Please pass this bill. No one should be coerced, intimidated, or harassed through the use of computers or other electronic means. I hope the General Assembly will take this further and allow for civil remedies for citizens when government officials who unethically and immorally pose as others in order to gain convictions and publicity.

Richmond has become one of the most unaffordable states in the country to rent, only state action can keep rents down.

I support this bill because of the soaring prices for rent. Please vote YES!

Vote YES on SB366/HB721! This bill would tackle soaring rent prices in Virginia by allowing localities to adopt anti-rent gouging provisions, stating that any rent increases would be based upon the CPI or 7% (whichever is less); exemptions can be made. The locality would also be allowed to establish civil penalties for non-compliance. -Lakevia Randolph Burrell

In my work at Peninsula Agency on Aging, I often hear from older adults who are struggling to pay rent on their fixed incomes, only to be faced with a massive rent hike as housing costs go up across the region. Rent gouging is leading to housing insecurity and homelessness for far too many already-vulnerable citizens across our state. SB366/HB721 puts in place reasonable limits that protect renters. As a voter, a person of faith, and a resident invested in my community, I support this bill, and I ask that you vote yes on this bill when it comes before you. Thank you.

Vote YES on SB366! This bill would tackle soaring rent prices in Virginia by allowing localities to adopt anti-rent gouging provisions, stating that any rent increases would be based upon the CPI or 7% (whichever is less); exemptions can be made. The locality would also be allowed to establish civil penalties for non-compliance. -Vivian Daniels

Dear Members of the General Assembly, I know you are aware of the plight of Virginians who constantly deal with the soaring cost of housing in the Commonwealth. All one must do is listen to the local news to realize the seriousness of the problems surrounding affordable housing, especially if one is in a low economic status. SB 366/HB721 provides the necessary steps to ensure rent stabilization. It is imperative for localities to adopt anti-rent gouging provisions. Likewise, localities should also be allowed to establish civil penalties for non-compliance, at their discretion. For those claiming the status of Evangelical (Black or White), remember these admonishments as this is not about the separation of Church and State but is how the Christian is to demonstrate the love and loyalty to YAHWEH. Proverbs 19:17 says, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will reward them for what they have done.” Deuteronomy 15:11 says “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land. Kind Regards, Reverend Carol A. Graham-Lee (CMSgt, USAF, retired)

Hello, my name is Carlos Hunter and I live in Hampton Virginia, 91st district. I thank you for allowing me to discuss Senate Bill 366/HB721 with you. I am writing to express my strong support for SB 366/HB721, which aims to tackle the issue of rent gouging in Virginia. I am deeply concerned about the rising rent prices in our state, this bill presents a crucial opportunity to protect tenants and ensure affordable housing for all. SB 366/HB721 proposes empowering localities to adopt anti-rent gouging provisions, which would establish reasonable limits on rent increases. Specifically, the bill suggests tying rent increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or a maximum of 7%, whichever is less. I believe this approach not only safeguards tenants from excessive rent hikes but also provides landlords with a fair and predictable framework for managing their properties. Furthermore, SB 366/HB721 allows localities to establish civil penalties for non-compliance, ensuring accountability and enforcement of these provisions. By providing tools for local governments to address rent gouging, this bill promotes stability in our housing market and fosters healthier communities. Housing is a fundamental human right, and it is imperative that we take proactive measures to address the affordability crisis facing many Virginians. SB 366/HB721 represents a significant step towards achieving this goal by striking a balance between the interests of tenants and landlords. I urge you to support SB 366/HB721 and to advocate for its passage in the legislature. Your commitment to addressing rent gouging will not only benefit countless individuals and families struggling to afford housing but also contribute to building a more equitable and prosperous future for our state. Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. Please vote yes to SB 366/HB721 and to work together to ensure that all Virginians have access to safe, stable, and affordable housing. Respectfully, Carlos Hunter USN Retired

In a time of slow growth and an uncertain political future, this bill would tackle soaring rent prices in Virginia by allowing localities to adopt anti-rent gouging provisions, stating that any rent increases would be based upon the CPI or 7% (whichever is less); exemptions can be made. The locality would also be allowed to establish civil penalties for non-compliance. Many Virginia families have yet to recover from Covid pandemic and yet are faced with higher cost of living in all areas. They can try to economize on food but living quarters are a different matter. Being unable to find or afford housing can break a family. I urge support of this bill. Eileen Engel

Hello!My name is Natela and I been struggling for so long finding affordable housing in Fairfax County,Virginia.I am 58 years old female who have a very low income.I contacted more then 500 places trying to find one bedroom apartment or private basement and all this places asking for income 3-3.5 times bigger then cost of apartment.Making any person who is trying to rent one bedroom apartment in Fairfax county need to make around 5-6000 dollars per month.How many percent of people having this high salary jobs?I DON’T. I’m making now 12.00 dollars per hour.This amount of money disqualified me from any housing I applied.My question to HUD and all other housing authorities WHAT ARE YOU SUGGESTING PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOME??????? WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO SURVIVE LIVING IN FAIRFAX AREA?HOUSING PRICES IS ASTRONOMICAL!GROCERY PRICES IS ASTRONOMICAL! ALL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS ARE CLOSED.ALL WAITING LISTS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CLOSED TO. I BET YOU ALL JUST DON’T CARE ABOUT US!

