To the Constituents of the 37th House District:
This past week the House completed work on its version of the Commonwealth’s $175 billion biennial budget, which funds everything from schools and roads to public safety initiatives and state parks. As expected with a Democrat majority, significant changes were made to the budget Governor Youngkin introduced in December.
Unfortunately, there are proposed funding decreases in common sense initiatives, including the School Resource Officer grant fund and Project Ceasefire, a proven lifesaving program that reduces gun violence without unnecessary gun control. While disappointing, the budget does contain significant new funding for our local schools and is a step in the right direction when it comes to improving the Commonwealth’s current school funding formula. We are now at the point in the process where both the House and Senate will vote to put our competing budgets into conference, setting the stage for final negotiations. As a member of Appropriations, I will continue to work for a budget that reflects our region’s priorities, keeps our communities safe from violent crime, improves education for our children, and supports small business.
The House continues to consider Senate bills as Session approaches its conclusion on March 9. Since many of these are cognates of House bills, the body has the opportunity to reconsider important issues. One such bill would have made it illegal to own a pill press with the intent to manufacture counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl.
Although it passed the Senate on a 38-2 vote, House Democrats refused to give this bill a hearing, citing the “high fiscal impact” of the bill. The estimate: $50,000 over two years.
As mentioned before, counterfeit pills are of major concern. Recently, Loudoun County reported eight overdoses at one high school in one week. Had teachers not intervened, some of these students would likely have died from overdose. In 2022, there were 2,490 drug overdose deaths; 80 percent of which involved fentanyl or its analogues. This is almost five times as many deaths as firearm-related homicides in the same year. This crisis needs more attention than is currently being given.
As for my bills, I am pleased to report that HB191, HB839, HB843, HB844, HB845, and HB1425 all unanimously passed out of the Senate this week. They will now head to the governor’s desk for his signature.
HB191 establishes objective measures for the automobile franchise sales process. HB839 creates a license plate supporting the VA250 Commission’s efforts to promote Virginia’s leadership role in our country’s 250th anniversary. HB843 distributes revenues generated by historical horse racing to support the equine industry, including the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington and Virginia Tech veterinary school’s equine programs. HB844 conforms Virginia’s Commercial Driver’s License training and qualifications to federal standards. HB845 creates efficiencies in the abandoned vehicle title search process. And HB1425 creates a building code exemption for the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to expedite rail projects without sacrificing safety.
Unfortunately, my bill which sought to expand student transportation options was continued to 2025. As mentioned in previous updates, HB842 would have addressed the school bus driver shortage in Virginia by allowing school systems to not only permit the utilization of vehicles other than the yellow school bus, but provide in lieu of transportation grants to families who choose to transport their children to and from school. This flexibility would likely reduce system-wide transportation expenses and improve the chronic student absenteeism still much too prevalent in our schools, both rural and urban. The bill had the support of numerous educational institutions, community organizations and businesses, and I am hopeful that its merits will overcome the hesitation it faced this year.
Last week, we welcomed teachers from Alleghany and Rockbridge to the State Capitol. We also had the pleasure of meeting with upperclassmen from VMI, who met with legislators to thank them for their support of the Institute and higher education. This impressive group of young men and women reinforced how fortunate we are to have VMI located in the 37th House District.
As always, if I can be of assistance to you, or you would like to share your position on legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me at DelTAustin@House.Virginia.gov or 804-698-1037.
Delegate Terry L. Austin
37th House District
