2025 General Assembly Session: The Crossover Report
February 4, marked the official halfway point of the 2025 General Assembly Session, often referred to as crossover. While we began this session with more than 2500 introduced bills and resolutions, crossover marks the deadline in which each chamber must act on all its originating bills and those not acted upon are effectively dead. Additionally, each crossover week marks the period where the Senate and House reveal its amendments to the Governor’s Introduced Budget. This week’s newsletter will give you information on both, as well as some additional updates from this session.
Senator Lashrecse Aird to Host Legislative Discussion and Q&A Opportunity for Attendees
On Saturday, February 8th at 1:00pm, Senator Lashrecse Aird will provide a legislative update for her constituents about the work that has been done in the Senate thus far. This town hall will be an opportunity for constituents of Senate District 13 to learn more about legislation that has successfully passed the Senate Chamber and is headed to the House of Delegates, as well as upcoming legislation we can expect to see. Q&A opportunities will be present for those who wish to participate. This event will take place at the Petersburg Public Library located at 201 W. Washington Street, Petersburg, Virginia 23803.
Updates from the Capitol: 2025 Legislative Session
While the 2025 General Assembly Session officially began on January 8, winter weather and the subsequent water crisis prevented us from operating as usual. However, that didn’t last long. With our first full week now behind us we are fully organized, our committees are meeting and bills have already begun to be passed. With all odd numbered years, we are operating within the constraints of only 45-days to complete the work of the General Assembly. I am proud to enter my second year in the Virginia Senate and plan to spend the next few weeks providing you with as many legislative updates on the work I am doing on behalf of the families of the 13th District as I can.
Senator Lashrecse Aird Delivers Senate Democratic Response to State of the Commonwealth
Watch Senator Lashrecse Aird provide the Senate Democratic Rebuttal to the State of the Commonwealth address.
Senator Aird Announces Senate District 13 Youth Advisory Council
Today, Senator Lashrecse Aird announced the formation of the Senate District 13 Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a program open to 8-11th grade students that will consist of students from each locality throughout Senate District 13. Members of the YAC will advise Virginia’s leaders about ways to engage other young people, serve as ambassadors for their communities, and organize civic engagement activities for their peers. A scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded to a member of the YAC who demonstrates leadership above and beyond to their community while on the council. Applications open October 1 and close October 31, 2024 and may be submitted here: https://www.lashrecseaird.com/yacapplication.
NEW LAWS, SPECIAL SESSION & AROUND THE DISTRICT
Annually on July 1, new laws go into effect from the preceding legislative session. These new Virginia laws range from every possible topic and issue imaginable. To easily review these laws, the Division of Legislative Services provides an updated version of their publication In Due Course with each new law categorized in one place.
We’re pleased that several of our bills have been signed and have gone into effect as well. Specifically, SB483 which ensures indoor vertical farm operations are treated the same as equipment used in traditional farm operations. Emerging industries like Plenty in Chesterfield and Beanstalk Farms in Manassas now benefit from this legislation and allow for a significant expansion of their investment in this cutting-edge industry. A few others we were pleased to see pass include:
2024 Session Wrap Up & Looking Ahead to Reconvened
March 9th marked the official end of the 60-day 2024 General Assembly Session. As I reflect on this date—marking “sine die” (pronounced sigh-knee dye), and March generally when I formally launched my campaign for Senate a year ago—I was struck with sincere gratitude for the opportunity to once again fight for policies that will uplift the communities I represent.
Beyond Crossover
We began the 2024 General Assembly session with legislators introducing 2,816 bills and resolutions. Moving at a rapid pace, committees have been meeting to deliberate these introduced policies, sometimes altering their initial concepts before advancing in the legislative process or sending the patron to continue their work in the interim for next session. February 13, was the deadline for the House and Senate to complete action on those bills in each respective body. Known as “crossover” only 1,341 bills survived and remained for us to act on over the next three weeks.
Pre-Session Newsletter
In just under one week we will begin a new era of leadership in our Commonwealth as the General Assembly Session officially convenes on January 10, 2024. I could not be prouder to be part of this historical period in Virginia—being part of the largest incoming class in decades as the representative for Senate District 13. With 18 new Senators and 34 new members of the House of Delegates, we not only have representation that reflects the rich diversity of our Commonwealth but an opportunity to bring forward meaningful change long desired by our communities.