Although members of the Virginia General Assembly are classified as part-time legislators, they assume full-time responsibilities and employ staff to support their work outside legislative sessions. Virginia is known as the “cradle of democracy”, as Virginia's General Assembly is derived from the House of Burgesses and is recognized as the oldest continuously operating law-making institution in the New World, with its origins traced to 1619.

I will offer one more tidbit of Virginia history: the Virginia Governor's Mansion, the official residence of the governor, is the oldest occupied governor's mansion in the United States.  It has served as the home of Virginia governors and their families since 1813.  Virginia started it all, and we have much to be proud of and to celebrate, but always more work to do. 

As I travel throughout the 9th Senate District, I have the privilege of engaging directly with citizens and local leaders daily, listening to their concerns about everything from household budgets and local businesses to education and community well-being. These conversations often spark ideas for new legislation or highlight issues that need attention, reinforcing the importance of staying connected with you—whether by email, phone calls, or face-to-face meetings.  Your feedback and perspectives are essential in shaping the laws and policies that affect us all, and I encourage you to continue reaching out about the matters that matter most to you, your family, and our shared community.

Sometimes an issue can be addressed without legislation. Sometimes it can be fixed through the regulatory process or by a letter or call to whoever in the state government oversees that issue. However, if it is identified that a bill is needed to fix the matter in the Code of Virginia, my office starts with research. 

I start by reviewing what Virginia currently does and how another state may have approached resolving the issue.  I ask myself, “Is there a way to work smarter, not harder, and replicate the success of a neighboring state?” I reach out to stakeholders and subject-matter experts to obtain data and information.  I speak with local elected officials and community leaders to gather their thoughts and input. Each of these actions guides me in identifying the most direct and fiscally conservative path to resolution. 

Once I have completed the foundational research needed, I submit a drafting request to the Division of Legislative Services (DLS). DLS is the legislative branch agency created statutorily by the General Assembly to provide nonpartisan legal and general research services to members of the General Assembly and its standing committees in the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia.

Once I receive the draft bill back from DLS, I will read it and run it by stakeholders to see if any edits are needed and to ensure it accomplishes the goal of solving a problem for citizens. Once that process is complete, the bill is filed with the Clerk of the Senate and becomes public for citizens to read. Once the session begins, on the 2nd Wednesday of January each year, the hard work begins.

When a bill is introduced, it goes to a standing committee, where it is reviewed, discussed, and may be amended a bit. If the committee gives it the thumbs-up, it heads to the floor of its home chamber for further debate and a recorded vote. It needs a majority to pass.

After that, the bill goes to the other chamber, where it follows a similar process of committee review, debate, and voting. If the second chamber makes any changes, both chambers need to agree on the final version, usually by getting together in a conference committee. Once both chambers have approved identical versions of the bill, they wrap it up as enrolled bills and have the heads of each chamber sign off on it.

The bill then heads to the Governor’s desk. The Governor has a constitutionally set timeframe to act on passed legislation and may take one of four actions. The Governor may sign a bill or amend it, which requires it to be sent back to the General Assembly for us to accept or reject those changes, or take no action, and the bill automatically becomes law without the Governor’s signature. 

The final action a Governor may take is to veto a bill. The legislator may override a Governor’s veto; however, that requires a 2/3 vote in each chamber. Thankfully, the liberal progressive new majority does not have a veto-proof majority. Elections certainly have consequences. 

My goal in any legislative action is to achieve a net positive outcome for communities and citizens of the Commonwealth. Ensuring safe communities, quality education, access to quality health care, increased economic opportunities, job creation, workforce training, and keeping taxes low are vital to the success of our communities. 

I remain steadfast in my commitment to addressing the needs of the citizens and localities in the 9th Senate District, while remaining fiscally responsible and a good steward of taxpayer resources. 

As always, my staff and I are here to assist you with any issues or concerns. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can be of service. You can reach us at 434.374.5129 or by email at

[email protected]