I am opposed to any all bill that make it easier to cheat in elections like these bills being presented. I am opposed to any and all bills that make same sex marriage acceptable. I am opposed to any and all bills that allow full term abortion and allow minors to have abortions with out the parents knowledge. I am opposed to any and all bills that would allow minors to undergo transgender surgery . I am opposed to any and all bills that will raise taxes while the politicians are trying to give themselves a 150% increase no that is not acceptable.

My friend Karen Tefelski was dedicated to the legislative process as a lobbyist for 30 years. She voted religiously whenever the opportunity came up. She got very sick last year and thought she had more time to get to her voting precinct. Unfortunately, her illness progressed very quickly and she missed the opportunity to enter an absentee vote. When she decided to move from the hospital to hospice in her final days, on the way to hospice, her caretaker stopped at her voting precinct so that Karen could vote, because it was that important to her. The absentee ballot never came, even after she passed. I support this bill because it will give people who desperately want to vote the opportunity to do so even if they miss the window for absentee voting because of illness and hospitalization. Everyone's voice should be heard and every vote should be counted, no matter the medical circumstances.

Good morning, My name is Gina Koke. I am a close, personal friend of the late Karen Tefelski. Prior to her passing, Karen was a Virginia General Assembly lobbyist and Executive Director of VaACCSES, an organization dedicated to the furtherance of the rights of those with disabilities. I knew Karen for many years. When she became ill and was subsequently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023, we became close allies in the fight for her life. She had spent most of her adult life as a fierce advocate for people with disabilities. As she faced the ravages of cancer head on, she inevitably experienced ever increasing weakness and pain. In spite of this she continued to participate in meetings at General Assembly and speak on behalf of the needs of others as much as she could tolerate. She was a powerful advocate and well known for her lovable candor. Her illness sometimes made it impossible for her to leave her home or the hospital for days or weeks at a time but she persisted. During the month of October 2024, Karen received the sad news that her fight was almost over. She was immediately concerned about so many things, including the need to vote in the 2024 election. A friend immediately helped her request an early voting ballot. But as the days passed, the ballot failed to arrive. On October 29th, her oncologist made arrangements for medical transport to take her to end-of-life care at a hospice home in Bon Air, Virginia. Karen refused that transport. She said she needed to vote. While I gathered her things and prepared to move her to the hospice home, she insisted that another friend drive her to the Ashland precinct where she voted curbside one last time. She was very sick and very frail, yet she insisted on making this one last contribution to the fight for the rights of others in which she so staunchly believed. (see photo) On the afternoon of November 6th, 2024, the nurse called me over to the bedside and told me Karen was in the process of leaving this earth. I prepared myself emotionally and spoke to her even though she appeared insentient. I played the live broadcast of the election activities and talked to her about the polls getting ready to close. I told her I was so relieved that she was able to cast her vote. Although the nurses expected her to pass quickly, she lingered on until late that evening when the election was announced. I turned to her and told her the results and within minutes she passed away. I have remarked numerous times that I believe she held on just to hear the results. Karen’s life was dedicated to service in the disabilities community and in the political realm. She knew the power of the democratic process and believed in the good that could come from it. This bill speaks to the importance of the right to vote even in the midst of dark conditions. It highlights the human condition which often includes unforeseen circumstances. This bill seeks to provide a way where there would seem to be no way. It allows people dealing with the tribulations of life to take a moment and express their love for this country and their desire to participate in it. I wholeheartedly supported this bill on behalf of my friend, Karen Tefelski and all of those who will need its support in the future. I encourage all of you to see this bill through to a successful end. Thank you.

The League of Women Voters of Virginia respectfully submits statements with respect to four of the bills before the Voting Rights Subcommittee of the House Privileges and Elections Committee. The bills are: HB 493 - Oppose HB 640 - Support HB 1014 - Support HB 1244 - Support The full statements are found in the attachment.

