2024 Virginia
General Assembly (GA)
Happy New Year to all our readers! Wishing everyone the very best for the coming year. Each January Virginia holds a General Assembly Session to pass new legislation and a two-year spending plan introduced by the governor.
Every year, the autism and developmental disability (DD) community needs to be seen in Richmond during the GA to fight for the attention and respect it deserves, as well as the legislative action and funding sufficient to support the DD population in their communities.
Like it or not, our responsibility as autism advocates is to show our strength in Richmond.
Throughout the current 60 day legislative session, CRAAG will be coordinating with other advocacy partners, such as Virginia Autism Project (VAP), The Arc of Virginia, Autism Society of Central Virginia, Commonwealth Autism, Autism Speaks, and DThree - Decriminalize Developmental Disabilities.
Why is Advocacy So
Important this Year?
- Many of our community's long term legislative partners have left the GA.
- Thirty-five percent of the 2024 GA members are new this year.
- It is likely that many of the new legislators are not familiar with the immediate and long terms needs of people with autism and DD.
- The Governor's two-year spending plan offers advocates an opportunity to actually address the systemic issues plaguing the DD waiver system.
How Can You Help?
We understand that this all feels a bit overwhelming. If you think that this advocacy stuff is not for you, please ask yourself, "What if no one steps up? Then what?"
We know that constituent feedback works! Legislators tell us this.
Right now we have the opportunity to help ourselves and our families by educating new legislators and reminding incumbents about the autism community's needs. Here are some suggestions of some ways to meaningfully engage in advocacy and make a difference.
#1 Join other autism advocates at the Jan. 30th Autism Advocacy Day at the new General Assembly Building in Richmond. This event is hosted by the Autism Society of Central Virginia with support from six other Virginia autism advocacy organizations.
- Please register for the Autism Advocacy Day on Jan. 30th from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. The link below has all the information you will need to register and participate. This activity requires that you meet indoors and in-person with other autism advocates and local GA representatives. You will be part of a large group of autism advocates from across the commonwealth. CRAAG hopes 8-12 people from Charlottesville/Albemarle area will register to participate. Will you be one of them? We hope so.
Register Here for Autism
Advocacy Day on Jan. 30th!
#2 Can't join us on Jan. 30, The Arc of Virginia is hosting seven all-inclusive DD Advocacy Days during the GA.
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Please register for The Arc of Virginia's DD Advocacy Days. This activity is indoors and in-person on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the GA: Jan. 25th, Jan. 30th, Feb. 1st, Feb. 6th, Feb. 8th, Feb. 13th and Feb. 15th.
Register Groups or Individuals
Here for DD Advocacy
Days During the GA Session!
#3 Stay informed throughout the GA. Sign up for Action Alerts and commit to taking action by sending emails/leaving voicemails for legislators to express support or opposition to proposed legislation. Sign up for the Action Alerts using the links below:
- Good news! If you subscribe to the CRAAG newsletter, you are already signed up for our Action Alerts like this one.
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Sign up for the VAP 2024 Action Alerts right now! The VAP is closely watching the GA legislative process and keeps advocates informed on when responses are needed from them. Their concise talking points and easy to use email templates make it fast and easy to engage with our representatives.
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Sign up for The Arc of Virginia's Action Alerts right now! The Arc of Virginia also is closely watching the GA legislative process and keeps advocates informed on when responses are needed from them. The Arc's easy to use templates and concise talking points make it easy to engage with your representatives.
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The Autism Society of Central Virginia is leading the advocacy around several important autism bills during this GA session as well as hosting the Jan. 30th event mentioned above.
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