Comments Document

We have all heard the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” HB 721 is a perfect example of that definition! Rent control policies across the country have proven to be an absolute failure. No jurisdiction that has adopted rent control policies has succeeded in keeping housing affordable. Further, not a single city which implemented rent control has seen an increase in housing availability or an increase in the quality of housing. It has not worked in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York or St. Paul, MN. One only needs to do a quick google search of "rent control and St. Paul" to see how devastating rent control has been to the construction of more rental housing in that city. According to HUD’s count (https://socds.huduser.gov/permits/), St. Paul’s apartment construction permits fell 48% after rent control passed in 2021, and that 48% is only after the city went back and revised their ordinance to exempt new construction for 20 years. We can also look at suburban Maryland to see exactly what will happen to VA if rent control is allowed to pass. Rental housing investment in Prince George’s County has ground to a halt in the past year in response to the County’s temporary rent control law and uncertainty over the County Council’s consideration of a permanent ordinance. In Montgomery County, longtime investors have sounded the alarm about the dangers of the recently passed rent control ordinance, arguing it will hamstring the County’s ability to expand its tax base and attract new businesses. Lastly, Takoma Park has had rent control in place since 1981. According to a city-commissioned report published in 2017, no new multifamily rental properties have been constructed since rent control passed. In summary: • Has rent control in any city made housing more affordable? NO! • Has rent control in any city made housing more available? NO! • Has rent control in any city lead to better quality housing? NO! Let’s avoid repeating the mistakes of Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, St. Paul and suburban Maryland. Vote NO on HB 721! (Attachment is a graph from HUD data of building permits in St. Paul illustrating what happened after Rent Control passed in St. Paul.)

Comments Document

The attached PDF is being submitted by African Communities Together in support of the passage of H.B. 721. All across the nation, renters have made it clear: the rent is too high and Virginia is unfortunately no exception. Twenty-two percent of Virginia renters fall within income ranges below 30% AMI and can therefore only afford to pay $855/month in rent without becoming housing cost burdened. Fair market rate one bedroom apartments in Virginia cost on average $1,203/month, putting our most vulnerable renters at a deficit of $348 each month. That’s $348 that could be spent on food, clothing, medical expenses, and other necessities. To put this into further context, the hourly wage needed to afford the average one bedroom apartment in Virginia is $23.13. Here is a list of a few workers who make less than that: service workers, teaching assistants, nursing assistants, security guards, maintenance workers, accounting clerks, home health aides. The list goes on and we must do something now to protect all these vital members of our community who are in constant threat of displacement because they can no longer afford to live here. House Bill 721 addresses these issues by giving localities the power to implement rent control and prevent the displacement of working class families from the communities they have made home. Please note, the bill does not force localities to pass rent control ordinances, but simply gives them the option to do so when in the best interest of their residents. Some opponents to the bill argue that rent control negatively affects housing supply. However, studies show that in jurisdictions where rent control has been implemented, there has been no statistically relevant effect on supply. Conversely, lack of rent control has also not been shown to increase housing supply. Additionally, economists have pointed to the economic benefits of rent control, as it prevents evictions and homelessness thereby reducing government spending on related systems. We must also acknowledge that rent control is not a new concept, nor is it one we should shy away from. Homeowners have their own version of rent control through fixed 30-year mortgages, and we encourage and applaud homeownership yet ignore the needs of renters who wish to have a similar level of financial security. Housing is a human right, and it is time that our laws reflect that, which is why I sincerely hope you will join us in supporting the passage of HB721. Thank you for your consideration.

