Eastern Shore Times

The General Assembly of Virginia has reached the midpoint of its legislative session, a phase known as Crossover. This period marks the deadline for each chamber to complete work on their own bills, allowing them to be considered by the other chamber. With two weeks remaining in this session, the House is working diligently to meet its obligations.

Among the key legislative updates is a bill concerning cell phone usage in schools. Governor Youngkin had previously issued an executive order directing the Virginia Department of Education to create guidelines for limiting cell phone use in classrooms. The current legislation aims to enshrine this order into state law. "I support efforts that empower school divisions to limit the use of cell phones by students during class," said Mike Cherry, though he noted that the bill lacked necessary enforcement mechanisms. Despite these concerns, Cherry voted in favor of HB 1961 and expressed hope for future amendments.

On budget matters, the House recently debated a budget bill intended to amend the current biennial budget through 2026. Cherry voted against this proposal, citing insufficient tax relief measures and reductions in mental health investments as primary reasons. He stated, "First and foremost, the proposal did not do enough to ease the tax burden on working Virginians." He also criticized cuts to funding for a pilot program involving special conservators of peace in mental health crisis situations.

The budget process will continue with negotiations between House and Senate representatives before a final version is presented for approval by both chambers and subsequently sent to Governor Youngkin.

In other activities at the Capitol, students from Manchester High School visited this week. They toured the historic building designed by Thomas Jefferson and observed legislative proceedings.

Recent news articles have highlighted various aspects of Virginia's legislative session, including budget negotiations and potential clashes with Governor Youngkin.

Mike Cherry concluded his update by reaffirming his commitment to representing his community in the House of Delegates.