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Virginia Democratic Women Leaders Warn Of Cao’s Dangerous Anti-Choice Agenda
- Delegate Cia Price: “We know that Tim Kaine is the only candidate for United States Senator on the Virginia ballot who will stand up for reproductive freedom. His opponent is a threat to reproductive freedom all across the Commonwealth. Hung Cao, like many Republicans, has pledged their support to the most extreme and dangerous agendas, including support for a national abortion ban and ambiguity on his stance on IVF and contraception, and he continues to say dangerously and inflammatory statements like comparing abortion to the Holocaust. But instead of incendiary rhetoric, people need leaders who will protect their access to reproductive health care.”
(Click for full release and video)
Gun reform bills up for debate in Virginia General Assembly
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Virginia’s Democratically-controlled legislature hopes to pass dozens of gun reform bills to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk, but they’re facing pushback. Democratic State Senator Adam Ebbin and other members of the General Assembly’s Gun Violence Prevention Caucus met early Thursday to highlight what they feel is most important. “We’re here today because Virginia is facing an epidemic of gun violence,” Ebbin said. “And unconscionably, in Virginia, guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens.”
“Enforcement has its place, but we must invest heavily in prevention and intervention to save lives,” Delegate Cia Price (D-95th District) said. “March For Our Lives” founder and Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg was also there, urging Virginia’s parents to raise their voices. “Show up today so that your kids are alive tomorrow,” Hogg said. “These bills are one step in the right direction, but they’re just that. They are one step. The first of many to come. We’re going to have to deal with this issue for a long time, unfortunately, but we cannot stop until no child, no matter what community they’re in, has to fear gun violence.”
Bills on the table include those that require guns to be stored securely in homes where children are present, having school districts send out reminders about safe gun storage, enhanced background checks and a ban on assault rifles.
Commentary: To help communities heal, lift ‘barrier crimes’ laws (Price & Pillion)
For decades, Virginia has taken an overly punitive approach against people who find themselves affected by substance use disorders. A person caught with a small amount of drugs could face a decade in prison. But it does not end after they have served their time. That individual is then branded a criminal for life and may struggle to find suitable employment, affordable housing and access to critical services. Despite having done their time, they often continue to pay a high personal price.
It does not just impact them. An often-overlooked consequence is that someone with this kind of conviction who has completed their sentence cannot then put that experience to work serving others. Because of their record, Virginia laws have made it increasingly difficult for individuals with drug-related convictions to draw on their lived experiences to work as peer recovery specialists.
Virginia's outdated "barrier crimes" laws prohibit anyone convicted of one of 176 different crimes from working with communities and individuals, even if that work could have a lasting, positive impact. Further, these barrier crimes laws are doing little to help Virginia fight the opioid epidemic and may be actively contributing to it by reducing the number of people qualified to serve as substance use counselors, which would give them a purpose and a job.
In Southwest Virginia, we know that a significant impediment to expanding substance use treatment is the severe and continuing workforce shortage. The fact that many of these potential peer recovery specialists have prior convictions for drug possession does not make them any less qualified to do the job.
In Hampton Roads, we see the discriminatory impact of these “barrier crimes” laws playing out in real-time, disproportionately applied, and impacting people of color, especially young Black men. We may represent different constituencies, but the commonality is that these laws have negatively impacted the communities we serve. That is why we are working together on legislation that would help remove these barriers to employment and open up access to services for those who need them.
We can hold people accountable for their actions, but we also must allow them to move on with their lives and, if they wish, to help others find their way to safety and sobriety.
We are called to forgive. "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you," the Book of Matthew teaches us. We would do well to remember that.
The General Assembly created these barriers. Our next step is to take them down.
House Democrats Thwart GOP Effort to Create More Barriers to Voting in the Commonwealth
RICHMOND, VA – Yesterday, the House Privileges and Elections Election Administration Subcommittee stopped a number of harmful Republican bills – designed to make it harder for Virginians to cast their ballot – from moving forward. Under Democratic Majorities in 2020-2021, Virginia went from the 49th hardest state to vote in to the 11th easiest. Despite spending the summer claiming to embrace early voting, Republicans are already up to their old tricks, introducing legislation that would limit the practice in the Commonwealth...
Delegate Marcia Price, Chair of the House Privileges and Elections Committee, said, “Voters across the Commonwealth have benefited from increased access to democracy with the changes we made to our elections in the last few years. With important elections coming up, now is not the time to turn back to the obstacles previous lawmakers placed trying to box out certain voters from the voting process. It’s not hard. Make it easy to vote, and more people will.”
“The work we did in committee preserved access and maximized voter participation while ensuring the integrity of the democratic process,” said Delegate Jackie Glass, Chair of the Election Administration Subcommittee.
Efforts to shrink Virginia's early voting period are dead for this session
Delegate Mark Sickles is a Democrat from Fairfax who says the 45-day window makes sense. "The reason we have 45 days is that's what the federal government requires us to have a ballot ready to send to people that are serving overseas," Sickles says.
Delegate Cia Price of Newport News says early voting is not a pandemic-inspired change. "2020 happened to be the year that Democrats had the majority and also happened to be the year that we had COVID," Price says. "These were bills that we had been carrying for years prior to COVID, so these were not COVID measures."
So far, all the bills to roll back Virginia's 45 days of early voting have all been defeated, and Democrats say they have no intention of making voting less available.
Virginia advocates welcome bipartisan effort to add drug counselors, reduce 'barrier' laws
A bipartisan effort in Richmond aims to increase the number of drug treatment counselors in the state by allowing those who’ve been convicted of drug crimes to work in the field. Current state law bars those with certain convictions from being employed by such programs. They’re called barrier crimes, violations of the law that preclude someone from working in certain sensitive areas. And a pair of bills from Democratic Delegate Cia Price and Republican Senator Todd Pillion would remove some drug offenses from the list of barrier crimes when it comes to offering drug recovery counseling.
“This opens the door for opportunity. I believe once the time is paid for the crime, you should be able to go back into the workforce and have forgiveness,” Pillion told Radio IQ. The senator said he spoke to a number of treatment facilities in his Abingdon-area district about the need for more counselors and the barrier these barrier laws put up.
Newport News-area Delegate Price said Virginia has some of the most stringent barrier crime laws in the country. She’s been pushing these changes for about 7 years, but she said committee meetings held in the past have led to the this year's bill and could bode well for its passage. “It’s an impediment to the workforce, but it also helps folks not recidivate or not fall into their past,” Price said of her hopes from the bill.
These kinds of changes would mean the world to people like Jason Pritchard of Bristol. He told a packed room about his own story, growing up around drug dealing before getting involved himself. Getting hooked on pain pills before selling those - and worse. And finally facing years in prison before finding faith and sobriety, and hoping to share that message with others as a peer counselor. “We have a lot of people who need help from those that know what it’s like to walk in their shoes,” Pritchard said.
Historic display of racial, gender diversity marks the start of 2024 General Assembly session
In a state that once intentionally sought to disenfranchise Black voters, Black lawmakers now run both committees dealing with voting and election issues. Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, is leading the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee. On the House side, Del. Marcia Price, D-Newport News, who has championed a state-level voting rights law, is chairing the elections committee. “On this historic day as we will witness many firsts in leadership in both chambers, it reminds us how far we have come and what we have to celebrate,” Price said. “The House and the Senate will look more like Virginia this year. And we all know that representation matters."
Historic display of racial, gender diversity marks the start of 2024 General Assembly session
In a state that once intentionally sought to disenfranchise Black voters, Black lawmakers now run both committees dealing with voting and election issues. Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, is leading the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee. On the House side, Del. Marcia Price, D-Newport News, who has championed a state-level voting rights law, is chairing the elections committee. “On this historic day as we will witness many firsts in leadership in both chambers, it reminds us how far we have come and what we have to celebrate,” Price said. “The House and the Senate will look more like Virginia this year. And we all know that representation matters."
Price Named Chairwoman of House Privileges and Elections Committee
The following press release was sent today from the Virginia House Democratic Caucus:
December 5, 2023, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Contact: Morgan Hopkins,
DELEGATE MARCIA “CIA” PRICE NAMED CHAIRWOMAN OF HOUSE PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
RICHMOND, VA – Today, Speaker-designee Don Scott announced he has selected Delegate Marcia “Cia” Price to chair the House Privileges and Elections Committee in the 2024 General Assembly Session. Delegate Price will be the first Black woman to chair the committee. In 2021, Price carried HB 1890, the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, which expanded and protected voting rights for people across the Commonwealth.
The Privileges and Committee is the longest continuously running committee in the nation’s oldest Legislature.
Speaker-designee Don Scott, “Delegate Price has had an immeasurable impact on voting rights in the Commonwealth of Virginia and I cannot think of anyone better suited to chair the Privileges and Elections committee. Her past work has only been a preview of what is to come from the Committee and I cannot wait to see what they do to continue to protect the enfranchisement of every eligible Virginian.”
“I am humbled by the faith that Speaker-designee Scott has now placed in me to lead this committee as we reaffirm our commitment to protecting our democracy,” said Delegate Cia Price. “All my life, I have been passionate about protecting our democracy and was proud to lead the fight for the Voting Rights Act of Virginia. The gravity of this moment is not lost on me and I carry it with me into the work to stand firm in the face of those who seek to undermine our voting rights and sabotage our elections. Virginia has become a bastion of democracy in the South, and no amount of disinformation or intimidation will stop the committee’s work from protecting voting rights.”
(click for full release)
Visit Team Cia's Merch Store!
Join Team Cia and show your support with her new merch! Grab some stickers, buttons, and bags and help us get the word out about the election and her work in the legislature. Grab your items today before they're gone. Visit Team Cia's Merch Store today!