HB721 is a strong step in the right direction to address the housing crisis in Virginia. To be clear, the affordability of housing in Virginia is a major facet of this complicated crisis, and protecting Virginia tenants from the practice of rent-gouging is critical to maintaining the state's affordable housing stock. In the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commissions 2020 review of Affordable Housing in Virginia it was found that in 2019 (Pre-COVID-19) 29% of Virginia households were housing cost-burdened (meaning they spent at least 30% of their income on housing expenses) with half of cost-burdened Virginians spending 50% of their income on housing. According to the JLARC review, "approximately 44 percent of renting households are cost burdened compared with 21 percent of owning households." These JLARC findings should emphasize how there is an urgent need to address how almost ONE THIRD of Virginians have financial stress imposed upon themselves in order to keep a roof over their heads. Individuals and families are regularly forced to make painful prioritizations of one basic need over the other (such as food over medication) because their rent costs 50% of their income. Despite this growing crisis, there are Property Management Companies and Private Landlords - a growing number of which are LLCs, private equity firms, and aggregators from out-of-state - that seek to exploit the times by extracting larger and larger quantities of rent from Virginians who are already struggling to survive in the midst of this housing crisis. Hopefully the testimony from today will have highlighted some of the ways in which people's lives can be derailed by exploitative corporate tactics, like rent-gouging. Virginia tenants who come into conflict with these entities over issues like rent-gouging are frequently bullied into either submission or eviction purely because of the amount of legal resources, time, and bodies that are available to these corporations, and typically unavailable to tenants especially those who are low-income. HB721 is vital for the preservation of Virginia's affordable housing stock in that it will preserve existing affordable rental rates and critically prevent and punish corporations that try to exploit the most vulnerable Virginians via rent-gouging. In the midst of this state-wide housing crisis I implore you, our elected leaders, to vote for and advocate strongly in favor of HB721 which will protect Virginia tenants right to affordable housing. If you are not convinced, I highly recommend you to revisit the testimony of your constituents and other documented cases of rent-gouging. Truly it is a vile business tactic that only services the greed of out-of-state corporations, and devastates the lives of your neighbors.

ChamberRVA opposes HB 721. Limiting rent increases to escalation in the Consumer Price Increase is far too tight a limitation. and does not account for the many, varied, individual circumstances of a landlord and tenant. At this low rate of inflation, this really is not an anti-gouging provision that deals with very large rent increases; it's rent control. In other areas of the country, such rent control has had the adverse impact of decreasing the availability of housing. Given the shortage of affordable housing, this is not a result Virginia should use.

The Goldwater Institute engages on housing and property rights issues nationwide. HB721 and similar rent control measures fail to solve the underlying supply issues facing our housing market and can even raise market prices in some scenarios. Many economists and policy analysts have studied rent control policies, and the verdict is clear: these policies disincentivize development of new housing supply and incentivize the conversion of rental units into owner occupied units, which exacerbates the true pricing problem this legislation purportedly hopes to solve. For more information on how rent control policies negatively impact housing markets, please consult the Goldwater Institute paper examining this issue at the following link: https://www.goldwaterinstitute.org/policy-report/rentcontrol/ Instead of misguided rent-control policies, the legislature should turn its focus to market-oriented solutions that expand housing supply. These solutions include: removing (or reforming) minimum lot size and density requirements; restoring the right of property owners to build duplexes and triplexes on single-family zoned lots; streamlining the permitting process and prohibiting the use of vague or ambiguous design requirements; legalizing ADU's on single-family residential lots; and allowing by-right multi-family development on commercially zoned land. This is certainly not an exhaustive list of policy tools at your disposal, but each of these policies would represent progress toward truly alleviating the housing crisis in Virginia. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Allow the free market to function as designed! Oppose bill HB 721. If there is evidence of rent gouging from a housing provider, then focus on that party, not the whole industry.

My name is Sue Frankel Streit and I teach English as a Second Language in Louisa. Over the last few years I have seen rent prices in both apartments and trailers climb steeply in the county, just as they have in much of the rest of the county. But on top of inflation, some landlords, especially trailer park absentee landlords, are engaging in price gouging. This is bad for the community, as hard-working people whose children attend our schools are being forced out to leave even the cheapest housing available. Please help us maintain affordable housing!

Complex owners excessively increase the rent from 2022, from $200 and more each year when renewing the contract, this figure is excessive, if this continues, housing in Virginia will no longer be insurable for our working class communities of color, we urgently need a rent stabilization in Virginia. Because the problems do not even ensure that we have optimally maintained homes, they only seek to increase their bank accounts regardless of the crisis that their tenants are going through. Please Vote YES HB721.

