Prior to my retirement, I was Staff Director of a major subcommittee of the US House of Representatives, and my immediate boss was Congressman Jon Porter, who represented: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. And Jon used to tell me, "Ron, I never go into those places because I figured out a long time ago how they pay for them." And, of course he was saying casinos are NOT money losers for the house. Every time lawmakers seem to want new laws that govern behavior they send us deeper into the swamp of moral rot and decay, not to mention teaching our children to use drugs and engage in promiscuous behavior, all of which are destructive to our neighborhoods, cities, states, and most important, our Nation. Encouraging "striking it rich" and "I'll beat the odds" activity causes individuals and families to sacrifice limited incomes on the pipe dream that they will be "more lucky, next time." Do NOT impose this new scourge on us--NO CASINO in Fairfax County. Ron Martinson 703 354-3997

Prior to my retirement, I was Staff Director of a major subcommittee of the US House of Representatives, and my immediate boss was Congressman Jon Porter, who represented: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. And Jon used to tell me, "Ron, I never go into those places because I figured out a long time ago how they pay for them." And, of course he was saying casinos are NOT money losers for the house. Every time lawmakers seem to want new laws that govern behavior they send us deeper into the swamp of moral rot and decay, not to mention teaching our children to use drugs and engage in promiscuous behavior, all of which are destructive to our neighborhoods, cities, states, and most important, our Nation. Encouraging "striking it rich" and "I'll beat the odds" activity causes individuals and families to sacrifice limited incomes on the pipe dream that they will be "more lucky, next time." Do NOT impose this new scourge on us--NO CASINO in Fairfax County. Ron Martinson 703 354-3997

Members of the Committee, ServiceSource strongly supports HB 1802 (Cohen). The bill aims to clarify the powers and duties of the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity with regard to employment services organizations (ESOs) and procurement transactions. Thank you for your consideration of these technical changes to facilitate employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the Commonwealth.

Anything that deals with procurement must be taken seriously by all parties everywhere. The recent situation in the City of Richmond in which the procurement department were not being addressed appropriately is a reflection of how much the city is in trouble. Who is checking who? Again, I don’t know how much of it is lack of training or integrity, but the fact remains the leadership is not a place to go apply for a job in the City of Richmond. Where is the accountability for the mistakes and failures? Same goes on in the public schools, and lack of safety and security in the city. It is wrong to accept homeless, legalize drugs, chaos, excuse criminals, corruption, encourage government dependency, and victimization.

The League of Women of Virginia supports HB1973 because it will preserve much needed affordable housing. There are about 160,000 affordable rental units in Virginia that are publicly supported. 7,126 of these units are at risk of losing their affordability in the next five years and 29,456 in the next ten due to expiring affordability restrictions. Preservation saves money. Construction of new units costs 25 to 40 percent more than through the purchase and rehabilitation of existing housing units.

The League of Women Voters of Virginia supports the Faith and Housing bill, HB 2153 because it will help create additional affordable housing by giving localities the authority to adopt a variety of strategies intended to encourage and facilitate the development of affordable housing on property owned by religious organizations or tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. It also gives localities the right to request administrative support from the Department of Housing and Community Development in the preparation of a faith and housing ordinance.

In the last 2 years Trinity United Methodist Church in Roanoke Virginia has bravely moved forward to merging with Greene Memorial United Methodist Church, but had a historic building to find a new purpose. As their pastor I got to witness to this hard and holy work. Through incredible community partners of Restoration Housing we were able to sell our building to them for the use of affordable housing for seniors, and they will break ground next month. But the weight of figuring out how to rezone that space for a new and mission driven use was heavy. Making the law easier for churches to consider this will allow other brave folks in the midst of a new season to take on this good work. There will be 15 homes in what had been a church home for many because we were able to rezone that space and a local non profit will be able to utilize it. There will always be room in God's house, but making the law of our state easier to navigate this will be a gift to so many folks, both faith communities who need to utilize physical assets differently and our communities as a whole. We urge you to support this work.

I support this bill and I'm also currently going through weatherization issues with my Landlord. My doors and windows have gaps in them and allows a lot of cold air to come through my bedroom and living room areas. My apartment complexes states they'll penalize us if we put up plastic on our windows but refuse to take care of the leaks of air. I have to use a space heater to keep my bedroom from being freezing cold. These landlords will do the most because they know Virginia will do the least!

I myself am very prone to mold allergies and my father has battled mold a lot so thank you for this bill.

Comments Document

NICB is providing written testimony in support of House Bill 2195.

Hello my name is Dreame Boyd and I am a tenant in Richmond. I am here today to share why this mold certification bill is needed. As a licensed cosmetologist, I know the importance of providing quality services to make sure my clients are receiving the best services. As a tenant in public housing, I also know mold is something that is plaguing our homes and needs to be handled by a professional. Mold is dangerous. It needs to be dealt with by someone who is trained and knows the proper procedures to identify and remediate the issue. If I have to have a license to braid hair which can’t kill you, Mold inspectors should be licensed because mold can lead to health problems . I hope that you support this bill.

It is long overdue that our state considers the acute and long term hazards of mold in our homes and businesses. The adequate ability to quantify, document, and remediate mold in our communities has gotten disgustingly little attention in our society. I've personally seen my asthmatic conditions, and the respiratory conditions of my peers exacerbate in the presence of unremediated mold, driven largely by landlord incompetence. We must stop making the public bear the burden of landlord decisions. FOR HB2195

It is long overdue that our state considers the acute and long term hazards of mold in our homes and businesses. The adequate ability to quantify, document, and remediate mold in our communities has gotten disgustingly little attention in our society. I've personally seen my asthmatic conditions, and the respiratory conditions of my peers exacerbate in the presence of unremediated mold, driven largely by landlord incompetence. We must stop making the public bear the burden of landlord decisions.