Price Receives Big Endorsements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2023
Contact: Tempestt Boone
FriendsOfMarciaPrice@gmail.com or 757-251-0787
Delegate Price Announces New Endorsements
A diverse list of national and local organizations
support Price's reelection campaign
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Today, Delegate Marcia "Cia" Price, who represents the 95th District in the Virginia House of Delegates and serves as the Vice Chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, announced a list of twenty organizations that have endorsed her reelection campaign. She is running to represent the 85th District in Newport News.
"I am honored to have earned the support of organizations that are all dedicated to improving the lives of everyday, hard working people," Del. Price said. “These endorsers represent many of the issue areas I have been proud to lead on in the General Assembly, from preventing gun violence and supporting workers to safeguarding reproductive healthcare to building an economy that works for all and protecting our civil rights. During a time when extremists threaten to turn back the clock, I am proud to stand with these organizations to protect our progress and fight for a more just Commonwealth for all.”
Click for full press release
Commemorating 60th Anniversary of March on Washington
60 years ago today, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the March on Washington. He stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. But that cannot be the only lens through which we commemorate this historic event, especially as some seek to erase this history and obscure certain aspects of the people's movement for justice.
Take for instance the fact that the full title of the event was “The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.” While not often acknowledged, economic justice was at the forefront of both the march and King’s message.
And further often left untold are the lesser-known excerpts from Dr. King’s speech. Early in his remarks, King spoke about how the promise of the nation had continuously fallen short for Black and Brown Americans: “It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.”
{Click above for full statement}
VLBC Elects Cia Price as Vice-Chair
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2023
Contact: Tempestt Boone
757-266-5935TBoone@house.virginia.gov
The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Elects Del. Cia Price as Vice Chair
Senator Lamont Bagby, Chairman of the VLBC, said, "The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus unanimously elected my good friend Del. Cia Price as Vice Chair, and I couldn't be happier." He continued, "Cia is someone we can count on. From her constituents back home in Newport News, to the VLBC members who stand shoulder to shoulder in so many important fights, to people all across the Commonwealth looking for bold leadership: I can say unequivocally that our new Vice Chair has our backs. I look forward to working with her in this new role as our Caucus continues to build the kind of leadership team every Virginian deserves."
"I am honored and humbled by the trust my colleagues have put in me. I look forward to continuing the legacy of those who have held this position before me," said Del. Cia Price. She also said, "This caucus has worked for generations to amplify the voices of those who are too often otherwise disregarded. As Vice Chair of the VLBC, I look forward to using this new platform to be an even stronger advocate for those Virginians who are counting on us to deliver on their behalf. We will not let extremists erase our history or distract us from getting needed equity. Together, we stand firm in our refusal to turn back the clock."
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About the VLBC
The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus (VLBC) is made up of 20 members of the Virginia General Assembly. VLBC is committed to improving the economic, educational, political, and social conditions of African Americans and underrepresented groups in Virginia. A vital part of VLBC’s mission is to raise the consciousness of others to the contributions made by African Americans to the Commonwealth and the Nation.
Tenant protection bill dies as House GOP members reverse stance
House Bill 1650, sponsored by Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, which would have empowered local governments to seek court orders directing landlords to fix uninhabitable dwellings, died in the House General Laws Committee with no debate. It passed out of the committee last year with the support of 11 of 12 Republican members, and this year’s version was approved in a gatekeeper subcommittee with the support of one member, Del. Emily Brewer, R-Isle of Wight, who voted to kill the measure when it came before the full committee. Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield voted for it in both the subcommittee and the committee.
After the bill died, Price fired back, saying House Republicans “have lost touch with residents so much so that they cannot even bring themselves to support legislation in 2023 that they supported in 2022... MAGA Republicans made it clear that they would rather protect wealthy slumlords over renters in desperate need of healthy and safe homes.”
(Click for full story)
Del. Price's Statement on Republicans Killing HB1650
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Va. lawmakers gingerly take up issue of 6-year-old with a gun
Del. Marcia S. “Cia” Price (D-Newport News) responded in her own speech that she was “very encouraged” to hear a Republican talking about school safety and voicing support for teachers, after recent political efforts to blame teachers for school shutdowns during the coronavirus pandemic and to position them as opponents of the interests of parents. “I ask that we stop talking about teachers in dehumanizing ways,” Price said. “I ask that we stop denigrating them in order to feed our campaign slogans and actually work together as teachers, parents, children and community members.”
Most important, Price said, is that “the pain my city is going through … not be used for political points.” But she said Ransone’s comments could open the door “to finally have a conversation about guns in our communities.” “When you talk about gun violence and you talk about Hampton Roads and some of the things the schools are going through, they shy away from the conversation because then they would actually have to talk about the guns, and that’s not fodder for their base,” she said.
Democratic Delegates propose 17 bills on gun violence prevention
RICHMOND, Va. (WSET) — Democrats in the House of Delegates introduced the 17 bills they submitted regarding gun violence prevention. Some big items in this bundle include raising the age of purchase to 21 years old and restricting the sale of assault firearms, large-capacity magazines, and silencers.
Delegate Marcia Price (D) is one of the five lawmakers making this push for reform. She thinks that reform is something both Democrats and Republicans can agree on in order to make our communities safer.
Price's contribution to this bundle is a proposal for a two-year study by the JLARC (Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission) on the social, physical, emotional, and economic effects of gun violence on communities across the Commonwealth. This is just one piece of what she thinks is a comprehensive group that encompasses the various issues involved in the gun violence epidemic. "In order to combat a comprehensive problem, we have to come to the table with comprehensive solutions, and that's what I think you see with the agenda that we've put forward. They're common sense. They're also evidence-based," said Price.
Remarks by Del. Price on Gun Violence Prevention
House Democrats are unified in our commitment to ending the scourge of gun violence. We need evidence-based reforms. Community-driven solutions. To address the root causes of gun violence together. Failed policies from the 90s won't cut it. My full remarks below.
Good Morning! As established we are here to express our continued commitment to work for safer communities. As it pertains to gun violence, the district that I serve has been in the news far too many times due to lives being taken way too soon by what has sadly become known as everyday gun violence. While we work on the evidence-based proposals that we know work, we also want to make sure that we fully and accurately understand the impacts of gun violence in our communities. Yes, many families know the gut wrenching pain of losing a loved one. But we all are impacted, socially, emotionally, physically, and economically in areas where violence occurs regularly.
(click to read the full text)
Power to enforce health rules on landlords advances in new Virginia House bill
A proposal to expand localities’ power to enforce health and safety standards against landlords passed its first hurdle Thursday, winning support from both tenants’ advocates and industry groups. HB 1650, patroned by Delegate Marcia Price (D – Newport News), would grant cities and counties across the commonwealth the power to sue landlords over conditions in their buildings that present “a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants.” During public comment, the bill received support from tenant advocates such as the Virginia Poverty Law Center as well as industry groups such as the Virginia Realtors Association and Apartment and Management Association.
This is the second year Price has advanced the bill, which passed both the House and the Senate last year before being vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin. In his veto release, he said, “It is neither clear why this language is necessary to enforce already existing provisions of state law, nor what the additional language contained in the legislation seeks to accomplish beyond what is already authorized in the USBC.”
That prompted a question from Delegate Roxann Robinson (R – Chesterfield), a member of the committee, “What was changed that this bill has a better chance of success?” Price replied that the veto likely stemmed from a lack of communication between herself and the Youngkin administration, causing them to confuse the fire code — which can already be enforced by localities — with the building code or USBC, which currently can’t. “What I think happened, was there was a conflation between what can happen under violations of the fire code versus what can happen under violations of the [USBC],” Price said. “For the building code, for the things that are hazardous to health this power does not exist.”
After condemned building saga, Virginia delegate re-introduces tenants rights bill
“My ask is simple: I ask you cast the same vote you did last year to protect the families that are in need of help," Del. Marcia Price told a General Laws subcommittee Thursday afternoon.
Price (D--Dist. 95) introduced House Bill 1650 in subcommittee hearings on the second day of Virginia's lawmaking session.
The bill, if passed, is a tenants rights package that would hold landlords more accountable through the court system in the Commonwealth.
If it becomes a law, city governments would gain the power to go to court and force a landlord to make needed repairs to their buildings through a judge’s order.
It’s identical to a bill Price introduced last year, which made it all the way to the governor's desk before ultimately getting vetoed.
Now, Price can point to the months-long Seaview Lofts saga as evidence of why the bill is needed....
On a 5-3 vote, Price's bill made it out of the subcommittee stage and will now move to review before a full General Rules Committee.
So far, it has written support by more than 50 organizations in Virginia, including the Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Virginia Democrats push for new slate of tenant protections
More ambitious proposals came from Delegates Marcia Price (D – Newport News) and David Bulova (D – Fairfax), including an increase in the grace period for late rent and permission for tenants to immediately break leases when they move in and find the unit uninhabitable. The proposals will get their first hearing at the meeting of the General Laws sub-committee Thursday afternoon.
Bulova said his proposal was formulated with help from the Virginia Poverty Law Center and that it should be considered the equivalent of “lemon laws” for cars. “If the unit doesn’t meet these basic standards, then the person should be able to get out of the lease and get their deposit back without having to go through an expensive legal process,” he wrote.
Price proposed a slate of three bills, one of which grants localities the right to enforce rental agreements on landlords when poor conditions present “a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants.” “This bill would allow for localities to sue the landlords for the actual fixes needed to the property and get justice for the tenant,” Price wrote. The slate of proposals will likely face an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled House of Delegates.
1/11/23 VA Legislative Black Caucus Press Conference
To watch the replay of today's press conference on the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus' 2023 legislative agenda, you can click here.
Virginia General Assembly gavels in for short session with long to-do list
Gun reform is once again top of mind after a six-year-old shot and injured his teacher in a Newport News elementary school. It’s one of several high-profile shootings in Virginia that have grabbed national headlines recently. But Democrats say they don’t expect any meaningful action from the GOP. “It’s unconscionable, it’s ridiculous and it’s embarrassing but unfortunately our colleagues want to dance around the issue,” said Del. Marcia Price (D-Newport News).
