161st Virginia General Assembly

Last updated
161st Virginia General Assembly
160th 162nd
Richmond Virginia Capitol.jpg
Overview
TermJanuary 8, 2020 – March 2021
Senate of Virginia
Senate diagram 2020 State of Virginia.svg
Members40
President of the SenateLt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D)
Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw (D)
Senate Minority Leader Tommy Norment (R)
Party control
  •   Democratic (21)
  •   Republican (19)
Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates (2020).svg
Members100
Speaker of the House Eileen Filler-Corn (D)
House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D)
House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert (R)
Party control
Sessions
1stJanuary 8, 2020 – March 12, 2020
2ndJanuary 13, 2021 – February 8, 2021
Special sessions
1stAugust 18, 2020 – November 9, 2020
2ndFebruary 10, 2021 – March 1, 2021

The 161st Virginia General Assembly, consisting of members who were elected in both the House election and Senate election in 2019, convened on January 8, 2020. It was the first time Democrats held both houses of the General Assembly and the governorship since the 147th General Assembly in 1993.

Contents

A special session was called by Governor Ralph Northam for August 18, 2020 to make budget cuts and pass bills for criminal justice reform, racial justice, affordable housing and COVID-19 protections. The special session ended on November 9, 2020. After a shorter 30-day session occurred from January to February 2021, Northam called for another special session which lasted until March. After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Capitol was closed to the public and sessions were re-located to alternative buildings.

Membership

On November 9, 2019, Eileen Filler-Corn was nominated by the Democratic majority caucus for Speaker of the House of Delegates, and upon election by the House on January 8, she became the first woman and first Jew to be elected Speaker. Concurrently, Charniele Herring was elected as Majority Leader, making her the first woman and first African-American to serve as Majority Leader.

In addition, Ghazala Hashmi became the first Muslim woman to be elected to the Senate. Incumbent Danica Roem became the first transgender legislator to be re-elected to office in U.S. history.

In total, the 161st General Assembly has the highest number of women elected to both bodies, with 30 in the House and 11 in the Senate.

Speaker Filler-Corn selected Del. Luke Torian to be the first African-American House Appropriations Chair in state history. This was the first time that an African-American delegate was selected to chair a House committee since William P. Robinson Jr. (D-Norfolk) chaired the Transportation Committee in 1998 and was co-chairman of the panel in 1998, according to House Clerk G. Paul Nardo. [1]

Leadership

Senate

Committee chairs and ranking members

The Senate of Virginia has 10 Standing Committees and a Committee on Rules. [2]

CommitteeChairRanking Minority Member
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Chap Petersen Emmett Hanger
Commerce and Labor Dick Saslaw Tommy Norment
Judiciary John S. Edwards Tommy Norment
Education and Health Louise Lucas Stephen Newman
Finance and Appropriations Janet Howell Tommy Norment
General Laws and Technology George Barker Frank Ruff
Local Government Lynwood Lewis Emmett Hanger
Privileges and Elections Creigh Deeds Jill Vogel
Rehabilitation and Social Services Barbara Favola Emmett Hanger
Rules Mamie Locke Tommy Norment
Transportation Dave Marsden Stephen Newman

House of Delegates

Committee chairs and ranking members

The House has 14 standing committees. [3]

