Week #1 Jan. 13, 2021
The 2021 Session of the Virginia General Assembly began on Wednesday, January 13. The Speaker, Clerk, and historic Speaker’s Podium were in the House Chamber. We other 99 Delegates were virtual attendees from our local offices, homes, or locations nearby that usually have a decent internet connection. This arrangement exists because the NoVA–based Speaker and her Democrat Majority ruled we cannot meet in the Capitol building, in the huge VCU gymnasium, or elsewhere in Richmond, even though the Senate is doing so safely.
While I remain proud to be your voice in Richmond, I already miss meeting with the hundreds of you who come to meet with me in Richmond during Session. At those encounters, I learn about your concerns, your ideas, and receive your counsel. While the start of Session is always exhilarating, the thrill and anticipation of representing you is smothered by the barrier of a remote computer screen. Unfortunately, the many issues we experienced with virtual governance during the 84–day Summer Special Session remain: members of the public unable to speak to legislation, inability of legislators to meet with one another, technical failures, bills rushed through by the Democrat Majority with little or no real debate, and other undesirable elements remain a hindrance to our democratic and historical process of governance.
Foremost in our minds today is wondering when our citizens will receive virus vaccinations. While the good news is Virginia has received roughly one million doses, my and your primary concerns regard the plan and infrastructure to carry out the vaccination program. Virginia is near the bottom of the list in getting shots into arms. I believe this is because there has been a total failure of the Administration and Virginia Department of Health to plan for and execute vaccine distribution. For example, 11 Health Districts in Virginia are entering Tier 1b (essential workers and people age 75 and older) while we in the West Piedmont District (Franklin, Henry, Patrick, and Martinsville City) are still in Tier 1a (health providers, nursing homes, etc.). This is inexcusable and certainly appears the powers to be are again neglecting Southern and Southside Virginia, placing them in a different priority than NoVA, Richmond, and so forth. I am keeping a close eye on the rollout of the vaccines here at home and will do my best keep you informed. The directives for the roll-out change unexpectedly.
For months, the CDC, the American Pediatrics Society, and parents statewide have been saying to open the schools to in-person K-12 education, as the evidence is overwhelming that virus spread is negligible in schools. School boards have been reluctant to comply, likely due to pressures from the VEA, labor unions, and similar groups to reopen. Late in the week, the governor finally appears to have gotten the message, flipped positions on this subject, and is encouraging the reopening of our schools. It is past time. Virtual school districts personnel are reporting student achievement and failure rates statewide are abysmal and discouraging.
In the House of Delegates. the other side of the aisle doesn’t appear to be listening. Their focus appears to be on legislation to coddle or release criminals; restrict our police; ignore or subject families and victims of crime to traumas associated with early release or retrials of criminals; further increase your electricity and transportation costs by conforming Virginia’s laws to radical California–based laws; forcing Virginians to join a union to have a job; raising taxes on the middle class; legalizing marijuana; additional gun control restrictions.
Regardless of one’s opinion or position about recent elections fairness, accuracy or fraud allegations, with half of the electorate highly concerned, my position is Virginia, the federal government, and all states should take steps immediately to restore public confidence in our election processes. That’s why my Republican Caucus is sponsoring bills to disallow ballot harvesting, reinstate voter ID, assure poll and vote count watching, and more. One of our bills would change the State Board of Elections composition from 2-1 membership (with two from the sitting Governor’s party) to equal numbers with the chair selected by the Board, thus removing potential political influences in the state election apparatus. We are also introducing bills to curb or limit the Governor’s ability to issue long-lasting states of emergency without the People’s Representatives’ oversight; use federal stimulus funds to help parents and children to adopt and use virtual education and force the State Parole Board to follow the law as regards paroling criminals.
To contact me during Session, call (540)576-2600 or email delcpoindexter@house.virginia.gov. I or my legislative assistant, William Pace, will respond as quickly as possible.