Delegate Marcia Price Responds To 6 Year Old Shooting Teacher
“If we can’t come together to save first graders from entering our justice system and six, then all I say is see you in November and we’ll take it over from there.” – Delegate Marcia Price
(Click to see video)
2023 Session Kickoff w/ Del. Price (Virtual Event)
Click here to register!
Opinion: Accountability needed for Virginia election problems (Price's Op Ed)
The elections process in Virginia is now more accessible to voters than ever before thanks to the work Democrats did in 2020. Turnout in the November elections set records for midterm elections thanks to the easy access to the voting booth activists worked to achieve. Our work led to Virginia moving from being ranked 49th to 11th in a ranking of states that make voting accessible. We’ve worked hard to ensure that everyone who wants to make their voice heard in our elections has not only the right to do so, but the ability and access to make it happen.
But our democracy is under attack, even here in Virginia. We’ve been through so much, just trying to put one foot in front of the other. We’ve pushed, we’ve rallied, we’ve survived against all odds, and now, once again, we’re under attack with zero accountability to uphold the very thing that so many have died to defend. Republicans such as Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Miyares don’t share our excitement for making voting more accessible to everyone. In fact, they are doing everything they can to halt our progress, make voting more difficult than ever, and to put up purposeful barriers to voting in the hopes that it will help them cling on to power.
Leading up to Election Day, a delay in voter registration processing resulted in more than 250,000 voter registration applications being dumped on local registrars for processing with very little time before Election Day. It was only thanks to local registrars and their staff working overtime that Election Day went as smoothly as it did. Despite her department’s massive error, Commissioner of Elections Susan Beals, a hyper-partisan who once worked for election denier and insurrectionist state Sen. Amanda Chase, is trying to blame the error on Democrats for making voting more accessible for everyone instead of on her failure to run a successful Department of Elections.
In addition to the problems processing voter registration applications, the Department of Elections mailed incorrect information about voting to more than 30,000 voters. It’s unclear how many voters this mistake disenfranchised, but the number is not zero. Incompetence like this that leads to voters being unable to make their voice heard in our elections is unacceptable. We must come together to hold the Department of Elections accountable for their mistakes and ensure that no other voters are prevented from casting their ballots by misinformation and incompetence.
Lastly, Virginia has a new vendor to replace the VERIS system. It takes time and patience to build out an election system that works for everyone in the commonwealth, and yet Beale’s office recklessly sat on the new contract for months, leaving the general public out of the loop on our new system, a timeline for launch, and other details needed. Then, after it was finally announced, the contract includes a much longer initial build out phase and longer term maintenance period. The public deserves transparency and accountability in its voting systems and how elections are run in Virginia.
We cannot and will not accept attacks on our right to vote. I’m calling on Youngkin to hold Beals accountable, to make a commitment to the voters of Virginia to get the Department of Elections back on track, and to ensure that every single voter who wants to vote in our elections has the ability to do so. With the entire House of Delegates and state Senate of Virginia on the ballot next year in addition to local races, we need to correct these mistakes and head into next year’s election season with confidence that our Department of Elections knows what they are doing.
Del. Marcia “Cia” Price represents parts of Newport News and Hampton in the 95th House District.
Daily Press, Sunday, January 1, 2023 (print & online)
VPM News Focal Point interview on Voting Rights
I appeared on VPM's News Focal Point with Angie Miles before the election discussing efforts to dismantle #VotingRights, especially for Black and brown communities. The threats to our civil rights are still very real and our fight continues.
https://www.pbs.org/video/focus-marcia-price-nsieq6/
13 News Now Coverage of Housing Roundtable
A Newport News lawmaker got diagnosed with a hormonal disorder as a teen. Now she’s raising awareness about it.
“It was a hard thing to hear as a 16-year old,” Price said. Those who struggle with the disorder, or want to learn about it, can join the Newport News Democrat Tuesday at 7 p.m. for a virtual discussion. Price and three other speakers will be talking about their experiences and sharing ways to advocate for those with PCOS.
Throughout her life, Price said the disorder has taken a toll on her mental and physical health. But she rarely spoke about it — until a teenage constituent with PCOS came to her office a few years ago. “She came to me as her delegate and wanted me to do something to help raise awareness,” she said.
click for full story
After years of effort, Virginia is giving lower-income workers a major tax break
Making Virginia’s version of the credit refundable, a change done through the new state budget, means that instead of only reducing how much a low-income tax filer owes without giving money back, it can now lead to a bigger refund — or create a refund that otherwise wouldn’t exist.
“It has an outsized impact on the families that need the most help,” Kenneth said. She added that help for those on the lower end will bring some balance to a “regressive” state system that taxes all income above $17,000 at the same rate.
Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News, pointed to several factors to explain the breakthrough on EITC refundability: the work of those who have championed it for years, Senate Democrats “digging their heels in” during budget negotiations and a broad recognition that the COVID-19 crisis hit the poor harder than the wealthy. “The pandemic just had a way of exposing things in a new light,” said Price, one of several lawmakers who sponsored EITC legislation last session.
In the past, the EITC concept has drawn support from across the ideological spectrum because it’s a pro-work incentive targeted largely toward people with children. It’s often compared to free-market economist Milton Friedman’s proposal for a “negative income tax,” an anti-poverty idea he said would be more efficient than government aid programs by giving cash directly to lower-income people and letting them use it however they see fit.
Hampton Roads lawmakers weigh in on abortion at special session
This week, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle from Hampton Roads weighed in on the controversial conversation surrounding abortion access and its future in Virginia. Wednesday, state legislators reconvened in Richmond for a special session of the Virginia General Assembly. After the bipartisan pleasantries, delegates from the region soon took the microphone, some to speak out against Gov. Glenn Youngkin, more specifically his pro-life stance.
"Decisions like this belong to a woman and her doctor, not the governor," Minority Leader and Portsmouth Del. Don Scott said. Scott argued that the governor's views on the issue are out of touch with the rest of Virginia. "The reality is that more than half of the state after the Dobbs decision was afraid that the governor and Republicans would try to come in today and ban abortions -- try to limit a woman’s reproductive freedoms," Del. Scott said.
"Protecting life is not what we saw this past legislative session. We saw an extremist agenda more interested in retweets and revenge than protecting constituents' lives. We’ve heard promises to send down a bill to ban abortion and restrict Virginians' freedoms by taking power away from individuals to make decisions about their own health," Newport News Del. Marcia Price said shortly after.
Youngkin’s pick for Historic Resources Board under fire for defending the Confederacy
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is facing calls to withdraw his recent appointee to the Historic Resources Board due to her recent comments defending the Confederacy and criticizing former President Abraham Lincoln’s role in the Civil War. Youngkin announced last week he had appointed Ann McLean, a historian and the founder of a Christian school in Richmond, to serve on the Board of Historic Resources. Shortly after, she came under fire for previous remarks defending Confederate statues on a Richmond radio show. On Monday, she returned to the radio show and seemingly doubled down.
“I think the appropriate reaction here is disgust,” Del. Cia Price, a Newport News Democrat and member of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, said Tuesday.
Housing Update
Video Update on HB802 Veto and Implications - Help for SeaView Lofts residents - Ways to get involved
Channel 3 Update on SeaView Lofts Situation
13 News Now Update on SeaView Lofts Housing Crisis
Opinion: Congress should follow Virginia by protecting domestic workers
Domestic workers are excluded from American labor laws by design. Congress left out domestic workers from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to appease white Southern lawmakers who wanted to maintain free and cheap labor, provided primarily by women of color. To this day, this country does not guarantee a minimum wage or overtime pay to these essential workers. To keep these Jim Crow laws on the books is to support racist policies and reinforce workplace oppression.
This work is personal. We come from families of care workers who did not have the protections they deserved. That’s why we’re pushing back against that painful and too-often ignored history. Last year, Care in Action worked with domestic workers and sponsors Del. Cia Price, Del. Wendy Gooditis, and state Sen. Jennifer McClellan to pass a Virginia Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. This historic legislation extends common workplace rights to house cleaners, health care aides and nannies. Virginia is the first state in the South to codify protections for these workers and finally turn the page on this ugly chapter from our past.
While passage of these laws is essential and long overdue, we can’t help but wonder: How long will it take for the rest of the country to catch up? Progress doesn’t have to be a painful, drawn-out process. Swift federal action can protect all workers across the nation.
(Click to read the full Op-Ed)
Del. Price's Statement on SCOTUS Overturning Roe v. Wade
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 24, 2022
CONTACT Tempestt Boone, 757.968.6054
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Delegate Marcia "Cia" Price issued the following statement in reaction to the devastating Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overturn decades of precedent regarding a woman's right to make her own healthcare decisions.
"There's no excuse. A tarnished court this flippant with both the law and lives has lost all credibility, and today's disastrous ruling only serves to undermine further the very protections they are duty-bound to uphold. And if that wasn't enough, the court signaled its next targets: contraception, consensual sex between adults, and marriage equality. All are on the chopping block, and it is clear that after today's ruling, we cannot and should not trust this failed institution to safeguard our rights.
"But as some of its most conservative members made clear, the game was rigged from the get-go. The court established for itself a single, myopic barometer. And when official decisions can only be influenced by the thinking prevalent when old, white, land-owning men had a singular say in public affairs, we are destined to regress as a nation and fall even further, with civil rights eroded and Black and Brown communities once again bearing the brunt of a system designed to crush those most in need.
"The unfortunate reality is that all of this was accomplished under the false banner of "pro-life." But there is nothing "pro-life" about today's ruling. In fact, that term is rendered meaningless without programs, funding, and resources in place to support those lives. Many individuals self-applying that title are also the same folks who will vote against maternal health initiatives, public school funding, pre-K expansion, after-school programs, free lunch, childcare, and affordable housing without batting an eye. They are the same folks who were quick to yell “my body, my choice” about life-saving vaccinations during the pandemic but are so entrenched in their own power grabs, they do not acknowledge the depths of their hypocrisy.
