96th District, Virginia House of Delegates                                           January  12, 2018

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Richmond Office 
New address!
Pocahontas Building
Room E403
900 East Main Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Phone: 804-698-1096
Fax: 804-786-6310
DelBPogge@house.virginia.gov
   
Legislative Aide
Amanda Batten
Amanda@brendapogge.com
The 2018 session of the Virginia General Assembly is officially underway! At noon on Wednesday, January 10, the House convened for this year's long (60-day session). Our first order of business was electing a Speaker. My colleagues and I unanimously elected Republican Delegate Kirk Cox as the 55th Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Speaker Cox set a clear tone for the 2018 session, pledging to focus on government, work across the aisle, and lead with character and integrity. On the second day of session, I was honored to offer the invocation. I shared a fervent petition for the Lord to instill in us justice, mercy, and humility.
Practical solutions to everyday issues
During the recent election cycle, candidates heard from voters concerned about healthcare, teacher shortages, and the opioid crisis. With the (unexpectedly prolonged) campaign season behind us, House Republicans have outlined an agenda identifying "Practical Solutions to Everyday Issues." I look forward to working collaboratively with my colleagues to address these challenges.  The first three bills filed this year reflect House Republicans' commitment to tackling these issues.

Protecting student privacy
  • House Bill 1 protects student information from being obtained by outside groups. Unbeknownst to students, political activist organizations and campaigns were using FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) to access private information, such as cell phone numbers.
Combating teacher shortages
  • House Bill 2 allows armed forces service members' spouses who have a valid out-of-state teaching license (with full credentials and without deficiencies) to enjoy licensure reciprocity in Virginia. 
Saving families time and money
  • House Bill 3 provides certainty for high school students (enrolled in qualifying dual enrollment courses) that higher education institutions will accept their credits.
Transparency in government
As I have shared previously, I am strong supporter of transparency in government. I firmly believe that government must be remain accountable and accessible to all citizens. For this reason, I am pleased to share new measures to improve transparency.
  • All committee meetings will be live streamed and archived. This will allow Virginians from throughout the Commonwealth to view meetings without having to travel to Richmond. Click HERE for instructions on accessing these videos.
  • All subcommittee meeting votes will be recorded via electronic voting equipment. This reflects a change from previous years, when subcommittee members frequently cast voice votes.
  • As a reminder, all House and Senate floor sessions are live streamed and archived. They may be viewed online HERE.
2018 legislative survey
My 2018 legislative survey is now available online! I take seriously the feedback from my constituents, and I hope you will complete the survey at your earliest convenience. Click HERE to take the survey. Results will be provided during the upcoming weeks. 
Committee assignments
House committee assignments were announced during yesterday's session. I am excited to now be serving as Vice Chairman of the House Finance Committee. I will also continue serving on the Education Committee and the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee. Subcommittee assignments have not yet been made. For a full list of all legislators' committee assignments, click HERE.
Visitors welcome!
Like everyone else, I am still trying to navigate the Pocahontas Building where the General Assembly is temporarily housed. The halls are a bit of a maze, and the elevators can be equally confusing. Nevertheless, I hope you will stop by to visit me in my new location. The address is located on the left sidebar of this email. This week I was pleased to welcome visiting members of the Virginia Federation of Republican Women.

 

If you are unable to visit, you may reach me via email at DelBPogge@house.virginia.gov or by phone at 804-698-1096. 


Enjoy your weekend!
  Signature   
Delegate Brenda Pogge


Paid for and Authorized by Brenda Pogge for Delegate