Session is moving right along and while some of the longer days are challenging, we're inching closer to the halfway point of this long, 60-day session.
I started the week by speaking at the Virginia Association of Defense Attorney's legislative breakfast on Monday and we kept a full calendar all week - meeting with more advocacy organizations and lobbyist groups about my bills, the budget, and other issues they care about. Subcommittee and full Committee meetings are running longer every day as we try to make sure that all the House bills have a hearing before crossover next week.
On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of meeting with and then introducing the 50+ Caucus of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee on the House Floor.
Thursday morning, I saw some familiar faces again as several of our local Falls Church elected officials were visiting, including our recently elected mayor, Letty Hardi, all the City Council Members, and folks from the City Manager's Office. That afternoon, my Housing Subcommittee had 25 bills on the docket! You can watch me chair the nearly 3-hour meeting online.
Friday afternoon, I sat on a special subcommittee of General Laws as we met to discuss 2 important pieces of legislation - the regulation of skill games and establishing a marijuana retail market in Virginia. This discussion went several hours and the work continues as these bills move through the legislative process.
With this most recent appointment, I now chair one committee (Public Safety), serve as vice chair on another (Courts), and serve on 4 committees overall.