"I know today is tough, and honestly, it may get worse before it gets better. But we can not give up on this fight. Thank you to the advocates, activists, volunteers, healthcare providers, lawyers and so many others who have been on the front lines of this fight. We see you, we appreciate you, and we stand with you. You can support their efforts by signing up to volunteer and donating to these organizations:
- Hampton Roads Reproductive Justice League
- Planned Parenthood
- National Black Women’s Repro Justice Agenda
- Center for Reproductive Rights
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Delegate Marcia S. “Cia” Price represents the 95th District of the Virginia House of Delegates, which includes parts of Newport News and Hampton. In the House, she serves on the Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee and the General Laws Committee. She was the lead sponsor of the Voting Rights Act of Virginia and she has consistently sponsored the Reproductive Health Equity Act.
State board calls health commissioner’s remarks about race, public health an ‘embarrassment’
If you're willing to ignore the causes of a problem, you'll willing to ignore the solutions to the problem. I had to speak up about the statements the Commissioner made - racism is real and it has real impacts on life and death decisions in healthcare. Following the science isn't being "divisive". You can't ignore facts just because they make others uncomfortable. Want to help end divisiveness? Treat the actual issues leading to health disparities to get to health equity!!
Del. Price Receives Jack Brooks Leadership Award
For Immediate Release, June 22, 2022 Contact: Tempestt Boone, 757.968.6054
Del. Price Given Jack Brooks Leadership Award for The Voting Rights Act of Virginia
Price championed the historic legislation in 2021
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Delegate Marcia “Cia” Price, who represents the 95th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, was recently given the Jack Brooks Leadership Award for her efforts to secure access to the ballot box by fighting to pass the Voting Rights Act of Virginia.
The first of its kind in the South, and in the face of threats to the nation’s democracy, the Voting Rights Act of Virginia codified essential voter protections, outlawed voter intimidation and discrimination, and addressed the ongoing attempts to silence the electoral voice of Virginia’s Black communities and communities of color.
"I am humbled to receive the Jack Brooks Leadership Award for championing the ground-breaking Voting Rights Act of Virginia. Modeled after the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, this historic legislation addresses the very real and imminent efforts to undermine our democracy. Through this law, we provide essential protections against voter discrimination and reverse many of the wrongs Virginia's Black and Brown communities have endured as obstacles to voting. I worked alongside Sen. McClellan to safeguard this fundamental right; a right that ensures all other rights and which so many in my community still have painful memories of being denied. And even as we celebrate this win, we must remain committed to fighting ongoing voter suppression in all its forms,” said Delegate Price.
Jeb Brooks, Chairman of the Jack Brooks Foundation Board of Directors and son of the late Congressman Jack Brooks, added, “The Jack Brooks Foundation is thrilled to honor Delegate Marcia “Cia” Price with the Jack Brooks Award this year. Delegate Price’s leadership in passing the Virginia Voting Rights Act was truly extraordinary and deserving of the highest praise. Her actions represent a shining example for elected officials across the country who are committed to ensuring that all Americans have an opportunity to fully participate in the electoral process.”
To watch a recording of the program, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgGjvjWgjaQ
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Delegate Marcia S. “Cia” Price represents the 95th District of the Virginia House of Delegates, which includes parts of Newport News and Hampton. In the House, she serves on the Health, Welfare, and Institutions Committee and the General Laws Committee. She is the former Chair of the Voting Rights Subcommittee and Vice-Chair of the Privileges and Elections Committee.
About the Jack Brooks Leadership Award
The Jack Brooks Foundation, for the second year, recognized elected officials or organization leaders who are elevating the needs of voters ahead of partisan politics by working to make it easier for Americans to participate in The Voting Process. The awards were given on June 16, 2022, of this year along with a panel discussion with the Foundation and the award winners.
About the Voting Rights Act of Virginia
This legislation was signed into law in 2021 and is the most comprehensive state-level voting rights act to date. Virginia is also the first state that was under the 1965 federal preclearance mandate to have its own voting rights act. It enacted protections on the local and state level against voter intimidation, discrimination, suppression, and misinformation. To read more about the law, visit bit.ly/2021VRAofVA
Del. Price's Statement on the Governor's Budget Amendments
June 20, 2022
NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Friday, we gathered for a special session in Richmond to consider the Governor's budget amendments, and something became apparent right away: he just doesn't get it.
Just when we thought the Governor's legislative agenda couldn't have been worse for Virginia residents, his amendments doubled down on his "politics before people" agenda. I voted against the compromise budget as initially introduced, voicing concerns about investments aimed more at shutting down critics than serving Virginians and a lack of transparency.
In just a few weeks' time, the Governor took that imperfect budget and made it worse.
His proposed changes not only reflected bad policy, but they were also clearly targeted at attacking his critics; choices focused not on improving lives but on taking jabs at those who have voiced concern about his Administration's priorities.
Look no further than how communities of color were treated in the budget.
Money set aside to support Virginia's DREAMers was instead moved to fund HBCUs. This decision intentionally tries to place communities of color at odds with each other without helping either. And unfortunately, some fell for this move straight out of the Jim Crow playbook.
This was a totally unnecessary choice because, with historic revenues, we had enough to fund both. It's a cynical move and just one more example of the vindictive thinking at the heart of these disastrous amendments.
The Governor clearly doesn't get it, but House Democrats do. That's why we stood up to protect life-saving reproductive healthcare the Governor tried to strip away. And that’s why we fought against the Governor’s hyperpartisan agenda so we could better fund our schools and protect our communities from gun violence.
It's clear that the Governor is perfectly comfortable using the budget to legislate; embedding failed policies in state spending that he couldn't get passed through the General Assembly.
Why else delay criminal justice reforms? Why try to sneak in provisions to defund public schools for unvetted, private pet projects? Why seek to silence free speech by making it harder to protest? Why seek to put even more money in the pockets of oil industry executives instead of everyday Virginians?
I’ll tell you why. Because the name of the game here isn't to serve the people; it's to settle scores. It isn't to do right by the residents of Virginia, it's to do right by the hosts of Fox News.
The people of the Commonwealth deserve a budget that reflects their values, and that's exactly what House Democrats were fighting for this whole session. And while we stood firm in those values, the politics let the people down as efforts to undermine public education succeeded. And the General Assembly broke a promise to 500 families with incarcerated loved ones who had been told they would be going home next month.
We can’t continue to let politics win over helping people We have so much more to do, and we have to stay ever ready for their next push to further harm those in need while increasing the wealth of those in power.
I refuse to be quiet. Let's keep making noise together.
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Del. Price's Statement on the Budget
Today, Delegate Marcia "Cia" Price released the following statement about the 2022 budget conference report:
"There is a lot in this budget conference report we Democrats fought for and accomplished on behalf of the people of Virginia. From tax relief for all to long-awaited raises for teachers, from much-needed investments in our schools to early childhood education and more, this conference report reflects how hard we fought against a unified opposition more interested in making headlines than making policy.
Let me be clear: my dissent is not based on the investments this budget makes, but instead with what it leaves out; with who it overlooks and who it leaves behind.
The conference report reflects the cynical opportunism from too many of my colleagues from across the aisle. You will no doubt hear from them about the investments contained within the report. What you won't hear is how Democrats fought tooth and nail to get many of those investments included. You will no doubt hear from them about these "common-sense," "bipartisan" measures. What you won't hear is how Republicans pushed for bare-minimum investments; not to improve lives, but to silence critics. And you won’t hear them talk about the secretive budget process, which lacked transparency and ignored public input.
Even when it became apparent that the Commonwealth had historic funding available (far more than was expected when the budget was first introduced) Republicans still chose to cut critical funding for gun violence prevention and affordable housing.
We had the opportunity to forge a path that others could follow. During this difficult and painful moment, we could have once again led the way on innovative approaches to combating gun violence and saving lives. And instead, we slashed funding.
The uncomfortable truth is that the same funding you will hear Republicans tout doesn't actually address the problems facing Virginians or chip away at the long-standing issues that too many in leadership have refused to address. They're band-aids; minimal increases that look good as fundraising emails but don't impact futures or transform communities. We Democrats are proud to have fought for each and every dollar that will go to a Virginian in need. But it's not enough, and the other side knows it. That money is there to keep us quiet, not make things better, and I for one refuse to be quiet.
For these reasons, I voted no on HB30. Instead, I vow to raise my voice in favor of a bold state budget that truly represents our values and adequately meets the needs of our residents."
Opinion: Ways to address gun violence in Virginia communities (McClellan & Price)
These statistics are jarring. But these are not just statistics; each number represents a personal tragedy: mothers, fathers, sons and daughters whose lives were cut short due to gun violence. These are the communities where we live, work and send our kids to school. We cannot allow our homes to become places where we fear for our lives.
(Click to read full Op-Ed)
Berkley Court residents in Franklin have a right to get hot water back, housing lawyer says
"No one should be sitting there that long without hot water and being made to live in those conditions. That's something that needs to be fixed," Allman said. Currently, if someone complains to their local government about a property, they can come and inspect it. If they find code violations, they can issue fines or even condemn buildings, but often times Price says it's cheaper for landlords to pay a fine instead of fixing the problem.
"Let's say for instance you have this situation where the cost of repairs is $3,000, but the fine is $100. If you only have $100, your landlord is going to pay the fine and it doesn't incentivize you to fix the issue," Price said. State lawmakers passed the bill that would've added teeth to what local governments could do, but Gov. Youngkin vetoed the bill, saying it wasn't necessary.
Republican lawmakers abandon support for bills from Dems after Youngkin vetoes
Republican legislators bailed in their support of bipartisan legislation and instead voted this week to uphold Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s vetoes on 26 bills that had been introduced by Democrats. Three bills from delegates in Hampton Roads were among those vetoed. One was a measure from Portsmouth Democrat Nadarius Clark that would have set a three-year statute of limitations on medical debt. Two others came from Newport News Democrat Cia Price, including one that would have given localities the authority to sue negligent landlords over matters that endanger tenants’ health.