CommitteeChairSenior Minority Member
Subcommittee
Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Kenneth R. Plum R. Lee Ware
Agriculture Wendy Gooditis
Chesapeake Alfonso H. Lopez
Natural Resources Kathy Tran
Appropriations Luke Torian M. Kirkland Cox
Capital Outlay Cliff Hayes Jr.
Commerce, Agriculture and Natural Resources David Bulova
Compensation and Central Government Roslyn Tyler
Elementary and Secondary Delores McQuinn
Health and Human Services Mark Sickles
Higher Education Betsy B. Carr
Transportation and Public Safety Paul Krizek
Communications, Technology and Innovation Cliff Hayes Jr. Kathy Byron
Communications Danica Roem
Technology and Innovation Hala Ayala
Counties Cities and Towns Kaye Kory Charles Poindexter
Ad Hoc Kathleen Murphy
Charters Danica Roem
Land Use Steve Heretick
Courts of Justice Charniele Herring Terry Kilgore
Civil Jeff Bourne
Criminal Michael P. Mullin
Judicial Joseph C. Lindsey
Education Roslyn Tyler Mark L. Cole
Post-Secondary and Higher Education Mark Keam
Pre-K-12 Lamont Bagby
SOL and SOQ Schuyler VanValkenburg
Finance Vivian E. Watts Robert D. Orrock, Sr.
Subcommittee #1 Mark Keam
Subcommittee #2 Steve Heretick
Subcommittee #3 Rip Sullivan
General Laws David Bulova Thomas C. Wright, Jr.
ABC/Gaming Paul Krizek
Housing/Consumer Protection Marcus Simon
Open Government/Procurement Betsy B. Carr
Professions/Occupations and Administrative Process Subcommittee Chris Hurst
Health, Welfare and Institutions Mark D. Sickles Robert D. Orrock, Sr.
Behavioral Health Marcia Price
Health Professions Dawn Adams
Health Patrick Hope
Social Services Elizabeth Guzman
Labor and Commerce Jeion Ward Terry Kilgore
Subcommittee #1 Lamont Bagby
Subcommittee #2 Steve Heretick
Subcommittee #3 Rip Sullivan
Privileges and Elections Joe Lindsey Robert D. Orrock, Sr.
Campaign Finance David A. Reid
Constitutional Amendments Marcus Simon
Elections Schuyler VanValkenburg
Gubernatorial Appointments Kelly Convirs-Fowler
Redistricting Marcus Simon
Public Safety Patrick Hope Thomas C. Wright, Jr.
Firearms Jeff Bourne
Public Safety Mark Levine
Rules Eileen Filler-Corn M. Kirkland Cox
Joint Rules Eileen Filler-Corn
Standards of ConductN/A
Studies Mark Sickles
Subcommittee #2N/A
Transportation Delores McQuinn Robert B. Bell
Motor Vehicles Jay Jones
Transportation Innovation and General Topics Karrie Delaney
Transportation Systems Betsy B. Carr
Subcommittee #4N/A

Legislation

Pre-filing of bills for the 2020 session began November 18, 2019. 828 bills were passed by the House by crossover day on February 12, 2020, an increase from the 603 bills passed under the Republican majority in the 2019 session.

Enacted

Other legislation

Notable bills filed include:

Equal Rights Amendment

HJ 1, prefiled by Jennifer Carroll Foy, and SJ 1, filed by Jennifer McClellan, will make Virginia the 3rd state since 2017 and the 38th overall necessary to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (counting the five that have since voted to rescind their ratifications). [4] Both bills were given initial approval, with SJ 1 being approved 28-12 in the Senate and HJ 1 being approved 59-41 in the House, and were passed by the other chamber on January 27. All Democrats and several Republicans in both chambers voted in favor of the resolutions. However, experts and advocates have acknowledged legal uncertainty about the consequences of Virginia's potential ratification, due to the expired deadlines and the five states' purported revocations. [4]

Events

A peaceful protest opposing gun control legislation occurred outside the Virginia State Capitol on January 20, 2020. [5]

Changes in membership

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blaine Act</span> 1933 U.S. Congress joint resolution to repeal the 18th Amendment and end Prohibition

The Blaine Act, formally titled Joint Resolution Proposing the Twenty-First Amendment to the United States Constitution, is a joint resolution adopted by the United States Congress on February 20, 1933, initiating repeal of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which established Prohibition in the United States. Repeal was finalized when the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was ratified by the required minimum number of states on December 5, 1933.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland General Assembly</span> Legislative branch of the state government of Maryland

The Maryland General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maryland that convenes within the State House in Annapolis. It is a bicameral body: the upper chamber, the Maryland Senate, has 47 representatives, and the lower chamber, the Maryland House of Delegates, has 141 representatives. Members of both houses serve four-year terms. Each house elects its own officers, judges the qualifications and election of its own members, establishes rules for the conduct of its business, and may punish or expel its own members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morgan Griffith</span> U.S. Representative from Virginia

Howard Morgan Griffith is an American lawyer and politician who has been the U.S. representative for Virginia's 9th congressional district since 2011. The district covers a large swath of southwestern Virginia, including the New River Valley and the Virginia side of the Tri-Cities. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Freedom Caucus.

In response to court action in a number of states, the United States federal government and a number of state legislatures passed or attempted to pass legislation either prohibiting or allowing same-sex marriage or other types of same-sex unions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Marshall (Virginia politician)</span> Former American politician

Robert Gerald Marshall is an American businessman, author and former politician, who was a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 13th District. His district included portions of Prince William and Loudoun counties. He is known for his failed "bathroom bill" proposal, which would have forced people to use restrooms that correspond with the sex on their original birth certificates. In the November 7, 2017, general election, Marshall was defeated by nine percentage points by Democrat Danica Roem, the first openly transgender candidate elected to a state legislature in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon S. Cardin</span> American politician

Jon Steven Cardin is an American politician from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. He currently serves in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Maryland's District 11 in Baltimore County. He is a member of the Judiciary Committee and the chair of the Civil Proceedings Subcommittee. He previously represented the same district from 2003 through 2015. During that time he was a member of the Ways and Means Committee and chaired the Election Law Subcommittee. Cardin is the nephew of Ben Cardin, the senior United States senator from Maryland. In 2014, he ran for Attorney General of Maryland, but lost in the Democratic primary to state senator Brian Frosh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Saslaw</span> American politician