This bill, HB 721, imposes rent control, which economists say is bad. It punishes landlords for inflation, since the ordinances it would allow local governments to enact would limit rent increases to the LESSER of inflation, or 7 percent. So if the inflation rate is over 10 percent, the ordinance would not allow any increase over 7 percent, even if the landlord's costs are going up over 10 percent, and the tenants' wages are going up over 10 percent. That's unfair. Raising rent by the same amount as inflation to keep up with costs is not "gouging." Almost all economists think rent control is a bad idea: In a 1992 poll, 93% of them agreed that rent control reduces the quantity and quality of housing available. The Wall Street Journal said, "If there’s any consensus in economics, it’s that rent control achieves the opposite of its intended goal. It leads to housing shortages by discouraging new development and maintenance of existing properties." Reason Magazine says "rent control has a history of constricting the supply of rental housing and reducing housing quality.” Rent control reduces rental housing's value, shrinking the property tax revenue that funds schools and local governments. "Researchers at the University of Southern California said rent control hurt property values in St. Paul, Minn. by $1.6 billion," reported Market Watch. Similar past legislation to allow local rent control ordinances failed to advance not just in this House, but also in a committee of the Democratic-controlled Senate in 2023. A ranking progressive member of the committee, who is now its chair, worried “that the proposal could keep landlords from paying for maintenance needs or changes. ‘I’m sympathetic, I have a lot of constituents, including some who spoke about the high cost of housing, and I’ve got a lot rental housing in my district,’ Sen. Ebbin said…'But I’m wondering if we’re going to limit them to consumer price index, if you have a apartment complex, particularly a large one that needs some kind of major renovations or wants to upgrade, that you’re really kind of handcuffing them.'" This is a concern shared by both liberal and conservative economists. As the liberal Brookings Institution notes, “Rent control can also lead to decay of the rental housing stock; landlords may not invest in maintenance because they can’t recoup these investment by raising rents." When landlords can’t raise rents to pay for repairs and renovations, they may let buildings decay. After New York limited rent increases to pay for major capital improvements to 2 percent, landlords cut back on improvements. A survey of rent-stabilized landlords found that when rent increases were curbed, "Three out of four reported cutting back on essential building-wide repairs, such as a roof or boiler replacement, since the rent law passed. Nearly 90 percent said they had forgone kitchen or bathroom renovations. Just over half decided against revamping their buildings’ security systems to include cameras or video intercoms or adding storage lockers for deliveries to thwart porch pirates. Efficiency upgrades have also been pushed to the back burner. Over 40 percent of respondents said they would not replace lighting with LED fixtures that use 90 percent less energy — a budget saver for tenants. A quarter said they opted against installing fuel computers, which better regulate heat and hot water systems and reduce a building’s energy consumption"

Mr. Chair and members of the committee, We are writing to you today regarding HB 764 (Delegate Delany - D), which would allow for the early termination of a lease for survivors of sexual violence. This bill is critical to ensuring that survivors and their children in Virginia have access to a safe living environment. We ask for your support in favor of this legislation. As you may be aware, RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. Founded in 1994, RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE and hotline.rainn.org). RAINN also carries out programs to support victims, educate the public, and improve public policy. Currently, survivors in Virginia must secure a protective order and wait until 30 days after the following payment period before they can leave an abusive home. Not only does this pose a financial burden and barrier to many, but it can extend abuse for up to two months. HB 764 offers another avenue for survivors to secure an early termination of a lease and reduces how long they are trapped in an unsafe home. Approximately 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States, which adds up to more than 10 million men and women annually. Survivors stay with their abusers for multiple reasons, including a lack of financial resources or an inability to find housing elsewhere. Many states have an explicit exception that allows survivors to break a leasing agreement exceptions due to domestic violence in their code. We encourage Virginia to join the growing number of states that have opened pathways for survivors of sexual violence to escape their abusive environment. HB 764 will ensure survivors can use official evidence from law enforcement or a medical professional to break their lease. We urge you to support this bill and pass it out of committee. Thank you for your continued leadership and for supporting victims of sexual violence in Virginia. Mollie Montague Director of State Legislative Affairs, RAINN

How can you threaten our democracy by quoting the revenue /business israel brings in??? There are many Jewish friends and neighbors speaking out against Israeli government policies. A foreign nation is muzzling out free speech!!!! This is unamerican and unacceptable! Why is a foreign nation allowed to dictate our local government policy????

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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant

Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.

My caseload consists primarily of court-appointments from Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts. I serve as a guardian ad litem for children and (in separate matters) as counsel for parents in child dependency cases. There are several times when as Parent's Counsel I would have been able to provide better preparation to my clients and to save the Court time during hearings if I had had more training targeted to serving parents in Child Dependency Cases. Although I am confident that attorneys who serve as guardian ad litems can also adequately represent a parent's interest in child dependency matters (See language from 1.F., "On or after July 1, 2025, no person currently serving or accepting appointments from a court in the Commonwealth as a guardian ad litem for children shall be appointed to represent a parent or guardian in a child dependency case."), I support HB893 in other respects and feel that it would serve the public and the court system to provide this training for attorneys serving as Parent's Counsel.

