Anyone looking for an affordable place to live in Northern Virginia should plan to visit the 2016 Northern Virginia Housing Expo, hosted by Fairfax-based nonprofit AHOME Foundation in cooperation with the Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA), Prince William, Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church, and the Town of Herndon.
Admission is free.
The Plant NoVA Natives Campaign presented Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance, with its first ever “Plant NoVA Natives Champion Award” in recognition of her work to preserve and improve environmental quality in the county.
Hosen and the PWCA have used plants native to the region to transform the landscape surrounding the Stone House Nature Center into the Merrimac Farm Conservation Landscape Garden.
As we move towards the midpoint of the General Assembly Session called “Crossover,” we are required to finish work on all bills in our respective chambers. Things are picking up in Richmond. First, I am on track to pass about a dozen bills out of the Senate and several bills were passed by the […]
The third week of the General Assembly saw a major agreement emerge on firearm violence issues, and action on several of my bills.
Bills Moving Through
In order to commemorate the grand opening of Bach to Rock Music School in Bristow, we have scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony on February 1.
The ribbon cutting will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Bach to Rock Bristow located on 9070 Devlin Road, Suite 100, in Bristow.
Last week, the 2016 General Assembly gaveled into action and I became your State Senator for Virginia’s 36thDistrict.
New Committees
The Rules Committee assigned me to three committees. (1) The Local Government Committee considers legislation addressing land use, zoning and local government. (2) The Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee has jurisdiction over the safety net programs, prisons, alcoholic beverage regulation and childcare. (3) The General Laws and Technology Committee examines bills affecting homeowners associations, gambling, professional occupation regulation, procurement and the Freedom of Information Act. Each of these has jurisdiction over issues critical to the quality of life in our area.
On January 13, 2016, I take my oath of office as your state senator. I am planning on introducing approximately 40 bills and about a dozen budget amendments in our 60-day session.
Predatory Lending
Predatory lending is a major problem in the U.S. 1 Corridor. Car title lenders have been abusing this loophole by charging rates over 200% by recharacterizing car title loans as separately regulated car title loans. To reign in car title lender bait and switch tactics, I am proposing to limit interest rates on consumer finance loans at 36%. I have also introduced legislation to prohibit car title lenders from using subsidiaries from using the open end credit loophole to also evade consumer protections.
On today, the final day of my term in the Virginia House of Delegates for the 2nd House District, I wish to say, thank you.
My family and I are grateful to have been trusted to serve the Commonwealth of Virginia in this capacity. When I began working in the community, I never intended to run for political office, I was just a young guy who wanted to help improve my community. Our community.
