This week marks the start of the 2022 General assembly! The General Assembly is working especially hard to ensure your priorities are addressed. This newsletter has updates and news on the Commonwealth and the 93rd district. Keep reading to learn more about preserving Virginia’s History, my office’s legislative priorities, local announcements, and more!
Artifacts of Capital Punishment to be Preserved for Education About Virginia’s History
Governor Ralph Northam announced today that 114 years after acquiring an oak electric chair to execute people sentenced to death, the Commonwealth asked the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond to accept the chair and other implements of execution. The implements were conveyed this week.
“This action closes the era of state-sponsored execution in Virginia,” said Governor Northam. “The Commonwealth asked the Museum to accept these items, as they have the curatorial expertise to appropriately manage and interpret such materials. The Commonwealth’s history of using capital punishment is an important part of history, and the Museum is focused on telling Virginia’s full and true story for future generations.”
Read the full release HERE
The 1st Week of Session in Review
After settling into the office for the first time since 2020, the session began on Wednesday with swearing-in, the election of a new Speaker of the House, and the announcement of committee assignments. In this session, I will be serving on Counties, Cities, Towns Commerce & Energy. On Wednesday Governor Northam gave his final state of the Commonwealth Address to the General Assembly.
Legislative Priorities
Despite the change in leadership, I am hopeful that this session will be productive. For that reason, I am sponsoring 17 bills this session.
One of my bills helps to preserve Virginia’s History:
-HB 506 Directs the Department of Historic Resources to develop a program to identify, publicize, and educate the public about sites in the Commonwealth featured in the Green Book.
Several of my bills are focused on criminal justice reform:
-HB 493 would require the release of law-enforcement disciplinary records related to completed disciplinary investigations.
Two bills dedicated to preserving the rights of vulnerable adults:
-HB 496 changes out the term “incapacitated adults” with “vulnerable adults” and expands the definition to include advanced age.
-HB 497 makes it a class 1 misdemeanor for an individual with power of attorney to financially exploit an “incapacitated adult”.
One bill to make the Virginia DMV more accessible and modern:
-HB 506 would require the DMV to begin offering digital driver’s licenses accessible to people through apps such as Apple wallet.
See a full list HERE
Inauguration Weekend
The Inaugural Ceremony and Spirit of Community Parade View the live stream HERE it will begin on Saturday, January 15th, 2022 at 12:00 PM Description: During the Inaugural Ceremony on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol, Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin will take the oath of office as the 74th Governor of the Commonwealth.
You can find additional details about the event and others this weekend at https://www.youngkininauguration.com/.
Commending Stir Crazy
Earlier this month I had the honor to present HJR 758 to the authors of Stir Crazy in Williamsburg, a virtual cookbook of over 500 easy, family-friendly recipes, have helped raise funds for the Avalon Center in Williamsburg during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project was initiated to support the Avalon Center, which provides resources and support to women who are victims of domestic violence; at a time when typical fundraising events are not possible due to gathering restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, they provided a vital lifeline for the organization. The Stir Crazy in Williamsburg virtual cookbook is distributed via email, with readers receiving weekly installments after donating a minimum of $25 to the Avalon Center.
Preparing for Winter Weather
Winter weather is coming to Virginia again and we need to be prepared for whatever may happen. Gather Emergency supplies for your car and winter-proof your home and power outage by following these steps:
That’s all for this newsletter, thanks for reading! Keep connected with our office by calling (757) 525-9526, emailing DelMMullin@house.virginia.gov, or @mikemullin4va on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If my office can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Be Well,
Mike