Richard Lawrence Saslaw is an American politician serving as Majority Leader of the Senate of Virginia since 2020. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1976–80, then was elected to the Senate of Virginia. He currently represents the 35th district, made up of the city of Falls Church and portions of Fairfax County and the city of Alexandria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Cline</span> American politician

Benjamin Lee Cline is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 6th congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he represented the 24th district in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charniele Herring</span> American politician

Charniele LeRhonda Herring is an American politician. She has served in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2009, representing the 46th district, made up of portions of the city of Alexandria and Fairfax County, near Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">52nd Oklahoma Legislature</span>

The Fifty-second Oklahoma Legislature was the meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City from January 3, 2009, to January 4, 2011, during the second two years of the second administration of Governor Brad Henry. It was the first session in state history where the Republican Party has controlled both houses of the legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT rights in Virginia</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the United States state of Virginia enjoy the same rights as non-LGBT persons. LGBT rights in the state are a recent occurrence, with most improvements in LGBT rights occurring in the 2000s and 2010s. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Virginia since October 6, 2014, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal in the case of Bostic v. Rainey. Effective since July 1, 2020, there is a statewide law protecting LGBT persons from discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, and credit. The state's hate crime laws effective since July 1, 2020, now explicitly include both sexual orientation and gender identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">49th Oklahoma Legislature</span>

The Forty-ninth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 7, 2003 to January 4, 2005, during the first two years of the first term of Governor Brad Henry. It was marked by the passage of a ballot proposal, the Oklahoma Education Lottery Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">48th Oklahoma Legislature</span>

The Forty-eighth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City from January 2, 2001 to January 7, 2003, during the second two years of the second term of Governor Frank Keating.

Lashrecse Dianna Aird /ˌlɔ.ʃəˈɹis/ is an American Democratic politician who represented the 63rd District in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2016 to 2022, which includes Dinwiddie County, and the city of Petersburg as well as parts of the Counties of Chesterfield and Prince George. Aird served on the General Laws, Health, Welfare and Institutions, and Appropriations committees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William C. Smith Jr.</span> American politician in the Maryland State Senate

William Colonel Smith Jr. is an American politician who currently represents District 20 in the Maryland State Senate. He previously served as a delegate representing District 20, which includes large portions of Silver Spring and the entirety of Takoma Park, in the Maryland General Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">118th United States Congress</span> 2023–2025 meeting of U.S. legislature

The 118th United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2023, and will end on January 3, 2025, taking place during the final two years of President Joe Biden's initial term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Bhandari</span> American politician

Harry Bhandari is an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing the 8th district since 2019. In the Maryland General Assembly, he is a member of Health and Government Operations Committee, 2019-. He is also the former Secretary and currently vice-chair of the Maryland Legislative Asian-American and Pacific-Islander Caucus, 2019-. He is also serving as Baltimore County State Central Committee member since 2018. Bhandari is also the former national secretary of the Minority Caucus of the Young Democrats of America. Upon taking office, in 2019 he made history by becoming the first Nepalese American state legislator in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">57th Oklahoma Legislature</span>

The Fifty-seventh Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from January 3, 2019, to January 3, 2021, during the first two years of the first administration of Governor Kevin Stitt. The November 2018 elections maintained Republican control of both the House and Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">58th Oklahoma Legislature</span>

The Fifty-eighth Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It met in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from January 3, 2021, to January 3, 2023, during the second two years of the first administration of Governor Kevin Stitt. The 2020 Oklahoma elections maintained Republican control of both the House and Senate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">162nd Virginia General Assembly</span> 2022–present meeting of Virginia legislature

The 162nd Virginia General Assembly, consisting of members who were elected in both the House election in 2021 and the Senate election in 2019, convened on January 12, 2022. The legislature is the first since the 156th Assembly ended in 2012 to be of divided party control, with Republicans again controlling the House of Delegates and Democrats holding the Senate.

References

  1. Vozzella, Laura (14 November 2019). "Incoming Va. House speaker makes top committee picks". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2019-11-14. Retrieved 2019-12-31.
  2. "Legislative Committees". Legislative Information System. Virginia General Assembly. Retrieved 2016-01-14.
  3. "Virginia House of Delegates Committees List". virginiageneralassembly.gov. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Astor, Maggie (2019-11-06). "The Equal Rights Amendment May Pass Now. It's Only Been 96 Years". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  5. "Virginia pro-gun rally: Despite anger, threats of insurrection, massive rally is carried out peacefully outside state Capitol". Washington Post. Retrieved 22 January 2020.