Your turn — Changes for the new year

Published 5:00 pm Saturday, January 22, 2022

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The first week of session is completed. During that time, a new speaker was elected, and all appointments were made. This year, I was selected to serve on the Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (ACNR) Committee, the Appropriations Committee and the Health Welfare and Institutions (HWI) Committee. I am also honored to serve on the Public Safety Committee as vice-chairman.

I also have several subcommittee appointments, including, the Agriculture Subcommittee in ACRN, the Commerce, Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee and the General Government and Capital Outlay Subcommittee in Appropriations, Subcommittee #1 in HWI and Subcommittee #1 in Public Safety. Additionally, I was appointed as chairman of the Health and Human Resources Subcommittee in Appropriations.

You can view all my appointments, legislation, budget amendments and more at lis. virginia.gov. You can view livestream of session and all committee meetings at https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/chamber/ chamberstream.php

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My Pre-Session Survey is now available for constituents. You can complete the survey online at vahouse.checkbox. com/fariss2022-legislative-survey. If you would like a copy mailed to you, please contact my District office at (434) 821- 5929 and my staff will assist. Please take 10 minutes to fill out this survey and forward to friends and family, as this helps me know what my constituents’ concerns are going into this years’ session.

Governor Glenn Youngkin took office Saturday and swiftly signed nine Executive Orders and two Executive Directives at the Virginia State Capitol, acting on several of his Day One promises to Virginians. The actions include an executive order ending the use of inherently divisive concepts – including Critical Race Theory – in public education, an executive order affirming the rights of parents to make decisions on masks in schools, and an executive order terminating the Virginia Parole Board and requesting the Attorney General begin a full investigation of the Board’s actions.

Executive Order No. 1 delivers on his Day One promise to restore excellence in education by ending the use of divisive concepts, including Critical Race Theory, in public education. Executive Order No. 2 delivers on his Day One promise to empower Virginia parents in their children’s education and upbringing by allowing parents to make decisions on whether their child wears a mask in school.

Executive Order No. 3 delivers on his Day One promise to restore integrity and confidence in the Parole Board of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Executive Order No. 4 delivers on his Day One promise to investigate wrongdoing in Loudoun County. Executive Order No. 5 delivers on his Day One promise to make government work for Virginians by creating the Commonwealth Chief Transformation Officer. Executive Order No. 6 delivers on his Day One promise to declare Virginia open for business. Executive Order No. 7 delivers on his Day One promise to combat and prevent human trafficking and provide support to survivors. Executive Order No. 8 delivers on his Day One promise to establish a commission to combat antisemitism. Executive Order No. 9 delivers on his Day One promise to withdraw from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

Executive Directive No. 1 delivers on his fulfilling his Day One promise to jump-start our economy by cutting job killing regulations by 25%. Executive Directive No. 2 delivers on his fulfilling his Day One promise to restore individual freedoms and personal privacy by rescinding the vaccine mandate for all state employees.

You can read the full text of all executive orders and directives at www.governor. virginia.gov/executive-actions.

DEL. C. MATTHEW FARISS represents Buckingham in the Virginia House of Delegates. His email address is DelMFariss@house.virginia.gov.