Please support this bill. This change has no financial impact while enhancing the New Americans Board to more effectively fulfill their mission. Thank you in advance for your support and I thank Delegate Owen for his bill.

I fully support the need for a Gaming Commission to study and regulate all of the forms of gambling in Virginia. With the proliferation of gambling options (virtual, slot, and casino) in the last ten years, this is an idea that is well overdue. Issues like substitutablity, compulsive gambling, market saturation, and the true economic benefit to the locality and the State need to be analyzed and standards/ regulations established. Risky gambling behavior among the young because of access to online gambling is especially worrying. Virginia needs to establish a Gaming Commission to address these issues before it is too late.

To the Honorable Members of the Virginia House of Delegates, My name is Guillermo Creamer, and I am the co-founder of Pay Our Interns, an organization dedicated to ensuring that all young people—regardless of their socioeconomic background—have access to paid internship opportunities. Through our advocacy, Congress transitioned from a system where most interns worked without pay to one where paid internships are now the norm in both the U.S. House and Senate. The White House has also implemented a paid internship program, recognizing that financial barriers should not determine who gets to serve in government. Virginia now has the opportunity to follow this successful model and set an example for other states to do the same. Internships are often the first step in a career in public service, yet unpaid opportunities disproportionately exclude those who cannot afford to work for free. Far too many young people, particularly those from low-income and first-generation backgrounds, are forced to choose between gaining critical experience in government or taking on additional jobs and debt just to get by. This reality limits the talent pool for public service and reinforces systemic inequalities that have long made government less accessible to those without financial privilege. HB 2125 takes an important step toward addressing this issue by establishing a State Government Internship Coordinator, who will help develop and expand internship opportunities across Virginia’s state agencies. Just as Congress and the White House have successfully implemented paid internships to attract and retain a diverse workforce, Virginia should feel empowered to do the same. By ensuring that interns are compensated fairly for their work, this bill will not only remove financial barriers but also strengthen the pipeline of future public servants in the Commonwealth. Paying interns is not just about fairness—it’s about smart workforce development. Studies have consistently shown that paid internships lead to stronger career outcomes, higher retention rates, and a more engaged workforce. When young people are given the chance to gain experience in government without financial hardship, they are more likely to pursue long-term careers in public service. By passing HB 2125, Virginia will be investing in its future leaders while making state government more accessible, inclusive, and representative of the people it serves. At a time when faith in government is declining, providing fair compensation for interns is a clear and tangible way to demonstrate that public service is open to all—not just those who can afford to work for free. I urge the Virginia General Assembly to pass HB 2125 and ensure that young people across the Commonwealth have equal access to the invaluable experience that state government internships provide. This is a chance for Virginia to lead the way and inspire other states to follow suit, just as Congress and the White House have done on the federal level. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Guillermo Co-Founder, Pay Our Interns

Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the Committee: I currently serve as chair of theThe Library Board which voted unanimously to support pursuing this bill. We are thankful for Delegate Singh for presenting it for consideration. The language developed by our board was created by a bipartisan group of gubernatorial appointees, and we're grateful for his support. We hope it will be the pleasure of the subcommittee to report. There is not fiscal impact and it would allow the Library Board to more fully celebrate individuals for theircontributions to the Commonwealth's rich literary heritage.

Madam Chair and members of the Subcommittee: My name is Rick Dwyer and I am the Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. I am also a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and served over 20 years on active duty. Our organization and the communities of Hampton Roads collectively support 18 military installations, all six branches of the military services, 120,000 active duty, reserve and civilian personnel, over 125,000 military dependents, and nearly 220,000 veterans. In 2023, the Department of Defense spent over $68.5 billion in Virginia and directly employed over 247,000 people. Needless to say, supporting the military and our national defense is part of who we are in Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth. I wish to express our strong support for House Bill 2736. Military spouse careers are often interrupted by the frequent moves required of military members. According to Blue Star Families, the military spouse unemployment rate has hovered around 21% since 2015. Military spouse unemployment or underemployment can lead to retention and readiness issues as military members decide to leave the military to support their spouse employment and family economic needs. The Virginia Values Veterans (V3) grant program was created in 2015. The program currently offers private employers with less than 300 employees $1,000 for every eligible veteran hired up to $10,000 in grants per year. Expanding the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) program to military spouses supports the service and sacrifices of our military families in the Commonwealth. Additionally, it can lead to Virginia retaining talent as veterans are more likely to stay in Virginia when they leave the military if their spouse is employed with a good job. This bill sends a clear signal that Virginia values its strong relationship with the military and is willing to continuously support efforts to make the Commonwealth the most military-friendly state in the country. We humbly request your support of HB2736. Thank you.

I am a delegate of the Virginia Legislative Action Committee of the Community Associations Institute, which represents the interests of around common interest communities, their volunteer leaders, business partners and management agents throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia – over 2 million Virginias reside in the almost 10,000 communities impacted by this bill. I am also a licensed engineer and reserve specialist that works daily with community associations to ensure boards are informed of the facilities for which they must maintain. I am in favor of the bill which I believe will further clarify the rights between community associations and their management agents

I am the Chair of the Virginia Legislative Action Committee of the Community Associations Institute, which represents the interests of around common interest communities, their volunteer leaders, business partners and management agents throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia – over 2 million Virginias reside in the almost 10,000 communities impacted by this bill. I am also practicing attorney who specializes in providing legal services to community associations in the Commonwealth. I am in favor of the bill which I believe will further clarify the rights between community associations and their management agents.

Comments Document

Attached please find the testimony of the U.S. Department of Defense in support of the policies reflected in House Bill 2751.