Dear , 

There are only a few days left in the 2025 General Assembly. Sine die (the end of the session) is Saturday, February 22 - the date all bills that will be sent to the Governor need to go through both chambers in identical form. Bills are out of committee and being voted upon on the floors of the House and Senate. Conference committees are resolving differences between bills. VICPP’s vigilant staff has done all that can be done to support you and the bills in getting passed. Here are our priorities: 

Passed both chambers and will go to the Governor:

• Unconscious Bias/Cultural Competency Training (SB 740 / HB 1649) 

• Limit Youth Shackling (SB 1255 / HB 2222) 

• Keep Labor and Delivery Units Open (HB 1904) 

• Faith and Housing (HB 2153) 

Expected to pass both chambers this week and will then go to the Governor: 

• Education in Prison – turned into a study bill (HB 2158) 

• Paid Sick Days (HB 1921)  

Pending Budget Negotiations - The House and Senate budget conferees are negotiating the final budget. These are VICPP’s priorities: 

• $9.1 to 11.7 million for maternal health initiatives. (The $11.7 million House figure includes presumptive eligibility for pregnant women receiving Medicaid)

• $15 million for rental vouchers for families with school age children (Senate budget) 

• $1.5-1.9 million for the Eviction Reduction Fund ($1.9 in House, 1.5 in Senate) 

• $25 million for an Employee Child Care Assistance Program (in both the House and Senate budget) 

• $35 million for expansion of the refundable ETIC (Earned Income Tax Credit in both the House and Senate budgets) 

Didn’t survive: 

Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women Enrolling in Medicaid (HB 2102 – killed in Senate Finance and Approps, but it could be revived during the budget negotiations.

The Governor has thirty days from the end of session (until March 24) to respond to bills that are sent to him within the last week of session.  He can sign them into law, veto them or amend them.  Although VICPP always works hard to garner bi-partisan support for its bills, doing so is particularly important for encouraging the Governor to sign the bills. The General Assembly will reconvene on April 2 to review and act on the Governor’s amendments and vetoes.   

Although our Action Alerts will slow down (I know you are grateful for that), we will focus our upcoming actions on bills that we are concerned the Governor might amend or veto.  

Thank you again for taking action during the 2025 General Assembly. 

Gratefully, 

Kim Bobo 
Co-Executive Director 

The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocates economic, racial, and social justice in Virginia’s policies and practices
through education, prayer, and action.