Decades ago, when I first started representing Departments of Social Services, the pay provided to court-appointed counsel and guardians ad litem was insufficient. Since then, it has not increased even at a rate to match inflation. The courts find it difficult to get attorneys willing to do the work, and those who are willing must take on heavy case loads. It is long past time for the Commonwealth to support them and make their compensation reasonable. To be clear, this bill does not benefit me directly, but as counsel for DSS's I see the need for competent, dedicated, and fairly compensated attorneys to be on the other side of cases that I handle.

As a national expert in child welfare policy and practice, with over a decade of experience in the Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau, and as a former foster parent in Fairfax County and volunteer parent advocate in Alexandria City, I am writing in strong support of this bill which promotes equity and justice for children and families involved in Virginia's child welfare system. Data is clear that Virginia does not achieve positive outcomes for children and families. Extremely low reunification rates and high rates of emancipation demonstrate that Virginia's system does not rightly prioritize safely preserving family connections which are key for long-term well-being of children. Federal case review data also indicates that only 14% of Virginia parents had their needs appropriately assessed and had needed services provided after their child was placed in foster care. Without robust legal representation, parents will not experience justice in a system often set against them from the start. I have personally witnessed numerous situations in which VA's system did not follow its own policies and procedures and parents had no recourse. This is particularly concerning when what is at stake is the severing of parent-child connections and the loss of parental rights. As a parent advocate I have witnessed VDSS unnecessarily remove a healthy, nursing baby from her mother and refuse to ensure that mother could visit often enough to feed and bond with her baby. Without legal representation and strong community support fighting VDSS, this mother would have permanently lost her rights to her child despite the fact that there were no safety issues with the mother. As a result of this mother's traumatic experiences in VA, after being reunified with her child (which only occurred because she had an attorney willing to do the hard work of appealing her case) she moved to another state. It is a shameful reality that a state as great as Virginia treats its most vulnerable citizens in this way, effectively chasing them out of the state they called home. We can do better and I believe HB893 is an important step in that direction. I have done this work for over 20 years, with over half of that time assessing child welfare systems across the country. There are states that are doing a much better job than Virginia is in ensuring high quality legal representation for parents, and implementing innovative and effective practices such as multi-disciplinary teams. It is time that Virginia joins these states in ensuring justice, safety and well-being for its citizens. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this important matter.

While the current marriage age in Virginia is 18, dangerous loopholes in the law allow 16-and-17-year-old emancipated minors to be entered into marriage and 16-and-17-year-olds to be emancipated for the purpose of marriage. These loopholes became law in 2016. Previously, 16-and-17-years-olds could be entered into marriage with parental consent, and children age 15 or younger, with no minimum specified, could be entered into marriage with parental consent in case of pregnancy. Though the 2016 law was a good first step, these new loopholes must be closed. HB994 eliminates these dangerous loopholes and ends child marriage in Virginia once and for all. Emancipation is intended for children who cannot be reunited with their parents and so need some limited rights of adulthood to navigate the world independently until they turn 18. Minors do not need marriage to navigate the world independently. The limited rights emancipated minors receive specifically exclude engaging in activities that could be harmful due to their age, such as buying alcohol and tobacco. As marriage before 18 is a harmful practice and categorized by the U.S. Department of State as a human rights abuse, it definitely should be excluded. Since the limited rights emancipated minors receive exclude rights with constitutional or statutory age requirements, emancipated minors and advocates working with them often are unclear on which rights they have. It is unclear, for example, whether an emancipated minor can enter a domestic violence shelter. Emancipated minors also often have a hard time accessing even the rights they do have. Imagine, for example, how a landlord would feel about renting an apartment to a 17-year-old, even one who is emancipated. An emancipation exception to the marriage age also opens up the terrible possibility that minors will be forced to emancipate so that they can be forced to marry, especially since the law allows for emancipation for the purpose of marriage. Minors being coerced into marriage may fear familial violence should they refuse to comply, or they may be physically or emotionally manipulated into an unwanted marriage. Because of this fear, no minor that we, or our allies, have ever worked with notified the court they were being forced to marry when there was a judicial review process in place. A minor being emancipated for the purpose of marriage would have little to no recourse to prevent the marriage due to their limited legal rights. An emancipation loophole also removes one of the only options AHA and other advocates have to help girls whose family plans to take them overseas for a forced marriage. Currently advocates can help such minors to emancipate, but advocates cannot do that if emancipation means the parents can marry off the girl without taking her overseas. Marriage before 18 is a human rights abuse that destroys American girls' health, education and economic opportunities and significantly increases their risk of experiencing violence. These devastating impacts do not disappear if we stamp "emancipated" on a girl's forehead. AHA has worked with victims facing child marriage from across the U.S. Virginia should not participate in child marriage or make it legally possible for parents to force minors to marry. The solution is simple: eliminate the dangerous loophole in the marriage laws that place the minors of Virginia at risk of exploitation and abuse and vote YES on HB994.

