Nearly two years have passed since the legislature last gathered in Richmond for an “in-person” General Assembly session. This year marks a return to a semblance of normalcy. Although masks, hand sanitizer, temperature self-check stations, and social distancing are commonplace, legislators and stakeholders alike are working diligently to fully engage in the legislative process.
Accordingly, at noon on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, the General Assembly convened in the Capitol for a sixty-day legislative session. Marking a drastic change from the 2020 session, the House of Delegates’ work is off to a smooth start. On the first day of session, the House moved to quickly elect Speaker Todd Gilbert and Clerk G. Paul Nardo and pass the required procedural resolutions. Later that day, Governor Ralph Northam gave his final State of the Commonwealth address. Tomorrow at noon, Governor-elect Youngkin will be sworn in to office. On Monday, January 17, newly-inaugurated Governor Glen Youngkin will address the legislature.
During the upcoming weeks, the House and Senate will hear thousands of bills on a wide variety of matters. At the forefront will be issues identified by Virginians as top priorities: education, public safety, transparency, and relief from taxes and regulatory burdens. In short, the Republican majority in the House of Delegates is fully committed to working with Governor-elect Youngkin, Lieutenant Governor-elect Sears, and Attorney General-elect Miyares to restore good governance to our Commonwealth. Thousands of bills have already been filed, and committees will begin taking up legislation next week. To view a full list of filed bills, please click HERE.
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I continue to prioritize solution-oriented legislation suggested to me be residents of my House district. Knowing Virginia’s shortage of school bus drivers, a constituent offered thoughtful proposals on reducing barriers to obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) in Virginia (a requirement for driving a school bus). Although CDL standards are established on the federal level, Virginia imposes additional fees and bureaucratically-driven testing requirements. I am pleased to be working with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on my House Bill 530 which will streamline the process by which we are able to license school bus drivers and other CDL holders.
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Committee Assignments & 2022 Legislative Survey |
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This session promises to be extremely busy. Earlier this week, I was unanimously elected by my colleagues to serve as House Republican Caucus Chair. Additionally, I was appointed to serve on the House Education, House Public Safety, House Commerce and Energy, and House Rules Committees. I will also be chairing a Public Safety Subcommittee. Please know that I am continuing to seek input on legislative matters. If you have not already done so, please complete my session survey by clicking HERE.
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As a reminder, the Capitol and our Richmond legislative office are OPEN to the public this year. Our office is in Room 432 of the Pocahontas Building located 900 E. Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, and we are happy to have visitors. Additionally, we are always available to assist with constituent service. If you have a problem with a state-related matter or agency, please call 804-698-1096 or email DelABatten@house.virginia.gov.
Have a wonderful weekend--but keep an eye on the weather!
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Contact Delegate Batten
Legislative Aide: Dayle Brittain
Mail: P.O. Box 194, Norge, VA 23127
Phone: 757-741-7001
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Paid for and Authorized by Friends of Amanda Batten |
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