TALKING RICHMOND: The End and the Beginning
Del. Nicole Cole sums up her first General Assembly session and looks ahead to what's next.
By Del. Nicole Cole
REPRESENTING HD-66
Session has concluded, but the work continues and I’m proud of how much we accomplished and delivered for Spotsylvania and Caroline counties. It’s important to me as your Delegate to give you a transparent look at how our legislative process works. Building off our last article, we want to take a moment to break down the end of session and look ahead at what the next month holds as we prepare to reconvene on April 22.
Since our last update at “crossover,” we have now officially wrapped up the legislative session. As a reminder, “crossover” marked the point when all bills that passed through House subcommittees, committees, and the House floor were sent to the Senate—and vice versa.
This part of the process can be lengthy, as many bills are amended along the way. On the House side, we worked through a number of Senate bills by adding amendments or refining language before final passage. Similarly, many House bills were adjusted in the Senate—either to make them more precise or, in some cases, broaden their scope—before agreement was reached.
For perspective, House Democrats passed and will send 696 bills to the Governor this session. Of those many were focused on building a more affordable Commonwealth by lowering the cost of housing, reducing co-pays and prescription costs, making doctor visits more accessible, lowering utility bills, and expanding access to affordable childcare.
In the final days of the legislative session, much of our time was spent on the House floor. Bills where differences still needed to be resolved—particularly around amendments or final language—were sent to conference committees. These committees, made up of three House members and three Senate members, worked together to reach a final agreement.
Following the Reconvened Session, we will be able to share a final list of all legislation from our Caucus that is signed into law. I’m particularly proud to have voted for legislation that caps insulin and prescription drug costs, builds and protects affordable housing, and lowers utility bills.
Looking forward, Virginians will be presented with the valuable opportunity to level the playing field and protect our democracy by voting “yes” on April 21st. This effort is critical as we continue working to protect free and fair elections. Right now, Republican-led states are stacking the deck, and Virginia must act to restore fairness in the upcoming congressional elections. Virginians have the opportunity to vote “yes” in this special election to be a crucial voice on the national stage and meet the needs of the current moment, while ensuring Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting process will resume after the 2030 census.
The great thing about the democracy that we now know we must work to uphold is the ability of the people to have their voice heard through their vote. In my commitment to our Commonwealth and to Caroline and Spotsylvania counties particularly, I am excited to have been part of a process to allow voters the choice for fair elections and representation in federal decisions.
I am equally excited about the great work we completed during my first General Assembly Session as your Delegate. This session is just the start. See you next month!
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