Please support House Bill 1244. This bill is deeply personal to many in Virginia’s disability and advocacy community. It honors the life and legacy of Karen Tefleski, the longtime Executive Director of vaACCSES, who was a fierce advocate for people with disabilities, public policy, and the democratic process itself. Karen believed strongly in the importance of voting and civic participation. In October 2024, Karen was hospitalized. Even while hospitalized, Karen continued meeting with colleagues to discuss disability services, funding, and public policy. Voting remained important to her, and several advocates worked closely with a Delegate and staff to determine how she could still participate in the election. Under existing law, the only option available was an absentee ballot. Despite repeated checks of her mailbox, the absentee ballot never arrived. Ultimately, Karen was fortunate enough to complete curbside voting on the day she was transferred from the hospital to another care facility. Karen passed away just two days after the 2024 election. Had curbside voting not been an option, Karen likely would not have been able to vote due to the restrictive timelines and lack of clarity surrounding emergency voting under current law. HB1244 addresses these gaps by modestly extending the emergency voting timeline and providing clearer direction for voters when an absentee ballot is not obtained. For the disability community, the aging population, and individuals facing unexpected medical emergencies, these changes are not theoretical—they are essential to ensuring equal access to the ballot. HB1244 strengthens Virginia’s commitment to fair, accessible elections without compromising election integrity. This bill is a fitting tribute to Karen Tefleski’s lifelong advocacy and unwavering belief in civic participation. Those of us who worked alongside her, and the many individuals and families served by organizations like MVLE, respectfully ask for your support of HB1244 in honor of her memory and legacy.

Chair and Members of the Subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony in support of House Bill 1244, patroned by Delegate Bonita Anthony. HB1244 proposes meaningful updates to §24.2 705 of the Code of Virginia, reinforcing and modernizing the Commonwealth’s emergency absentee voting process. This bill ensures that voters who unexpectedly face hospitalization, illness, family emergencies, or delays in receiving their absentee ballot are not denied their right to vote. I want to share a brief personal experience that illustrates why HB1244 is so important. In a recent election, a colleague, Karen Tefelski was hospitalized before Election Day. She had applied for an emergency absentee ballot, but it never arrived. Her health continued to decline and on her way to the hospice house, a friend was able to take her to vote. However, had she remained hospitalized, this would not have been possible. She valued her right to vote and always encouraged others of the importance of casting your vote. Watching someone who had every intention of voting almost lose that opportunity due to circumstances entirely outside of their control was deeply frustrating and felt fundamentally unfair. It also made clear how easily other Virginians, especially seniors, caregivers, and those with health challenges, could find themselves in the same situation. HB1244 directly remedies this gap by allowing a voter to obtain an emergency absentee ballot when they have applied for an absentee ballot but have not received it within four days of the election and are unable to vote due to hospitalization, illness, or family emergency. Why HB1244 Matters HB1244 improves emergency absentee voting, balances access and integrity. It expands eligibility where necessary but preserves safeguards such as: • A required voter signature under penalty of perjury, • A witnessed form, and • Prohibitions on representatives with conflicts of interest. This thoughtful structure ensures that emergency absentee voting is available to those who truly need it while guarding against misuse. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Committee to support and advance HB1244. Thank you for your consideration and your service to the Commonwealth. Respectfully, Deanna Rennon, BS

Please support this Bill Karen Tefleski, the long time Exec Director fo vaACCSES was a fierce supporter / lover of our elections processes and voting in person. On Election Day she would help her older neighbors by driving them to the polls to vote. On Election Day she would be intently following election results with her ‘graph paper grid’ even when there were websites the rest of us were using to follow the results. On October 22, 2024 Karen was in the hospital for what was the last time. As always Karen thought she had more time. More time to work on budget amendments, more time to meet with legislators and other advocates, and more time to go and vote. Even while in the hospital Karen was meeting with people to discuss disability issues and funding. A few of us knew how much voting meant to Karen and we worked with a Delegate and his staff trying to figure out how to support her. The only option due to how election laws were in place was to get an absentee ballot. She could not do anything else due to the various deadlines/ timetables in place. Every day people were checking Karen’s mailbox, and it did not come. I, Joanne Aceto, drove her to do curbside voting the day she was going to transfer from the hospital to another facility. I was honored to assist her and the Elections staff were very thoughtful and helpful as Karen completed her ballot in the car. To this day we do not know if the absentee ballot ever arrived at her house. Karen was lucky enough to be able to do the curbside voting but had that not been an option she probably would not have been able to do emergency voting due to the time frames that were in place. Karen passed away 2 days after the 2024 election. This bill is to honor Karen. It adds a bit of time to the emergency voting timeline and states that if the absentee ballot is not obtained what the voter can do. Those of us who knew Karen and how much voting meant to her would appreciate any support you can provide with this bill which honors her memory and legacy.