Mr Chair, Members of the Committee, My name is Bobbee Cardillo, representing the Zonta Club of Fairfax County, Zonta International District 3 and the Zonta Club of Hampton Roads. Zonta Is an international women's rights organization founded in the US over 100 years ago. We currently partner with UNFPA and UNICEF USA on a Global Programme to End Child Marriage in 12 countries in Africa and Asia. 193 countries including the US have recognized child marriage as a human rights abuse and have committed to ending it by 2030. In the US, child marriage has many negative impacts: -Child brides are more likely to be victims of domestic violence. Young girls 16-19 face intimate partner violence at almost 3X the national average. --They are more likely to experience mood and anxiety disorders including major depression and have 23% more medical issues in their lives --70-80% of such marriages end in divorce --child marriage increases the likelihood of long-term poverty.. 31% more likely to live in future poverty and and teen mothers who divorce, the number doubles. We recognize that VA improved our laws re child marriage in 2016. However, the current law still allows emancipated minors of 16 and 17 to marry. The harms just mentioned may occur whether th minor is emancipated or not. Child marriage has been eliminated in 10 of the 50 states in the last 6 years. We wish VA to be the 11th and respectfully urge you to pass HB994.

Comments Document

Attached.

Comments Document

Virginia House of Delegates - Courts of Justice Committee Bill Number: HB 994 Marriage; establishes legal age to be 18 years. The Honorable Chair Hope, Vice Chair Simon, and the Honorable Members Watts, Sullivan, Delaney, Maldonado, Hernandez, Cousins, Reaser, Thomas, Callsen, Keys-Gamarra, Kilgore, Leftwich, Ballard, Williams, Batten, Cordoza, Arnold, Davis, Obenshain, Earley: I strongly support HB 994 (ends child marriage). I would like my position noted for the legislative record. I would like to Submit the Written Testimony attached.

Comments Document

As a survivor of forced marriage, I am in support of HB 994 and have provided my testimony, attached. No child should ever be married. It is in most cases statutory rape and is considered a war crime by the Hague. Let's change this harmful practice. This is my mission. Thank you for bringing this legislation to vote and for potentially leading the way in America.

Comments Document

While the current marriage age in Virginia is 18, dangerous loopholes in the law allow 16-and-17-year-old emancipated minors to be entered into marriage or 16-and-17-year-old-minors to be emancipated for the purpose of marriage. These loopholes became law in 2016. Though the 2016 law was a good first step, these new loopholes must be closed. Child marriage leads to devastating and lifelong consequences and can easily be forced.

My name is Lauren Van Wagoner, and I am a survivor of child marriage. On November 3, 2006, my mom drove me to school. I turned in a research paper and I was promptly checked out of school for the day. My 21 year old boyfriend and I drove with my mother to Florida due to their more lenient laws, and I was married. I was 17 and a senior in high school. I complied with my marriage because I didn’t see another option. I thought that I was doing what was right by my religion and I felt in my heart that marriage was right for me. The reality is, I wasn’t mature enough to make that decision. As a 17 year old, I was only thinking of not having a curfew and preventing my ex husband from facing religious excommunication. I wasn’t thinking of the role that came with becoming a wife or what was best for my future. The next 12 years of my life were a horror story. I dealt with abuse, lies, and infidelity in my marriage. In 2018 my husband abused me in front of my children, and he walked out the door. For the first time in my entire life I was alone. I didn’t know what to do. I was a para at a public school, didn’t have a vehicle, and I lived in rural Kansas. I was left with 4 small children. My entire adulthood was dedicated to my household and being a mom. I found myself without any job skills or a college education. After living for 6 months on our farm without indoor running water or heat, I decided to sell the property and move to Kansas City. I went back to school at KU and eventually found financial security. Today my ex husband is in Leavenworth, serving a 14 month sentence for violating probation and making threats against the lives of women. This is the future I could have faced. My story is rare. I am one of the lucky ones. I got out of my marriage. Just like me, minors often become stuck in a cycle of poverty and abuse because they can’t escape. As you can imagine, reciting my story is painful, however, I stand and I do it again and again in hopes that one day underage girls will be safe. In hopes that I leave a better world to my own 3 daughters, one of whom is currently only 2 years younger than I was when I was wed. I am working to help bring about change on this exact issue in both Kansas and Missouri. I urge you to take action on SB 944 and to end child marriage in Virgina without exception.

