Heading into this week, we’re truly in a much stronger position than we were at the same time last year.
This week in Richmond for Conservation Lobby Day, we’re leading meetings with much of the Northern Virginia delegation. This is a prime opportunity for FACS to discuss our top priorities while also reminding legislators that our advocates are so dedicated that they’re willing to travel down to the Capital to discuss legislation that can help protect our climate.
Here are just a few of the high level themes:
- I’m able to attend the Virginia Conservation Network (VCN)’s Legislative Committee meetings in person, which puts me in a much better position to have conversations with our statewide partners about legislative priorities and how FACS can be a reliable partner. I also have additional meetings with key committee members to help strengthen our partnership.
- As of 8 AM this morning, I have scheduled 19 one-on-one meetings with members of the General Assembly and another 7 with key legislative staffers to discuss our priorities and get a better understanding of where they stand on these issues. This is especially important for us when it comes to building relationships with legislators from outside of Northern Virginia, who serve on key committees and/or are in leadership positions.
- I am honored to say that I have meetings with 2 cabinet secretaries, which can help FACS have a direct line of communication with the Spanberger Administration.
- On Wednesday, we’re a co-host for VCN’s Conservation Lobby Day, furthering FACS’ relationship with legislators and statewide partners.
- I have meetings with my counterparts from multi-issue organizations to help reinforce how FACS not only has relationships with crucial legislators, but can serve as a good source of direction when it comes to environmental issues.
Of course, this doesn’t come close to fully encompassing all the amazing work that will happen this week. Since the legislative process often occurs so quickly, there’s a decent chance I’ll even have the opportunity to testify on some of our priority bills while they’re being considered by relevant committees.
Next Steps: We Need YOU!
Electric Vehicle Rural Infrastructure Fund (HB 324)
We’ve had over 50 people send emails to their legislators, urging them to support legislation creating the EV Rural Infrastructure Fund (HB 324), just over the last few days. This is in addition to the dozens of town halls and other meetings FACS advocates have participated in prior to the General Assembly session starting a couple weeks ago.
Haven’t submitted your comments yet? Strongly encourage your legislators to vote for HB 324!
Have Any Questions?
If there is a particular question that you’ve always wanted to ask about the General Assembly, or an issue that you wanted me to inquire about with our various statewide partners, this is a great week to reach out to me at bryan@faithforclimate.org to have a conversation.
We also encourage you to check out our General Assembly Hub to identify your legislators and get up-to-date information on key bills, action alerts, ways to engage, important dates, and more!
About the Author
As FACS’ Advocacy Director, Bryan Scrafford can answer all your questions about advocacy on the state and local levels along with legislation FACS is actively supporting. Contact Bryan at bryan@faithforclimate.org.