In a statement to The Virginian-Pilot, Price said she would not be discouraged. “I’m disappointed but undaunted,” she wrote on Thursday. “We have to keep fighting for the working families that need us the most.” In a heated speech Wednesday from the House floor, Price questioned why the governor vetoed a bill that received wide support. The measure was endorsed by the city of Newport News, Virginia Poverty Law Center and the Virginia Apartment and Management Association, which represents more than 230,000 rental units across the state. “We worked diligently with stakeholders that are often on opposite sides of housing issues,” she told fellow lawmakers. “We had support from those that were advocating for landlords and for tenants, and we had votes from both Republicans and Democrats.”
The governor’s veto, Price said, chose “rats, mice, roaches, leaky roofs, mold, mildew, broken doors and dangerous playground equipment over kids’ ability to be safe in their homes.”
Virginia lawmakers fail to override any of Gov. Youngkin's vetoes
Some of the bills saw wide majorities when passed during the regular session, but failed to get enough support on Wednesday. A bill by Del. Marcia Price (D-Newport News) sought to give tenants more rights in dealing with landlords. "A lot of people back at home were shocked by this veto," Price said during a passionate speech. The bill passed 59-41 during the regular session, but failed along party lines Wednesday. "This veto chooses rats, mice, roaches, mold ... over [parents'] kids' ability to be safe in their homes," Price said.
Letters for April 26: If the governor wants to make Virginia great, address slumlords
Support Virginians
Re “Housing bill could empower localities to take action against negligent landlords: ‘You shouldn’t treat somebody like this’” (April 10) and “Democrats ‘stunned’ as Youngkin vetoes 25 bipartisan bills — including 3 from Hampton Roads lawmakers” (April 12) and “Dogs bring officials together” (Our Views, April 13): Does the governor really think more about dogs than people? Two recent articles and an editorial imply that he does.
The first article was about a bill that was passed by the House and was awaiting the governor’s signature. He didn’t sign it. It would have given local authorities power to sue negligent landlords who don’t maintain their properties. The disguising conditions described by a tenant of a Newport News apartment were a sample of conditions targeted by the bill that had support of many groups, including the city of Newport News and the Virginia Apartment Management Association.
In the second article about Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s veto, Youngkin said in a statement, “My goal as governor is to make Virginia the best place to live, work, and raise a family and the bills I vetoed today reaffirm that commitment.”
The editorial was about Youngkin signing a bill to protect dogs. The Editorial Board stated, “it is reassuring whenever lawmakers recognize an egregious problem and move swiftly, together, to address it thoughtfully.”
Bob Volpe, Norfolk
Why Glenn Youngkin’s rough start in Virginia matters
When Virginia legislators passed a bipartisan measure to rein in negligent landlords, proponents were delighted. After too many horror stories about slumlords, policymakers in the commonwealth came up with a solution that was backed by both the Virginia Poverty Law Center and the Virginia Apartment and Management Association. By all appearances, it was a reform package that would benefit many Virginians. Even 16 Republican lawmakers in Richmond voted with Democrats to advance the legislation. But as the local NPR affiliate reported, the bill was nevertheless vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The report quoted Democratic Del. Cia Price saying, “I don’t know what the governor was thinking.”
That’s been a fairly common sentiment lately.
Sen. McClellan, Del. Price Joint Statement on Recent Gun Violence and Pending Legislative Action
Price, McClellan Leading Bill to Create Firearm Violence Prevention Center
Today, Del. Marcia Price (D-Newport News) and Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond) released the following joint statement, following the recent outbreak of gun violence in Richmond and Hampton Roads. In Hampton Roads, 161 people were shot in the first three months of 2022, a 27% increase over 2021. In the city of Richmond, gun deaths are up 20% over last year.Price and McClellan urged the general assembly to fund the Firearm Violence Prevention Center in the 2022 budget. McClellan and Price patron’d legislation this session (SB 487 and HB825) to establish the Center for Firearm Violence Intervention and Prevention at the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to work across public safety and public health sectors to collect data and publish reports on violence caused by firearms, including suicide. The bill would also establish a fund to be administered by the Center to support community-based programs to prevent firearm violence.
Del. Price & Sen. McClellan Issue Joint Statement on Gun Violence Prevention
For Immediate Release: April 20, 2022
Offices of Senator Jennifer McClellan and Delegate Marcia Price
Contact: District09@senate.virginia.gov
Youngkin vetoes bipartisan bill designed to rein in slumlords
The horror stories have cropped up from tenants across the state: no heat, holes in the walls, rotten floors and flooded kitchens. In cases ranging from Glenwood Farms in Henrico to Aqua Vista in Newport News, residents’ complaints have continued even after property owners have been slapped with hundreds of code citations.
Housing advocates say legislation passed by the General Assembly on a bipartisan vote would have helped rein in the most negligent landlords. Now they’re questioning Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s veto of the bill from Del. Cia Price (D-Newport News), which received no critical testimony in committee and was backed by both the Virginia Poverty Law Center and the Virginia Apartment and Management Association.
“This is creating a safe space in Virginia for slumlords,” Price says. “I don't know what the governor was thinking but that's what the end result will be.”
Part of the problem now is that cities and counties don’t have great tools at their disposal to deal with absentee landlords, according to Christie Marra, director of housing advocacy at the VPLC. Their main mode of enforcement is citing landlords for code violations, which, if they don’t address, can result in fines as low as $50.
Without federal voting protections, many look to states as the ‘laboratories of democracy’
As two Black women born and raised in the South, Price and McClellan share similar family histories of voter discrimination, and they joined a host of women of color to create and shepherd what is arguably the most comprehensive voting legislation standing in the country today—all in the former capital of the Confederacy and heartland of Jim Crow. The significance of getting this sweeping legislation passed was not lost on either of them as waves of voter suppression bills were making their way into statehouses across the country, ushering in what many have dubbed “Jim Crow 2.0.” And as the U.S. undergoes the first redistricting cycle in decades without the protections of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 and multiple state legislatures put forward maps intentionally gerrymandered to strip communities of color of their electoral power, the need for legislative intervention has never been more clear.
Governor’s vetoes likely to stand, when lawmakers return to Richmond
Democrats, who complained that many of the Governor’s vetoes were politically motivated, are encouraging lawmakers to affirm legislation that had broad bipartisan support. “Six of the ten House bills that were vetoed actually had the support of over two-thirds of the House of Delegates,” said Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax). “And in fact, two of them, two of those bills passed unanimously.” But one of the lawmakers who introduced legislation the governor vetoed, Del. Cia Price (D-Newport News), said she’s not optimistic Republicans will go against the Governor.
“I’m not hopeful,” Price said during a news conference Thursday, “because this entire session we’ve seen the Republican House and the Republican Senators line up behind the governor, even when they were disagreeing with him behind closed doors.”
Republicans defended the governor’s actions and dismissed the Democrats’ complaints.
Price's Remarks on Gov's Vetoes for House Democratic Caucus Press Conference
Today, I stood with my Democratic colleagues in the House of Delegates to speak out against the Governor's vetoes of bills that passed the House and the Senate with bi-partisan support. I joined our Leader, Del. Filler-Corn, Del. Clark, and Del. Hope who all had bills vetoed or soft-vetoed like me. Here are my remarks:
I introduced HB 802 in direct response to unconscionable living conditions that some of the constituents of the 95th District were being forced to live in because of slumlords. And as I began to talk with other legislators, it was clear this was happening all around the Commonwealth. These residents were paying their rent but were not able to get their concerns met or their work orders fulfilled.
(Click for full remarks)
One gubernatorial veto would've helped localities address issues with slumlords
Governor Glenn Youngkin has vetoed 26 bills lawmakers put on his desk this year. One of those vetoes was for a bill aimed at cracking down on slumlords. Mold. Rats. Bad plumbing. Sewage. Christie Marra at the Virginia Poverty Law Center says she's heard from renters across Virginia who have raised concerns about all of these problems and more. She says local governments have limited authority to crack down on slumlords, essentially charging them with a small fine and that's about it. That's why she was working with lawmakers on a bill to give local governments enforcement authority to fix problems. "And that requires the landlord to come into court and explain why he didn't do it," Marra says. "And if he doesn't have a good reason for not doing it he can be held in civil contempt of court and that can send him to jail."
The bill was introduced by Delegate Cia Price, a Democrat from Newport News. She was able to get the bill out of the House and Senate with bipartisan majorities. But the governor vetoed her bill this week. Price says lawmakers have the power to override that veto. "Between now and veto session, every resident of Virginia has the right and I think responsibility to reach out to their legislator to tell them what it is they would want to see done," Price says. "And I really think that people understand slumlords and shady contracts should not have a harbor within Virginia."
Price Statement on Governor's Vetoes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2022
Contact: Tempestt Boone tboone@house.virginia.gov 757-968-6054
Delegate Marcia "Cia" Price Releases Statement Regarding Governor's Veto of HB 802, HB 1298
Today, Del. Marcia "Cia" Price released the following statement regarding the Governor's veto of HB 802 and HB 1298:
"It is both unfortunate and revealing that the Governor chose to veto good bills from the recent General Assembly Session, including two bills I championed. Both bills addressed issues raised by constituents of the 95th District, and both had very specific aims: to protect everyday people from exploitation.
HB 802 focused on renters and HB 1298 focused on high school student athletes, but the Governor's vetoes amount to the same thing: fewer protections for Virginians in need and more opportunities for the powerful to take advantage of those who are asking for help. These bills weren't partisan solutions; they are common-sense solutions, and I had hoped the positive impact they would have had on real Virginians would have overcome short-sighted politics.
Today, I am even more energized to fight for change. I will continue to work to protect and help the residents of the 95th District who I am ao honored to represent."