Thank you the opportunity to provide written comments. Child marriage is a human rights abuse which has no place in the world and as great of a country we are which is always striving to be and do better by everyone, why do we forget our own? WHY do we forget our own children right here on our soil? Virginia needs to join in on protecting our children from this human rights abuse. Let’s end child marriage in Virginia by raising the age of marriage to 18, no exceptions and without the right to emancipation with intent to marry because that is one of the loopholes that helps to continue this horrific practice. Please vote for our children. Vote to protect our children. Vote for HB994 which would ban child marriage in the great state of Virginia. Virginia is for lovers? Well let’s start really loving our children for starters!!! Thank you.

The passing of HB1129 goes against the laws set forth by the Supreme Court Of Virginia. Grandparents do not have rights to custody or visitation unless actual harm from not having contact with said grandparent can be proved. Furthermore, it has been repeatedly ruled that unless both parents have been deemed unfit or have been found guilty of abuse/neglect grandparents do not supercede the rights of a parent. These are the only factors that should be considered when looking at the right of a parent to choose who is or is not allowed in their children's rights, and parents have a longstanding protected civil liberty to make decisions in childrearing without the fear of government interference. Passing this bill will greatly harm the rights of parents all across the commonwealth and undermine their decision-making on the upbringing of their children. Please see Williams v. Williams, 501 SE 2d 417 - Va: Supreme Court 1998 Bottoms v. Bottoms, 444 SE 2d 276 - Va: Court of Appeals 1994 Malpass v. Morgan, 213 Va. 393 - Va: Supreme Court 1972 for some references as to how the Supreme Court views these rights to parents. Please Oppose the passing of this bill as it goes against laws already set in place.

Please do NOT support this bill. The VA Supreme Court has already said in Williams v. Williams that a court may not interfere in the parent-child relationship by ordering visitation with a non-parent over the parent's objection, absent a showing of "actual harm to the child's health or welfare without such visitation." This legislation does not acknowledge this burden of proof that grandparents must show.

I was asked to make this attachment to show support for the cordoza bill and so i did. There are no other intended intentions are associated with this unless it's necessary for welfare of all.

I support this bill.

I support this bill as I have myself been involved with CPS and the removal of my kids

I support this bill going into place, it would really help the people.

Comments Document

Hi. Similar bills should be heard jointly. I'm a co-founder of the NVa. Parents United. I seek to provide further details in person. VA should be 50/50 legal and physical custody and enjoined with BOTH parents >1 hour of the children. Code 20.124.2 & .3; any exception, eg Domestic Abuse must have verificable physical proof to aoid falsehoods for custody and other ulterior motives. Regarding GALs &others https://casetext.com/case/bonhotel-v-watts & 2017 cases over turned with abuse of authority https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3Ad3aeccf8-0d9a-34fd-9f6e-dd9d781ea976 14th amendment and assurance of 42 U.S.C. Section 1303 (f) and 42 U.S.C. 106(b)(2)(B)(xviii) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) Visitations BOYD, JR. V. COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, Va. App. affirmation No. 1681191 (2020). 27 cases overturned https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15379418.2019.1613204 See also this link https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/cib.pdf on the Court Structure (graphic) that it excludes the fact that the Virginia Bar is an entity of the Virginia Supreme Court - near the bottom - "Uniform Rules and Practices -- Uniformity of practice is regarded as a vital element for the development of a sound judicial system." Uniformity is seriously lacking today in our courts of abitrary, capracious, and subjective bought opinions. In mercy and plea for children and families, please see attached three (3) suggestive 2024 bills via the Center for Rights and Protection of Children (CRPC) that naturally would require your dedication in effort of bi-partisan support and sponsorship in assurance of children's rights and their protection, especially with more and more children being taken across state lines and destroying families per Va. Code § 20.124.3 Best interests of a Child and its interference of such enforcement of the courts orders, constitution, statute and case laws such as Keel vs. Keel, Va. SupCt. (1983) (not upheld by VA SupCt Justice), Va. Code § 20-146.1 Chapter 7.1. Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act and Va. Code §18.2-49.1 per Robert Boyd, Jr. v. Commonwealth of VA, Va. Ct.App. (2020) and others to protect children's rights and equally for all parties. NVa. Parents United, >90 parents growing and we have had meetings over the past years with several parents who experience the similar issues, parents with in the JDR, circuit court, appeal proceedings are often denied fundamental due process and witness to violations like that of 18 U.S.C. Section 242, resulting in the violation of their constitutional rights. This dire situation is causing irreparable harm to countless children, who deserve to grow up in safe and nurturing environments with both parents. URGENT need for action cannot be overstated, as every delay prolongs the suffering of innocent children. This includes parents being punished for seeking protection of their children as required reporting under 42 U.S.C. Section 1303(f) and 42 U.S.C. 106(b)(2)(B)(xviii) (CAPTA). Please see the middle section https://www.linkedin.com/posts/trward_antitrafficking-children-childrensrights-activity-7152379678731751425-AWmG Random acts of kindness https://lnkd.in/d-DDffTa & https://lnkd.in/gYWJbrsC https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7153416274314760192?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28ugcPost%3A7153416274314760192%2C7155405374173433856%29 Thank you

This bill is very important to pass to help protect the rights of Due Process to families across Virginia. Currently children are removed by an ex parte hearing that parents are not able to attend. A lawyer is presented at this time and then a hearing is held 5 days later leaving no proper defense for families. We need counsel before children are removed, helping families navigate the system and protecting their families bonds and rights.

