November 25, 2024 Newsletter

Dear friends,

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This week’s newsletter shares information from the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee’s Annual meeting, discusses a recent court ruling on removing Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and highlights select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.

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Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee Annual Retreat

The Virginia State Senate gathered in Harrisonburg this past Thursday and Friday for the annual Senate Finance and Appropriations Retreat. Over the two day sessions, we received presentations on a variety of areas, including forecasts for the US and Virginia economy under a Trump administration, concerns about Medicaid and Medicare, funding needs for public education and early childhood education, issues facing higher education, infrastructure concerns, and more.

The retreat offers us a chance to evaluate priorities for this upcoming session, as well as plan for areas of spending and the potential for revenue. Because 2025 is the second year of the biennium, we will be making amendments to the current two-year budget rather than proposing a full budget.

Economic forecasts are currently strong for Virginia. However, with uncertainties regarding the incoming administration under Donald Trump, predictions for the next year are challenging. Trump and the Republicans who will be assuming power in January have promised to dismantle the Department of Education, undo the Affordable Care Act on which millions of Virginians rely, remove Medicare and Medicaid services, fire hundreds of thousands of federal workers (many of whom live in Virginia), and more. If these promises are followed through, the significant costs of educating the next generation and supporting health care for millions falls to the state government. With these looming uncertainties, we will have to make economic decisions that help to prepare the Commonwealth for financial resilience over the next several years. ‍

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Recent RGGI Ruling

As he campaigned in 2021 and as soon as he assumed office, Governor Youngkin promised to pull Virginia out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), an interstate “cap and trade” compact designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Virginia had joined RGGI in 2020, under Governor Northam and the new Democratic trifecta.

Virginia’s entrance into the interstate compact was established through legislation and is a part of the Virginia Code. Youngkin first tried to remove Virginia from RGGI through legislation carried by Republican members in 2022. When those bills failed, he tried to remove Virginia from RGGI through budgetary actions in 2023. When those efforts also failed, he then tasked the Virginia State Air Pollution Control Board (a board the majority of which he had appointed) to remove the Commonwealth from the compact. Simply put, the State Air Pollution Control Board has no authority to reverse legislative actions taken by the General Assembly. Giving such authority to appointed boards makes a mockery of the legislative processes and responsibilities of elected officials.

The Governor’s actions were immediately challenged in court, and this past week, a judge has ruled that Youngkin acted unlawfully by withdrawing Virginia from RGGI. As stated by the judge, “the only body with the authority to repeal the RGGI regulation would be the General Assembly. This is because a statute, the RGGI Act, requires the RGGI regulation to exist.”

This ruling is a victory for the Commonwealth. Prior to Youngkin’s illegal disruption of RGGI, Virginia’s participation in the compact, from 2021 to 2023. generated more than $800 million for flood resilience and home energy efficiency programs. It also reduced carbon emissions by 22% in the state, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. As we face increasingly extreme weather conditions, the revenues generated by RGGI will help to address climate disasters such as we just experienced in Southwest Virginia with Hurricane Helene.

Virginia’s engagement in RGGI is established in the Code. Removing Virginia from RGGI can be accomplished only through legislation. For the time being now and because of legal ruling, Virginia will rejoin RGGI and restore efforts to curb carbon emissions and build out programs for flood resilience and energy efficiency.

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Select Community Engagements

Last Monday, I joined other elected officials, state agencies, stakeholders, and members of the public  for the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) Summit hosted by Senator David Marsden, Chair of the Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources Committee. Energy resilience and reliability, affordability, and diversification will be top priorities this upcoming General Assembly session, as we continue to implement the clean energy goals outlined in the Virginia Clean Economy Act.

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Last week, I joined the Liberal Women of Chesterfield County (LWCC) for the Clover Hill Group’s monthly meeting. Members are organized and motivated to protect the Democratic majority in the Virginia House of Delegates and elect a Democratic trifecta at the state-level in 2025.

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Throughout this past week, my Chief of Staff, June, attended the Staff Academy for Government Excellence (SAGE) program offered through the Council of State Governments - Southern Region. Held in Oklahoma City, June joined 28 other state legislative, judicial, executive, and agency staff in a series of professional development workshops focused on navigating group dynamics, leading in times of hyperpartisanship, communications strategies, and serving constituents.

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Saturday was a beautiful day to volunteer with Delegate Mike Jones’ Annual Turkey Giveaway. My Legislative Assistant Gerardo and I had the opportunity to join state and local elected officials, nonprofits, community organizations, and volunteers, to distribute Thanksgiving turkeys and sides to hundreds of Richmond residents. My office donated over a 1000 boxes of cornbread mix to complement the turkeys that are making their way to over a 1000 family tables this Thanksgiving.

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Happy Thanksgiving

June, Gerardo, and I wish everyone across the 15th District and across the Commonwealth a joyous Thanksgiving holiday. My office will be closed beginning the afternoon of Wednesday, November 27, in observance of the holiday. We will return to the office on Monday, December 2.

Connecting With My Office

My office can be reached at the following:

Email:  SenatorHashmi@senate.virginia.gov

Phone:  804.698.7515

If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here.

— Ghazala

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