Democrats ‘stunned’ as Youngkin vetoes 25 bipartisan bills — including 3 from Hampton Roads lawmakers
Three of the rejected bills were from legislators in Hampton Roads, including a housing bill from Newport News Democrat Cia Price that would have given localities the authority to sue negligent landlords over matters that endanger tenants’ health. In Youngkin’s explanation, he wrote that the bill included “unnecessary and duplicative provisions” that were already established under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code. Price said she was confused by his explanation, as judges and lawyers she’s spoken to say that isn’t the case. “I’m trying to get to the bottom of that,” she said. Noting that she’s been outspoken on civil rights issues, Price said it was “very possible” the governor targeted her bill. But she said she couldn’t be sure. “I’m not in the position where I would have benefited from this, I am in the position where I represent a ton of people who could have,” she said. “So (he) still didn’t succeed, if it was a personal attack.”
Housing bill could empower localities to take action against negligent landlords: ‘You shouldn’t treat somebody like this’
Del. Cia Price, who introduced the bill, said she worked on the measure after hearing from constituents who couldn’t get landlords to fix a range of problems, including mold, leaks, rodent infestations and broken heat or air conditioning.
But the Newport News Democrat said localities have limited options when it comes to taking action against landlords; they can either issue fines or condemn the buildings.
Fines aren’t always effective because they can often be less costly than large-scale improvements, Price said. And condemning buildings can exacerbate problems with housing shortages or homelessness.
“This bill would allow them to sue to get the actual things fixed, not just give a fine or condemn the apartment,” she said.
With gun violence on the rise in Virginia, lawmakers introduce 2 bills addressing the issue
Del. Cia Price is all too familiar with the cost of gun violence. The Newport News Democrat said she receives a steady stream of letters and visits from constituents whose loves ones died from gun-related injuries. 'There are certain visuals I will never be able to get out of my head — mothers and fathers weeping at having lost their children,” she said. “... It’s sad, it’s scary and we need long-term sustainable change.” Communities throughout Virginia are grappling with rising gun violence. And Hampton Roads is in the thick of it; local leaders met up last week to discuss potential solutions after 16 people were shot, four fatally, during an especially violent weekend in March.
But state legislators, too, are looking at ways to reduce gun violence. Two bills addressing the issue, one in the Senate and the other in the House, are under negotiation in a conference committee.
“It’s completely rocking certain communities across the commonwealth,” Price said. “... You have to wonder where we could be today if for the last three decades we had taken this seriously. My heart hurts about that, but I’m ready to do something so that 30 years from now we are not in that same position.”
Slumlords beware: Virginia may give localities new power to go after poor housing conditions
Under Price’s proposal, localities will be allowed to step in on behalf of tenants to seek an injunction against a landlord with proven building code violations and ask for damages. Once the court is involved, judges can order landlords to make necessary fixes, repay tenants for repairs they undertake themselves or waive a portion of their monthly rent as compensation for the hazardous conditions.
The bill is only designed to hold landlords accountable for safety and health standards, so apartment managers who don’t keep the gym equipment, pool, or other amenities up to their tenants’ liking are exempt. The narrowly tailored nature of the bill is partly what earned HB802 the backing of the Virginia Apartment and Management Association and the Apartment & Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington.
(;click for full artilce)
Crossover Newsletter: What is Crossover?
Read our latest email newsletter as I explain what Crossover is, invite you to an upcoming event with the Newport News Delegation, and offer more opportunities to get rent and mortgage relief. You can click to read and subscribe to our upcoming editions.
Youngkin signs bill making masks optional for schools by March 1
Although the bill passed with bipartisan support, many Democrats still strongly oppose the measure. Del. Marcia Price, a Democrat who represents Newport News and Hampton, calls this bill an overstep of state power.
“Taking the decisions out of the hands of those that were elected at the local level to make those decisions, I think is an overreach of our power,” said Price. “I just really hope that they got their calculations right that this will not be putting actual lives at risk but my fear is that it is.”
Sen. Lionell Spruill (D-Chesapeake) agrees.
“What happened was now you can let politics take the place of the school board,” said Spruill. “That’s a dangerous thing to do. I’m real surprised that they would do that. Doesn’t matter which party. We have an elected school board. They know their region. They know their areas.”
Virginia House of Delegates Passes Seven Elections Reform Bills
He said, “The states that have less early voting have actually seen a higher increase in voter participation than the eight states that have longer early voting than Virginia.”
Delegate Marcia “Cia” Price (D-Newport News) replied, “As was mentioned, we had 45 days of early voting, and historic turnout in Virginia. I don’t think we have to go to other states to see that it was already working. What we have put into place since 2020 led to a historic turnout.”
She addressed the other bills. “It’s really interesting to me that there is no problem. This is a problem that is being pointed to that there could be this, there could be that, but it didn’t happen. But we’re coming with bills that would restrict voters from the access to the ballot, because we’re coming up with hypotheticals that aren’t even happening in the other states that we’re pointing to.”
Del. Price on MSNBC
Today I was on MSNBC's Deadline:White House with Dr. Jason Johnson, Dr. Christina Greer with The Griot, and Attorney Elie Mystal with The Nation. We talked about Voting Rights and what's happening in Virginia with the bills that seek to undermine our democracy and roll back the progress we've made on how easy it was to vote in 2021, even with historic turnout. I'm going to let that be the topic of my evening update for today because our right to vote intersects with all other issues.
Republican bills to roll back voting access head for final House vote
Currently, Virginians have lots of options to prove their identity, including showing a utility bill. If someone can’t show any of those forms, they can sign an affidavit instead swearing they are who they say they are. Violators risk criminal punishment.
“If you show me that people abuse the opportunities that are available, then lets address it. There is no such abuse,” Delegate Marcia Price (D-Newport News) said in response to various proposals before the House. “These efforts have been shown to impact certain groups and certain populations and that’s just not fair. That is discrimination.”
Restoring history | A look at the Virginia bills aiming to improve conditions of historical African American cemeteries
House panel backs $1.2 billion tax rebate; kills separate relief for low-income families
There was no Republican support for Price’s proposal to make 15% of the earned income tax credit refundable, even though she estimated the number of people in each delegate’s district who would benefit from it, including about 7,400 in Robinson’s district in Chesterfield.
“We’ve seen how these direct payments can really help low-income families,” said Emily Griffey, policy director at Voices for Virginia’s Children. Price said the distinction by income is relevant to the broader effort to provide tax relief to all Virginians. “We’re hearing that word ‘all’ a lot,” she said. “I would just say that equality and equity are very different in these proposals.”
Point of Personal Privilege: Words Matter
Today, I asked questions for clarification on the words some are using because words matter. And so do voting rights. (January 18, 2022)Community donates meals to Virginia Peninsula Food Bank
Monday's collection is the second largest the Virginia Peninsula Food Bank has had all year, helping them feed more than 10,000 people and children annually. The food bank tells us that a total of $13,401 and 11,209 pounds of food was generously donated Monday, which equates to 62,944 meals.
Newport News Mayor Price to host annual food drive in honor of MLK day
To celebrate and honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Newport News is holding an annual food drive. Newport News Mayor McKinley Price is hosting an annual 'Day of Service' food drive on Monday, MLK Day. The community is invited to drop off food donations at the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, located at 2401 Aluminum Avenue in Hampton. Donations can be dropped off from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Mayor Price will be joined by federal, state, and local leaders, including Congressman Bobby Scott, Delegate Marcia Price, Newport News Sheriff Gabe Morgan, and Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew. According to officials, while the need for food donations has grown, the Foodbank has struggled with a decline in donations. Currently, the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is experiencing an 18% decrease in food donations.
Thank you 2021! Hello 2022!
2021 brought its own challenges but thank you to those who helped make some pretty great memories! Here's to the potential that 2022 holds! Happy New Year! 🥳
Newport News woman with lupus wants to raise awareness through specialty license plates
"These plates would bring awareness. Just imagine driving down the road and you see somebody else with the lupus awareness or fibromyalgia awareness plate, and you're a survivor yourself. You may think, 'I'm not alone, there are other people out there,'" Corbett said. Now, Corbett is fighting for this awareness campaign to move to the General Assembly next session, with the help of Del. Marcia Price representing the 95th district.
Banned from jobs: People released from prison fight laws that keep punishing them
In Virginia, the barrier crime law started two decades ago when legislators unanimously agreed to require background checks for some jobs involving kids. “It started out with a good idea,” said state Sen. John Edwards, a Democrat from Roanoke who voted for the bill in 1999. “Then it kind of evolved into this monster that we have now that’s overly broad without any way of getting relief.”
Last year, after Democrats took over the state Legislature and the governor’s office, legislators created a subcommittee to study the issue, led by Edwards and Del. Marcia Price. “We found that there is really no proof that we needed these barrier crimes,” Price said. “There was no proof they were keeping people safe, and it was actually doing damage.”
In January, legislators are scheduled to consider a measure that could soften the law and create a waiver system. If it passes, it could give Carey the chance to go back to the work he does best. “I don’t really care if it happens for me or not,” he said. “I just want it to happen for everyone behind me.”
(click to read full story)
Newport News lupus survivor wants to bring awareness to two invisible illnesses with specialty license plates
In 2018, she founded the nonprofit organization, Social Butterflies Foundation. Its name stems from the butterfly-shaped rash that’s often a telltale sign of lupus. The organization provides a variety of resources including a support network, direct emergency assistance to survivors and their families, a college scholarship, and a wig outreach program.
Now, Corbett is fighting for the initiative that she said Del. Marcia Price, representing the 95th District, has stepped in to sponsor.
In order for the awareness campaign to move to the General Assembly next session, 450 preorders for each license plate must be obtained by Dec. 31.
If approved and signed by the governor, the plates will be made available for sale to the public. Corbett said a portion of each plate order will then go to Social Butterflies Foundation to further its mission and help more people throughout Virginia.
