Join Virginia League of Conservation Voters as they explore how jurisdictions across the region utilize Climate Pollution Reduction Grants to tackle environmental challenges facing their communities.
Join the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for a virtual education series to learn about DEQ’s programs. This webinar will teach you the basics of clean water laws and regulations, water quality standards, and water quality monitoring.
Join PEC for their in-person workshop to learn how to access small-scale solar and energy efficiency improvements for your business through USDA’s Rural Energy for American Program.
Learn and engage in discussion about how nature-based design has proven to be an effective contributor to coastal storm risk management beyond Virginia on Tuesday, May 7th, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM, at Old Dominion University.
Interested in the intersection of data centers, solar fields, and water resources? Register for ICPRB’s webinar to learn about the water resources impacts of data centers and solar fields along with the tools to mitigate and prevent those impacts.
Virginia United Land Trusts (VaULT)’s annual Virginia Land Conservation & Greenways Conference is now open for registration! It’ll be an exciting 3-day conference in Fredericksburg on May 14-16, 2024.
For Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s annual Clean the Bay Day, advocates will work together to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay by removing litter and debris from its green spaces, roadsides, rivers, and streams at hundreds of sites all across the Commonwealth.
Join the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for a virtual education series to learn about DEQ’s programs. This webinar will teach you the basics of air quality laws and regulations, outdoor air quality standards, and air quality monitoring.
Join the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for a virtual education series to learn about DEQ’s programs.
Join Virginians for High Speed Rail for their 30th Anniversary Celebration Luncheon on Fri., Sept. 13, 12-2 PM, at JBG Smith’s National Landing Experience Center. Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner and Senator Mark Warner will be keynote speakers.
Join the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for a virtual education series to learn about DEQ’s programs.
Join the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality for a virtual education series to learn about DEQ’s programs.
THE BASICS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Learn about the basics of the General Assembly with Jay Ford, the Virginia Policy Advisor for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Gain a deeper understanding of the processes and structures of the Virginia General Assembly and how you can get involved.
CITIZEN LOBBYING
Learn about the basics of citizen lobbying with Jessica Sims, the Virginia Field Coordinator at Appalachian Voices. Discover the power of advocating for policies that matter to you and your community and learn about effective lobbying practices.
ENGAGING COMMITTEES AS A CITIZEN
Learn how to effectively engage with committees in the Virginia General Assembly with Connor Kish, Director of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter. Discover the advantages of the committee process and get valuable tips for impactful testimony.
THE VIRGINIA STATE BUDGET
Learn about the Virginia State Budget with Jay Ford, the Virginia Policy Advisor for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Explore the roles of the governor, General Assembly, and key committees in Virginia’s budget process and discover how funding directly influences conservation priorities.
VCN’S LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
Learn about VCN’s legislative process with Mary Rafferty, Executive Director of the Virginia Conservation Network. Discover how our network of 160 partners influences policy on key environmental issues.
Our General Assembly Advocacy Guide is a booklet providing an overview of Virginia’s legislative session for advocates. Download the guide for details on
- The timeline of Virginia’s legislative process throughout the year;
- How to track bills during session;
- The budget process;
- Getting to know your legislator;
- How to lobby as a constiuent, and more!
There are no stupid questions when it comes to Virginia’s General Assembly process! For more specific questions on Virginia’s General Assembly, please visit the Virginia General Assembly website and see “Visiting Capitol” & “Related Content / FAQs” and “Designated Dates and Meeting Schedules.”
Virginia’s General Assembly is the legislative body of the state. The General Assembly’s responsibilities include reviewing and passing or rejecting bills and laws, approving the state budget, levying taxes, and confirming appointments by the Governor. The General Assembly is a bicameral legislature, and consists of elected officials from the House of Delegates and Senate of Virginia.
House and Senate meetings typically occur in the General Assembly Building and Capitol Building extension. Daily floor sessions are held in the respective chambers on the second floor of the Capitol Building.
The General Assembly Building is located at 201 North 9th Street Richmond, VA, 23219 and is open weekdays from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Non-credentialed lobbyists, media, and members of the public can enter at the Broad Street Entrance. During Legislative Sessions, the General Assembly Building will open at 6:00 AM.
You can find out who your legislators are by using the Virginia General Assembly’s “Who’s My Legislator?” service.
