Virginia House Democrats

ICYMI: House Democrats Provide ‘Progress Report’ on Legislative Priorities Following Crossover

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February 22, 2024

House Democrats Discuss Priority Bills Passing the House

RICHMOND, VA – Following Crossover, the Virginia House Democratic Caucus gathered to provide a progress report on legislative priorities this session. On the first day of Session, Democrats sent a clear message to Virginians across the Commonwealth that their Legislature is one that will work for them and champion their interests. The bills the House is sending to the Senate show the strides that have been made in just a little over a month working on issues that are of the highest importance to all of our constituents. Under a Democratic majority, the House passed 838 bills — 177 of them from freshmen delegates. 

“There has been a sea change,” said Speaker Don Scott. “We are seeing bills that have been brought to the floor and killed in years past, finally getting their due. We passed a minimum wage increase, we passed an assault weapons ban, we are expanding access to affordable healthcare, and protecting abortion rights for women across the Commonwealth of Virginia. These are the issues that Democrats campaigned on, these are the issues Virginians voted for, and these are the pieces of legislation that passed out of the House of Delegates.”

“We must modernize and revitalize our Commonwealth by investing in our infrastructure. We are living in the 21st Century. Access to broadband is infrastructure. Our children depend on it for their education, our business owners depend on it to manage their companies, Virginians depend on it for their healthcare – especially those living in rural areas. It is a public necessity,” said Majority Leader Herring, speaking on progress made towards revitalizing our infrastructure. 

Speaking towards the progress made towards fostering an economy that works for hardworking Virginians, House Democratic Caucus Chair Kathy Tran said, “This economic uncertainty is stressful for parents who worry about paying rent, making sure their kids have a hot meal, and getting life saving medication. As the child of refugees whose first jobs in the United States paid low wage and minimum wage, I know first hand that children also carry the trauma of economic uncertainty. That is why I am so proud that we passed House Bill 1, carried by Chairwoman Ward, to put us on a pathway to raising the minimum wage. These and other steps that we have taken will  positively affect Virginia’s families and kids and have generational impacts.” 

Counties, Cities, and Towns Chairwoman Candi Mundon King, addressing how Democrats are protecting the rights and freedoms of all Virginians, said, “We are always working for the people who got us here – and they asked us to protect access to reproductive healthcare. It is already offensive to suggest that a woman should not have control over her own body, but to suggest that her life is not important is something that should keep my colleagues on the other side of the aisle up at night. A Democratic majority is one that protects and defends access to reproductive healthcare. Full stop.”

“We have said from the beginning that [education] is a core pillar, that we are investing in public education across the Commonwealth for every student,” said Education Chairman Sam Rasoul. “We’re making that investment under Democratic leadership to say our teachers, in one of the wealthiest states in the country, should at least be paid at the national average.”

Public Safety Chairman Marcus Simon said, “Today, we observe a solemn anniversary. Six years ago, at Stoneman Douglas High School, 17 people – 14 of them children – lost their lives because a gunman brought a firearm to their school. That gunman used an AR-15 to open fire on his former highschool. Gun violence is an epidemic in our communities. Parents are concerned about whether or not their child is going to make it home at the end of each school day. Teachers are concerned whether today will be the day they must put their lives on the line to protect their students.” 

At the conference, legislators updated how the House passed legislation making progress on each of the ‘Keep Virginia Moving Forward’ Messaging Pillars. That legislation is below:

Revitalizing our infrastructure from Northern Virginia to Hampton Roads to Southwest Virginia, and all points in between:

Fostering an economy that works for hardworking Virginians:

Securing our children’s future through a world class education:

Protecting the rights and freedoms of all Virginians: 

Keeping Virginia communities and our children safe: 

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