“There is one example where a young lady took her own life, and when they looked back on her social media, she had viewed over 2,000 hours of self-harm content,” said Del. Josh Thomas (D-Prince William) at a press conference Tuesday.
The House of Delegates has amended a Senate bill that would require social media sites to limit minors under 16 to one hour per day per platform.
On December 2, 2024, local and state officials gathered at the Kelly Leadership Building for the annual Joint Legislative Meeting. The discussion focused on the county’s legislative priorities, spotlighting affordable housing and immediate housing assistance for residents in crisis.
Affordable housing has taken center stage in Prince William County in recent weeks. During their November 19, 2024, meeting, the Board of County Supervisors discussed a proposed Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance to increase the availability of affordable housing units and establish a Housing Trust Fund to support development efforts.
“My district is hurting. This issue has torn apart our community,” Thomas lamented before the committee’s vote.
Kathy Kulick of the HOA Roundtable highlighted the contentious nature of the issue and emphasized the potential conflict between economic interests and environmental concerns. Kulick pointed out the influence and intimidation of the data center industry on localities, highlighting the need for state-level legislation to guide land use change requests.
