The Virginia General Assembly is well underway in its “short” session which convened Jan. 11 and is due to adjourn on Feb. 28.
A mass of legislation will work its way through the committees, some bills making it to the House and Senate floors, some dying, some being approved and sent to the Governor.
A fine site to keep abreast of bills of interest is virginiageneralassembly.gov, which contains copious detail on members, committee work, and much, much more.
To make your views known, however, the most direct route is to get in touch with your delegate and senator. Below is up-to-date information for our local members.
House of Delegates
Del. M. Keith Hodges of Middlesex County, member since 2012, represents the 98th district, which includes Gloucester, Mathews, Middlesex, Essex, King and Queen, and part of King William.
A Republican, Hodges can be reached by email at DelKHodges@house.virginia.gov; during the session, Pocahontas Building, 900 E. Main Street, Richmond, Va. 23219; 804-698-1098. Between sessions: P.O. Box 928, Urbanna, Va. 23175; 804-277-9801.
Senate
Sen. Thomas K. Norment of Williamsburg, a Republican, represents Virginia’s 3rd Senatorial District. This district includes all of Gloucester, New Kent, King and Queen, and King William counties, and all of the City of Poquoson; as well as parts of Isle of Wight, James City, Surry, York counties and the cities of Hampton and Suffolk.
Norment has been a member since 1992 and is Senate Minority Leader. He can be reached at district03@senate.virginia.gov; during the session, Pocahontas Building, Room E603, Senate of Virginia, P.O. Box 396, Richmond, Va. 23218; 804-698-7503. When the Senate is not in session, he can be reached at P.O. Box 6205, Williamsburg, Va. 23188; 757-259-7810.
Sen. Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. of Accomac represents Senate District 6, which includes all of Mathews, Accomack and Northampton counties, and parts of the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
Lewis has been a member since 2014. His email address is district06@senate.virginia.gov. During the session his contact information is Pocahontas Building, Room 609, Senate of Virginia, P.O. Box 396, Richmond, Va. 23218; 804-698-7506. When the Senate is not in session, his district office can be reached at P.O. Box 760, Accomac, Va. 23301; 757-787-1094.
Changes ahead
Redistricting after the 2020 Census means that all district lines have changed, and in the case of Gloucester and Mathews, district numbers as well.
All members of the House and Senate will be elected in November for new terms that begin in January. The election will be for members to fill these new districts.
Briefly: all of Mathews and most of Gloucester will be in House District 68. A small part of Gloucester, from Gloucester Point up Route 17 toward Ordinary, will be in House District 69. All of Gloucester and Mathews will be in Senate District 26. More to come, as the months move forward.
