Today, I'm celebrating new laws going into effect in #Virginia. So many people worked hard for YEARS - organizing, educating, advocating, messaging and winning elections for these changes. There are too many to list but here are a *few* of my favorite things (a thread):
✅ Expanded access to voting - no excuse absentee so anyone can vote by mail if they want to, 45-day in-person voting, repealing strict photo ID, AVR and same-day voter registration, making Election Day a state holiday and many more... #VotingRights
✅ Made Virginia a better place for immigrants - allowing everyone to lawfully drive regardless of status, in-state tuition, Office of New Americans, prohibiting law enforcement from asking immigration status of witnesses and victims of crime... #heretostay
✅ Supported working families - increasing min wage and putting VA on path to $15/hr, employment non-discrimination, capping predatory lending, establishing Tenants Bill of Rights, prohibiting discrimination against prospective tenants solely on source of income... #forallofus
✅Made changes to criminal system - doubling felony larceny threshold, allowing incarcerated individuals to earn credit towards fines and fees owed, decriminalizing marijuana, banning the box, prohibiting race-based profiling... #CriminalJusticeReform
✅ Increased access to healthcare - ensuring health plans sold in VA can't discriminate based on health status and requiring essential health benefits coverage, covering doula and midwifery services, codifying reproductive health rights... #HealthcareForAll
✅ Invested in education equity - increasing $ for grants to cover tuition, fees, and book allowances for low-income students, increasing ratio of teachers to English-language learners, working to eliminate or offset students school meal debt...#EducationForAll
✅ Prioritized environmental justice in fight against climate change - codifying Virginia Council on Environmental Justice & establishing Virginia Environmental Justice Act, requiring reports on effect of coal dust & its impact on surrounding communities... #ClimateActionNow
And so much MORE. But I also know that we have a long way to go to tackle race equity in all of our systems - criminal justice, education, healthcare, housing, employment...ALL of it. There’s a special session coming up where more good will be done. Let’s f*cking go! #forallofus
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