Opinion: Lawmakers to focus on repairing state mental health system
I’m proud to have a role in meaningful steps taken by the General Assembly to expand health care access, protect voting rights, strengthen housing protections, and invest in communities and schools. Even with that progress, there is much work ahead. As we look to the 2022 legislative session and confront a behavioral health system in crisis, investments to improve it must be a top priority. (click for full op-ed)
Black voters in Virginia refuse to be blamed for a major Democratic defeat.
Democrats across Virginia expressed profound disappointment on Wednesday after Republicans romped to an unlikely victory in the governor’s race, an ominous sign for the Democratic Party ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
But one group refused to be blamed for the party’s poor showing: Black voters and elected officials.
Fears about Black turnout and a lack of enthusiasm did not materialize in Tuesday’s results, as former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, ran close to expected totals in the state’s majority-Black areas. Instead, Black state leaders and voters who backed Mr. McAuliffe said the results were a sign that the party could not rely on minority voters to cover its cratering totals in more white areas of the state, particularly in rural communities that voted heavily for Glenn Youngkin, the Republican businessman who won the governor’s race.
“I believe that Black voters are easily the first target for when things don’t go for how they want it to go,” said Marcia Price, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates who won re-election. “It’s a trash take to look at us and not the middle,” she said. “The middle said Youngkin is more palatable than Trump and they were willing to take a chance with him.” Ms. Price’s words reflect a sense among the state’s Black political class that communities of color are often blamed when Democrats lose.
Del. Marcia “Cia” Price wins reelection bid for the 95th House District
Del. Marcia “Cia” Price won re-election Tuesday to a fourth term in the House of Delegates 95th District, beating Republican David G. Wilson. Price received 13,555 votes or roughly 63% ahead of Wilson who earned 7,760 votes or about 36% with 30 of 32 precincts reporting, unofficial results from the state Department of Elections showed as of 10:30 p.m... “We centered our campaign on the issues and really talking about my record for voting rights, housing, gun safety,” Price said. “The work we have done, the district asked me to do and I am really glad they are sending me back.”
A look at the new laws that helped shape Virginia's 2021 elections
Assistance for certain voters, curbside voting
HB1921 expands curbside voting to any voter, regardless of age or physical ability, during a declared state of emergency.
Clarifies that any voter with a permanent physical disability, temporary physical disability, or injury is entitled to vote outside of the polling place.
According to the Department of Elections, curbside voting is "generally" only available for voters 65 years and older, or with a permanent disability.
The bill requires that the area designated for voting outside of the polling place be clearly marked and instructions on how the voter is to notify an officer of election of his request to vote outside of the polling place be prominently displayed.
In what Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam called a "landmark" move, Gov. Northam this year approved the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, modeled after the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The bill protects against voter discrimination and intimidation and requires a public comment period over any election changes made at the local level.
Prohibits any voting qualification or any standard, practice, or procedure related to voting from being imposed or applied in a manner that results in the denial or abridgment of the right of any United States citizen to vote based on his race or color or membership in a language minority group.
According to Northam's office, Virginia became the first state in the south to enact its own Voting Rights Act, and was championed by State Senator Jennifer McClellan and Newport News Delegate Marcia Price.
Fighting For You!
On Election Day, November 2nd, vote to protect our progress! I'm proud of the work we've done together to expand access to life-saving healthcare, support our students and teachers for better educational outcomes, bring good-paying jobs to the 95th District and the Commonwealth for working families, and more! Send me back to Richmond to keep fighting for YOU.
City Fest on Oct 3rd!
Don't forget City On My Chest is hosting #CityFest on Sunday, October 3rd from noon-6pm at Mill Point Park in Hampton! Follow them for more info on the amazing local talent and vendors they are highlighting at the event!
Like it should be (campaign update)
Did you see our new campaign video this week?
Our team released our second video focused on my fight to pass the historic Voting Rights Act of Virginia. I led the charge to pass this legislation because when we protect the rights of voters, we protect your voices on so many other issues. We put in the hard work and made history. Now, Virginia is one of the easiest states to be a voter. The way it should be.
Watch our new video here:
While voting rights are under attack in other states, it's not happening here because of what Virginia Democrats accomplished. When the bill was signed into law right here in Newport News, I felt so proud because we made history, together.
This is such an important time and leadership matters. That is why I am running for reelection, so I can continue delivering results for the community that helped raise me.
We have made important progress but we have more work to do to build a Virginia that works for all of us. We must protect our progress and keep moving forward!
And you can help us do just that!
Join our team and knock on doors, make phone calls, and donate!
Our latest ad dropped today! Let's protect voting rights!
Our vote is our voice and it's under attack. This is a crucial moment and leadership matters. That's why I led the charge to pass the historic Voting Rights Act of Virginia and why I am asking for your support so we can protect our progress. Early voting is underway, now through October 30th!
www.DelegateMarciaPrice.com
Candidate Profile: Marcia “Cia” Price (District 95)
Marcia Price is the Democratic candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates District 95. Her name will appear on the ballot on Nov. 2.
Candidate: Marcia “Cia” Price
Race: Virginia House of Delegates District 95
Website: pricefordelegate.com
Biography: Del. Marcia “Cia” Price is a Democrat representing the 95th District in the Virginia House of Delegates. A 10th generation resident of Hampton Roads, Price is a lifelong advocate and public servant who is proud to represent the community who helped raise her. From passing the historic Voting Rights Act of Virginia, to protecting renters from unjust evictions and securing historic funding for education, Price has been a crucial voice for the residents of the 95th District in Richmond. She is currently running for re-election.
Why should Virginians re-elect you to the Virginia House of Delegates?
The people of the 95th District deserve a fighter; someone willing to stand up for them, and I’m proud to be that person. As a delegate, I’ve put all my effort into speaking up for those whose voices have been silenced by systemic obstacles, taking their concerns directly to Richmond, saying the things that need to be said, and doing the hard work of legislating to change lives.
The 757 is my home. I’m a 10th generation resident, and the people here helped raise me. That’s why I first ran, and why I’m running for re-election. We have delivered results on education, healthcare, voting rights, criminal justice reform, and more. But there’s so much left to do and I am up for the challenge to keep fighting until we build the Virginia that works for us all.
What do you hope to accomplish, if elected?
We listened to residents and did the work to deliver changes that the people of the 95th District deserve. This year alone, I led the charge to pass the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, which protects fundamental freedoms that other states are now attacking. You can’t have a representative democracy when you’re actively cutting out communities from the democratic process.
I also fought and succeeded in providing crucial funding for communities to help prevent gun violence, protected renters from eviction during the pandemic, and secured historic funding for both K-12 and higher education. These advancements took hard work, dedication, collaboration, intense research, and negotiating skills that got results.
If re-elected, I will continue strengthening our democracy and voting rights protections, reforming our criminal justice system, expanding access to affordable housing, stopping unfair evictions, bringing more good-paying jobs to the district, making healthcare more affordable, protecting our environment for future generations, working with others to prevent gun violence in our communities, and helping ensure our children can thrive and follow their dreams.
My record is all about fighting for people who need us most, and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together. If re-elected, I will continue to do the work to represent the 95th District well.
What is the most important issue facing your district, and what is your position on it?
Gun violence and its impact on our community remains a tragic reality for far too many in the 95th District. Understanding that gun violence is preventable, we have done a lot to address firearm safety, but we have to address the health, economic, education, and justice aspects of gun violence as well.
We must listen to our young people and provide them with opportunities to excel and pathways forward to success. We know what works and that’s where we are making strategic, long-term investments. This past Virginia General Assembly session, I helped secure $5.8 million for these kinds of evidence-based programs that will go directly to collaborations with community organizations in local communities like Newport News and Hampton. We must continue to work together to make sure our community is safe. Everyone can and should play a part.
What is your position on Virginia’s overall response to the coronavirus pandemic, and what might you have done differently?
I know that this has been a hard road since March 2020, and we have lost so many community members to this pandemic. The financial impact has also hit homes across the nation, but we are doing better than most states thanks to the leadership in the Virginia General Assembly and our governor.
Our decisive, science-based, and collaborative decision making was key to getting the resources to those who need it, but we aren’t out of the woods yet. We cannot allow misinformation to harm our most vulnerable communities. We can recover quicker as a Commonwealth by understanding that our individual choices impact the whole of the community.
We have already spent millions investing in free vaccinations, PPE, testing, contact tracing, rent relief, mortgage relief, utility relief, and investment in small businesses; however, more must be done at the state level to protect front-line workers and essential staff, especially those from black and brown communities, who are still disproportionately suffering due to lack of on-the-job support, threat of evictions, lack of access to the vaccine, and other issues that were only exacerbated by the pandemic.
What are the top three issues created by the coronavirus pandemic in your district, and how would you plan to address them?
Amidst an ongoing global health crisis, people in the 95th District have also had to face the increased threat of evictions, lack of equitable access to healthcare, and continuing economic fallout. While these are issues that have worsened over the past two years, make no mistake: These are issues that residents of the 95th District have faced long before COVID-19.
The pandemic has only exacerbated existing inequities. That is why I have worked hard as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates to secure targeted investments back to the 95th District, including providing help to residents by injecting millions into the Unemployment Trust Fund, Rebuild VA (a special COVID-19 small business grant fund), and a variety of healthcare initiatives. We also took advantage of federal funding to address the eviction crisis, with more than $1 billion set aside for mortgage and rent relief. I’m proud of what I’ve been able to do to deliver on behalf of the people of the 95th District, but there is more to do, and if re-elected, more I will do.
Local leaders react to school shooting at Heritage High in Newport News
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - A shooting took place at Heritage High School in Newport News Monday morning.
Two teens were shot: One male was shot in the side of the face, and the other was a female who was shot in the lower leg, police said, adding that neither sustained what are considered life-threatening injuries.
Police say a suspect is now in custody. He is a minor.
Local leaders are now reacting to the senseless act of violence that took place.
