Thread by @JennMcClellanVA

10 of my bills passed in the #VALeg! These bills will protect Virginans’ rights, invest in education, strengthen families and help build a more equitable Virginia.

Here's a thread of what we got done: 👇

1⃣ The Child Care Stabilization and Quality Care bill (SB 1316) will help stabilize the child care industry, which has been devastated by the COVID-19 crisis. This bill will help Virginia families who need consistent and affordable child care.

Read more:
19thnews.org/2021/02/virgin…

2⃣The School Equity and Staffing Act (SB 1257) will address a long-standing shortage of social workers, nurses & mental health professionals in Virginia public schools. This bill will invest in the support our students need.

Read more:
wsls.com/news/virginia/…

3⃣The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (SB 1310) will expand workplace protections to domestic workers. This bill will protect these workers, who are mostly women of color and immigrants from harassment and unfair working conditions.

Read more:
apnews.com/article/1a919d…

4⃣The Preserving the American Dream Act (SB 1327) will create additional protections from foreclosure to help Virginians stay in their homes during this economic crisis and beyond.

Read more:
richmond.com/news/state-and…

5⃣The Voting Rights Act of Virginia (SB 1395) will protect voters from suppression, discrimination, and intimidation. We are making history as the first state in the South to pass such a bill to protect voting rights for generations.

Read More:
npr.org/2021/02/26/971…

6⃣My bill to repeal the ban on abortion coverage in the health exchange (SB 1276) will make it possible for more Virginians to afford a full range of reproductive health care. About 270,000 will now have the right to affordable abortion access.

Read more:virginiamercury.com/blog-va/lawmak…

7⃣The Pipeline Accountability, Oversight, and Protection of Virginia's Water Act (SB 1311) will protect clean water in Virginia by enabling the Virginia DEQ to make fully informed decisions about new interstate gas pipeline projects.

Read more:

bluevirginia.us/2021/02/state-…

8⃣The HIV Law Modernization bill (SB 1138) will reform outdated and ineffective 1980s-era laws that criminalize HIV. These laws have proved ineffective from a public health perspective and stigmatize HIV positive status.

Read more:
washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/…

9⃣The Diminished Capacity Considerations In the Criminal Justice System bill (SB 1315) will reform the criminal justice system for individuals with mental illness, autism, or other disabilities. This is a huge leap towards decriminalizing mental illness.

theappeal.org/virginia-menta…

🔟The Civic Youth Engagement bill (SB 1439) will allow middle and high school students an excused absence per year in order to participate in a civic event. This bill was brought forward in collaboration with Virginia students.

Read more:
washingtonpost.com/local/educatio…

Thank you to the many advocates, activists, and organizers for your hard work and support for these bills this Session! Together, we made historic changes that break down barriers and provide opportunity for the people of our Commonwealth.