General Assembly update – February 16, 2017

Greetings from the General Assembly in Richmond! I apologize for being a few days late with this week’s update. Cross over week is a busy time in the General Assembly. The House and Senate passed their own versions of the budget, and we are now focused on reviewing Senate bills and finalizing the amended budget before our February 25 adjournment deadline. Over the next week, both chambers will work together to craft and vote on a final budget. I encourage you to click on the View Amended Budget button below to learn more about the budget.

View Amended Budget

James Wood High School Intern

Last week James Wood High School student Natalie Youngblood interned in my Richmond office for a few days. Natalie did a great job assisting me, and I am thankful for all of her hard work! I encourage you to read about Natalie’s experience below:

Throughout this past week, I’ve had the privilege of interning in Delegate Collins’ Richmond office. This experience was certainly one to remember and I am extremely thankful for all of the generous people who’ve made this possible. I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment.

The first day I came in, I went into Delegate Collins’ office and got right to work. The first thing I was asked to do was help write press release about Collins’ town hall meeting on the following Saturday. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous when I came in, sat down, and heard “can you write a press release?” However, Delegate Collins’ Legislative Assistant, Brad Veach, was very helpful and made sure I was very comfortable in the office. After I finished the letter, Mr. Veach played voicemails from constituents and we wrote down their contact information so that the Delegate could reach out to them personally. It was incredible to see how much Delegate Collins really cares about his constituents. Shortly after, Mr. Veach gave me a tour of the Virginia State Capitol Building. After about 3 hours in the General Assembly Building, I had learned so much more than I had imagined.

The next morning, I came into Delegate Collins’ office in the General Assembly Building, where he let me sit in on one of his meetings with a lobbyist. He even stopped periodically to explain to me exactly what they were talking about. When the meeting ended, Mr. Veach looked over some letters written by constituent students. He then let me help write a letter back to them, which we later had Delegate Collins sign. After we finished the letters, Mr. Veach and I walked down to the Capitol Building where I sat and watched the daily session for about 45 minutes. I was really able to get a better understanding of the legislative process firsthand there, and I loved every minute.

On my last day, I came in and Delegate Collins asked if I wanted to sit in on his Court of Justice Committee meeting. Of course, I said yes. I sat and watched as all of the Delegates discussed and voted on new legislation. Afterwards, I went back up to his office and helped write responses to tons of emails. We also updated all of Delegate Collins’ social media to spread information about his town hall meeting. Being a teenager myself, I know a few things about social media, so I was really able to help out. As the day came to an end, I was very disappointed to be finished, but I am incredibly thankful to have had this incredible opportunity.

I can honestly say that this past week has been one of the best and most informative experiences I’ve ever had the privilege to undergo. It was incredibly generous of Delegate Collins and Mr. Veach to not only let me come down to Richmond during their busy session, but to also take time to explain everything to me and really give me the best experience possible. It was an honor to work with two of the most personable, kind, and enjoyable people I’ve ever met. I am truly grateful for this experience, and I hope I’m able to continue to learn about the legislative process in the future!
Natalie Youngblood
Natalie did a great job assisting me in Richmond. Thank you for all of your hard work!
Bill Status

During the 2017 General Assembly Session, I have introduced 15 pieces of legislation; 10 of which have been approved and/or are still being considered by the Senate. To learn more about the legislation that I carried and the status, please visit the Virginia General Assembly LIS page.

Track Legislation

I will conclude my series of weekly legislative updates from the General Assembly with a summary newsletter on Monday, February 27, 2017. The newsletter will include a full summary of my legislation as well as a recap of the State budget.

As the 2017 session comes to an end, I hope you have found this correspondence informative. I encourage you to email or call my Richmond office over the next week at (804) 698-1029 if you have questions or comments. You can also join the conversation on my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

Thank you for the opportunity to represent Virginia’s 29th District.

Sincerely,
Christopher E. Collins, Member
29th District

Our Richmond Office address is:
General Assembly Building
Room #509
P.O. Box 406
Richmond, VA 23218