47 is Back, But Our Commonwealth is Still Blue Week 3: January 20-24, Update From Delegate Delores Oates

We call odd year sessions in Richmond the “short session,” but there’s nothing short about the days we’re putting in here. We’re one week from the halfway point, and my team and I are working hard to mitigate the damage the left is attempting to do in our Commonwealth and our communities. This session is filled with reminders that without a Republican Governor to hold the line, our Commonwealth could look vastly different and dystopian.

We learned this week that Virginians are about to be on the hook for some $450 million in higher power bills this year as our utilities struggle to keep up with the “clean” energy demands of the Virginia Clean Economy Act. Under that 2020 law, Dominion and Appalachian Power must meet specific targets for wind and solar power production. And just as we warned them five years ago, it’s not feasible to do that without passing costs on to the ratepayers.

Those missed targets trigger “deficiency payments,” which the utilities can simply tack onto bills. The end result is your power bill goes up, and there’s nothing you or state regulators can do about it. Our Republican team is working hard with the Governor to find a solution to stop these hikes, but Democrats have thus far refused to budge.

Delegate Phil Scott discusses the Senate’s attempt to amend HJ1

Our 2nd Amendment is Continually Under Attack

On Thursday, a bill that I presented, HB2414 failed to advance. This bill would’ve added the option for concealed carry classes to be conducted online. Public testimony was in support of this bill, including several representatives from Virginia’s Citizen Defense League (VCDL).

A study of concealed carry holders in Texas found the rate of crime by those who hold a concealed carry permit is significantly lower than all other population groups, yet we continue to portray concealed carry holders, and all gun owners, as the “bad guys.” We’re well overdue for common sense gun legislation, but unfortunately, we won’t be seeing it this year.

View the bill: https://legiscan.com/VA/bill/HB2414/2025

A Bill to Provide Support to Victims of Rape Fails in Partisan Vote

For the second year, I carried HB1839, a bill to allow one person, whose presence, in the judgement of the court, would be supportive of the victim. Research shows that allowing a support person can greatly benefit the mental health of the victim and assist them through the difficult nature of a trial. I worked across the aisle to amend this bill in hopes of moving it forward, but to no avail. I am frustrated, to say the least, that the left cannot come together on legislation that would overwhelmingly support women that are in a vulnerable position.

View the bill: https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1765757

Pictured with representatives from healthcare agencies throughout our region.

Working Toward Healthcare Reform

Friends, if there was one issue that greatly needed reform in our region, it’s healthcare. However, something of this scale is going to take time and diligence to change. I’ve proposed a bill, HB2698, to begin to move the needle in the right direction. This bill specifies that hospitals that solely provide maternity care are not considered to be medical care facilities subject to provisions requiring such facilities to obtain a certificate of public need. What this would do is remove some of the barriers for maternity care facilities to establish in our region. I encourage you to review the bill and reach out to other legislators on the Health and Human Services Committee to extend your support.

Click here to view bill: https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1787858/

Community Bright Spots

Meeting PRTC Omniride to discuss a cosponsored bill with Delegate Lovejoy. HB2324 Expands the localities and entities with which transportation district commissions may enter into contracts or agreements to provide transit facilities and services and other modes of transportation. This bill can positively impact Warren County.

View the full text of the bill: https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB2324

Legislative Update

For more information on my position on specific legislation, check out VPAP’s General Assembly guide: https://lis.virginia.gov/session-details/20251/member-information/H0377/member-details

Stay up to date by tuning into sessions of the House or committees that may be of interest to you. The House meeting schedule and LIS can help you keep track of legislation as it moves through the process.

You can always email our office for help too!

Yours in Service,