Del. Cia Price
What happened today is a tragedy. My heart goes out to the Heritage High School and Huntington Middle School students, families, teachers, and staff impacted; and to our whole community who are confronting yet another example of gun violence. Our young people deserve a safe learning environment where they can prepare for their future and thrive; not to have to fear yet another person with a gun. This cannot become the new normal.
It is so very important that we connect with these students and students all across our city and let them know that they are not alone, that we are supporting them, and that we are invested in their future. And we should encourage everyone to seek the mental health resources they need as we all process these events. Our community has proven time and time again how resilient we are, but we cannot and should not allow a community's strength to take the place of our collective responsibility to prevent gun violence.
I've been in touch with local leaders here, and we are on the same page: this cannot happen again, and we are committed to wrapping our services and our arms around these students.
Price's statement on the Heritage High School Shooting
Del. Price's statement on today's events:
What happened today at Heritage High School is a tragedy. My heart goes out to the students, families, teachers, and staff impacted; and to our whole community who are confronting yet another example of gun violence. Our young people deserve a safe learning environment where they can prepare for their future and thrive; not to have to fear yet another person with a gun. This cannot become the new normal.
It is so very important that we connect with these students and students all across our city and let them know that they are not alone, that we are supporting them, and that we are invested in their future. And we should encourage everyone to seek the mental health resources they need as we all process the events.
Our community has proven time and time again how resilient we are, but we cannot and should not allow a community's strength to take the place of our collective responsibility to prevent gun violence. I've been in touch with local leaders here, and we are on the same page: this cannot happen again, and we are committed to wrapping our services and our arms around these students.
Price Announces Twenty New Endorsements
As Early Voting Begins, Delegate Price Announces Twenty New Endorsements
My Why
I'm running for reelection because I know what it takes to deliver for the people of the 95th District. So today, I'm asking for your support! On November 2, send me back to Richmond to keep fighting for you. Vote #TeamPrice!
#BeTheChangeDoTheWork
Learn more: PriceForDelegate.com
Donate: PriceForDelegate.com/contribute
Northam Pardons 7 Men Executed in 1951
In front of the Civil Rights Memorial on Capitol Square on a humid day, Northam addressed reporters, sometimes almost drowned out by cicadas. “As we sit here in 2021 and think about what happened: the rapid trials, the trials by jurors that were all white men. It was wrong,” he said. “We're making progress, but still have a lot of work to do.” “Systemic racism exists in our society. Black oppression exists. And I think a lot of people need to step back and realize that Black oppression and racism didn't stop with slavery.”
Delegate Marcia Price of Newport News said the pardons gives energy to other advocacy on racial justice. “This was one of those opportunities to see wrongs get righted and it's really invigorating - it's powerful. But it's also inspiring for the work that is left for us to continue.”
Virginia outlawed the death penalty this year.
Black men executed for rape in 1951 granted posthumous pardons by Virginia governor
Tuesday’s announcement was welcome news to elected officials who had fought for such changes alongside Northam, including state Delegate Cia Price, D-Newport News.
Price entered the Virginia Legislature a term before the 2017 blue wave election which saw the young official joined by other young, Black and brown progressive lawmakers in taking control of the previously Republican-controlled body.
She pointed to Tuesday’s pardons as well as other reforms such as marijuana legalization and changes to civil rights laws over the last two years, as proof of the Democratic majority's priorities and successes.
“Democrats have consistently been fighting for justice and I’m proud of the work we’ve done,” she said before stressing they are far from done. ”It’s going to take time, but days like today show that commitment.”
Northam also brought family members of the Martinsville Seven to the state Capitol for a private meeting where he signed the posthumous pardon document.
As SCOTUS ends eviction freeze, lawmaker urges Virginians to seek $600M available in tenant relief
The White House's latest eviction ban is over. The Supreme Court ruled evictions can resume across the nation and claimed the CDC lacks the authority to impose a ban. However, Delegate Marcia Price (D-Newport News) said there are still hundreds of millions of dollars available for tenants in Virginia. “We do not want millions of dollars sitting in a pot just because people didn’t know about it," said Price. Del. Price said it is "unfortunate" that the federal freeze ended, but Virginia has resources available for people struggling to keep a roof over their heads. As of mid-August, Price said roughly $655 million is still up for grabs through the Virginia Rent Relief Program. “The time is now. There is no more waiting," said Price.
Despite eviction ban, Virginia families facing eviction; what experts say you should do
During the General Assembly’s special session, lawmakers approved a budget to extend state-level protections for those struggling to pay rent, mortgage and utility bills due to the pandemic. “[There's] about $655 million left in rent relief, so that’s what’s left for landlords and tenants to apply for,” Del. Marcia Price, who represents Virginia’s 95th District, said. There’s even funding available to help homeowners pay for their mortgage. “There’s also an additional $258 million in mortgage relief. We’re really trying to help people stay housed, especially during the pandemic. These funds are available for people to apply for now,” Del. Price said.
Del. Price at The 19th News National Conference
PANEL
Voting rights: On the ground in Virginia | August 20, 2021 at 2:40 p.m. ET
Earlier this year, Virginia passed an expansive voting rights measure that restores many components of the federal Voting Rights Act, which had been stripped by the Supreme Court in 2013. The 19th’s Candice Norwood evaluates what those new rules mean for Virginia voters and how this state came to lead in the fight for voting rights.
- State Del. Marcia “Cia” Price, Democrat, Virginia
- Tram Nguyen, Co-Executive Director, New Virginia Majority
MODERATOR:
Candice Norwood, Reporter, The 19thVA General Assembly Celebrates Warwick Little League
Warwick Little League major all-stars won the Virginia State Championship in July 2021! These 10-12-year-old athletes gave it their all and won bringing the Championship home to the Peninsula for the first time ever for their age group! Congratulations to them and the adults in their lives!
Eviction Moratorium Back in Place Across Most of the U.S.
For more information on how to apply for rent relief and housing resources, please visit: https://delegatemarciaprice.com/housing-information
Va. Republicans look to end enhanced unemployment benefits, increase funding to prevent payroll tax hike
In a previous interview, Gov. Ralph Northam pledged that Virginians on unemployment could count on the $300 enhancement through the deadline set by Congress. “There are individuals in Virginia that are having difficulty finding employment and, until they do that, federal help is something that will help them pay their bills. So we don’t have any plans of eliminating that in Virginia,” Northam told 8News in June.
Del. Marcia Price (D-Newport News) agrees with that approach. Asked about this on Tuesday, she said, “The people I’m talking to in the 95th District absolutely want to work. They just don’t want to go back into dangerous work conditions.”
Price is among the lawmakers who backed a proposal from advocates to use ARPA funding to give bonuses to those experiencing long wait times for unemployment benefits in more complex cases. That does not appear to be included in the current spending plan that advanced out of committee on Monday, based on a budget briefing given to legislators.
Virginia Eviction Protections Could Be Extended as Filings Rise
Right now, it’s optional for landlords to apply on behalf of tenants. Democratic lawmakers like Cia Price want to make it mandatory, as it was from late November through June. That setup won praise from the New York Times’ editorial board as a model for other states where the funds have languished.
“It is unconscionable that there would be evictions when the money is there,” Price said.
So far, the fund has helped over 48,000 households with over $300 million in rent money; nearly $700 million remains left to disperse. The budget proposed by Gov. Ralph Northam that is currently under consideration by the General Assembly would allow the program to be extended through June 2022 or until the funds are exhausted.
Del. Price joins Democracy Nerd Podcast on Voting Rights
Bucking the trend of other states passing restrictive and repressive voter suppression laws in response to Trump's Big Lie, the commonwealth of Virginia is bucking this trend by passing its Voting Rights Act, with the novel idea that all citizens have the right to vote. What led to the first Southern state--and the first state previously covered by "preclearance" in the 1965 Voting Rights Act--to pass a bill expanding voting rights? Virginia State Sen. Jennifer McClelland and State Del. Cia Price join Jefferson to discuss the passage of the Virginia Voting Rights Act.
Lawmakers Working to Iron Out Wrinkles in Eviction Protections
Delegate Cia Price is a Democrat from Newport News who says this is not the time to evict people who are having a hard time making ends meet. "This should not be used as an opportunity to get rid of anyone," explains Price. "Get your money, and then let's move forward." (click for full story and audio)
Virginia moves to restart eviction protections after federal moratorium lapses
Virginia was one of the first states to stand up a rent relief program, dedicating millions in federal aid to people unable to pay their bills. The program has been cited as a national model, but corresponding eviction protections that required landlords to notify tenants financial help was available and apply on their behalf ended in June, when Gov. Ralph Northam allowed the pandemic state of emergency to expire.
At the time, Northam’s administration stressed that the rent relief program still had millions of dollars available, money they believed landlords would tap into even in the absence of a mandate.
But as they gaveled into a special legislative session Monday, Virginia lawmakers said they believe a mandate is still necessary.
“What I think we are finding is that there are still quite a few landlords and tenants that do not know that the money is available,” said Del. Cia Price, D-Newport News. “So what we’re trying to do is make sure that if it’s mandated as part of the process, they’ll have to find out about it.”
Lawmakers Working to Iron Out Wrinkles in Eviction Protections
Delegate Cia Price is a Democrat from Newport News who says this is not the time to evict people who are having a hard time making ends meet. "This should not be used as an opportunity to get rid of anyone," explains Price. "Get your money, and then let's move forward." Both the House and the Senate would need to agree on an exemption for small-scale landlords, so the fate of this proposal will play out as the special session progresses this week.
With the eviction moratorium set to expire, here's how you can get rent relief money
"It’s really important for people to know this is not a loan. This is free money to pay your rent if you have had a negative impact because of COVID," Del. Marcia Price said. To apply, there must be a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. People interested in applying for the Rent Relief Program can call 703-962-1884 to do so. "The program is set up where either the landlord or tenant can apply. You do not have to be going through an eviction at the moment to apply for it. Once it’s found that you’re eligible, the funds go to the landlord for the rent that’s due," Del. Price said.