I’m writing in support of HB1481. This grandparent's visitation law has been the bane of a close friend's existence since the death of her husband. This law has been used as a weapon against her. In the midst of reeling from the sudden death of her young husband, she has been subjected to her in-laws threatening and then following through legally to have unsupervised visits and vacations with her children. Her autonomy and parental rights have been not only threatened, but she has been dragged to court by her former in-laws in what is in effect an attempt to seize her children at will. This law is an especially heinous thing to subject widows and widowers to. These parents, who are in a daily struggle trying to put their shattered lives back together, have the added stress of being threatened and bullied with legal action by grandparents trying to wrench their kids away. I urge you to support HB1481 and keep parental rights where they belong, in the hands of the parents.

Hello, Delegate I'm writing in support of a HB1481, which would address problems with a grandparents' visitation law in Virginia. As it stands, the law is a threat to the rights of widowed parents to parent their kids as they see fit. As a widow, this law could affect me personally and has affected friends of mine in the widow community. I'm lucky to have a good relationship with all the grandparents in our family circle, but it pains me that current law can cause expensive legal trouble for other widows and widowers who are just trying to parent their kids through a tragedy. This is stress they do not need, and I know from experience that newly single moms who are parenting through loss simply cannot sustain more pressure. They need support, not to be in court defending their basic parenting decisions. Thank you for listening and please consider supporting HB1481.

Comments Document

Hello, Delegates, thank you for the chance to address you about the important issue before you in HB1481. I support this bill on behalf of myself and so many others in the widowed community, as it seeks to fix unintended consequences of a 2021 grandparents' visitation law that is now hurting my family and threatening many others. Attached is my testimony on this issue. Thank you for your time. --Mary Katharine Ham

I am asking that the bill be supported by the subcommittee and Courts of Justice committee. This should have never been a law in the first place. This bill sets right the fact that fit parents in Virginia have the right to decide who is best for their child's life. The Washington Circuit court ruled in September that the current law is unconstitutional. Please support the rights of Virginia parents by supporting this bill.

Good morning, My name is Lauren Stewart and I am a Fairfax county resident writing to urge support and passage of Delegate Freitas's HB 1481- Grandparent, for visitation. This bill is up in the Civil Sub-committee today. As a close friend of an incredible parent whose family is unjustly suffering under the very provision that this common sense bill removes, I urge you and all members of the committee to move it forward. I've seen first-hand the damage and turmoil this provision of the previous well intended, but harmful legislation has caused for my friend's family. After she tragically lost her husband in 2015 she rose to any and every challenge with impressive grace and fortitude while raising two beautiful, very happy girls. Now 8 year later, due to this provision (that this Freitas bill removes) she and her family face another challenge that drains time, money and other resources from their incredibly full life, now with 4 children & two working parents. The fact that the parents of her deceased husband are able to bring a costly legal case against two extremely fit-parents, threatening their rights as parents and their personal decisions on what is best for their children is unfathomable. It is even more dangerous for families and mothers who do not have the means, know-how or where-with all to advocate for themselves. I urge this sub-committee to move HB-1481 forward to correct this harmful provision on behalf of widow-ed mothers and all families in Virginia. Thank you very much for your consideration.

This bill goes against the laws set forth by the Supreme Court Of Virginia. Grandparents do not have rights to custody or visitation unless actual harm from not having contact with said grandparent can be proved. Furthermore, it has been repeatedly ruled that unless both parents have been deemed unfit or have been found guilty of abuse/neglect grandparents do not supercede the rights of a parent. These are the only factors that should be considered when looking at the right of a parent to choose who is or is not allowed in their children's rights, and parents have a longstanding protected civil liberty to make decisions in childrearing without the fear of government interference. Passing this bill will greatly harm the rights of parents all across the commonwealth and undermine their decision-making on the upbringing of their children. Please see Williams v. Williams, 501 SE 2d 417 - Va: Supreme Court 1998 Bottoms v. Bottoms, 444 SE 2d 276 - Va: Court of Appeals 1994 Malpass v. Morgan, 213 Va. 393 - Va: Supreme Court 1972 for some references as to how the Supreme Court views these rights to parents. Please Oppose the passing of this bill as it goes against laws already set in place.