A Secure & Safe Election

Virginia’s November 3, 2020 election was the safest, most secure, most successful election in the history of the Commonwealth. That’s the conclusion of the Virginia Department of Elections’ recently released Post Election Report.  

Virginia voters set new records in all kinds of categories. Not only were 4,413,388 total votes cast - the most ever in any election in Virginia - we also had record numbers of newly registered voters participating in the election, and unprecedented levels of early voting. 

Nearly 2.6 million people took advantage of some form of early voting. That’s 60% of all the voters in that election. This was made possible through legislation we passed last year like HB 1, which changed existing law to allow no-excuse absentee ballot requests.  

Localities also increased access to satellite voting sites, offering more locations and expanded hours. The post-election report included an audit of all the voting machines and found nothing unusual. 

Despite the unparalleled success of Virginia’s most recent election, thanks to legislative initiatives enacted during the 2020 Session to make voting easier and more accessible than ever, there continue to be those who would persist in efforts to cast doubt on the outcome of the election.  

While they claim their agenda is an “election integrity” initiative, the bills we’ve seen introduced by my friends on the other side of the aisle seem calculated to reinforce the Big Lie, that the election was somehow stolen from former President Trump.  

Last Friday, I gave a speech on the House floor highlighting our recent successes and asking those that would continue pushing this ridiculous narrative to end their negative campaign. We’ve got to move forward and stop looking for a bogeyman where it simply doesn’t exist.  

We owe a debt of gratitude to our registrars and election officials for doing such a wonderful job in such a difficult year. Their dedication to a free and fair election ensured our right to vote was protected. You can view the full post-election report on the Virginia Department of Elections website. 

The House Budget 

Last week, the House also voted on its version of the state budget. I was pleased to help Majority Leader Charniele Herring and Appropriations Committee Chairman Luke Torian navigate the procedural maneuvers on the floor to pass every single one of our budget amendments while keeping poison pill amendments out. 

We passed several critical budget items to address the pandemic, including $30.2 million to support mass vaccination efforts across the Commonwealth, and $3.4 million to provide paid sick leave for Medicaid home health care workers, a budget line item I’ve been advocating for for several years.  

To address the ongoing housing crisis worsened by the pandemic, we passed $15.7 million for the Housing Trust Fund and an additional $3.3 million to continue the Evictions Prevention & Diversion Pilot Program. 

We prioritized education by allocating about $400 million to help ensure no school division receives less in state funding due to the pandemic, and $51.1 million need-based direct aid to school divisions for remediating lost learning time. We passed funding to ensure that there is at least one school counselor for every 325 students and included an item to restore need-based financial aid for in-state undergraduates starting next school year.  

We included a 5% pay raise for our teachers and school staff, as well as a 3.5% pay increase for all other state employees. 

To address some of our unemployment insurance issues, there is a $15.7 million allotment for staff, claims processing, and IT upgrades at the Virginia Employment Commission. We also included a second allotment of $300,000 for forgiving overpayment of unemployment benefits in some cases. 

Because we are anticipating that marijuana will be legalized in the Commonwealth this session, we have allocated funding to marijuana regulation and marijuana conviction expungement.  

For those interested in purchasing an electric vehicle, the House budget includes language to establish an Electric Vehicle Rebate Fund. 

I am proud of the budget passed by the House this year, because I believe it funds vital programs and initiatives that will help our Commonwealth be resilient in the face of crisis. While we are still a few weeks away from passing the final compromise budget, I am hopeful that many of these items will retain their funding and continue to be priorities for us here in Virginia.

A "Richmond" Report

Over the years, members of the Falls Church City delegation have had various titles for their monthly “Richmond Report” columns.  Former Delegate Bob Hull called his the Coffin Corner Report, referring to his seat on the far left hand side of the chamber, where some of the most powerful legislators took their seats, and if they rose to speak on a bill, it was already dead. 

Delegate Kory still calls hers “The View from the Front Row” because for years she sat right up front in the chamber.  

The 2021 Session, like everything these last 11 months, looks and feels a lot different than it has in the past, due to the necessity of social distance. Like many of you, we’ve gone to a virtual workplace, and the workday is a series of Zooms, Teams, Webex, Google Hangouts, and good old-fashioned telephone calls.  

This year’s column could be the “View from Behind My Keyboard.”  

In spite of the challenges, when the 2021 General Assembly Session began on Wednesday, January 13th at precisely 12:00 noon, we hit the ground running. As Chair of the Privileges & Elections Committee, I gaveled in the first committee meeting of the Session, one half hour after adjournment of the whole House  

It wasn’t a simple organization session where we introduced ourselves and our staff. We advanced a large absentee voting bill that will make permanent many of the innovations we implemented during the 2020 Session that made it easier to vote, helping to drive record shattering turnout even in the midst of the pandemic. Look forward to the absentee ballot drop box a Falls Church City hall becoming a permanent fixture, literally! 

The odd sessions are busy for those of us on Privileges & Elections as they are the year we hear everyone’s ideas for amendments to the Virginia Constitution. Only those that pass this year will be considered a second time after this fall’s election, and if they pass again, will make it on to the ballot for a referendum in 2022. The two most likely to advance this year include a repeal of the 2007 amendment banning same sex marriages in the Commonwealth, and another that will automatically restore the voting rights of former felons who have completed their sentences.  

Campaign finance reform also works its way through P&E, and this year I hope my additional clout as Chairman gives my longtime effort to make Virginia one of the very last states to explicitly prohibit the personal use of campaign funds a better chance of succeeding.  

I’ll also continue to serve on the House Courts of Justice Committee, where we will continue to build on the very consequential criminal justice reform efforts we began in the special session last fall. With the Governor’s backing, we’ll take a serious look at legalizing marijuana. Doing so will provide revenue for a variety of programs across the Commonwealth, expunging old convictions, and repealing most mandatory minimum sentences.  

Also, I believe this will be the year Virginia finally repeals the death penalty – a bill that is long overdue and that I’m proud to co-patron. 

On the environmental front, we’ll continue to work on the Virginia Clean Economy Act and other measures to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. There is also a bill to establish an Electric Vehicle Grant Program to assist school boards with replacing existing diesel school buses with electric buses as well as a bill to create an electric vehicle rebate program for those wishing to purchase one.  

The state budget, fortunately, doesn’t look as grim as we originally expected at this point with the Governor estimating $1.2 billion in additional revenue in this biennium. ​Revenues are exceeding official forecasts, even during a pandemic, which is in sharp contrast to other states that have been forced to lay off workers, cut services, and even borrow money to pay the bills​.  

The proposed budget includes allocating $30 million to restore financial aid increases at public colleges and universities across our Commonwealth and to restore a planned increase to the Tuition Assistance Grants. Local school jurisdictions will get more than $500 million over the next two years.  

Broadband is getting some much-needed support with a historic $50 million boost in each year. ​ 

Overall, we’re off to a good start this session and I’m looking forward to all that we’ll be able to accomplish. I always appreciate hearing from constituents, so please reach out to my office anytime – (804) 698-1053 or delmsimon@house.virginia.gov.