teachers in Virginia and in the teaching profession at a time when they are so critically needed.
Status: Died in Subcommittee
HB2142 – Expands eligibility for financial assistance for the G3 workforce program to include high-demand fields such as education, STEM fields, special education teaching, or any field where there is a shortage of skilled workers
Why it’s important: Expanding financial assistance so that Virginian’s can participate in a workforce program for in-demand fields is a necessary pathway towards economic justice. The people who most often benefit from workforce training programs are people who didn’t have the chance to go to college or pursue other higher education opportunities.
Status: Died in Subcommittee
Delegate Nadarius Clark
HB1532 – Allows any locality to adopt rent stabilization provisions and establishes penalties against landlords who violate said provisions
Why it’s Important: The increase in rental prices in Virginia are out of control and many people continue to be priced out of their homes. This bill establishes that localities could adopt rent stabilization provisions and penalize landlords for non-compliance, which would enable localities with extremely high costs of living to put a cap on how much property management companies and landlords can charge for rent.
Status: Died in Subcommittee
HB1615 – Establishes a statute of limitations on the collection of medical debt
Why it’s Important: Debt is a burden that many of us are faced with, especially in a system that does not value paying people a living wage nor caring for their well-being. Medical debt is one of the most common types of debt and is the most common type of debt to be in collections. Unlike credit card debt, medical debt does not have a time limit in which it could be collected which this bill would fix.
Status: Died in Committee
HB1720 – Removes the one-year wait period before divorce if based on the ground of cruelty apprehension of bodily hurt, or willful desertion or abandonment by either party
Why it’s important: Domestic and intimate partner violence is probably not the first thing you think of when reflecting on social justice, but it is related. Many of the laws surrounding marriage and divorce are antiquated and can leave victims of abuse in fraught circumstances while they await their divorce trial, potentially putting them in harm’s way physically, financially, emotionally, or otherwise. This bill would make an exception to grant a divorce immediately.
Status: Died in Subcommittee
This legislative session progressives brought forth legislation that sought to advance equity and address the issues that are keeping Virginian’s from thriving, but aren’t interested in doing what’s just for the Commonwealth. The only thing Republicans are interested in is serving their big money interests and advancing an extreme agenda that’s wrong for Virginia.
This is why it’s so critical that we support progressive candidates for the General Assembly in 2023. We need bold candidates and leaders who will support change, name and work towards solving injustices, and call out their colleagues who are acting in bad faith on both sides of the aisle.
Do you know a candidate that’s willing to stand up for progressive values? You can join Virginia Justice Democrats by signing our pledge here.