VCN’s bill tracker shares the positions and talking points of bills supported or opposed by Virginia’s conservation community.
You can find all of the General Assembly’s legislation on the Legislative Information Services (LIS) website.
Before, during, or after the legislative session, you can find the phone numbers, emails, and office addresses for your Senator HERE and your Delegate HERE. Using this information, you can schedule a meeting with your legislator. During Session, it is often quicker to call your legislator’s Capitol office number to request a meeting.
When calling: state who you are, if you are a constituent, why you want to meet. Most importantly, be friendly. You may also need to follow up by calling back or sending an email.
These meetings are brief, so you should narrow your argument down to a few key points . If you have multiple people attending, make sure everyone has a role during the meeting. During the meeting, focus on tying your particular issue to a story and real individuals in your legislator’s district. Personalizing your argument will make it more memorable for your Legislator.
Keep it short – a minute or two at the most. Additionally, finish with a specific ask. You don’t want to merely ask your legislator to “support conservation initiatives” or something else vague. Have a yes or no question prepared. For example, “Will you support/introduce/sponsor legislation to fund the Chesapeake Bay cleanup?” Most importantly, be friendly and cordial throughout the meeting!
After you meet with your legislator, follow up with an email, letter, or even a card thanking your legislator for their time. You should stay in contact with your legislator by sending a thank you for positive action, a gentle reminder for neutral action, and a friendly (as possible) show of disappointment for negative action.
Always remember that by keeping in touch with your legislator regarding your priority issues, you are doing them a favor. State and local legislators do not hear from their constituents as often as you might imagine, so your request and your persistence will stand out and remind them of the important work that needs to be done in their district.
The 2024 General Assembly session began on Wednesday, January 10th, at noon. Each year’s session typically begins in January and ends in February or March of each year. On years ending with an odd number, the General Assembly convenes for 30 days (called a “short” session); on years ending with an even number, the General Assembly convenes for 60 days (called a “long” session).
You can view key dates for the 2024 General Assembly on VACO here: https://www.vaco.org/capitol-contact/key-dates-for-the-2024-general-assembly/
The Capitol is located in Richmond, VA. at 1000 Bank Street Richmond, VA 23219. For specific directions, please call (804) 698-1788 or see the Virginia General Assembly visitor information web page for details.
The General Assembly Building is located at 201 North 9th Street Richmond, VA, 23219.
Please note there is no public parking on the Capitol Square grounds. Pay parking lots and decks are nearby on 9th and Bank Streets, 8th and Grace Streets, and 7th and Marshall Streets. Downloadable maps of nearby parking lots and decks are available. Click here to read more.
Private vehicles with handicap placards or plates are able to unload passengers on Bank Street near the new public entrance at 10th Street. Five parking spaces zoned for handicapped drivers are located on the north side of Bank Street, between 9th and 10th Streets with a two hour limit. There is also a Paid Parking Deck adjacent to the Capitol.
Additional accommodations can still be made for those needing accessibility accommodations and are arriving via a passenger vehicle by calling (804) 698-1788 to arrange for drop-off inside Capitol Square.
The Pocahontas Building is scheduled to be torn down after the General Assembly officially moves to its new offices for the 2024 legislative session.
The Capitol and General Assembly Building are both ADA-compliant. Individuals, groups, and visitors with special needs may enter the General Assembly Building through the Broad Street entrance. Please ring the bell located at that door and the Capitol Police will provide entry. The building has wheelchair-accessible restrooms, ramps, and elevators. There is barrier-free access on all floors. If you need additional assistance, please ask security or Capitol Police who will be present as you enter the building.
Individuals desiring the use of an interpreter during committee meetings should contact Senate Committee Operations at (804) 698-7450 or Committeeoperations@senate.virginia.gov and House Committee Operations at (804) 698-1540 or CommitteeOps@house.virginia.gov for assistance. Individuals requiring the services of an interpreter should make this request known as far in advance as possible since legislative proceedings will not be delayed to provide this accommodation. Larger committee rooms are equipped with a personal listening system. Individuals may check out a receiver for use during meetings. The TDD number for the Senate is toll-free 1(866) 267-1474 and the House is (804) 786-2369. Additional information is available in the Virginia General Assembly Policy: Accessibility for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.